<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from NASA Earth Observatory features active wildfires and scorched landscapes in New Mexico, where the Trout and Buck fires continue to burn across the Gila National Forest and nearby counties.</p>



<p>“As extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-drought-has-caused-crisis-levels-of-food-and-water-scarcity/">drought</a> gripped parts of New Mexico in June 2025, firefighters battled large wildland fires in the southwestern part of the state,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154454/new-mexico-battles-wildfires">NASA</a>.</p>



<p>“The two largest were the Buck and Trout fires, which, as of June 18, had together burned more than 80,000 acres since igniting on June 11 and 12, respectively. High winds, low humidity, and dry tinder - grass, brush, and timber - have fueled their rapid spread.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fires-captured-from-space">Fires captured from space</h2>



<p>The image was captured on June 14, 2025 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. It is a false-color image, which shows shortwave infrared, near-infrared, and visible light.</p>



<p>According to NASA, this band combination makes it easier to identify unburned vegetated areas (green) and the recently burned landscape (brown).&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Bright orange indicates the infrared signature of actively burning fires,” noted NASA.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-progression-of-new-mexico-s-fires">Progression of New Mexico's fires</h2>



<p>NASA’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/">fire monitoring</a> tools revealed that the Trout Fire expanded rapidly in the days following the Landsat satellite imagery.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By June 18, the blaze had reached the edge of Lake Roberts and was threatening communities along Sapillo Creek. News reports indicated that evacuation orders had been issued for around 2,000 homes in the affected zones.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In contrast, the Buck Fire showed less growth and was reported to be 25 percent contained as of June 18.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emergency-fire-declaration-in-new-mexico">Emergency fire declaration in New Mexico</h2>



<p>“On June 17, New Mexico's governor issued an emergency declaration in response to the Trout fire, which allowed emergency responders to request additional support from federal or other entities,” said NASA.</p>



<p>“More than 875 firefighting personnel were responding to the fire on June 18, including hotshot crews, hand crews, dozers, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft, according to InciWeb.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>“As of that date, the blaze was zero percent contained, though no infrastructure had been reported as damaged or destroyed. Several communities downwind of the Trout fire faced hazardous air quality.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-drought-in-new-mexico-nbsp">Extreme drought in New Mexico&nbsp;</h2>



<p>New Mexico is facing an exceptionally severe drought in 2025 that is ranked among the worst in recent decades.&nbsp;</p>



<p>According to the U.S. Drought Monitor in mid-May, roughly 84 percent of the state was experiencing moderate to exceptional drought, with southern and central New Mexico hit the hardest.</p>



<p>This drought has the fingerprints of a warm, dry spring. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-driven-climate-change-is-to-blame-for-sharp-snowpack-declines-since-1980/">Snowpacks</a> melted early and fast across mountain basins, pushing streamflows and reservoir levels far below average.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For instance, the Elephant Butte Reservoir sank to just 13 percent of its capacity, while many key watersheds recorded only 25 to 50 percent of median snow water equivalent.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Forecasts warn that flows in southern New Mexico river systems could fall to less than 25 percent of normal through the summer</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-elevated-fire-risks-and-other-hazards-nbsp">Elevated fire risks and other hazards&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The repercussions are widespread: from parched reservoir and stream networks to stressed agricultural and ranching sectors.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Farms and livestock operations now face growing water shortages, and ranchers are already being urged to ration water and reduce herd sizes.</p>



<p>The dry, warm conditions have also created tinderbox-like environments. This year’s drought is fueling an elevated wildfire risk with active burn restrictions and existing large fires already stressing firefighting resources.</p>



<p>Meteorologists warn these drought conditions are unlikely to ease before the summer monsoon arrives (typically July), so residents and local authorities are bracing for months of heightened water scarcity and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fast-wildfires-are-gaining-even-more-speed/">fire danger</a>.</p>



<p>The Hermits Peak–Calf Canyon Fire of 2022 remains New Mexico’s largest recorded wildfire. The devastating fire, which burned from April into late June 2022, scorched approximately 341,000 acres, destroyed over 900 structures, and ranked as the most destructive fire in the state's history.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;</p>



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Fires spread in New Mexico amid extreme drought

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features Abell S1063, a massive galaxy cluster located about 4.5 billion light-years from Earth. The galaxy cluster was captured by the Webb telescope in stunning detail.</p>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/05/Webb_glimpses_the_distant_past" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>, the image is what’s known as a deep field - a long exposure of a single area of the sky, collecting as much light as possible to draw out the most faint and distant galaxies that don’t appear in ordinary images.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxies-of-the-early-universe">Galaxies of the early universe </h2>



<p>Composed of nine separate snapshots taken at different near-infrared wavelengths over roughly 120 hours, this image represents Webb’s most detailed and deepest view of a single target so far.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Thanks to the gravitational lensing effect of Abell S1063, astronomers can peer deeper into the past than ever before - possibly viewing some of the universe’s very <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-galaxies-formed-from-the-earliest-elements-in-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">first galaxies</a>.</p>



<p>“The eye is first drawn, in this new NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope Picture of the Month, to the central mega-monster that is galaxy cluster Abell S1063. This behemoth collection of galaxies, lying 4.5 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Grus (the Crane), dominates the scene,” noted ESA.</p>



<p>“Looking more closely, this dense collection of heavy galaxies is surrounded by glowing streaks of light, and these warped arcs are the true object of scientists’ interest: faint galaxies from the universe’s distant past.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-galaxy-cluster">What is a galaxy cluster?</h2>



<p>Galaxy clusters are the largest known gravitationally bound systems and include not just galaxies, but also vast amounts of hot, X-ray-emitting gas and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-true-nature-of-dark-matter-may-be-revealed-in-a-supernova/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark matter</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The galaxies within a cluster move through this hot intracluster medium, and their interactions can lead to phenomena like galaxy mergers or the stripping of gas from galaxies.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Galaxy clusters are important for studying the large-scale structure of the universe, the behavior of dark matter, and the evolution of galaxies over cosmic time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hundreds-of-galaxies-bound-together-nbsp">Hundreds of galaxies bound together&nbsp;</h2>



<p>As one of the most densely populated clusters known, Abell S1063 contains hundreds of galaxies bound together by gravity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Its immense mass makes it an excellent example of a gravitational lens - a cosmic phenomenon where the cluster’s gravity bends and magnifies the light from galaxies far behind it.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This effect allows astronomers to observe incredibly faint and distant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-like-galaxies-were-present-in-the-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> that would otherwise be beyond our detection limits.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-galaxy-evolution">Studying galaxy evolution</h2>



<p>The cluster has been the focus of several major observational campaigns. It was prominently featured in the Hubble Space Telescope’s Frontier Fields program, which used its gravitational lensing power to study the early universe.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“The new imagery from Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) takes this quest even further back in time,” said ESA.</p>



<p>“This image showcases an incredible forest of lensing arcs around Abell S1063, which reveal distorted background galaxies at a range of cosmic distances, along with a multitude of faint galaxies and previously unseen features.”</p>



<p>These observations are helping scientists probe the Cosmic Dawn era - the period shortly after the Big Bang.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-the-cosmic-dawn-nbsp">Exploring the Cosmic Dawn&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The Cosmic Dawn refers to a time in the history of the universe when the first stars and galaxies began to form and shine. This pivotal era occurred roughly between 100 million and 1 billion years after the Big Bang.&nbsp;</p>



<p>During the Dark Ages, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fastest-feeding-black-hole-found-in-the-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">universe</a> had cooled enough for neutral hydrogen to form, but no luminous objects yet existed to light it up.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The birth of the first stars - often massive and short-lived - marked the beginning of the Cosmic Dawn. These stars emitted intense ultraviolet radiation, which gradually ionized the surrounding hydrogen gas in a process known as reionization.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This transformed the universe from a cold, opaque environment into one that was transparent to light, enabling the large-scale structure of the cosmos to take shape.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-constellation-grus">The constellation Grus</h2>



<p>Grus is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-jupiter-discovered-in-the-great-bear-constellation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">constellation</a> in the southern sky, its name derived from the Latin word for "crane," a type of large, graceful bird.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It was introduced in the late 16th century by the Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, during an era of celestial charting tied to European exploration of the southern hemisphere.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Grus is part of a group of constellations known as the "Southern Birds," which also includes Phoenix, Tucana, and Pavo.</p>



<p>This constellation lies near the celestial south pole and is best seen from the Southern Hemisphere during the months of August through October.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA &amp; CSA, H. Atek, M. Zamani</p>



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Hundreds of galaxies illuminate the early universe 

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency...

<p>Today's Image of the Day from the <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/">European Southern Observatory</a> (ESO) features a stunning view of the Sculptor Galaxy, one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible from Earth.</p>



<p>The ultra-detailed image, which was captured using ESO’s Very Large Telescope, reveals features in the Sculptor Galaxy that have never been seen before.&nbsp;</p>



<p>ESO researcher Enrico Congiu led a new study on the Sculptor Galaxy that is published in the journal <em>Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</em>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-galaxy-wide-view-of-sculptor-nbsp">A galaxy-wide view of Sculptor&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The team observed the galaxy in thousands of wavelengths at once, collecting an immense amount of data from every point across its structure. This allowed them to build a comprehensive, galaxy-wide view of how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-stars-may-be-billions-of-years-older-than-estimated/">stars</a> live and evolve within Sculptor.</p>



<p>"Galaxies are incredibly complex systems that we are still struggling to understand," said Congiu.</p>



<p>“The Sculptor Galaxy is in a sweet spot. It is close enough that we can resolve its internal structure and study its building blocks with incredible detail, but at the same time, big enough that we can still see it as a whole system.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thousands-of-distinct-colors-nbsp">Thousands of distinct colors&nbsp;</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxygen-detected-in-the-most-distant-and-primitive-galaxy-ever-analyzed/">Galaxies</a> span hundreds of thousands of light-years, yet their evolution is shaped by processes unfolding on much smaller scales.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The fundamental components of a galaxy - stars, gas, and dust - each emit light in distinct colors. The more shades of color captured in an image, the deeper the insight into a galaxy’s internal structure.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Traditional images typically contain only a few colors, but the new map of the Sculptor Galaxy includes thousands.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This rich spectrum provides astronomers with detailed information about the galaxy’s stars, gas, and dust - from their ages and chemical makeup to how they’re moving through space.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-sculptor-galaxy-nbsp">Mapping the Sculptor Galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The research team spent more than 50 hours observing the Sculptor Galaxy using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on the Very Large Telescope.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To capture the full view - spanning roughly 65,000 light-years - they combined over 100 separate exposures into a single, detailed mosaic.&nbsp;</p>



<p>According to study co-author Kathryn Kreckel from Heidelberg University, Germany, this makes the map a potent tool.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“We can zoom in to study individual regions where stars form at nearly the scale of individual stars, but we can also zoom out to study the galaxy as a whole,” said Kreckel.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hundreds-of-planetary-nebulae-nbsp">Hundreds of planetary nebulae&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In their initial analysis of the data, the team identified around 500 planetary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orion-nebula-destroys-an-oceans-worth-of-water-every-month/">nebulae</a> scattered throughout the Sculptor Galaxy.</p>



<p>Study co-author Fabian Scheuermann, a doctoral student at Heidelberg University, emphasized the significance of the discovery.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Scheuermann noted that when astronomers study galaxies outside of our own cosmic neighborhood, they normally detect fewer than 100 planetary nebulae in each one.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-galaxy-of-extremes">A galaxy of extremes</h2>



<p>The Sculptor Galaxy, also known as NGC 253, is located about 11.4 million light-years away in the constellation Sculptor. It’s classified as a starburst galaxy, meaning it’s undergoing an exceptionally high rate of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/">star formation</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This vigorous star-making activity is especially intense in its central regions, where dense clouds of gas and dust feed the birth of new stars.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The galaxy is tilted at a steep angle from our perspective, which gives it a striking, elongated appearance when viewed through telescopes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-notable-features-of-the-sculptor-galaxy-nbsp">Notable features of the Sculptor Galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Discovered in 1783 by Caroline Herschel, the Sculptor Galaxy has become a popular target for both professional astronomers and amateur skywatchers due to its brightness and relative proximity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It’s part of the Sculptor Group, one of the nearest groups of galaxies to our Local Group. Despite being rich in star-forming regions, much of its inner structure is veiled by thick dust lanes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, infrared and X-ray observations have helped scientists peer through the obscuring material to study the galaxy’s core, revealing a wealth of activity including supernova remnants and a possible central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-ultramassive-black-hole-ever-seen-cosmic-horseshoe-lrg-3-757/">black hole</a>.</p>



<p>The Sculptor Galaxy is also notable for its extended halo of stars and gas, which suggests past interactions or mergers with smaller galaxies.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This halo, along with its active central region, makes NGC 253 a valuable subject for understanding how galaxies evolve, form stars, and recycle gas over time. Its combination of beauty and scientific richness continues to make it a focus of galactic studies.</p>



<p>Image Credit: European Southern Observatory&nbsp;</p>



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Thousands of colors in the Sculptor Galaxy

Today's Image of the Day from the European Southern Observatory...

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features Messier 82, a starburst galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. This galaxy is actively forming new stars at a rate ten times that of the Milky Way.</p>



<p>In a study using the <a href="https://webb.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Webb Space Telescope</a> (JWST), an international team of astronomers has taken an unprecedented look at Messier 82 (M82), revealing intricate details about its frenzied star formation.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-nircam">The power of NIRCam</h2>



<p>The study, led by Alberto Bolatto, utilized Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) to penetrate the thick dust and gas covering the galaxy's core, a region critical to understanding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-stars-release-sneezes-of-gas-and-dust-as-they-develop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>"M82 has garnered a variety of observations over the years because it can be considered as the prototypical starburst galaxy," noted Bolatto. “With Webb’s size and resolution, we can look at this star-forming galaxy and see all of this beautiful new detail.”</p>



<p>Webb's NIRCam has proven crucial for observing areas like M82’s center, where layers of dust typically obscure the view in other wavelengths. The camera's ability to capture infrared light allows it to reveal the galaxy's core and its dynamic processes.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-messier-82-image">Messier 82 image </h2>



<p>“This image shows the power of Webb. Every single white dot in this image is either a star or a star cluster. We can start to distinguish all of these tiny point sources, which enables us to acquire an accurate count of all the star clusters in this galaxy,” noted study co-author Rebecca Levy from the University of Arizona.</p>



<p>One of the NIRCam's innovative features is its mode that prevents bright sources from overwhelming the detector, which was particularly useful in studying the intensely active center of Messier 82.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In the image, dark brown tendrils of dust weave through the galaxy's glowing white core, interspersed with small green specks that represent concentrated areas of iron from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova</a> remnants. Red patches highlight regions where molecular hydrogen is illuminated by the radiation from nearby young stars.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-into-galactic-winds">Insights into galactic winds</h2>



<p>The study also focused on understanding how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spin-of-a-new-black-hole-is-unlocking-galactic-mysteries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galactic wind</a>, driven by the rapid rate of star formation and subsequent supernovae, influences M82’s environment. </p>



<p>The NIRCam images showed clumpy streams of gas, appearing in red, which extend above and below the galaxy's plane, marking the path of this wind rushing out from the starburst's core.</p>



<p>A key revelation came from the NIRCam’s tracing of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), sooty chemical molecules that map out the structure of the galactic wind. </p>



<p>To the surprise of researchers, the PAH emissions closely resembled the patterns of the hot, ionized gas, suggesting a more complex interaction within the wind than previously understood. </p>



<p>"It was unexpected to see the PAH emission resemble ionised gas," said Bolatto. "PAHs are not supposed to live very long when exposed to such a strong radiation field, so perhaps they are being replenished all the time. It challenges our theories and shows us that further investigation is required."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-observations-of-messier-82">Future observations of Messier 82</h2>



<p>The findings from Webb are just the beginning. The team plans to further analyze Messier 82 with additional data, including spectroscopic observations, to determine the ages of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxy-collisions-hubble-spots-a-string-of-pearls-star-cluster/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star clusters</a> and the duration of each star formation phase within the starburst environment.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These observations will also assist in a broader understanding of similar processes in early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ceers-2112-ancient-galaxy-looks-strikingly-similar-to-ours/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a>, which were common in the young universe.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study">Broader implications of the study</h2>



<p>Study co-author Torsten Böker of the <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Space Agency</a> emphasized the broader implications of these findings.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“With these amazing Webb images, and our upcoming spectra, we can study how exactly the strong winds and shock fronts from young stars and supernovae can remove the very gas and dust from which new stars are forming,” explained Böker.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“A detailed understanding of this ‘feedback’ cycle is important for theories of how the early universe evolved, because compact starbursts such as the one in M82 were very common at high redshift.”</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA &amp; CSA</p>



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Messier 82: Unlocking the mysteries of star formation

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from NASA Earth Observatory features a blanket of dust over the Tarim Basin - a vast, arid region in northwestern China. </p>



<p>Mountain peaks are visible through a break in the dust. These peaks are part of Tekilik Shan, a subrange of the Kunlun Mountains.</p>



<p>Though not as widely known as some other mountain ranges in the area, Tekilik Shan plays a significant role in shaping local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-pushing-nature-toward-a-breaking-point/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weather</a> patterns and geography.</p>



<p>Its snow-covered peaks can rise above 13,000 feet, contributing to the dramatic elevation differences that define the basin’s borders.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-storms-in-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Dust storms in the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Spring marks the height of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sahara-desert-dust-storms-carry-harmful-bacteria-and-fungi-around-the-globe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dust storm</a> activity in the Tarim Basin, particularly in its southern region.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It’s a time of year when regional wind patterns shift in ways that cause winds and storm systems to sweep in from the northwest,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154126/a-curtain-of-dust-over-the-tarim-basin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.</p>



<p>“In early spring, when landscapes in this region are especially dry and have minimal vegetation, land surfaces warm rapidly under the Sun’s heat every morning, fueling convection that can help loft dust upward by the afternoon.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fingerlike-dust-formations-nbsp">Fingerlike dust formations&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Satellite images revealed dust formations with fingerlike shapes that mirrored the landscape below. These projections aligned with valleys, which channeled and directed the airborne dust.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Ralph Kahn is an atmospheric scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder and scientist emeritus at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.</p>



<p>According to Kahn, the dust may have been “self-lofting.” In this process, sunlight heats recently stirred-up surface dust, creating pockets of convection that lift it even higher into the air.</p>



<p>This interpretation is supported by hourly observations from Japan’s Himawari-9 geostationary satellite, which showed dust gradually rising into the Tekilik Shan throughout the day. By late afternoon, the storm had grown dense enough to obscure the mountains.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decline-in-atmospheric-dust">Decline in atmospheric dust</h2>



<p>Long-term satellite data from MODIS suggest that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-storms-in-the-gulf-of-alaska-help-shape-the-global-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheric dust</a> levels in this region have declined by about 1.5 percent each year since the early 2000s.&nbsp;</p>



<p>NASA researcher Hongbin Yu attributes this trend mainly to springtime changes - such as altered wind speeds, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-soil-moisture-can-predict-severe-storms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soil moisture</a>, or vegetation cover - rather than shifts in other seasons.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rainfall-in-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Rainfall in the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Takla-Makan-Desert" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Takla Makan Desert</a> is one of the driest, most barren expanses on Earth. Flanked by mountain ranges on three sides and parched by the resulting <a href="https://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Rain_shadow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rain shadow</a>, parts of the Tarim Basin receive no more than 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) of rain per year,” noted NASA.</p>



<p>“Dust storms can lead to public health problems in populated areas downwind by transporting small particles, bacteria, and viruses that infiltrate human respiratory systems.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>NASA added that dust storms can also affect Earth’s climate by scattering and absorbing incoming solar radiation and changing the properties of clouds.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-landscape-of-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Landscape of the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The Tarim Basin is one of the largest endorheic basins in the world, meaning that its rivers do not drain into the sea but instead flow into interior lakes or evaporate.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The basin is encircled by three mountain ranges: the Tien Shan to the north, the Kunlun Mountains to the south, and the Pamirs to the west. These ranges create a powerful rain shadow effect, making the region exceptionally dry.</p>



<p>At the heart of the Tarim Basin lies the Taklamakan Desert, one of the most extreme deserts on Earth. The desert is known for its high dunes, intense temperature swings, and minimal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-will-wreak-havoc-on-mountain-ranges-as-warming-climate-turns-snow-to-rain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-history-and-geology">History and geology</h2>



<p>Despite its harsh environment, the basin has been historically significant. It was a key section of the ancient Silk Road, with several oases such as Kashgar, Khotan, and Loulan serving as vital trading and cultural centers for centuries.</p>



<p>Geologically, the basin is rich in natural resources, particularly oil and natural gas, and has become a focal point for China's energy exploration and development.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The region’s challenging climate and remote location, however, make infrastructure development and human habitation difficult.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The image was captured on March 27, 2025 by the Operational Land Imager instrument on Landsat 8.</p>



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Blanket of dust covers China’s Tarim Basin

<p>Preschool can change more than just how kids learn to read. A long-term study shows that a focused preschool program can help students better handle emotional and behavioral challenges even in high school.</p>



<p>The REDI program, short for Research-based, Developmentally Informed, was designed to improve social-emotional skills and language abilities in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/todays-children-will-face-more-climate-extremes-than-ever-before/">children</a> from low-income families. This intervention has now shown benefits that span over a decade.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preschool-program-taught-emotions">Preschool program taught emotions</h2>



<p>REDI was integrated into 22 Head Start classrooms across three counties in Pennsylvania. Teachers received weekly support and training.</p>



<p>The curriculum was based on Preschool PATHS, which targeted emotion understanding, impulse control, and social interaction.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-have-the-brainpower-to-navigate-maps-at-a-very-young-age/">Lessons</a> were reinforced through interactive reading, sound games, and print activities. Parents also got handouts and DVDs to continue the learning at home.</p>



<p>“We wanted to work with Head Start and look at whether there were ways to strengthen the programming by incorporating more up-to-date research on what we knew about social-emotional development,” said Karen Bierman, the lead researcher from <a href="https://www.psu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Pennsylvania State University</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preschool-kids-behaved-better">Preschool kids behaved better</h2>



<p>In preschool, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mobile-addiction-harms-kids-mental-health-more-than-screen-time/">children</a> who received REDI showed higher emotion knowledge and social competence. These early gains prepared them to navigate relationships and school challenges more effectively in later years.</p>



<p>Teachers noted better cooperation and emotional regulation by the time students reached elementary school.</p>



<p>REDI students showed fewer behavior problems in high school with an effect size of 0.27 and fewer emotional symptoms with an effect size of 0.41, based on teacher, parent, and self-reports. These effects appeared more than ten years after the intervention ended.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-lasting-emotional-skills">Building lasting emotional skills</h2>



<p>Academic skills acquired in preschool often fade if not supported. But social-emotional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-now-the-reality-for-nearly-half-a-billion-children/">skills</a> can persist. They help children form strong relationships, manage feelings, and stay focused. This improves school experiences year after year.</p>



<p>“The preschool intervention had built a protective capacity for kids to better manage the social pressures and emotional demands of adolescence,” Bierman said.</p>



<p>The REDI study followed participants from age 4 to 18. It showed how early emotional learning helped children stay steady through the transitions of school and adolescence.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emotional-gains-linked-to-school-success">Emotional gains linked to school success</h2>



<p>The preschool program did not directly raise grades or on-time graduation rates. But it helped in indirect ways. Students with better emotional control did well in school and graduated on time. These gains began with behavior and adjustment in grade school.</p>



<p>The study revealed six clear paths that linked REDI to better GPA and another six to graduation on time. These involved improvements in emotion knowledge, social competence, parent involvement, and behavior management.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-parents-and-teachers">Role of parents and teachers</h2>



<p>Parent involvement played a central role. One major path to fewer emotional symptoms in teens began with parents engaging more with school. REDI supported this through weekly take-home tools and DVDs for families.</p>



<p>Teachers observed that REDI children adjusted better and built stronger classroom relationships. These qualities helped them avoid negative peer influence and handle stress throughout school.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preschool-programs-after-the-pandemic">Preschool programs after the pandemic</h2>



<p>After the pandemic, many children face wider gaps in education and emotional well-being. Programs like REDI offer a model for support that starts early and continues to matter later. The program cost only $191 per child, making it a cost-effective approach.</p>



<p>These results suggest that early efforts in emotional development have lasting impact. They shape school behavior and support success in life.</p>



<p>“Our findings suggest that when you boost early social-emotional skills, the big payoff is going to be sustained improvements in social-emotional and behavioral adjustment,” said Bierman.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-follows-kids-into-adulthood">Study follows kids into adulthood</h2>



<p>Researchers continue to follow students from the preschool program into their twenties. They are studying how early learning affects college, work, and personal life. </p>



<p>The goal is to see how the preschool program shapes success in adulthood. Many families have remained in the study for over 14 years. </p>



<p>"They’ve been really willing to hang in there with us,” said Bierman. The commitment of these families could help build stronger programs for future generations.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdev.14235" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Child Development</a>.</em></p>



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Early preschool program helps teens behave better in high school

Preschool can change more than just how kids learn to...

<p>For years, thin plastic bags have been one of the most visible symbols of pollution - blowing through streets, choking marine wildlife, and breaking down into microplastics that contaminate ecosystems.</p>



<p>Now, a new study led by researchers at the <a href="https://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a> and <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a> offers the clearest evidence yet that bag bans and fees do make a difference.</p>



<p>By analyzing data from tens of thousands of beach cleanups across the United States, the researchers found that jurisdictions with plastic bag laws saw a significant drop - between 25% and 47% - in plastic bags as a share of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-bag-bans-have-drastically-reduced-ocean-pollution/">shoreline litter</a>.</p>



<p>The study is the first large-scale analysis to connect local policy with direct environmental outcomes, rather than relying on consumer checkout data alone.</p>



<p>“A lot of the previous economics literature on plastic bag policies has used checkout data at the store level,” said lead author Anna Papp, an environmental economist at Columbia. “We were excited to add to that a direct measurement of plastic litter on these shorelines.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-volunteers-help-map-plastic-waste">Volunteers help map plastic waste</h2>



<p>The idea for the study began when co-author Kimberly Oremus, a marine policy expert at the University of Delaware, noticed that volunteers at Delaware beach cleanups were using an app called Clean Swell to track the litter they picked up.</p>



<p>The app feeds into the <a href="https://www.coastalcleanupdata.org/about">Ocean Conservancy’s TIDES database</a>, which collects crowdsourced data from thousands of cleanups around the world.</p>



<p>“When we found the database that had information on different shoreline cleanups, we realized we could look at the composition of litter before and after a policy to see what effect it had,” Oremus said. “And then we could compare that to places that never got a plastic bag policy.”</p>



<p>With no federal ban on plastic bags in the United States, the researchers had a rich dataset of hundreds of local and state-level laws to compare. </p>



<p>Between 2007 and 2023, they compiled over 600 distinct policies, allowing them to assess a wide range of regulations and their impacts.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bans-and-fees-differ-greatly">Bans and fees differ greatly</h2>



<p>While it might seem obvious that banning or taxing plastic bags would reduce litter, the magnitude of the effect surprised the team.</p>



<p>“There are so many pathways a bag can take from the checkout line at the store,” Oremus said. “It’s great to see a policy that works in such a clearly measurable way.”</p>



<p>Interestingly, the research also showed that some types of policies work better than others. State-level laws tended to have a stronger impact than city or county ordinances, and fees - perhaps counterintuitively - were more effective at reducing litter than outright bans.</p>



<p>Papp noted that this could be because fees encourage people to bring <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-retailers-are-replacing-plastic-bags-with-eco-friendly-paper-bags/">reusable bags</a>, while bans may be more easily circumvented with loopholes or substitutions.</p>



<p>The researchers also observed that the policies had the biggest impact in areas that started with higher levels of plastic bag pollution, suggesting that public buy-in and visible local problems may help drive compliance and effectiveness.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-decline-slows-not-stops">Plastic decline slows, not stops</h2>



<p>Despite the success of bag policies in reducing local litter, the overall share of plastic bags among shoreline trash is still increasing - just not as quickly in areas with bans or fees.</p>



<p>“We’re still getting more plastic bags on shorelines as a percentage of all the cleanup items over time,” noted Oremus. “It’s not eliminating the problem, it’s just making it grow more slowly.”</p>



<p>This sobering trend highlights the limitations of local policies when facing a global problem. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-production-increases-create-identical-plastic-pollution-increase/">Plastic production</a> and consumption continue to rise, and single-use items remain deeply embedded in supply chains and consumer habits.</p>



<p>“Ours is the first large-scale study to use hundreds of policies and tens of thousands of cleanups to look at their effects,” Papp said. “But it is important to keep in mind that this is a relative decrease in affected areas compared to areas without policies.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bags-are-just-the-start">Bags are just the start</h2>



<p>With the <a href="https://www.unep.org/">United Nations Environment Program</a> preparing for its next round of negotiations on an international <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-treaty-is-a-historic-opportunity-to-stop-a-human-health-crisis/">plastic treaty</a> in August 2025, the study offers timely evidence that policy can make a tangible difference.</p>



<p>“Overall, our findings do show that plastic bag policies are broadly effective in limiting litter along shorelines,” Papp said. Yet, plastic bags remain just one piece of the puzzle.</p>



<p>The researchers hope their work will help policymakers think beyond local or single-product solutions and push for more comprehensive strategies. </p>



<p>Plastic bag <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/environmental-policies-like-plastic-bag-bans-can-often-backfire/">bans</a> aren’t a silver bullet, but they’re one of the tools that clearly work - and that gives scientists something to build on.</p>



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Plastic bag bans help - but aren't enough to stop pollution

For years, thin plastic bags have been one of the...

<p>Viruses have no life of their own. They survive only by entering living cells and stealing what they need. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is no different. </p>



<p>Known mostly for causing cold sores, this virus is silent in most people. But inside of our cells, the herpes virus does something extraordinary to DNA.</p>



<p>A new study published in the journal <em>Nature Communications</em> shows that HSV-1 does more than hijack the host’s machinery. It reshapes the 3D layout of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-entire-human-genome-is-stored-on-this-disk-could-aliens-build-a-human-with-this-data-if-they-found-it/">human genome</a>. This gives the virus access to specific human genes useful for its own replication.</p>



<p>“HSV-1 is an opportunistic interior designer, reshaping the human genome with great precision and choosing which bits it comes into contact with,” explained Dr. Esther González Almela.</p>



<p>This reshaping is not a side effect; it is intentional. The virus rewires DNA contacts within hours of infection. These changes let HSV-1 build the perfect space to multiply.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-herpes-virus-controls-dna">How the herpes virus controls DNA</h2>



<p>Within one hour of entering the cell, HSV-1 hijacks the host’s RNA polymerase II (RNAP II). This enzyme normally makes RNA from human DNA. The virus redirects it to copy its own genes.</p>



<p>Topoisomerase I (TOP1), which snips DNA to relieve strain, joins the viral effort. Cohesin, which helps fold DNA, also moves toward the viral genome. Together, these enzymes help HSV-1 build viral replication compartments (VRCs).</p>



<p>In these compartments, human transcription slows dramatically. RNAP II and TOP1 abandon host DNA. As a result, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gene-regulation-controlling-cells-to-improve-medical-treatments/">chromatin</a> - the tightly packed form of DNA - collapses into a shell just 30% of its normal volume.</p>



<p>VRCs grow quickly. Host DNA is pushed to the edges of the nucleus. Human gene activity plummets. Viral RNA floods the cell within a few hours.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-turns-in-genome-folding">Surprising turns in genome folding</h2>



<p>Cohesin partially joins the virus party and forms short loops near <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preparing-for-the-next-pandemic-lessons-about-viral-transmission/">viral</a> DNA. But much of its usual function is lost. Some host DNA loops vanish, while others stay intact. The virus rewires specific loops to boost genes it benefits from.</p>



<p>Despite this damage, parts of the human genome resist. A/B compartments - large regions of active or inactive DNA - stay largely intact. This shows that chromatin can keep its broad structure, even under viral attack.</p>



<p>Another twist: HSV-1 does not rely on altering chemical markers like H3K27me3 or H3K9me3. It leaves these epigenetic marks unchanged. Instead, it changes the physical shape and positioning of DNA.</p>



<p>“We always thought dense chromatin shut genes down but here we see the opposite: stop enough transcription first and the DNA compacts afterwards. The relationship between activity and structure might be a two-way street,” noted Dr. Álvaro Castells García from <a href="http://portal.smu.edu.cn/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Medical University</a> in Guangzhou, China.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-one-enzyme-blocks-the-virus">One enzyme blocks the virus</h2>



<p>The researchers found a key weakness in the viral plan. Blocking just one host enzyme, TOP1, completely halted HSV-1’s genome reshaping. Without this enzyme, VRCs failed to form. The virus could not make a single new particle.</p>



<p>“In cell culture, inhibiting this enzyme stopped the infection before the virus could make a single new particle,” noted Professor Pia Cosma.</p>



<p>TOP1 is now a potential target for new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/computer-model-can-identify-tumor-fighting-immune-cells/">therapies</a>. Since nearly two-thirds of people under 50 carry HSV-1, a treatment like this could have a huge impact.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-herpes-virus-rewires-dna">The herpes virus rewires DNA</h2>



<p>The researchers used advanced tools to uncover HSV-1’s tactics. Super-resolution microscopy let them see features just 20 nanometers wide. Hi-C showed which parts of DNA were in contact.</p>



<p>The virus genome tends to associate with active, gene-rich regions in human DNA. These contacts likely help the virus turn on the genes it needs.</p>



<p>Throughout infection, HSV-1 genome clusters remain stable in size. RNAP II binds closely to them. Cohesin binds loosely. This balance supports ongoing replication.</p>



<p>The findings show that HSV-1 does not just invade. It rewires and reorganizes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-cells-communicate-with-each-other-through-rna/">human cells</a> with precision. Right now, there is no cure for HSV-1. People can treat symptoms, but the virus stays in the body for life. This study shows a new way to fight it.</p>



<p>If we stop the virus from reshaping human DNA early in the infection, we might stop it from spreading which could lead to new treatments.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60534-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.</em></p>



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Herpes virus reshapes human DNA within one hour of infection

Viruses have no life of their own. They survive only...

LEPCs: Guarding Community Safety

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