On a crisp autumn night, far from city lights, you can witness one of the most awe-inspiring sights in the sky - the Andromeda Galaxy.



Just northeast of the Great Square of Pegasus, this celestial wonder appears as a faint, elongated smudge, easily visible to the naked eye. 



Despite its dim glow, this galaxy is the largest and closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way, spanning an astonishing 220,000 light-years across.



The light reaching your eyes tonight&nbsp;left Andromeda 2.5 million years ago. At that time, early human ancestors,&nbsp;Homo habilis, had just begun making stone tools on Earth.



That means when you look at Andromeda, you are gazing into the distant past - at a galaxy whose light began its journey long before modern humans even existed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-edwin-hubble-and-the-andromeda-galaxy">Edwin Hubble and the Andromeda Galaxy </h2>



For centuries, astronomers debated the nature of Andromeda. Was it merely a nearby&nbsp;"spiral nebula," a swirling cloud of gas and dust within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-galaxy-shows-us-what-the-early-milky-way-looked-like/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a>? Or was it something more? The answer arrived in the early&nbsp;20th century, thanks to the work of&nbsp;Edwin Hubble.



Using the&nbsp;Hooker Telescope&nbsp;at <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/100-telescope-observing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mount Wilson Observatory</a>, Hubble identified&nbsp;Cepheid variable stars&nbsp;in Andromeda - special stars whose brightness fluctuates predictably, allowing astronomers to calculate their distance.



Hubble’s calculations revealed something astonishing:&nbsp;Andromeda was far beyond the Milky Way, proving it was a separate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiral-galaxy-with-quasar-jet-surprises-astronomers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy</a> altogether. This revelation shattered the belief that the Milky Way encompassed the entire universe.



In the years that followed, our understanding of the cosmos expanded from a single galaxy to a vast universe teeming with billions of them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-space-telescope-and-andromeda">Hubble Space Telescope and Andromeda</h2>



A century after Edwin Hubble’s remarkable discovery, the space telescope bearing his name set out to photograph Andromeda in&nbsp;unprecedented detail. 



The&nbsp;Hubble Space Telescope (<a href="https://hubblesite.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HST</a>), one of the most powerful astronomical tools ever built, spent over&nbsp;a decade capturing a high-resolution photomosaic of the Andromeda Galaxy.



This monumental survey required&nbsp;over 600 individual exposures, resulting in a final image containing&nbsp;2.5 billion pixels. The mosaic spans the full width of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxies-are-much-bigger-than-we-originally-believed-gas-clouds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy</a>, covering an area&nbsp;six times larger than the full Moon&nbsp;in the night sky. 



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="FTThfGq0yb-4239179-12187" type="single"]</div>



Because Hubble is designed for pinpoint accuracy rather than wide-field imaging, assembling a complete portrait of Andromeda was an immense challenge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-millions-of-stars">Mapping millions of stars</h2>



The first phase of this project, known as the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT), focused on Andromeda’s northern half. 



Using Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys and Wide Field Camera 3, astronomers captured Andromeda’s stars at ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths.



A decade later, this work was expanded with the&nbsp;Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Southern Treasury (PHAST), a follow-up study led by&nbsp;Zhuo Chen&nbsp;at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washington.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Washington</a>. 



This program mapped an additional&nbsp;100 million stars&nbsp;in the&nbsp;southern half&nbsp;of Andromeda - an area particularly valuable for studying the galaxy’s&nbsp;merger history.



The combined PHAT and PHAST mosaics now encompass the entire disk of Andromeda, revealing stunning details of its structure and stellar population. 



Hubble’s high-resolution imaging allows astronomers to study individual stars in Andromeda just as easily as those within our own Milky Way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-andromeda-s-violent-history">Andromeda’s violent history</h2>



While Andromeda and the Milky Way likely formed around the same time, their evolutionary paths have been strikingly different. 



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-thin-disk-is-billions-of-years-older-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a> has experienced relatively stable growth, while Andromeda appears to have undergone a much more chaotic past, marked by violent interactions and mergers.



"Andromeda’s a train wreck," said&nbsp;Daniel Weisz&nbsp;of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.berkeley.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Berkeley</a>. "It looks like it has been through some kind of event that caused it to form a lot of stars and then just shut down."



A key clue to this turbulent history lies in the presence of&nbsp;coherent streams of stars - trails of ancient stellar material likely left behind by smaller galaxies that Andromeda absorbed over time.



One possible culprit is the compact satellite galaxy&nbsp;Messier 32, which astronomers suspect may be the stripped-down core of a once-larger spiral galaxy that was devoured by Andromeda in the distant past.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-the-andromeda-galaxy">What's next for the Andromeda galaxy</h2>



<a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Hubble_traces_hidden_history_of_the_Andromeda_Galaxy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The detailed stellar census provided by Hubble</a> helps astronomers reconstruct Andromeda’s merger history and predict its future evolution. 



The findings suggest that Andromeda is gradually transitioning from a star-forming spiral to a more elliptical structure, where star formation is winding down.



"Andromeda looks like a transitional type of galaxy that’s between a star-forming spiral and a sort of elliptical galaxy dominated by aging red stars," said&nbsp;Weisz.



However, Andromeda’s journey is far from over. In about&nbsp;4.5 billion years, it will&nbsp;collide with the Milky Way, triggering an immense cosmic event that will reshape both galaxies into a single, massive elliptical galaxy. 



This future merger - already set in motion by their mutual gravitational pull - will not be a destructive explosion but rather a slow gravitational dance that will mix and redistribute billions of stars over millions of years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-next-chapter-beyond-hubble">The next chapter: Beyond Hubble</h2>



Although the Hubble Space Telescope has provided humanity with an unprecedented view of Andromeda, its work is only the beginning. 



Future telescopes, such as&nbsp;NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Webb Space Telescope</a>&nbsp;and the upcoming&nbsp;Nancy Grace <a href="https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Roman Space Telescope</a>, will take this research even further.



James Webb’s&nbsp;infrared vision&nbsp;will allow astronomers to peer through Andromeda’s&nbsp;dusty regions, uncovering details about star formation, planetary systems, and the galaxy’s hidden structure. 



Meanwhile, the Roman Space Telescope, often described as a&nbsp;"wide-angle version of Hubble," will capture panoramic views of Andromeda with&nbsp;100 times the field of view of Hubble. This will provide an even broader perspective of its vast stellar population.



The Andromeda Galaxy stands as one of the most important astronomical objects in human history. 



From ancient civilizations who saw it as a mysterious celestial cloud to the Hubble Space Telescope’s&nbsp;2.5-billion-pixel portrait - Andromeda has continuously reshaped our understanding of the cosmos.



With each new observation, we learn more about our&nbsp;neighboring galaxy’s past, present, and future. 



The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ad7e2b" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal</a>. 



Video Credit: NASA, ESA, Greg Bacon (STScI)



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Best space photo ever? Hubble's masterpiece took 10 years to complete, capturing 200 million stars

On a crisp autumn night, far from city lights, you can witness one of the most awe-inspiring sights in the sky - the Andromeda Galaxy. Just northeast of the Great Square of Pegasus, this celestial wonder appears as a faint, elongated smudge, easily visible to the naked eye. Despite its dim glow, this galaxy is the largest and closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way, spanning an astonishing 220,000 light-years across. The light reaching your eyes tonight&nbsp;left Andromeda 2.5 million years ago. At that time, early human ancestors,&nbsp;Homo habilis,...

Picture this -- a common Brazilian shrub, unassuming, often looked upon as merely a weed, has suddenly become the center of attention for scientists near and far. Why? Because the plant is hiding cannabidiol (CBD), a compound typically associated with cannabis, inside its humble fruits and flowers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trema-micrantha-humble-cbd-plant">Trema micrantha: Humble CBD plant</h2>



The CBD-laden plant in question is Trema micrantha blume, a shrub that grows widespread across Brazil. 



The notable discoverer of this phenomenon is none other than molecular biologist Rodrigo Moura Neto, attached to the <a href="https://ufrj.br/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal University</a> of Rio de Janeiro.



According to Neto, he and his team stumbled upon this significant find last year.



CBD is no stranger to spotlight, thanks to its therapeutic properties that some people use to manage conditions like epilepsy, chronic pain, and anxiety. 



Together with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), it forms the main <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-production-may-soon-get-a-major-boost/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">active compounds</a> in cannabis. However, while THC is responsible for the 'high' in cannabis use, CBD is non-psychoactive.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-legal-cbd-production">Legal CBD production</h2>



The crux of Neto's discovery lies in the analysis that Trema contains CBD but not THC. This sparks the potential of a new, ample source of CBD that bypasses the legal and regulatory challenges often posed to cannabis. 



And seeing that cannabis remains illegal in many jurisdictions, including Brazil, this is significant. "It's a legal alternative to using cannabis," Neto said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-weed-to-wonder">Weed to wonder</h2>



Imagine a plant that grows profusely all over Brazil, easily dismissed as a weed, suddenly becoming a potent, cost-effective source of CBD. 



"This is a plant that grows all over Brazil. It would be a simpler and cheaper source of cannabidiol," Neto explains. 



This isn't the first time CBD has been found outside cannabis, with scientists previously finding it in a related plant in Thailand.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-cbd-from-trema-micrantha">Future of CBD from Trema micrantha</h2>



Neto's next steps involve scaling up his research to uncover the most effective ways of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/synthetic-cannabis-reduces-agitation-in-alzheimers-patients/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extracting</a> CBD from Trema. 



They also plan to analyze its potential benefits for patients currently being treated with medical cannabis. 



To boost these efforts, his team was granted a 500,000-real (US$104,000) fund by the Brazilian government -- an endeavor estimated to span at least five years.



Vantage Market Research, a market analysis firm, has forecasted a bright future for CBD. 



The firm estimates the global market for CBD to be nearly US$5 billion, with projections noting a rise to more than US$47 billion by 2028, driven predominantly by health and wellness use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultivating-trema-micrantha">Cultivating Trema micrantha</h2>



The cultivation of Trema micrantha as a source of CBD presents intriguing environmental considerations. 



With its robust growth across Brazil and adaptability to various ecosystems, Trema could potentially be cultivated with minimal environmental disruption.



This stands in contrast to traditional cannabis farming, which often involves intensive resource inputs. 



Sustainable cultivation practices for Trema could pave the way for eco-friendly CBD production, prompting further inquiry into its impact on biodiversity and land use efficiency.



Such research could illuminate pathways to producing therapeutic compounds while preserving environmental integrity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-role-in-the-cbd-discourse">Plants role in the CBD discourse</h2>



In the broader context of the global CBD discourse, Trema micrantha's emergence as a novel source synchronizes with shifting perceptions around non-cannabis-derived CBDs.



This shift broadens the narrative of CBD production beyond traditional confines, potentially democratizing access and reducing the socio-political barriers surrounding cannabis. 



As international interest in CBD's health benefits continues to rise, the potential inclusion of Trema in global supply chains could influence market dynamics and regulatory frameworks. 



This development might not only stabilize supply but might also enhance cross-cultural research collaborations, enriching the global understanding of CBD's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-and-hallucinogen-use-are-at-historically-high-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">applications</a> and implications.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-point-for-cbd">Turning point for CBD</h2>



Neto's Trema micrantha discovery signifies a critical turning point in the CBD production narrative. 



It not only opens up exciting new routes for scientific exploration but also brings a fresh perspective to our understanding of plant biology.



Who knows what other surprises nature has up her sleeve? Only time, and more research, will tell.



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Brazilian plant found to contain cannabis CBD compound

Picture this -- a common Brazilian shrub, unassuming, often looked...

Can you imagine a world where the majestic whale sharks would vanish? Well, a new study offers a stark warning for whale sharks: the future for these creatures is uncertain, and it's not just because of climate change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whale-sharks-and-climate-warming">Whale sharks and climate warming </h2>



As global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-sharks-survived-a-drastic-spike-in-global-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">temperatures</a> continue to rise, the ripple effects reach far below the ocean's surface.



A team of researchers led by Dr. Freya Womersley, a postdoctoral research scientist at the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> and the Marine Biological Association (<a href="https://www.mba.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MBA</a>), set out to investigate the unseen consequences of our warming planet on whale sharks, the gentle giants of the sea.



The research suggests that by the end of the century, whale sharks may face a higher risk of ship strikes due to a shift in their habitats. 



The anticipation of this harmful synergy is based on wide-ranging projections derived from whale shark satellite-tracking data and global climate models.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-redistribution-of-whale-sharks">Redistribution of whale sharks </h2>



"Our model projects core habitat area losses of more than 50% within some national waters by 2100, with geographic shifts of over 1,000 kilometers. Greater habitat suitability is predicted in current range-edge areas, increasing the co-occurrence of sharks with large ships," noted the researchers.



"This future increase was&nbsp;∼15,000 times greater under high emissions compared with a sustainable development scenario." 



The future for whale sharks looks ominous, if not outright grim, if the current state of affairs continues unchecked.



Our relentless pursuit of industrial growth, expansion, and transportation has tipped the scales. These giants risk being displaced from their homes, and ironically, we are the ones who have set them sailing on this precarious journey.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-risk-of-fatal-ship-strikes">Risk of fatal ship strikes</h2>



Why worry about shipping? The answer lies in the paths these steel behemoths carve across the oceans.



As climate change shifts the habitats of whale sharks, the experts predict a significant increase in close encounters between these marine creatures and large vessels.



This increasing intersection of whale shark habitats and shipping routes spells trouble. With this projected scenario, the risk of fatal strikes and disruptions becomes startlingly high, making the seas a dangerous place for the world's largest fish.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-and-shark-conservation">Climate change and shark conservation</h2>



The research highlights an urgent need for factoring climate change into discussions concerning endangered species management. The task at hand is not easy, but it is vital for the preservation of our marine biodiversity.



Our actions have set off a chain of events that are challenging the survival of endangered whale sharks. If proactive measures are not taken, the future could be a cruel place for many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reef-sharks-are-abandoning-their-homes-due-to-ocean-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine species</a> we hold dear.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strategies-for-mitigation-and-adaptation">Strategies for mitigation and adaptation</h2>



In light of these findings, there is an urgent need to explore strategies that can mitigate the impending threats posed by climate change and ship traffic.



Collaborative efforts between scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders are crucial. Implementing marine protected areas (MPAs) could serve as a sanctuary for whale sharks, reducing the probability of ship strikes and allowing their populations to recuperate. 



Additionally, developing and enforcing guidelines to reroute shipping lanes away from critical habitats could significantly minimize collisions, offering a promising solution to preserve these gentle giants for future generations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-united-conservation-efforts-are-needed">United conservation efforts are needed</h2>



The conservation of whale sharks and their habitats is far from being a one-person task; it demands a collective global commitment. 



Public awareness campaigns can play a pivotal role in highlighting the plight of these creatures, turning the tide towards more sustainable marine practices. 



Furthermore, funding and supporting research initiatives that enhance our understanding of whale shark ecology and interactions with changing oceanographic conditions are vital. 



By uniting efforts across sectors, we can create a resilient environment where whale sharks thrive alongside human advancements, ensuring they remain an integral part of our planet's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-sharks-live-up-to-500-years-whats-their-secret/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rich marine tapestry</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-sharks-from-climate-change">Saving sharks from climate change</h2>



Climate change isn’t just about rising temperatures; it disrupts ecosystems and threatens wildlife. As we face these challenges, we must remember that the effects go beyond what we see. 



"Global warming is one of the most pervasive facets of human-driven climate change, with the magnitude of projected temperature rises over the 21st century comparable to that of the largest global changes in the past 65 million years," noted the researchers.



"Biological responses to warming are already apparent across terrestrial, freshwater,&nbsp;and marine taxa. As environments change, species must either adapt, tolerate, move or face extinction."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-024-02129-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Climate Change</a>.



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Whale sharks move into dangerous territory as the climate warms

Can you imagine a world where the majestic whale sharks...

Spiders, known for their venomous abilities, utilize a chemical arsenal to capture prey and defend themselves. While small neurotoxins targeting the central nervous system of their victims have been intensively studied, scientists in Germany shifted their focus to the enzymes present in the complex <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-a-new-way-to-study-venom-production/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">venom</a> cocktail.



The experts have discovered a vast, previously overlooked diversity of proteins that facilitate biochemical reactions. According to the researchers, these enzymes could hold significant value for bioeconomic applications.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spiders-produce-complex-venom">Spiders produce complex venom</h2>



With approximately 52,000 species worldwide, spiders are notably diverse and produce some of the most complex animal venoms. The venom of a single <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiders-turn-to-cannibalism-when-food-sources-are-limited/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> can contain over 3,000 molecules, primarily small neurotoxins used to overpower insects.



A team of researchers from the LOEWE Center TBG at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, branch of <a href="https://www.ime.fraunhofer.de/en/Research_Divisions/bioresources.html">Bioresources (IME-BR)</a> in Giessen, Germany, has investigated these previously neglected components of spider venom and made a surprising discovery.



The experts found that in addition to neurotoxins, spider venom also contains a wide variety of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/enzyme-plant-waste-products/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enzymes</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enzymes-in-spider-venom-nbsp">Enzymes in spider venom&nbsp;</h2>



Study co-author Tim Lüddecke is head of the Animal Venomics working group at the IME-BR in Giessen.



“In the past, a few pioneering studies suggested the presence of enzymes in spider venoms, but a targeted search for them has never been carried out,” said Lüddecke.



“We took on this task and systematically screened the raw data of all so far venom-wise analyzed spiders for enzymes. We were able to show that there are in fact more than 140 different enzyme families in their venom.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemical-diversity-of-spider-venom">Chemical diversity of spider venom</h2>



Lüddecke noted that the chemical diversity of spider venoms has been dramatically underestimated so far, as all calculations of complexity are based on the neurotoxins alone.



According to the experts, the findings not only enable new research approaches to better understand the evolution and function of spider venoms but also open new perspectives for their utilization.



“Enzymes are key building blocks of the bioeconomy. They accelerate chemical reactions and are characterized by very low by-product formation, low energy consumption and biodegradability,” explained study first author Josephine Dresler.



“They can therefore be used to create value in a highly sustainable way. Industry is constantly looking for new sources of enzymes.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opening-up-a-new-field-of-research-nbsp">Opening up a new field of research&nbsp;</h2>



Dresler noted that some of the enzymes identified in the study could be used in detergents or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-highlights-desperate-need-for-electronic-waste-management/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">waste management</a> because of their fat-splitting or protein-degrading properties. “They could make a significant contribution to a sustainable transformation there.”



“So far, the spider venom community has focused exclusively on medical or agricultural applications. Our discovery opens up the possibility of establishing a completely new field of applied research,” said Lüddecke.



“But we are only at the beginning, as less than 1% of all spider species have been studied for their venoms. I am confident that we will make more exciting discoveries in the remaining 99% of the world's spider fauna.”



According to the researchers, the study revealed extensive discrepancy between public databases and publications with regard to enzyme coverage, which impedes the development of novel spider venom enzyme-based applications.&nbsp;



“Uncovering the previously unrecognized abundance and diversity of venom enzymes will open new avenues for spider venom biodiscovery,” the authors concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-applications-for-spider-venom-enzymes-nbsp">Applications for spider venom enzymes&nbsp;</h2>



Enzymes in spider venom have various potential uses in medicine and biotechnology due to their unique biochemical properties. Some potential applications include:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-painkillers">Painkillers</h3>



Some spider venom enzymes target nerve channels, making them potential candidates for developing non-opioid painkillers. For example, peptides from venom can block pain receptors without addictive side effects.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cancer-treatment">Cancer treatment</h3>



Certain enzymes in spider venom may selectively target cancer cells. Research has shown that these enzymes can break down cell membranes or inhibit cell proliferation, making them potential tools for cancer therapy.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neuroprotective-agents">Neuroprotective agents</h3>



Some venom enzymes protect nerve cells by blocking toxic proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, offering a possible therapeutic approach.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antimicrobial-agents">Antimicrobial agents</h3>



Spider venom enzymes can break down bacterial cell walls, which could be harnessed to develop new antibiotics, especially in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blood-clotting">Blood clotting</h3>



Some spider venom enzymes can either promote or prevent blood clotting. This could be useful for developing treatments for blood disorders, such as hemophilia (promoting clotting) or for anticoagulant drugs to prevent clots.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insecticides">Insecticides</h3>



Since spider venom is highly effective at immobilizing or killing insects, enzymes from venom could be utilized in developing environmentally friendly insecticides for pest control.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44185-024-00058-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">npj Biodiversity</a>.



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Spider venom has hidden biochemical value

Spiders, known for their venomous abilities, utilize a chemical arsenal...

Plants have the ability to absorb micro- and nanoplastics in their roots and stems, raising concerns about how ecosystems will manage when these plastic particles infiltrate natural environments.&nbsp;



However, a Danish-Chinese research team offers a novel solution: why not use plants as a natural and eco-friendly tool to gather and degrade these plastic particles?



Experts the Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution &amp; Ecological Restoration in China and the <a href="https://www.sdu.dk/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southern Denmark</a> have set out to investigate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-and-animals-ingest-nanoplastics-nbsp">Plants and animals ingest nanoplastics&nbsp;</h2>



The study comes in the context of an alarming global issue. Since the advent of large-scale plastic production, 9 billion tons of plastic have been manufactured, yet only 9 percent of it has been recycled.&nbsp;



This leaves a huge amount of plastic waste unaccounted for in nature, where it has been breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces.&nbsp;



Micro- and nanoplastics have become a pervasive environmental problem, as these tiny particles can be ingested or absorbed by animals, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-plants-can-absorb-and-neutralize-plastic-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plants</a>, and even humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-ability-to-absorb-nanoplastics-nbsp">Plants’ ability to absorb nanoplastics&nbsp;</h2>



“We believe plants can effectively supplement existing methods for removing plastic from nature. Many plants absorb or adsorb micro- and nanoparticles, but we need to identify the most effective ones to achieve the best results,” explained co-author Elvis Genbo Xu, a biologist at the University of Southern Denmark.



The researchers have examined various plants' ability to take up micro- and nanoplastics. The results show that fava beans (Vicia faba) can adsorb 100-nanometer nanoplastic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-solution-removes-over-98-percent-of-nanoplastics-from-water/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">particles</a> via their roots within just two days. 



Adsorption is a process where particles adhere to the roots, whereas absorption refers to the uptake of particles into the plant itself.



Other plants, such as wheat and lettuce, were also shown to bind or even absorb plastic particles, with the latter incorporating them into their leaves and stems in some cases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aquatic-plants-as-natural-water-filters-nbsp">Aquatic plants as natural water filters&nbsp;</h2>



The researchers found aquatic plants to be of particular interest because they can potentially filter plastic particles from bodies of water, where plastic concentrations are often higher.&nbsp;



The common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), for example, has demonstrated an ability to adsorb plastic particles. Other aquatic plants, such as duckweed (Lemna minor), have similar potential and could be employed as natural filters to capture micro- and nanoplastics in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wetlands-are-powerful-weapons-in-the-fight-against-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wetlands</a>.



“It would make sense to establish belts of plastic-absorbing plants in areas where nano- and microplastics are known to accumulate, such as along highways where large amounts of microplastics wear off from car tires,” said Xu.



“The belts could function as a filter, capturing plastic particles before they spread to the wider landscape or are washed into streams by rain.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-plastic-pollution-crisis">Global plastic pollution crisis</h2>



Xu emphasizes, however, that using plants alone is not enough to solve the global plastic pollution crisis.&nbsp;



Micro- and nanoplastics are found everywhere - in the air, in water, and in soil. Since no one can escape them (they are present in the air we breathe and the water we drink), multiple solutions are required to address the problem.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hungry-bacteria-will-devour-plastic-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bacteria</a>, fungi, and microalgae could all play a role in reducing plastic pollution. Plants, while helpful, are just one piece of the puzzle.



Despite the complexity of the issue, Xu remains optimistic, especially about aquatic environments.&nbsp;



“Our lab experiments have been successful. I am optimistic that we can scale this up to remove particles from the environment - at least from aquatic environments, where aquatic plants have proven very effective.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-jellyfish-to-remove-plastic-particles-nbsp">Using jellyfish to remove plastic particles&nbsp;</h2>



Other researchers are exploring similarly innovative approaches. At the University of Southern Denmark’s Department of Biology, marine biologist and jellyfish researcher Jamileh Javidpour has investigated the possibility of using jellyfish to remove micro- and nanoplastics from aquatic environments.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jellyfish-more-than-just-a-snack-for-predatory-fish/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jellyfish</a> produce slime, and laboratory experiments have shown that this slime can remove up to 90 percent of nanoplastic particles from water in treatment plants.



“We’ve found that jellyfish slime is super effective at removing nano-sized plastic particles. It could be part of the solution - I can imagine using dried jellyfish slime to create filters for washing machines, for example,” Javidpour said.



These efforts represent a growing body of research into how natural organisms can be harnessed to address the widespread and persistent issue of plastic pollution.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eehl.2024.04.001" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eco-Environment and Health</a>.



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Plants could help remove nanoplastics from the environment

Plants have the ability to absorb micro- and nanoplastics in...

A common investment strategy used in finance may hold the key to protecting an endangered frog species in Puerto Rico. The modern portfolio theory is a tool typically used to balance risk and reward in financial investments.



The research suggests that using this tool to guide natural resource managers in making decisions could help preserve the coquí llanero, Puerto Rico's smallest and most endangered frog species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limited-habitats-for-endangered-frogs">Limited habitats for endangered frogs</h2>



The coquí frog is an iconic symbol of Puerto Rico, known for its distinct high-pitched chirp. Among the 17 species of coquí, the coquí llanero is the most at risk, with its population limited to just three small freshwater wetlands on the island's northern coast.&nbsp;



This restricted habitat makes it highly vulnerable to environmental threats, including severe storms, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-sea-levels-spiked-dramatically-in-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rising sea levels</a>, and the broader impacts of climate change.



“There’s only so much the coquí can do on their own to avoid climate risks,” said Mitch Eaton, lead author of the study and a research ecologist with the <a href="https://secasc.ncsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center</a>. 



“So, it’s important that we think about how to manage and mitigate risk within this complex ecosystem.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-risks-by-diversifying-investments-nbsp">Reducing risks by diversifying investments&nbsp;</h2>



Modern portfolio theory, a concept rooted in economics, is widely used to build stable investment portfolios by balancing risks.&nbsp;



The idea is that diversifying investments - mixing high-risk, high-reward stocks with safer, low-return assets like bonds - can reduce overall risk in uncertain markets. The amount invested in each asset is based on how much risk the investor is willing to take.



But how does this financial theory apply to endangered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frog-saunas-hot-solution-to-fighting-global-amphibian-extinction-apocalypse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">frogs</a>?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-the-best-decisions-for-endangered-frogs-nbsp">Making the best decisions for endangered frogs&nbsp;</h2>



In natural resource management, managers also face uncertainty about the future - especially when dealing with unpredictable climate conditions.&nbsp;



Like investors balancing a portfolio, managers must decide how to allocate resources by purchasing land for protection, restoring habitats, or relocating species to new environments.&nbsp;



In this study, researchers tested whether modern portfolio theory could be used to help managers make decisions that would best conserve the coquí llanero.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-managing-risks-with-climate-uncertainty-nbsp">Managing risks with climate uncertainty&nbsp;</h2>



“Diversification of investments is kind of a magic bullet for stability under future market uncertainty,” Eaton said.&nbsp;



“The idea behind using modern portfolio theory is to manage risk under future climate uncertainty, and to help managers consider investments more carefully with realistic variables like budget constraints.”



To explore this idea, the researchers created models that incorporated various factors, such as currently protected habitats, projected sea-level rise, and future changes in temperature and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainfall-is-increasingly-unpredictable-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">precipitation</a>. 



The experts also accounted for different budget scenarios, simulating various levels of funding available to managers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maximizing-benefits-while-minimizing-risks">Maximizing benefits while minimizing risks</h2>



The models led to two different portfolio strategies. The first strategy aimed to maximize conservation benefits based on budget constraints. 



The second strategy balanced potential benefits with reducing the risk of extinction, also considering available funding.



The results showed that maximizing benefits at the lowest cost often involved relocating frogs to already <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protected-areas-slow-down-biodiversity-loss-but-they-cant-reverse-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">protected areas</a>. 



However, a strategy that focused on reducing risk suggested that buying new land to relocate the frogs - despite the higher cost - was a more effective way to minimize the chances of extinction.&nbsp;



The study concluded that relying solely on existing protected areas may not be enough to safeguard the coquí llanero from future climate risks and that investing in additional habitats could be worth the extra cost.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-the-distribution-of-endangered-frogs-nbsp">Expanding the distribution of endangered frogs&nbsp;</h2>



The research also revealed unexpected potential relocation sites for the frogs on Puerto Rico’s eastern side, far from the species’ current range on the northern coast.&nbsp;



This discovery could provide resource managers with more options for protecting the coquí llanero by expanding its geographic distribution.



“Ideally, modern portfolio theory acts as a handy tool for managers that gives them a new way of thinking about how to approach the implementation of management actions over space, in other words, how to pool their investments to manage risk and achieve maximal benefits,” Eaton said.



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



While the study focuses on the coquí llanero, the researchers believe the approach could be applied to other species and environmental management challenges.&nbsp;



However, they noted two key limitations: the study only considered one species, and high-cost investments would require a more detailed evaluation of local conditions and the specific costs of conservation efforts.



Even with these limitations, the study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2024.1444626" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Conservation Science</a>, shows that modern portfolio theory has the potential to guide resource management for various species, helping managers make smarter, more strategic decisions in an increasingly uncertain world.



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Common economic strategy could help save endangered frogs

A common investment strategy used in finance may hold the...

Imagine a tranquil, dark evening where the wonders of science unfold in the vast sky filled with flickering stars. You gaze at these distant celestial bodies, and a sense of awe washes over you.



This seemingly ordinary experience could do more than just kindle an ephemeral moment of joy. New research suggests it could ignite a lifelong interest in scientific discovery and even shape life choices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-pollution-and-astronomy">Light pollution and astronomy </h2>



Experts at the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Washington</a> have focused their lens on a rather unconventional subject of study - the link between the ability to view stars free from light pollution and an interest in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-has-astronomy-research-been-impacted-by-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">astronomy</a>.



The findings could have potentially surprising implications for widening access to science and education.



The driving force behind the study was a deeper understanding of how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/irish-community-survived-a-thousand-years-of-environmental-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental changes</a>, specifically light pollution, impact human behavior and shape our experiences of the world around us.



While the effects of light pollution have been widely studied in the realms of astronomy, biology, and environmental science, its influence on human emotions and behaviors has seldom been explored from a social sciences perspective.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gateway-to-science">Gateway to science</h2>



The research was led by Rodolfo Cortes Barragan of the UW Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS) and&nbsp;Andrew Meltzoff, co-director of I-LABS and professor of psychology.



"Prior to the modern era, the stars in the night sky were readily visible across the globe, but light pollution has created disparities in the opportunity to see these astronomical objects with the naked eye. This alteration may measurably impact human behavior," noted the researchers.



"We hypothesize that light pollution is related to the development of people’s interest in astronomy, which often serves as a 'gateway' to science more broadly."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wonder-about-the-universe">Wonder about the universe </h2>



The concept of "wonder" was central to the study. This emotion is a complex blend of awe, amazement, and curiosity, often coupled with a sense of elation.



The experts conducted a comprehensive survey involving more than 35,000 U.S. residents, including a question to gauge peoples’ “wonder about the universe.”



The results of the survey were compared with detailed physical measurements of light pollution, and a distinct connection emerged.



Populations living under low light pollution reported experiencing higher levels of wonder about the universe - a feeling not linked to any other emotion surveyed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-behavioral-interest-in-astronomy">Behavioral interest in astronomy </h2>



More importantly, this "wonder" was found to be directly related to a behavioral interest in astronomy, which was demonstrated through actions like searching for "astronomy" on Google or applying to become a NASA astronaut.



The conclusion? In areas with low light pollution, feelings of wonder about the universe and interest in astronomy soar.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-access-to-a-dark-night-sky">Access to a dark night sky</h2>



The findings shed light on an important, though often overlooked point - equitable access to the night sky.



People's location, particularly in the U.S., determines their exposure to the dark <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-skywatching-what-to-look-for-in-april-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">night sky</a>. A lack of access, in turn, might influence an individual's inclination towards scientific pursuits.



Nurturing scientific curiosity and motivation might hinge on a fundamental experience – the joy of viewing the night sky brimming with stars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-our-night-sky">Protecting our night sky</h2>



The researchers hope that this unique intersection of psychology and astronomy will inspire further cross-disciplinary work merging arts and sciences.



The study draws on the beauty of two wonders that have fascinated scientists and poets alike - the vast expanse of the universe above us, and the intricacy of human actions on Earth.



As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-visibility-is-deteriorating-due-to-light-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">light pollution</a> continues to creep into areas that once boasted clear, starry skies, this study highlights the importance of preserving these awe-inspiring views.



Imagine growing up without ever seeing the full sweep of the Milky Way. It’s a loss that could affect not just our connection to the universe but our drive to explore and understand it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-efforts-to-reduce-light-pollution">Efforts to reduce light pollution</h2>



Efforts to reduce light pollution, like using shielded lights in cities or establishing more dark sky parks, aren’t just about protecting our views. They’re about creating spaces where people from all backgrounds can experience that spark of wonder. 



Programs that make astronomy accessible, especially in urban areas, could really help inspire young people who might not otherwise get that opportunity.



Ultimately, the researchers hope their work will encourage more of us to think about the value of dark skies and why they matter. 



By preserving these views, we’re not just saving the stars for ourselves - we’re helping to cultivate the next generation of curious minds who might one day lead us to new discoveries. After all, a single night spent under a starry sky can leave an impression that lasts a lifetime.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-69920-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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How light pollution influences interest in astronomy

Imagine a tranquil, dark evening where the wonders of science...

A recent study suggests that creating a generation of non-smokers through tobacco bans could prevent 1.2 million deaths from lung cancer worldwide. 



The simulation study, which is one of the first of its kind, proposes that banning the sale of cigarettes and other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-links-tobacco-and-marijuana-use-to-higher-risk-of-depression-and-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tobacco</a> products to individuals born between 2006 and 2010 could lead to this significant reduction in lung cancer deaths by the year 2095.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tobacco-bans-for-a-younger-generation">Tobacco bans for a younger generation </h2>



The study's findings emphasize that establishing a “tobacco-free generation” could profoundly reduce the number of smoking-related lung cancer deaths in the future. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smoking-cigarettes-accelerates-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smoking</a> is currently the leading cause of preventable death globally, contributing to more than two-thirds of the 1.8 million lung cancer deaths each year.



The study was led by researchers from the <a href="https://www.usc.gal/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Santiago de Compostela</a> and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), in collaboration with global experts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-creating-a-tobacco-free-generation">Creating a tobacco-free generation </h2>



“Lung cancer is a major killer worldwide, and a staggering two-thirds of deaths are linked to one preventable risk factor - tobacco smoking," said lead author Julia Rey Brandariz from the University of Santiago de Compostela.



"Our modeling highlights how much there is to gain for governments considering the implementation of ambitious plans towards creating a tobacco-free generation." 



According to Brandariz, not only could this save huge numbers of lives, but could also massively reduce the strain on health systems of treating and caring for people in ill health as a result of smoking.



Despite the potential impact, no country currently has laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco to young people. A notable attempt in New Zealand to ban tobacco sales to individuals born in or after 2009 was recently repealed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-for-tobacco-bans-to-reduce-deaths">Potential for tobacco bans to reduce deaths</h2>



Most prior studies on tobacco restrictions have focused on health benefits without addressing their potential to reduce deaths.



This study is the first to assess the long-term effect of a tobacco-free generation on lung cancer mortality, focusing on individuals born between 2006 and 2010 - aligned with the legal age for tobacco purchases in most countries.



The researchers used historical data from 82 countries in the <a href="https://www.who.int/data/data-collection-tools/who-mortality-database" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WHO Mortality Database</a> and applied it to the <a href="https://gco.iarc.fr/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GLOBOCAN 2022 database</a>, IARC's global cancer statistics platform, to predict future lung cancer death rates for individuals born during this period. 



The number of preventable smoking-related lung cancer deaths was also calculated using data from past studies on non-smokers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-many-lives-could-be-saved">How many lives could be saved?</h2>



The analysis suggests that eliminating smoking among this generation could prevent approximately 1.2 million lung cancer deaths across 185 countries. This represents 40.2% of the total lung cancer deaths expected to occur in this cohort by 2095.



The study estimates that nearly half of the lung cancer deaths among men (45.8% or 844,200 of 1.8 million deaths) could be prevented, while close to one-third of the deaths in women (30.9% or 342,400 of 1.1 million deaths) could be averted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tobacco-bans-and-preventable-death">Tobacco bans and preventable death </h2>



Among men, upper-middle-income countries would see the greatest number of preventable deaths (64.1% or 541,100 deaths), with Central and Eastern Europe benefiting the most, avoiding 74.3% of potential lung cancer deaths (48,900 deaths). 



For women, high-income countries would experience the most significant reduction in deaths (62% or 212,300 deaths), with Western Europe seeing a potential 77.7% reduction (56,200 deaths).



Most of the deaths prevented would be in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where nearly two-thirds (65.1% or 772,400 deaths) of the avoided deaths would occur. High-income countries would also benefit, preventing 61.1% (414,100) of the projected lung cancer deaths.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoking-trends-across-countries">Smoking trends across countries</h2>



“While rates of smoking in high-income countries have fallen in recent years, lung cancer remains a leading cause of death and disease," said study senior author Isabelle Soerjomataram of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.



"In low- and middle-income countries, which have rapidly growing populations of young people, the impact of banning tobacco sales could be even greater.” 



Soerjomataram noted that part of the reason why eliminating smoking could save so many lives in low- and middle-income countries is because they tend to have younger populations than high-income countries. 



"Smoking also remains very common in many of these countries, while rates have fallen in many high-income countries.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limitations-of-the-study">Limitations of the study</h2>



The authors acknowledge limitations in their study, such as the inability to account for factors like black markets or compliance issues.



Further analyses were conducted to estimate the reduction in health impacts if the ban were not fully effective. Additionally, limited data from some regions meant lung cancer predictions were based on 82 countries, potentially leading to over- or under-estimates in other areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tobacco-bans-and-global-health-outcomes">Tobacco bans and global health outcomes </h2>



While the study didn’t account for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vaping-linked-to-lower-sperm-counts-and-testicular-damage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">e-cigarettes</a> or changes in lung cancer rates among non-smokers due to improvements in healthcare, the findings make a strong case for tobacco-free policies aimed at reducing lung <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smoking-tobacco-leads-to-over-1-3-million-cancer-deaths-each-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer deaths</a> and improving global health outcomes.



“In summary, we estimated that more than 1.1 million lung-cancer deaths in 185 countries could be prevented in one 5-year birth cohort if smoking uptake was eliminated," wrote the researchers.



"Europe, North America, and Australia and New Zealand were the regions where more lung-cancer deaths could be prevented by strengthening tobacco-control measures to achieve a tobacco-free generation."



However, the experts noted, the impact of tobacco smoking on lung-cancer mortality remains high in many countries and will increase in others. 



"Therefore, the implementation of tobacco-control measures to help reduce the prevalence of tobacco smoking, and its impact, is imperative."



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(24)00185-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lancet Public Health</a>.



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Tobacco bans could help prevent 1.2 million lung cancer deaths

A recent study suggests that creating a generation of non-smokers...

On its journey in June 2023, the European Space Agency's BepiColombo spacecraft had a brief encounter with planet Mercury's magnetic field. It was a tantalizing preview of the mysteries BepiColombo aims to solve. 



Even though Mercury's magnetic field is one hundred times weaker than Earth's, it creates a space bubble called a magnetosphere.



This magnetosphere acts as a buffer against the relentless particles projected by the Sun as the solar wind. 



With Mercury's proximity to the Sun, the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere flares up more intensely than on Earth.



Insights into this intense space bubble and its particle properties promise to be the main attraction of BepiColombo's mission.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arrival-at-mercury">Arrival at Mercury</h2>



The year 2026 is when <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BepiColombo</a> is scheduled to reach <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/layer-diamonds-nine-miles-thick-discovered-on-planet-mercury-surface/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mercury</a>. The journey, incorporating flybys of Earth, Venus, and Mercury, is vital for adjusting the speed and trajectory of the spacecraft. 



However, the flybys have more to give than just a speed boost; they offer a sneak peek at the thrilling science that lies ahead and provide unique viewpoints of the planet that can't be seen from orbit.



The scientific journey involves two science orbiters, the ESA-led Mercury Planetary Orbiter (<a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/Mercury_Planetary_Orbiter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MPO</a>) and the JAXA-led Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (<a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/Mercury_Magnetospheric_Orbiter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MMO</a> or Mio). Their joint measurements will create a holistic picture of Mercury's dynamic environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-mercury-s-magnetosphere">Mapping Mercury's magnetosphere</h2>



The research was led by Lina Hadid, a former ESA Research Fellow, currently working at the <a href="https://www.lpp.polytechnique.fr/Laboratoire-de-Physique-des?lang=fr" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas</a> at Paris Observatory. 



She used the Mercury Plasma Particle Experiment suite to map Mercury’s magnetic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bepicolombo-mission-captures-mercury-in-unprecedented-detail/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">landscape</a> during one of the BepiColombo’s flybys.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mercury_magnetosphere_diagram_BepiColombo-mission_ESA_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Mercury_magnetosphere_diagram_BepiColombo-mission_ESA_1s.webp" alt="Using data collected by the Mass Spectrum Analyser (MSA), Mercury Ion Analyser (MIA), and Mercury Electron Analyser (MEA), and combining these measurements with a computer model to determine the origin of detected ions based on their motion, various features encountered along the trajectory of the spacecraft were revealed. BepiColombo’s trajectory is shown as the yellow line in this graphic, with the various features encountered along the way labelled accordingly. Credit: ESA" class="wp-image-1946758"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Using data collected by the Mass Spectrum Analyser (MSA), Mercury Ion Analyser (MIA), and Mercury Electron Analyser (MEA), and combining these measurements with a computer model to determine the origin of detected ions based on their motion, various features encountered along the trajectory of the spacecraft were revealed. BepiColombo’s trajectory is shown as the yellow line in this graphic, with the various features encountered along the way labelled accordingly. Credit: ESA</figcaption></figure>



"These flybys are fast; we crossed Mercury’s magnetosphere in about 30 minutes, moving from dusk to dawn at a closest approach of just 235 km above the planet’s surface, Lina explained.



"We sampled the type of particles, how hot they are, and how they move, enabling us to clearly plot the magnetic landscape during this brief period."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-mercury-s-magnetosphere">Exploring Mercury's magnetosphere</h2>



Marrying BepiColombo’s measurements with computer modelling, Lina and team were able to sketch out the features found in the magnetosphere. 



They detected a low-latitude boundary layer marked by turbulent plasma at the magnetosphere's edge. Surprisingly, they observed particles with a wider range of energies than seen before at Mercury.



“We also observed energetic hot ions near the equatorial plane and at low latitude trapped in the magnetosphere, and we think the only way to explain that is by a ring current, either a partial or complete ring," added Lina. 



A ring current is an electric current carried by charged particles trapped in the magnetosphere.



The spacecraft's interactions with the surrounding space plasma were also noticed. As the spacecraft moved through the planet’s nightside shadow, cold plasma ions such as oxygen, sodium, and potassium became visible. 



This gave them a glance at Mercury’s surface composition through the planet's thin atmosphere, known as its exosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mercury-s-exosphere-and-magnetosphere">Mercury's exosphere and magnetosphere</h2>



Mercury's exosphere, though very thin, gives us important insights into the planet's surface and internal processes. 



BepiColombo's observations allow us to study particles released from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-there-life-on-mercury-possibly-in-the-planets-craters-study-reveals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mercury's </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-there-life-on-mercury-possibly-in-the-planets-craters-study-reveals/">surface</a> into space, mainly made up of oxygen, sodium, and potassium.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/mercury_magnetism_illustration_BepiColombo-mission_ESA_1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/mercury_magnetism_illustration_BepiColombo-mission_ESA_1s.webp" alt="This output from a simulation shows an expected case of Mercury’s magnetic environment under typical solar wind conditions. The left image shows a ‘side view’ where the Sun is out of frame to the left; the right image shows a ‘front view’ as if we are looking at Mercury from the direction of the Sun. The simulation is based on a model, it does not show real observations. The colors indicate the density of charged particles around Mercury, with the highest density shown in yellow and the lowest density in purple/black. Credit: ESA" class="wp-image-1946756"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This output from a simulation shows an expected case of Mercury’s magnetic environment under typical solar wind conditions. The left image shows a ‘side view’ where the Sun is out of frame to the left; the right image shows a ‘front view’ as if we are looking at Mercury from the direction of the Sun. The simulation is based on a model, it does not show real observations. The colors indicate the density of charged particles around Mercury, with the highest density shown in yellow and the lowest density in purple/black. Credit: ESA</figcaption></figure>



Through the spacecraft's sophisticated instrumentation, scientists are analyzing how these elements are affected by solar radiation and micrometeoroid impacts. 



Understanding the dynamic interplay of these forces helps elucidate the way Mercury’s surface composition evolves over time.



By piecing together this information, researchers hope to uncover insights into the geological history and ongoing physical processes reshaping the smallest planet in our solar system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-discoveries">Future discoveries</h2>



“In this rare dusk-to-dawn sweep through the large-scale structure of Mercury’s magnetosphere we’ve tasted the promise of future discoveries," said JAXA’s BepiColombo project scientist, Go Murakami.



BepiColombo is set to contribute significantly to our understanding of planetary magnetospheres. As the scientists delve into the data from the recent flybys, the final two flybys scheduled for December 1, 2024 and January 8, 2025 are eagerly anticipated.



"We can’t wait to see how BepiColombo will impact our broader understanding of planetary magnetospheres," concluded Geraint Jones, ESA BepiColombo project scientist. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42005-024-01766-8">Nature Communications Physics</a>.



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BepiColombo spacecraft reveals Mercury's magnetic secrets

On its journey in June 2023, the European Space Agency's...

Half of the world's population currently lives in cities, and this proportion is expected to increase to 70% by 2050. Due to large populations, a lack of green spaces that can mitigate warming, and aging infrastructure vulnerable to floods and extreme weather, many of the world's cities are unprepared for climate change.



Proactive measures are needed to make cities more resilient to climate change and capable of protecting community health, according to a new report by the <a href="https://ysph.yale.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yale School of Public Health</a> (YSPH), the <a href="https://resilientcitiesnetwork.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Resilient Cities Network</a>, and The Rockefeller Foundation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-climate-related-health-threats">Preparing for climate-related health threats </h2>



The report is based on a survey of nearly 200 leaders in 118 cities across 52 countries regarding their preparedness for responding to climate-related health threats.



Less than half of the cities reported having a climate resilience plan, and only one in four indicated that their plan addressed both climate and health. 



The research was funded by The Rockefeller Foundation, which also announced that it will invest more than $1 million to help cities implement the report's recommendations. The announcement was made during <a href="https://www.climateweeknyc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate Week NYC</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-centered-response-to-climate-change">Health-centered response to climate change </h2>



The Urban Pulse report highlights the need for city leaders to recognize the impact of climate change on residents' health, including mental health.



Professor Jeannette Ickovics, lead author of the report, noted that resources, infrastructure, and collaboration are needed to ensure that these profound health threats are limited. She said that a health-centered response to climate change by cities is crucial for global health.



“We call on the global community to put health at the heart of the urban climate change agenda, to amplify and scale-up evidence-based solutions, and to invest in new financing models that prioritize rapid disbursement to cities so that they can build and sustain resilience,” said Professor Ickovics.



Ickovics and her team of faculty and students at the Yale Center for Climate Change and Health, the Yale Institute for Global Health, and Yale Planetary Solutions are working with the Resilient Cities Network to address climate, health, and equity challenges in low- and middle-income countries, as city populations rise across the world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-impacts-on-cities">Climate impacts on cities</h2>



According to the researchers, cities like Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam likely will experience <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-may-slow-the-spread-of-dengue-fever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dengue fever</a> outbreaks due to larger mosquito populations. 



Coastal cities like Miami and Dubai will likely face more frequent and severe flooding from rising sea levels.



“Cities are acutely aware that climate change poses serious health risks, which disproportionately affect populations that face vulnerabilities,” said Lauren Sorkin, executive director of the Resilient Cities Network. 



“The R-Cities network of chief resilience officers is at the forefront of addressing these challenges, driving cross-sector collaboration to pilot and scale equitable, innovative solutions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recommendations-for-climate-resilience-in-cities">Recommendations for climate resilience in cities</h2>



Based on their survey data and interviews with city leaders in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Professor Ickovics and the Resilient Cities Network assembled ten recommendations to guide local government leaders in making their communities more climate resilient. These include: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Identifying unique climate shocks and stressors that pose the largest threats to vulnerable populations</li>



<li>Implementing data-driven, community-focused adaptation programs like greening initiatives and population-based mental health support to address health, climate, and equity</li>



<li>Investing in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-could-be-powered-entirely-by-renewable-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">green energy</a> and other energy-efficient systems that contribute to a zero-carbon economy</li>



<li>Establishing and reinforcing early-warning mechanisms for climate-related catastrophic events like hurricanes, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deadly-heat-waves-in-europe-can-be-predicted-by-melting-sea-ice/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heat waves</a>, and floods</li>



<li>Fostering city-to-city collaborations to share best practices in the fight against climate threats</li>
</ul>



The Rockefeller Foundation's investment will empower the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group - a global coalition of nearly 100 mayors - to address climate change and support the Resilient Cities Network in implementing the report's recommendations through city-led action plans. 



Examples include Rio de Janeiro's recent push to forecast dengue outbreaks and a community-engagement initiative for cholera vaccine uptake in Lusaka, Zambia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-city-led-action-can-save-lives">City-led action can save lives</h2>



“As these cases make clear, city-led action can save lives,” stated The Rockefeller Foundation. 



If the plan championed by this report were implemented for just one heat wave in Dhaka, Bangladesh, preliminary estimates found a $1 to $7 return on investment in terms of lives saved among the most vulnerable - illustrating the tremendous economic value at stake, the foundation reported.



The investment announcement at Climate Week NYC followed a panel discussion about climate and health resilience in cities, led by The Rockefeller Foundation, the Resilient Cities Network, and Yale.



“We must leverage this research to unite in a vision of urban resilience - harnessing our collective wisdom and strength to build a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable urban environment for all,” Professor Ickovics concluded.



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Cities are largely unprepared for the effects of climate change

Half of the world's population currently lives in cities, and...

Myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness, is increasingly prevalent, especially among children. Experts predict that by 2050, approximately 50% of the world's population will be affected by myopia, which potentially leads to vision loss. 



Researchers attribute this surge partly to an increase in “near work,” which involves focusing on close objects like smartphones and computer screens.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-myopia-increases-the-risk-of-vision-loss">Myopia increases the risk of vision loss</h2>



While many people manage myopia with glasses or contact lenses, some develop a more severe condition called myopic maculopathy.&nbsp;



This condition occurs when the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oranges-lower-risk-macular-degeneration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">macula</a> - the part of the eye responsible for sharp, central vision - is stretched and damaged due to the elongation of the eyeball into a more football-like shape. The distortion leads to impaired vision and can result in severe vision loss or blindness.



In 2015, myopic maculopathy caused visual impairment in 10 million people. If current trends continue, more than 55 million people are expected to experience vision loss due to this condition by 2050, and approximately 18 million people worldwide could become blind from it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-early-detection-with-technology">Improving early detection with technology</h2>



Because myopic maculopathy is irreversible, early detection is crucial. Catching the condition in its initial stages can improve health outcomes, especially for children. Ophthalmologists can prescribe special contact lenses or eye drops that slow the disease's progression.



A team of researchers at <a href="https://scai.engineering.asu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arizona State University's School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence</a> is developing new diagnostic tools that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to more effectively screen for myopic maculopathy.&nbsp;



Yalin Wang, a professor of computer science and engineering at the university, emphasizes the potential of technology to provide important solutions.



“AI is ushering in a revolution that leverages global knowledge to improve diagnosis accuracy, especially in its earliest stage of the disease,” he said. “These advancements will reduce medical costs and improve the quality of life for entire societies.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-award-winning-ai-algorithms">Award-winning AI algorithms </h2>



In response to this need, the <a href="https://miccai.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention (MICCAI) Society</a> issued a challenge in 2023 to improve computer-aided screening systems for retinal images.&nbsp;



Currently, myopic maculopathy is diagnosed using optical coherence tomography scans that create detailed images of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/retinal-scans-provide-a-window-into-human-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">retina</a> using reflected light. These scans are often manually inspected by ophthalmologists, which is time-consuming and requires specialized expertise.



Professor Wang and his team, including doctoral student Wenhui Zhu and neurologist and adjunct faculty member Dr. Oana Dumitrascu, participated in the MICCAI challenge and were among the winners.&nbsp;



For the first part of their work, they classified myopic maculopathy into five categories according to its severity. Accurate classification helps ophthalmologists provide more tailored and effective treatments.



The researchers developed new AI algorithms called NN-MobileNet, designed to help software more effectively analyze retinal images and predict the correct classification of myopic maculopathy. Their research was published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-54857-4_5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Myopic Maculopathy Analysis</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-insights-with-deep-neural-networks">Crucial insights with deep neural networks </h2>



Next, the team focused on efforts in the scientific community to use deep neural networks - a type of AI - to predict the spherical equivalent in retinal scans. The spherical equivalent is an estimate of the eye's refractive error, crucial for prescribing corrective lenses.&nbsp;



By developing new AI algorithms that emphasized data quality and relevance, they achieved exceptional results while minimizing computing power requirements. This research was also published in <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-54857-4_6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Myopic Maculopathy Analysis</a>.



Additionally, Professor Wang collaborated with other winning teams from the MICCAI challenge on a third research paper, published in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/article-abstract/2824092" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JAMA Ophthalmology</a> in September.&nbsp;



The researchers made their findings available to stimulate further advancements in the early and effective diagnosis of myopic maculopathy, aiming to improve health care outcomes globally.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-health-disparities">Addressing health disparities </h2>



Professor Wang explained that one of the driving forces behind his work is addressing health disparities. “People living in rural areas find it difficult to access sophisticated imaging devices and see physicians,” he said.&nbsp;



“Once AI-powered technology becomes available, it will significantly improve the quality of life in worldwide populations, including those who live in developing countries.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solutions-to-prevent-vision-loss">Solutions to prevent vision loss</h2>



Ross Maciejewski, director of the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, praised Wang's project as an important example of innovative work in the medical field.&nbsp;



“With both myopia and myopic maculopathy increasing, solutions are needed to prevent vision loss and help health care professionals provide the best treatment options for their patients," said Maciejewski.



"Yalin Wang's innovative research is a principled use of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-environmental-cost-of-ai-what-are-we-willing-to-give-up-for-computing-power/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">artificial intelligence</a> to address this dire medical issue."



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How AI could protect millions of people from vision loss 

Myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness, is increasingly prevalent, especially among...

Doctors have long known that children who become seriously ill with certain respiratory viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), are at elevated risk of developing asthma later in life. However, the reason why this happens has remained a mystery.



A new study by researchers at <a href="https://medicine.washu.edu/">Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis</a> may have solved this puzzle. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-viruses-linger-in-immune-cells">Viruses linger in immune cells</h2>



The study, conducted in mice, found that respiratory viruses can remain hidden in immune cells in the lungs long after the initial symptoms of an infection have disappeared. 



This lingering presence creates a persistently inflammatory environment that promotes the development of lung diseases like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-asthma-attacks/">asthma</a>. 



Moreover, the researchers demonstrated that eliminating these infected cells could reduce signs of chronic lung damage before they progress into full-blown chronic respiratory illnesses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preventing-chronic-lung-diseases">Preventing chronic lung diseases </h2>



The findings, published in Nature Microbiology, point to a potential new approach for preventing asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other chronic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/low-levels-of-air-pollution-increase-the-risk-of-heart-and-lung-disease/">lung diseases</a> by eradicating the persistent respiratory viruses that contribute to these conditions.



“Right now, children who have been hospitalized for a respiratory infection such as RSV are sent home once their symptoms resolve,” said senior author Carolina B. López, a professor of molecular microbiology at WashU Medicine. 



“To reduce the risk that these children will go on to develop asthma, maybe in the future we will be able to check if all of the virus is truly gone from the lung, and eliminate all lingering virus, before we send them home.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-persistent-viruses-and-chronic-lung-disease">Persistent viruses and chronic lung disease </h2>



There are about 27 million people in the U.S. living with asthma. Several factors influence a person’s likelihood of developing this chronic breathing condition, such as living in areas with poor air quality, exposure to cigarette smoke, and having been hospitalized for viral pneumonia or bronchitis as a child.



Some researchers - including López - had suspected that the link between severe lung infections and later asthma diagnoses might be due to lingering viruses in the lungs causing ongoing damage.



Until now, however, a direct connection between the persistent presence of a virus and chronic lung disease had not been established.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-common-respiratory-viruses">Studying common respiratory viruses </h2>



López and first author Ítalo Araújo Castro, a postdoctoral researcher in her lab, developed a unique system using a natural mouse virus called Sendai virus and fluorescent markers to track infection. 



Sendai virus is related to human parainfluenza virus, a common respiratory virus that has been associated with asthma in children, similar to RSV. 



Since Sendai behaves in mice much like human parainfluenza behaves in people, it provides an excellent model for studying infections that may lead to chronic lung disease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-viral-rna-in-lung-immune-cells">Viral RNA in lung immune cells </h2>



Using the fluorescent markers, the researchers were able to observe the presence of the virus throughout the infection. 



While the mice seemed to recover after about two weeks, the viral RNA and protein could still be detected weeks later in their lungs, where it was hiding inside immune cells.



“Finding persistent virus in immune cells was unexpected,” said López. “I think that's why it had been missed before." 



"Everyone had been looking for viral products in the epithelial cells that line the surface of the respiratory system, because that's where these viruses primarily replicate. But they were in the immune cells.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-persistent-inflammatory-response-to-viruses">Persistent inflammatory response to viruses</h2>



Furthermore, the presence of the virus altered the behavior of the infected immune cells, causing them to become more inflammatory than the uninfected cells. 



This persistent inflammation set the stage for the development of chronic lung disease, the researchers explained.



Seven weeks after the initial infection, the mice's lungs exhibited signs of chronic lung damage - even though the mice appeared to have recovered.



These signs included inflammation of the air sacs and blood vessels, abnormal lung cell development, and excess immune tissue - all of which indicate long-term inflammatory lung damage. When the researchers eliminated the infected immune cells, these signs of lung damage decreased.



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



“We use a perfectly matched virus-host pairing to prove that a common respiratory virus can be maintained in immunocompetent hosts for way longer than the acute phase of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-infection-equips-the-body-to-fight-off-the-flu/">infection</a>, and that this viral persistence can result in chronic lung conditions,” Castro said. 



“Probably the long-term health effects we see in people who are supposed to be recovered from an acute infection are actually due to persistence of the virus in their lungs.”



The findings offer new insights into how chronic lung diseases might develop and provide clues for future treatments, the researchers said.



“Pretty much every single child gets infected with these viruses before the age of 3, and maybe 5% get serious enough disease that they could potentially develop persistent infection," said López.



"We’re not going to be able to prevent children from getting infected in the first place. But if we understand how these viruses persist and the effects that persistence has on the lungs, we may be able to reduce the risk of serious long-term problems."



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Viruses can hide in lung cells and cause chronic disease

Doctors have long known that children who become seriously ill...

The white stork has been linked to human society for centuries. Legends and fables have portrayed storks as bringing luck, children, and prosperity, and today these birds are viewed as an emblem of a healthy environment.



So, just how deep does this kinship between humans and white storks run? Where and how did this relationship begin?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-link-between-storks-and-humans">Link between storks and humans</h2>



Addressing this puzzle required understanding the historical habitat of the stork. Dr. Ulrich Schmölcke, an esteemed archaeologist from the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie in Schleswig (<a href="https://www.leiza.de" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LEIZA</a>), and ornithologist Kai-Michael Thomsen from the<a href="https://bergenhusen.nabu.de/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Michael Otto Institute within NABU</a>, set out to investigate.



The experts embarked on a unique quest to explore the range dynamics of the white <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/younger-storks-choose-migration-routes-that-are-social-hotspots/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stork</a> in Europe since the last ice age using archaeological evidence.



The exploration revealed a curious fact - the north-eastern part of Europe, today brimming with storks, only became part of their range in the recent past. The trailblazing study was recently published in the Journal of Ornithology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stork-s-past-with-humans">Stork's past with humans</h2>



To unravel the stork’s history, Schmölcke and Thomsen evaluated previously published findings of bird bones found near prehistoric or early historic settlements. 



A data set from 1999, for instance, provided information on over 7,500 archaeological sites with animal remains dating from the last ice age to the early modern period all over Europe. 



The two academics also delved into current research literature, thus rounding off an extensive database to make reliable statements about the white stork's distribution over the past millennia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-historical-puzzle-solved">Historical puzzle solved</h2>



According to their findings, about 1,500 years ago, the white stork was found exclusively in southern and western Europe, notably on the Iberian Peninsula, in the Upper Rhine region, and the southern Balkans.



Intriguingly, the boundary of the stork's distribution at the end of antiquity matched precisely the extent of the Roman Empire. Ancient written sources validate this, showing that the white stork was closely associated with people in the Mediterranean region at the time. 



However, beyond the borders of the Roman Empire, the white stork didn't find suitable habitats. Why? The human population density was substantially lower there, with less open spaces due to less intensive agriculture.



"It was only around 1,000 years ago that the white stork's range expanded rapidly to the north-east. This coincides with the medieval 'Landesausbau,' when many forests were cleared and new agricultural land was created," noted Thomsen.



The adaptable white stork seems to have benefitted long-term from these changes in human landscapes.



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



This study doesn't just shed light on a fascinating chapter of natural history. It is also instrumental in understanding species distribution and disappearance patterns over time. 



"If we want to understand how species spread or why they disappear from some areas, we can't just look at the current pattern. We need to understand long-term developments," said Thomsen.



Schmölcke noted that understanding past environments and species prevalence is crucial to studying how the relationship between humans and the environment has evolved over time - something that researchers at LEIZA and the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence are already working on.



According to Schmölcke, the study shows the great potential of cooperation between ornithology and archaeology, especially if we include even more&nbsp;analytical methods&nbsp;such as genetics and isotope measurements in the future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-storks-and-human-settlements">Storks and human settlements</h2>



The presence of white storks near human settlements throughout history highlights a remarkable symbiosis that has persisted for centuries. 



Storks, with their preference for open, agricultural landscapes, often chose nesting sites near human habitations, taking advantage of the structures for nesting and the agricultural practices that heightened food availability. 



As these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/migratory-behaviors-are-shaped-by-experience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> fed on rodents, insects, and other pests, they inadvertently provided a form of natural pest control, benefiting human communities by sustaining crops and, thereby, the food supply. 



The gear-driven harmony between storks and humans was not only sustenance-based but also symbolic, as storks became emblematic of good fortune and prosperity in various cultural narratives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-in-a-changing-world">Conservation in a changing world</h2>



As we move further into the 21st century, the challenges posed by climate change and habitat destruction cast a shadow on the once-thriving relationship between humans and white storks. 



Conservation strategies must be informed by the rich historical context provided by studies like that of Schmölcke and Thomsen. 



Future conservation efforts should take an interdisciplinary approach, integrating historical data to inform sustainable land-use practices that accommodate the needs of both humans and stork <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-feeding-pollutes-local-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">populations</a>. 



By focusing on habitat preservation and landscape management, policymakers can ensure that the white stork continues to soar across European skies, embodying the interconnectedness between species and the environments we share.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tale-of-man-and-bird">Tale of man and bird</h2>



The bond between humans and the white stork is older and deeper than we thought, starting from ancient human civilizations and showing a surprising parallel with human expansion and land use changes. 



And it is fascinating discoveries like these that underscore how interconnected we are with the natural world. 



So, the next time you see a white stork, take a moment to appreciate not just its elegance, but also the rich, shared history it symbolizes.



The study is published in the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10336-024-02206-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Ornithology</a>.&nbsp; 



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White storks and humans have a long, intertwined history

The white stork has been linked to human society for...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&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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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&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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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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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



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How does salt makes things taste better?

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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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



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Santiago, Chile in South America

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Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&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



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&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> Staff Writer 



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&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



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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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



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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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 rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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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



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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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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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&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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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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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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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&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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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



The map has been created over the last decade using observations of water-rich rocks and mineral deposits. The images were captured by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



"A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet," says ESA. "The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life."



"Specifically, the map shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. These are from rocks that have been chemically altered by the action of water in the past, and have typically been transformed into clays and salts."



According to John Carter of the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), our collective understanding of Mars has been oversimplified. He explained that planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, then as the water gradually dried up, salts were produced across the planet.



The new map shows that the composition of Mars is much more complicated than what we thought. For example, while many salts formed after Martian clays, there are some salts that are presumed to be older than some of the clays.&nbsp;



“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought, the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars. That’s the first result of our study. The second is that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does,” said Carter.



Video Credit: ESA



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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 history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



The experts found that the muscle metabolism of cavefish has been genetically reprogrammed over time. As a result, the animals have experienced major changes in their morphology and behavior. Despite these changes, however, the cavefish remain healthy and fit.



The research may provide new clues about the evolutionary consequences of prolonged physical inactivity in humans.&nbsp;



“It’s no surprise that people are moving less and less as technology has advanced,” said Rohner. “With cavefish, we have a unique system where we can study what might happen if people remained couch potatoes over very, very long periods of time.”



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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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



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



"With more than 370,000 miles of coastline on Earth, there are plenty of places where epic waves build up, curl over, and hurtle toward the shore.- much to the thrill of surfers," says NASA. "There are some places where these waves are so magnificent that they can be seen from space."



"With the broad perspective of satellites, we can see how these iconic waves develop into the world’s tallest, longest, fastest, and heaviest."



Video 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



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...