Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the west coast of South America. The photo was captured by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station while orbiting over the Atacama Desert and Central Andes Mountains near the border of Bolivia, Peru, and Chile.



"Over the Pacific Ocean, marine stratocumulus clouds develop over cold water that rises from the ocean depths as the Peru current (Humboldt current) flows north along the west coast of South America," says NASA. "The coastline is marked by low mountains that are dissected by canyons carved by rivers that flow down the western side of the Andes."



The Atacama Desert receives less than 0.2 inches of rain per year on average. According to NASA, this dry environment provides an ideal setting to conduct Mars analog studies.



"Active and inactive volcanoes comprise the Central Andean Volcanic Arc within the Atacama Desert and Andes Mountains. One of the inactive volcanoes visible in this photo is Bolivia’s Nevado Sajama, which has a maximum elevation of 6,542 meters (21,463 feet). Nevado Sajama and other volcanoes in the region often have glaciers and snow cover due to their high elevation."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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The west coast of South America

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

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features an astronaut photograph of the Cape Cod peninsula, located in the easternmost portion of Massachusetts. The peninsula extends into the Atlantic Ocean and is a significant feature of the East Coast of the United States.



Cape Cod peninsula is characterized by its beaches, villages, and seafood. It's a popular tourist destination, particularly in the summer months, with people visiting for its beautiful landscapes and unique culture.



Cape Cod consists of 15 towns, including Provincetown, Hyannis, Falmouth, and Chatham. Each town has its own distinctive character and attractions. For example, Provincetown, located at the tip of the peninsula, is known for its vibrant LGBTQ+ scene, while Hyannis is famous as a ferry gateway to the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.



The Cape Cod National Seashore, a national park covering much of the Outer Cape, including the entire east-facing coast, provides opportunities for hiking, biking, and beachgoing.



Historically, Cape Cod was a landmark for early explorers of the Americas. It was among the first places settled by the English in North America in the Pilgrim Fathers' era, and it played a key role in the early history and development of the United States.&nbsp;



Today, the Cape's history is preserved in numerous museums, historic sites, and lighthouses. In addition, a variety of wildlife can be found in the region, such as whales, seals, and many species of birds.



"The variety of ecosystems within Cape Cod National Seashore sustain over 450 species of amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals, including 32 species that are rare or endangered," says NASA. "One of those species is the American oystercatcher, a large shorebird that uses a knife-like bill to eat shellfish."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Cape Cod peninsula in the northeastern United States

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the Amundsen Gulf in northern Canada, where ice is typically covered with ice that is fastened to surrounding coastlines. According to NASA, the breakup of this ice tends to be rapid when the melting season arrives in spring.



"Patches of fast ice remained in the eastern part of the gulf in late May, but summer weather will ultimately clear it away as well. The Amundsen Gulf, the western entrance to the Northwest Passage, is usually ice-free by August," says NASA.



Walt Meier, a senior research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, said that winds play an important role in the breakup of the ice. He noted that an area of low pressure centered south of the gulf prior to the breakup fueled strong easterly winds and large waves that broke up the ice and sent chunks of it drifting west.&nbsp;



This year's spring breakup occurred earlier than usual, which aligns with the overall trend in the Beaufort Sea region in recent decades, noted NASA.



“Over a period of two decades, the Amundsen Gulf had the highest interannual variability of anywhere across the entire Northwest Canadian Arctic,” said Eleanor Wratten, a researcher at Northumbria University and the lead author of an analysis of decades of MODIS observations of fast ice in the Northwest Canadian Arctic.&nbsp;



“We saw the timing of breakup change considerably from one year to the next, but the general pattern looked similar to what you see here. Ice usually remains in the southern bays the longest, with breakup veering toward the strait in the southeastern portion of the gulf.”



The image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on May 30, 2023.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Spring ice breakup in the Amundsen Gulf

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Nova Scotia, where unusually large fires have led to the evacuation of thousands of people. The photograph, which was captured by an astronaut on the International Space Station, shows smoke rising from a fire near the town of Shelburne on May 29, 2023.



"By the morning of May 31, after four days of burning, the fire had scorched 17,000 hectares (66 square miles) near the southern tip of Nova Scotia," says NASA. "It became the largest forest fire in the province’s history, according to CBC Nova Scotia, exceeding the area burned by a fire in Guysborough County over six days in June 1976."



"Fires have burned in Canada for weeks, as the western part of the country experienced a record-breaking streak of hot weather in mid-May."&nbsp;



"Several regions in Canada also had an abnormally dry spring; Nova Scotia received about half of the usual amount of rainfall in April. Authorities classified both the Halifax and Shelburne County fires as uncontrolled on May 31 and expected the fires to grow as dry and windy conditions continued."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Smoke rises from fires in Nova Scotia

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Lake Hamun, a seasonal lake in the Sistan region on the Afghanistan-Iran border. The lake and surrounding wetlands have been shrinking as a result of persistent drought, leading to reduced vegetation and exposed dust. These changes have transformed the basin into a major source of dust storms.



"While dust storms are most common in the summer, they happen year-round as long as the lake is dry and the winds are strong. That was the case on January 12, 2023, when the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-20 satellite captured this image of dust streaming from the dry lake bed," says NASA.



In January 2023, a team of experts led by UCLA reported that airborne dust has likely increased by 55 percent on a global scale since pre-industrial times. The researchers said this is largely due to more frequent dust storms in Asia and North Africa.&nbsp;



The team estimates that the cooling effect of airborne dust has likely masked about eight percent of the warming caused by greenhouse gases since the preindustrial era.



“Our findings imply that greenhouses gases alone could cause even more climate warming than models currently predict,” said UCLA atmospheric physicist Jasper Kok. “This is of tremendous importance because better predictions can inform better decisions of how to mitigate or adapt to climate change.”



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Lake Hamun is a major source of dust storms

The Antillean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tracking-manatee-evolution-over-47-million-years/">manatee</a> (Trichechus manatus) is a currently endangered subspecies of the West Indian manatee, living in the waters off Belize and facing a variety of threats, such as habitat degradation and loss, poaching, pollution, and entanglement in fishing gear.&nbsp;



Now, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">University of California, Santa Cruz</a> has found that, with the growth of tourism over the past three decades and subsequent increase in boat traffic, the local manatee population – consisting at the moment of about 1,000 specimens – is also facing a growing threat from boat strikes.



<h2 id="h-how-the-study-was-conducted">How the study was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



To quantify the impacts of increasing boat traffic on the manatee population, the researchers used 25 years of data on manatee strandings (injured or dead animals), six aerial surveys of the manatee population, and two decades of boat registration data.



The investigation revealed that, with increasingly more boats in the water, the number of manatee strandings has risen from one to four per year in the 1990s and early 2000s to 10 to 17 per year by the late 2100s. Strandings were more frequent in regions with high boat traffic, mangrove habitats, and high human population density.



“We knew that boat strikes were happening, but this study provides strong quantitative evidence of boat strikes as an increasing source of mortality for manatees in Belize, and it shows the areas where the risk is greatest,” said co-author Marm Kilpatrick, a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz. “These findings provide a basis for conservation measures that can be implemented to reduce the risk.”



<h2 id="h-conservation-efforts-are-needed">Conservation efforts are needed</h2>



According to the researchers, conservation efforts should focus on decreasing the number of boats and their allowed speeds within areas of high manatee use, creating more protected areas with strict restrictions on boat traffic, including regions designated for non-motorized boating or restricted access, and implementing speed restrictions in shallow seagrass habitats.



“This work has been shared with policymakers in Belize and will contribute directly to conservation planning, including protecting key areas for manatees such as the Belize River Mouth and the Placencia Lagoon,” concluded lead author Celeshia Guy Galves, a scientist at the <a href="https://mission.cmaquarium.org/research-institute/">Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute</a> in Belize, who conducted this research as a graduate student in the&nbsp;<a href="https://csp.ucsc.edu/">Coastal Science and Policy Program</a>&nbsp;at UC Santa Cruz. The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/esr01247">Endangered Species Research</a>.



<h2 id="h-more-about-boat-strikes">More about boat strikes</h2>



Boat strikes refer to the collision of boats with marine life, such as whales, dolphins, manatees, turtles, and various types of fish. These incidents can result in injury or death to the marine animals and can damage boats as well.



Boat strikes are a significant conservation issue, especially for endangered or threatened species. They are a particularly significant problem in areas with heavy boat traffic, such as Florida's waterways where the manatee population is at risk, or busy shipping lanes where large whales might be present. They can be a significant source of mortality for some species.



There are a variety of methods being used to try to reduce the incidence of boat strikes. These include:



<h3 id="h-education">Education</h3>



Boat operators are often not aware of the presence of marine animals in their vicinity or the potential harm they can cause. Educational campaigns can help to raise awareness and change behavior.



<h3 id="h-regulation">Regulation</h3>



Speed limits in certain areas, especially those known to be inhabited by vulnerable species, can reduce the risk of boat strikes. Regulations may also limit the times or seasons when boats can operate in certain areas.



<h3 id="h-technology">Technology</h3>



There are technologies being developed to help boats detect the presence of marine life, such as sonar systems. Other innovations aim to make the animals more aware of approaching boats.



<h3 id="h-design">Design</h3>



Changes to boat design, such as propeller guards or hull shapes that are less likely to harm animals, can also reduce the risk.



Despite these efforts, boat strikes remain a significant conservation concern. As human activities in the marine environment continue to increase, it's likely that the issue of boat strikes will continue to receive attention from researchers, conservationists, and policymakers.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Boat strikes are a growing threat to manatees in Belize

The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus) is a currently endangered subspecies...

Climate change is revealing secrets trapped within our planet's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-lakes-are-releasing-methane-from-melting-permafrost/">permafrost</a>. As the icy layers melt at an alarming rate, they are uncovering organisms thought to be extinct - ancient "zombie viruses" that have been perfectly preserved for thousands of years. Scientists are discovering that these long-dormant microbes still possess the potential to infect and spread.



As global warming accelerates, the permafrost is thawing increasingly fast, along with the potential for zombie viruses to become infectious again. This warning comes from an international team of researchers from Russia, Germany, and France. The team includes experts in genomics, microbiology, and geoscience, some of whom have been tracking these re-emerging zombie viruses for almost a decade. The findings were published earlier this year in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses">Viruses</a>.



<h2 id="h-early-warning-signs">Early warning signs</h2>



<h3 id="h-1918-influenza-virus">1918 Influenza virus</h3>



One of the earliest signs of the viral resurrection came from a somewhat unexpected place. In the late 1990s, Swedish pathologist Dr. Johan V. Hultin found RNA of the 1918 Influenza virus in the lungs of an Inuit woman buried nearly 80 years prior in a mass grave of influenza victims near a remote village outside Brevig Mission, Alaska.&nbsp;



The discovery was possible because the permafrost had preserved enough RNA from the virus to enable researchers to sequence the entire 1918 strain's genome. But this victory was a double-edged sword, heralding the potential for other diseases long frozen in the ice to re-emerge in our modern world.



<h3 id="h-two-giant-viruses-emerge-in-siberia">Two giant viruses emerge in Siberia</h3>



Another zombie virus, Pithovirus sibericum, was discovered 100 feet beneath the Siberian permafrost in 2014. This ancient virus is so gigantic that it can be seen under an ordinary high school-style light microscope.&nbsp;



French scientists from the <a href="https://www.univ-amu.fr/en">University of Aix-Marseille</a> managed to resurrect the 30,000-year-old P. sibericum by exposing amoebas to the virus. "This is the first time we've seen a virus that's still infectious after this length of time," said ProfessorJean-Michel Claverie.



While P. sibericum does not pose an immediate threat to humans or animals, its re-emergence serves as a stark warning. The scientists noted the ease with which these new viruses were isolated, suggesting that infectious particles of many other viruses specific to various hosts — including humans and animals — probably remain abundant in ancient permafrost.



Mollivirus sibericum, another giant virus, was found alongside P. sibericum in the same 30,000-year-old Siberian permafrost samples. Though not a direct threat to humans or animals, the proximity of these two giant viruses left scientists concerned about the potential treasure trove of pathogens that the permafrost might be hiding. 



"We cannot rule out that distant viruses of ancient Siberian human (or animal) populations could reemerge as Arctic permafrost layers melt and/or are disrupted by industrial activities," the researchers warned in their 2015 study.



<h3 id="h-the-return-of-smallpox">The return of smallpox</h3>



Smallpox was eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1980. However, in 2004, French and Russian scientists discovered traces of smallpox in an icy 300-year-old Siberian mummy, frozen in the tundra of Russia's Sakha Republic.



The chilling discovery can be traced back to the late 17th to early 18th centuries when the Siberian region was gripped by a severe smallpox outbreak. This mummy was discovered in a mass grave, a hastily arranged burial site from that era, preserved perfectly in the permafrost. Notably, this burial was unusual, as it contained not one but five frozen mummies, all believed to be victims of the same smallpox outbreak.



<h2 id="h-climate-change-and-an-unclear-future">Climate change and an unclear future</h2>



For the authors of the new paper in the journal Viruses, this discovery of the 2004 smallpox virus serves as a grim example of the potential threat thawing permafrost may pose. "Probably for safety/regulatory reasons, there were not follow-up studies attempting to "revive" these viruses (fortunately)."



However, the lack of attempts to reanimate these viruses does not discount the possibility that they might revive on their own, given the right conditions. Permafrost is melting at unprecedented rates, potentially setting the stage for ancient pathogens to return. "Very few studies have been published on this subject," said the researchers.



While these zombie viruses may not pose an immediate threat, their re-emergence is a stark reminder of the potential health risks associated with climate change. As scientists continue to study these ancient pathogens, they underscore the importance of understanding and addressing the profound impacts of global warming on our planet's frozen frontiers.



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Climate change is unleashing ancient "zombie viruses" as ice layers melt

Climate change is revealing secrets trapped within our planet's permafrost....

Scientists have long wondered why some people succeed in living very long lives without requiring extensive medical treatments. Now, by studying 176 healthy Japanese centenarians, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> has found that the combination of intestinal bacteria and bacterial viruses of these individuals is quite unique and significantly contributes to their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/certain-stress-boost-longevity/">longevity</a>.



“We are always eager to find out why some people live extremely long lives. Previous research has shown that the intestinal bacteria of old Japanese citizens produce brand new molecules that make them resistant to pathogenic – that is, disease-promoting – microorganisms. And if their intestines are better protected against infection, well, then that is probably one of the things that cause them to live longer than others,” said lead author Joachim Johansen, a postdoctoral fellow in Disease Systems Biology at Copenhagen.



While the beneficial role of the vast community of bacteria constituting our gut microbiome has already been extensively studied, less attention has been given to the billion of viruses in our intestines that infect bacterial cells.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-optimizing-the-gut-microbiome">Optimizing the gut microbiome&nbsp;</h2>



In the new study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41564-023-01370-6">Nature Microbiology</a>, researchers used an algorithm to map the composition of the participants’ microbiomes. The experts found great biological diversity in both bacteria and bacterial viruses, a feature which they believe to be associated with a healthy gut microbiome that provides efficient protection against aging related diseases.



“We want to understand the dynamics of the intestinal flora. How do the different kinds of bacteria and viruses interact? How can we engineer a microbiome that can help us live healthy, long lives? Are some bacteria better than others? Using the algorithm, we are able to describe the balance between viruses and bacteria,” said senior author Simon Rasmussen, an associate professor of Bioinformatics at Copenhagen.



According to Rasmussen, better understanding this balance could help scientists optimize the gut microbiome in order to increase the organism’s resilience against disease.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



“We have learned that if a virus pays a bacterium a visit, it may actually strengthen the bacterium. The viruses we found in the healthy Japanese centenarians contained extra genes that could boost the bacteria. We learned that they were able to boost the transformation of specific molecules in the intestines, which might serve to stabilize the intestinal flora and counteract inflammation,” Johansen explained.



“If you discover bacteria and viruses that have a positive effect on the human intestinal flora, the obvious next step is to find out whether only some or all of us have them. If we are able to get these bacteria and their viruses to move in with the people who do not have them, more people could benefit from them. If we know why viruses and intestinal bacteria are a good match, it will be a lot easier for us to change something that actually affects our health,” Rasmussen concluded.



<h2 id="h-more-about-intestinal-bacteria">More about intestinal bacteria&nbsp;</h2>



Intestinal bacteria, also referred to as gut microbiota, are a complex community of microorganisms that reside in your digestive tract, specifically in the large intestine. These microbes include not only bacteria, but also viruses, fungi, and other types of microbes. They play a vital role in health and disease.



<h3 id="h-diversity">Diversity</h3>



There are estimated to be over 1,000 species of bacteria in the human gut, each with a wide range of functions. These bacteria can be beneficial, neutral, or harmful. The balance and diversity of these bacteria can greatly affect our health.



<h3 id="h-digestion">Digestion</h3>



These microbes help break down food and absorb nutrients, including the digestion of complex carbohydrates, producing short-chain fatty acids and vitamins like K and B, which the body cannot make on its own.



<h3 id="h-immune-system">Immune System</h3>



The gut microbiota plays a critical role in the development and function of the immune system. They help regulate immune responses, protecting against pathogens and maintaining tolerance to harmless microbes and food antigens.



<h3 id="h-brain-gut-axis">Brain-Gut Axis</h3>



Recent research has found that the gut microbiota can also influence the brain and behavior, in what is often referred to as the "gut-brain axis." This communication happens through multiple pathways that include the immune system, tryptophan metabolism, and the production of short-chain fatty acids and other metabolites.



<h3 id="h-dysbiosis-and-health-conditions">Dysbiosis and Health Conditions</h3>



Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance or disruption in the gut microbiota. This has been linked to several health conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.



<h3 id="h-probiotics-and-prebiotics">Probiotics and Prebiotics</h3>



Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something harmful, but your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called "good" or "friendly" bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are types of dietary fiber that feed the friendly bacteria in your gut. This can help the gut bacteria produce nutrients for your gut cells, lead to better digestive health, and enhance the immune system.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Intestinal bacteria could help you live a very long life

Scientists have long wondered why some people succeed in living...

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Lightning is even more intense on other planets Today&#8217;s Video of the Day from <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/science-news">NASA Science News</a> explores what lightning may be like on other planets beyond the Earth.
In 1979, Voyager 1 flew by Jupiter and captured areas nearly as big as the United States illuminated by lightning. 
In addition, lightning flashes have been observed on Jupiter that were ten times as powerful as any ever documented on Earth. 

Lightning has also been detected on Saturn through radio signals picked up by Voyager. During the stronger storms, the lightning on Saturn was found to occur as often as ten times per second. Jupiter is very strong and a so-called surface of liquid metallic hydrogen, a bolt on Jupiter is said to be 100 times stronger and the powerful lightning occurring on Jupiter has caused chemical changes. 
Titan might have lightning and there are electrical discharges between Jupiter and the Moon. Therefore  some 124 light-years away. Scientists detected a surge of radio waves from the planet several years ago. Those waves could be caused by a barrage of lightning striking 530 times as often per square kilometer (0.4 square mile) as storms do in the United States.   ButVenus is the hottest planet in our solar system, roasting at about 900 degrees Fahrenheit (480 degrees Celsius) under a suffocating blanket of sulfuric acid clouds and a crushing atmosphere. Add to that the fact that Venus has lightning. Lightning is even more intense on other planets 

Scientists are looking into the possibility of lightning on other planets as well, including Venus and Mars. 
&#8212;
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Video Credit: NASA Science News