This week, the October sky is treating us to a brilliant display that you won't want to miss -- the Hunter's supermoon, a rare comet, and the Orionids meteor shower. 



Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is a rare comet making its journey past Earth, offering a unique opportunity to witness its tail of icy particles glistening against the dark canvas of space.



In addition, this week features the biggest supermoon of the year, Hunter's supermoon, which will illuminate the night with a breathtaking orangish glow.



Since Tuesday, the moon has looked larger than usual, and it’ll keep that appearance through Friday. By Thursday morning, as people head out for their morning commute. Depending on the weather in your area, Thursday night being the best time to see the full Hunter's supermoon..



And let's not forget the dazzling Orionids meteor shower, where you can catch glimpses of shooting stars streaking across the sky, resulting from debris left by Halley's Comet.



There's truly something for everyone in this celestial display. So, grab a warm jacket, perhaps a pair of binoculars for a closer look.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-80-000-year-old-time-traveler">80,000-year-old time traveler</h2>



Meet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-anticipated-comet-of-2024-returns-this-weekend-after-80000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS</a>, a celestial wanderer that's been on an 80,000-year long odyssey. 



From the outermost regions of our solar system, this comet embarks on an interminable journey around the sun. The last time it paid us a visit, our ancestors were just crafting civilizations.



Although its closest Earth pass was on October 12, it remains visible for the remainder of the month. 



So, how do you spot it? An hour into the sunset, turn your sight to where the sun has sunk and voila. The elusive comet, while difficult to sight with the naked eye, could be seen with a pair of binoculars. 



Don't miss this rare chance to witness a phenomenon that won't return for another 80,000 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunter-s-supermoon">Hunter's Supermoon</h2>



Next up...mark your calendars for October 17, 2024. The night sky is all set to parade the Hunter's Moon, but this year it's not just a full moon -- <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hunters-supermoon-prepares-to-illuminate-the-october-skies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">it's a supermoon</a>! 



This phenomenon occurs when the moon is at its closest to Earth during its full phase, making it larger and brighter.



The Hunter’s Moon got its name from the historical practice of hunters utilizing the bright moonlight to track game and gather food in preparation for winter. This full moon rises soon after sunset, extending the period of illumination more than usual.



As it ascends, the Hunter’s Moon appears particularly large and orange, a visual effect produced by its lower position on the horizon and the scattering of light in the atmosphere.



This lunar phase holds cultural significance across various traditions, representing a time for preparation and gathering, underscoring the importance of readiness for the impending colder months.



The Hunter’s Moon is generally in October -- although once every four years it makes an appearance in November.



While contemporary life may not depend on this extra light to hunt or complete outdoor tasks, the Hunter’s Moon remains a fascinating reminder of nature’s rhythms and the cyclical changes of the seasons.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-puts-the-super-in-the-supermoon">What puts the 'super' in the supermoon?</h3>



So, you might ask, "What's so super about the supermoon?" As Anna Gammon-Ross, a seasoned astronomer from the <a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Museums Greenwich</a> explains, a supermoon occurs when a full moon is nearest to Earth in its orbit. 



This cosmic alignment results in a moon that's roughly 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual. On seeing the radiant orb hanging low in the sky, you'd agree that the supermoon does indeed earn its name.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shooting-stars-orionids-meteor-shower">Shooting stars: Orionids meteor shower</h2>



The Orionids meteor shower is one of the highlights of the October night sky. These meteors are actually tiny bits of dust left behind by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orionids-meteor-shower-peaks-this-weekend-heres-what-to-expect/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Halley's Comet</a> as it travels through the solar system. 



When Earth passes through this trail of debris, the particles slam into our atmosphere at incredible speeds -- up to 148,000 miles per hour! As they burn up, they create those bright streaks of light we love to watch.



What's cool about the Orionids is that they're known for their fast and bright meteors, often leaving glowing trails that last for a few seconds. 



The best time to catch them is in the early morning hours before dawn, when the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/betelgeuse-one-of-our-brightest-stars-will-vanish-from-sight-next-week/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">constellation Orion</a> (which gives the meteor shower its name) is high in the sky. 



Just find a comfy spot away from city lights, let your eyes adjust to the darkness, and enjoy the show -- no special equipment needed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skywatching-101">Skywatching 101</h2>



All set to behold these cosmic spectacles? Here are some tips to enhance your experience:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Search for a location far from city lights to escape light pollution. </li>



<li>Always check the weather. Clear skies are your best pals for skywatching. </li>



<li>Bring your binoculars. For the supermoon, they are optional, but they'll help with the comet and make meteor watching more fun. </li>



<li>Comfort is key. Dress warmly and consider bringing a blanket or a chair. </li>



<li>Patience is a virtue. Allow around 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness.</li>
</ul>



These celestial showstoppers make for some spectacular photography opportunities. 



For the supermoon, a camera with manual settings, plus a tripod for steadiness, can help capture stunning shots. 



For the meteors, a wide-angle lens with a long exposure setting can help you nab a shooting star.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-wonders-to-watch">More wonders to watch</h2>



October's skywatching doesn't end with the comet, supermoon, and meteor shower. 



Throughout the month, Venus brightly greets morning risers, while Saturn and Jupiter are earlier night visitors. 



Mars is a bit elusive but worth seeking out. Several constellations, such as Cassiopeia and Perseus, also adorn the night sky. 



If you're a novice stargazer, a smartphone app can help you navigate the starry expanse.



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Hunter's supermoon, a comet, and Orionids meteors are sharing the sky tonight

This week, the October sky is treating us to a brilliant display that you won't want to miss -- the Hunter's supermoon, a rare comet, and the Orionids meteor shower. Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is a rare comet making its journey past Earth, offering a unique opportunity to witness its tail of icy particles glistening against the dark canvas of space. In addition, this week features the biggest supermoon of the year, Hunter's supermoon, which will illuminate the night with a breathtaking orangish glow. Since Tuesday, the...

In the scorching <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/europe-experienced-its-hottest-summer-on-record-in-2022/">summer</a> of 2022, record-breaking heatwaves swept across Europe, marking it as the hottest summer ever documented in the continent's history.&nbsp;



These unprecedented events ignited forest fires, spurred droughts, and dried up major rivers. Even more devastatingly, a new study has linked Europe's record heat to an estimated 61,672 deaths between May 30 and September 4, 2022.



The grim results, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02419-z">Nature Medicine</a>, highlight the catastrophic human toll of intensifying global warming trends.



Eurostat, the European statistical office, had previously reported a significant spike in mortality for that period, yet the contribution of extreme heat had not been precisely quantified.&nbsp;



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



The current study was a collaborative effort by experts at the <a href="https://www.isglobal.org/en">Barcelona Institute for Global Health</a> (ISGlobal), an institution supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation, and the French National Institute of Health (Inserm).



The researchers accessed temperature and mortality data for 2015-2022 from 823 regions spanning 35 European countries. Collectively, the data represented a population of over 543 million people.&nbsp;



Based on this information, the team developed epidemiological models to estimate temperature-attributable mortality for each region and week of the summer period.



Throughout the summer of 2022, sweltering heat was relentless, with above-average temperatures occurring every week. The hottest weather lingered from mid-July to mid-August, coinciding with the most deadly period of heat-related mortality. In this month alone, a staggering 38,881 deaths were recorded.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-geographical-disparities">Geographical disparities</h2>



Italy endured the highest number of heat-related fatalities, with 18,010 deaths. Spain and Germany followed with 11,324 and 8,173 deaths respectively.&nbsp;



When the data is adjusted by population, Italy again emerges as the most affected, with 295 heat-related deaths per million, followed by Greece (280), Spain (237), and Portugal (211). The European average was calculated at 114 deaths per million.



In terms of temperature anomalies, France experienced the warmest conditions with temperatures rising +2.43°C above the average values for the period 1991-2020. Switzerland (+2.30°C), Italy (+2.28°C), Hungary (+2.13°C), and Spain (+2.11°C) were also severely impacted.



<h2 id="h-mortality-rate-and-gender">Mortality rate and gender</h2>



The study further highlighted a troubling disparity in terms of age and gender. Older age groups, particularly women, were disproportionately affected. Overall, 4,822 victims were under 65 years of age, 9,226 were between 65 and 79, and 36,848 were over the age of 79.



Gender-specific data revealed that heat-attributable mortality was 63% higher in women than in men. This manifested as 35,406 premature deaths (or 145 deaths per million) in women compared to 21,667 (or 93 per million) in men.&nbsp;



This increased susceptibility to heat was observed across the population but was especially pronounced in women over 80, who had a mortality rate 27% higher than their male counterparts. Conversely, men under 65 and those aged 65-79 saw higher mortality rates than women by 41% and 13% respectively.



<h2 id="h-summer-deaths-in-2003">Summer deaths in 2003</h2>



The disastrous summer of 2022 is comparable to the deadly 2003 heatwave, which caused over 70,000 excess deaths.&nbsp;



According to Joan Ballester Claramunt, the lead author of the study and a researcher at ISGlobal, the summer of 2003 was a rarity even when accounting for anthropogenic warming observed up until that point.&nbsp;



The events of 2003 exposed the deficiencies in health systems' capacity to handle climate-related emergencies, leading to the implementation of prevention plans in subsequent years.



Contrastingly, the temperatures recorded in the summer of 2022 were not exceptional when compared to the recent temperature series. This affirms that warming has accelerated over the last decade.&nbsp;



"The fact that more than 61,600 people in Europe died of heat stress in the summer of 2022, even though, unlike in 2003, many countries already had active prevention plans in place, suggests that the adaptation strategies currently available may still be insufficient," noted Joan Ballester Claramunt.



<h2 id="h-prevention-plans-urgently-needed">Prevention plans urgently needed</h2>



Hicham Achebak, a researcher at Inserm and ISGlobal, echoed Ballester's sentiment, emphasizing the pressing need to reassess and bolster prevention plans. This need is particularly urgent given the escalating warming trends and the fact that Europe is experiencing warming rates up to 1°C higher than the global average.



The researchers project a bleak future if effective adaptive responses are not implemented. The team estimates that, in the absence of such measures, the continent could face an average of more than 68,000 premature deaths each summer by 2030 and exceed 94,000 by 2040.&nbsp;



This stark prediction highlights the urgent need to address the age and gender gaps in vulnerability to heat, improve adaptation strategies, and, most importantly, tackle the root causes of the accelerating climate crisis.



—-



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Deadly summer: More than 61,000 deaths linked to Europe's 2022 heatwaves

In the scorching summer of 2022, record-breaking heatwaves swept across...

Currently, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-material-biodegradable-soil/">plastic</a> mulch films are extensively used in agricultural practices. When tucked in around the base of plants, they can help control weeds and pathogens, reduce water evaporation, and prevent soil splashing on fruit.&nbsp;



However, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.calpoly.edu/">California Polytechnic State University</a> (Cal Poly), the plastic mulch used to support the growth of Californian strawberries sheds large quantities of plastic fragments that negatively impact soil quality. Such a situation is likely to occur in the case of other crops too, suggesting that this method’s risks may outweigh its benefits.



“What we are seeing is a huge quantity of macroplastic material – particles bigger than 5mm across - being shed where the mulch is used to enhance strawberry production. These can remain in the soil for decades or longer,” said study lead author Ekta Tiwari, a postdoctoral fellow in Geochemistry at Cal Poly.



<h2 id="h-plastic-fragments-accumulate-for-decades">Plastic fragments accumulate for decades</h2>



Although the mulch is removed after the crop’s seasonal production is complete, even careful land stewardship by farmers fails to remove all the plastic, since fragments usually adhere to the soil after removal.&nbsp;



After decades of annual plastic mulch application and removal, even in extremely well-managed fields, there is a significant accumulation of plastic fragments.



“We carried out a systematic survey of strawberry fields after the seasonal removal of these plastic film. We found that the distribution was fairly uniform. On field surfaces alone, we found up to 213,500 macroplastic particles per hectare. That doesn’t include subsurface particles, which we did not survey," explained Tiwari.



"In addition, we are currently analyzing the same soil samples for&nbsp;microplastics, which are smaller particles, less than 5mm across; these are not yet included in our findings."



<h2 id="h-plastic-mulch-degrades-soil-quality">Plastic mulch degrades soil quality</h2>



By using a groundbreaking method called Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the experts found that most of the particles were polyethylene. Moreover, the analysis revealed that, as the levels of microplastic pollution increased, soil moisture content, microbial respiration, and plant-available nitrogen decreased.



“The plastic mulch provides benefits, but at the expense of long-term soil quality. It’s difficult and expensive to remove these particles from the soil, so once they are there they can stay there indefinitely. We tend to think that strawberries are simply things to be enjoyed, but this shows that even something as delicious as fresh strawberries can come with a cost to the environment. We are working with the manufacturers to see if we can mitigate these costs,” Tiwari said.



<h2 id="h-further-research-is-needed">Further research is needed&nbsp;</h2>



Since the current study has only focused on macroplastic pollution, the researchers are now evaluating the level of microplastic pollution too. Providing reliable data on the extent of plastic pollution in the U.S. agricultural system could help improve land management practices and assess the biogeochemical consequences of plastic accumulation in agricultural soils.



Although there are alternatives to using polyethylene mulches – such as biodegradable plastic mulches or natural mulches like straw – such methods come with additional costs, which makes them less popular among farmers. Further research is needed to identify cost-effective techniques that could protect crops, while avoiding the negative impacts of plastic mulch.



The study was presented the <a href="https://conf.goldschmidt.info/goldschmidt/2023/meetingapp.cgi">Goldschmidt Geochemistry Conference</a> in Lyon, France (9-14 July).



<h2 id="h-more-about-plastic-mulch">More about plastic mulch</h2>



Plastic mulch is a product used in farming and gardening to suppress weeds and conserve water. It's made from a thin layer of plastic film that is placed over the soil with the plants growing through slits or holes in the plastic. Here are some key points about plastic mulch:



<h3 id="h-weed-control">Weed control</h3>



Plastic mulch forms a physical barrier between the soil and the atmosphere, thus preventing weed seeds from germinating and growing. This is because most weed seeds need light to germinate, and the plastic mulch blocks this light.



<h3 id="h-moisture-conservation">Moisture conservation</h3>



Plastic mulch acts as a barrier to evaporation, reducing the amount of water that is lost from the soil. This helps to conserve water and can be especially useful in regions where water is scarce or in times of drought.



<h3 id="h-soil-temperature-regulation">Soil temperature regulation</h3>



Depending on its color, plastic mulch can either absorb or reflect sunlight, thus affecting the temperature of the soil underneath.&nbsp;



Black plastic mulch absorbs sunlight and warms the soil, which can be beneficial for warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers. Conversely, white or silver plastic mulch reflects sunlight and can help to keep the soil cooler, which can be beneficial for cool-season crops.



<h3 id="h-increased-crop-yield">Increased crop yield</h3>



By suppressing weeds, conserving water, and helping to regulate soil temperature, plastic mulch can contribute to increased crop yield.



Despite these benefits, there are also several potential drawbacks to using plastic mulch. One is that it is a form of non-biodegradable waste, which can contribute to environmental pollution. Additionally, the use of plastic mulch can lead to soil degradation over time due to reduced organic matter decomposition and soil biodiversity.&nbsp;



To address these issues, some farmers and gardeners use biodegradable mulches, which provide many of the same benefits but break down over time to reduce waste and soil degradation.



—-



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



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Plastic mulch used in strawberry production leads to long-term pollution

Currently, plastic mulch films are extensively used in agricultural practices....

In an intriguing new study, researchers have found that a bird's choice of nest materials strongly correlates with the dimensions of its beak. This discovery is based on an extensive data analysis involving close to 6,000 bird species. The experts report that beak shape could accurately forecast the type of nesting material a bird might utilize.



The comprehensive research was a collaborative effort by researchers at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> and the University of St Andrews. Their innovative approach to the study involved employing random forest models - a machine learning algorithm widely used for pattern recognition and data analysis.&nbsp;



The objective was to use these models to analyze beak data and predict corresponding nesting material preferences.



<h2 id="h-surprising-findings">Surprising findings</h2>



The researchers were surprised to discover an unexpectedly robust correlation between beak characteristics and nest materials. With only the knowledge of beak shape and size at their disposal, the experts were able to predict broad nest material usage in 60 percent of species. In some instances, their predictive accuracy reached as high as 97 percent.



These intriguing findings, published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rstb">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B</a>, provide a detailed exploration of the ecological and evolutionary factors behind these relationships. The researchers acknowledge certain variables influencing their results, such as the fact that not all species have equal access to all types of nest materials.



<h2 id="h-implications-of-the-study">Implications of the study</h2>



"We know a lot about primate hands, but not as much about how other animals use their limbs and mouths to manipulate objects," said Dr. Catherine Sheard, the lead author of the study from Bristol's School of Earth Sciences. "We're very excited about the potential applications of our findings, to further explore how beak shape may have co-evolved with other aspects of nest building or other functions."



Dr. Shoko Sugasawa, the senior author of the study based at the University of St Andrews, emphasized the significance of these insights in understanding animal evolution. "Most animals, including birds, do not have hands like ours, but manipulating objects like nest material and food is such a crucial part of their lives."&nbsp;



"Our finding is the first step to reveal possible interactions between the evolution of beaks and manipulation like nest building, and helps us better understand how animals evolved to interact with the world with or without hands," said Dr. Sugasawa.



<h2 id="h-future-research">Future research&nbsp;</h2>



The team is now conducting new research that is focused on anthropogenic nest material in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/two-new-species-of-poisonous-birds-discovered/">bird species</a>. The aim is to understand which birds incorporate human-made materials such as plastic, wire, or cigarette butts into their nests. A key area of interest is determining if there's a correlation between this behavior and birds that dwell in urban areas.



Dr Sheard expressed her curiosity on how beak shape influences other nest attributes. "I’m also interested in how beak shape relates to other properties of the nest, including overall nest structure, such as whether birds build nests with walls, or a roof."



The study sheds light on the intriguing connection between the physical traits of birds and their behavior. The ongoing research will continue to unravel the complexities of evolution, nest-building behavior, and the impact of human activity on the world's birds.



<h2 id="h-more-about-bird-beaks">More about bird beaks</h2>



Bird beaks, also known as bills, are a prominent feature of birds and are extremely diverse, reflecting a wide range of adaptations to different environments and lifestyles. Here are a few key points about bird beaks:



<h3 id="h-shape-and-size">Shape and size</h3>



The size and shape of a bird's beak can tell a lot about its diet and behavior. For example, birds that eat seeds often have strong, short beaks for cracking open the seeds, while birds that eat nectar have long, thin beaks for reaching into flowers. Birds of prey have sharp, curved beaks for tearing meat, while shorebirds have long, thin beaks for probing into mud for invertebrates.



<h3 id="h-temperature-regulation">Temperature regulation</h3>



Bird beaks also play a role in regulating body temperature. Some species, particularly those living in hot climates, can increase blood flow to their beaks to lose heat and cool down.



<h3 id="h-sensory-organ">Sensory organ</h3>



The beak is a sensory organ that provides birds with detailed information about their environment and the food they eat. It contains nerve endings, allowing the bird to feel what it's doing.



<h3 id="h-tool-use">Tool use</h3>



Some birds, like crows and parrots, use their beaks as tools to find food and manipulate objects.



<h3 id="h-nesting-and-mating">Nesting and mating</h3>



Beaks play a role in building nests. Some birds have beaks specially adapted to weaving intricate structures. In many species, beak color and health can be indicators of fitness, playing a role in mate selection.



<h3 id="h-communication">Communication</h3>



Some birds use their beaks for communication. They may tap their beaks to signal aggression or clack them together as part of mating displays.



The extraordinary diversity of bird beaks is a prime example of evolution in action, illustrating how a basic structure can be modified in countless ways to suit a species' needs.



—-



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Bird behavior: Beak shape can predict nest materials

In an intriguing new study, researchers have found that a...

As Earth grows warmer due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-will-the-world-look-in-2100-due-to-climate-change/">climate change</a>, the potential health effects on the human population are becoming more visible and concerning. One such emerging health risk seems to be a marked increase in serious vision impairment, particularly among older adults, living in warmer regions of the United States.



A comprehensive study involving 1.7 million people has provided strong evidence for this alarming correlation. The study reveals that older adults living in regions with average temperatures of 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, which is comparable to the warm climate of South Florida, are significantly more likely to suffer from blindness or difficulties in seeing, even with glasses.



"The link between vision impairment and average county temperature is very worrying if future research determines that the association is causal," explained Esme Fuller-Thomson, the co-author of the study and director of the <a href="https://aging.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto's Institute of Life Course and Aging</a>.&nbsp;



This concern is intensified in the light of climate change predictions that project a rise in global temperatures. "It will be important to monitor if the prevalence of vision impairment among older adults increases in the future,” said Fuller-Thomson.



<h2 id="h-disturbing-trends">Disturbing trends</h2>



The research uncovered a disturbing trend: compared to residents of counties with average temperatures less than 50 degrees F, the odds of severe vision impairment rose in tandem with temperature increases.&nbsp;



The likelihood was 14 percent higher for residents of counties with temperatures ranging from 50-54.99 degrees, and 24% higher in places where average temperatures fell between 55-59.99 degrees. For those living in regions with even warmer climates, the odds of vision loss were a staggering 44% higher.



Remarkably, the link between higher temperatures and vision impairment remained strong even when demographic factors like age, sex, and income were taken into consideration.&nbsp;



"It was powerful to see that the link between vision impairment and temperature was consistent across so many demographic factors including income," said study co-author Elysia Fuller-Thomson, a graduate student at the University of Toronto.



The researchers found this correlation was stronger among individuals aged 65 to 79 compared to those aged 80 and above. The link was also found to be more prevalent among men than women. However, the exact reason why temperature has such an impact remains an enigma.



<h2 id="h-underlying-causes">Underlying causes</h2>



The team proposed potential causes for this correlation, such as increased ultraviolet light exposure, air pollution, infections, and degradation of folic acid with rising temperatures.&nbsp;



The consequences of this development are alarming, considering that vision problems are a significant cause of disabilities and functional limitations. They contribute to falls and deteriorate the quality of life among older adults.



The research was focused on data from six consecutive waves of the American Community Survey, targeting Americans aged 65 and above. Average temperature data was obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and combined with the survey data to draw these conclusions.



These critical findings have been recently published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/iope20">Ophthalmic Epidemiology</a>, pointing to an urgent need for further investigation into the links between climate change and health.



<h2 id="h-more-about-vision-impairment">More about vision impairment&nbsp;</h2>



Vision impairment refers to a decrease in the ability to see to a certain degree that can't be corrected fully with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or eye surgery. It is often characterized by partial or complete loss of sight or inability to see clearly.



<h3 id="h-various-types">Various types&nbsp;</h3>



<h4 id="h-low-vision">Low vision</h4>



This is a significant reduction of visual function that cannot be fully corrected by glasses or contact lenses. People with low vision may have difficulty performing everyday tasks like reading, recognizing faces, or crossing the street.



<h4 id="h-legal-blindness">Legal blindness</h4>



In the U.S., this is defined as vision that's 20/200 or worse in the better seeing eye with the best possible correction, or a field of vision that is 20 degrees or less.



<h4 id="h-color-blindness">Color blindness</h4>



This is the inability to see colors in a normal way. The most common type is red-green color blindness, but there are many variations and degrees of color blindness.



<h4 id="h-night-blindness">Night blindness</h4>



People with night blindness (nyctalopia) have difficulty seeing in low light conditions or at night.



<h4 id="h-blindness">Blindness</h4>



This is the complete lack of vision. Blindness can be due to genetic mutations, injuries, diseases, or age-related conditions.



<h3 id="h-causes">Causes</h3>



Causes of vision impairment include eye diseases like macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts; systemic diseases like diabetes; and injuries or accidents. Sometimes, vision impairment can be present from birth.



<h3 id="h-treatments">Treatments&nbsp;</h3>



Treatments for vision impairment can include glasses, contact lenses, visual aids, vision rehabilitation, and surgery, depending on the type and cause of vision impairment.&nbsp;



However, some forms of vision impairment cannot be reversed. In such cases, resources and training can help individuals to adapt to their vision loss and maintain a high quality of life.



—--



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Rising temperatures linked to vision impairment

As Earth grows warmer due to climate change, the potential...

In the intricate world of plant biology, researchers are on a quest to uncover the secrets of plant regeneration. Plants have the fascinating ability to regenerate an entire organism from a somatic cell - an ordinary cell not typically associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elephant-seals-prioritize-survival-over-reproduction/">reproduction</a>.&nbsp;



Plant regeneration is based on the formation of a structure known as the shoot apical meristem (SAM), which subsequently gives rise to lateral organs critical for the plant's reconstruction.&nbsp;



However, SAM formation does not just occur haphazardly - it is regulated by a series of positive and negative regulator molecules. But what molecules exactly, and are there other regulatory layers that are yet to be unveiled?



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



To answer these questions, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.naist.jp/en/">Nara Institute of Science and Technology</a> (NAIST) in Japan focused on Arabidopsis, a model plant species frequently utilized in genetic research.&nbsp;



The researchers identified and characterized a key negative regulator of shoot regeneration known as WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX 13 (WOX13) gene and its accompanying protein.



The study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adg6983">Science Advances</a>, reveals how WOX13 promotes the non-dividing (non-meristematic) function of callus cells. This action as a transcriptional (RNA-level) repressor can impact the efficiency of plant regeneration.



"The search for strategies to enhance shoot regeneration efficiency in plants has been a long one. But progress has been hindered because the related regulatory mechanisms have been unclear. Our study fills this gap by defining a new cell-fate specification pathway," explained Momoko Ikeuchi, the principal investigator of the study.



<h2 id="h-previous-research">Previous research&nbsp;</h2>



Prior research by Ikeuchi's team had established WOX13's role in tissue repair and organ adhesion following grafting, thus piquing their interest in this gene's potential role in regulating shoot regeneration.&nbsp;



They experimented with a mutated version of Arabidopsis, called the wox13 mutant, which has a dysfunctional WOX13 gene. Using a two-step tissue culture system, the experts analyzed the speed of shoot regeneration in plants both with and without the WOX13 gene.



The analysis painted a clear picture: Shoot regeneration was faster - by approximately three days - in plants lacking the WOX13 gene, and conversely, slower when WOX13 expression was induced. It became evident that WOX13 is a negative regulator of shoot regeneration.



<h2 id="h-current-research">Current research&nbsp;</h2>



To substantiate these findings, the team undertook a comparative study using RNA sequencing, examining gene expression over multiple time points in both the wox13 mutants and normal (wild-type) plants.&nbsp;



The absence of WOX13 did not substantially alter the gene expression of Arabidopsis under callus-inducing conditions.&nbsp;



However, the absence of WOX13 under shoot-inducing conditions significantly amplified the gene alterations, leading to increased expression of shoot meristem regulator genes. These same genes were suppressed within 24 hours when WOX13 was overexpressed in mutant plants.



This breakthrough highlights a crucial role for WOX13, showing it inhibits a subset of shoot meristem regulators while simultaneously activating cell wall modifier genes involved in cell expansion and differentiation.



<h2 id="h-new-understanding-of-plant-regeneration">New understanding of plant regeneration&nbsp;</h2>



The NAIST study also underscores a significant departure from traditional understanding of plant regeneration. Unlike previously identified negative regulators, which solely prevent the transition from callus towards SAM, WOX13 impedes SAM specification by promoting the acquisition of alternative cell fates.&nbsp;



WOX13 and the regulator WUS form a mutually repressive regulatory circuit, leading to the transcriptional inhibition of WUS and other SAM regulators.



"Our findings show that knocking out WOX13 can promote the acquisition of shoot fate and enhance shoot regulation efficiency. This means that WOX13 knockout can serve as a tool in agriculture and horticulture and boost the tissue culture-mediated de novo shoot regeneration of crops," said Ikeuchi.&nbsp;



As scientists continue to decipher the complex mechanisms of plant regeneration, such discoveries hold promise for innovative applications in agriculture and horticulture, potentially transforming plant regeneration efficiency and crop yields.



<h2 id="h-more-about-self-renewal-in-plants">More about self-renewal in plants</h2>



Self-renewal in plants refers to the capacity of a plant to continually produce new cells and tissues throughout its lifetime. This process is essential for the survival and growth of plants, and it happens thanks to specific types of cells called meristems.



<h3 id="h-meristems">Meristems&nbsp;</h3>



Meristems are regions of plant growth, where cells are undifferentiated, much like stem cells in animals. These cells can divide and differentiate into various types of plant cells and have the potential to grow into any part of the plant.&nbsp;



Meristems are typically located in the tips of roots and shoots (called apical meristems), which allow for vertical growth, and in the vascular and cork cambium (lateral meristems), which allow for girth expansion in woody plants.



<h3 id="h-self-renewal">Self-renewal&nbsp;</h3>



Self-renewal is also essential for the process of plant regeneration. Plants have a remarkable ability to regenerate lost or damaged parts. For example, if a branch gets cut off, many plant species can grow a new one in its place. Similarly, some plants can even grow an entirely new plant from a single cell or small tissue cutting, a feature that is extensively utilized in the field of plant tissue culture and micropropagation.



The self-renewal in plants is controlled by a complex network of genetic and hormonal pathways. Several plant hormones, such as auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins, play crucial roles in the process of cell division and differentiation. These hormones work together with various genes and transcription factors to ensure the proper development and growth of plants.



Studies in model organisms, such as the small flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana, have provided much insight into the molecular mechanisms behind plant self-renewal and regeneration. However, there's still a lot to learn about these processes, and ongoing research continues to uncover new aspects of plant growth and development.



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Study sheds light on the pathways of plant regeneration

In the intricate world of plant biology, researchers are on...

A colossal fissure tearing through the southeastern part of Africa might be an omen of a geographical shift, according to recent scientific observations.&nbsp;



This gigantic rupture, approximately 2,000 miles long, has been slowly stretching wider by about an inch each year, and may eventually divide the African continent in two, leading to the formation of Earth's sixth <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-ancient-ocean-floor-surrounds-the-earths-core/">ocean</a>.



Countries nestled along the southeastern seaboard of Africa, stretching from Ethiopia to Mozambique, could end up as part of a gargantuan island, paving the way for a fresh, vast expanse of sea.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-eastern-african-rift-ears">Eastern African Rift (EARS)</h2>



This geographical phenomenon, known as the Eastern African Rift (EARS), is believed to have initiated around 22 million years ago. However, a significant surge of activity over the past few decades has spurred a renewed scientific interest.



In 2005, a noticeable crack emerged in the deserts of Ethiopia. This apparent manifestation of the ongoing tectonic process has been expanding at a rate of an inch per year.&nbsp;



The Eastern African Rift is a consequence of two tectonic plates - the Somali plate in the east and the Nubian plate in the west - slowly drifting apart. Although this has been known, the precise mechanisms behind this tectonic separation remained a mystery until recently.



<h2 id="h-when-will-the-continent-split">When will the continent split?</h2>



A study released in June proposed that the rift is being propelled by a massive ejection of super-heated rock, originating from the planet's core.&nbsp;



Despite this startling discovery, it's crucial to note that Africa is not expected to sever completely for at least another five million years. Once the split does occur, Somalia and parts of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania will form a new continent.



"What we do not know is if this rifting will continue on its present pace to eventually open up an ocean basin, like the Red Sea, and then later to something much larger, like a small version of the Atlantic Ocean," said Ken Macdonald, a professor at the <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California, Santa Barbara</a>.



"Or might it speed up and get there more quickly? Or it might stall out, as the Atlantic did before it commenced to true seafloor spreading? At the present rate, a sea about the size of the current Red Sea might form in about 20-30 million years.”



<h2 id="h-new-cracks-are-appearing">New cracks are appearing</h2>



Geologists have been monitoring the appearance of new cracks indicative of this ongoing shift. For instance, a 35-mile fissure that emerged in 2005 already suggests the formation of a new sea near Ethiopia.&nbsp;



Furthermore, a separate fissure tore through Kenya in 2018 after heavy rainfall, prompting evacuations and causing disruption to roadways. Macdonald believes that more such cracks will continue to appear due to the action of the Eastern African Rift.



The 2018 crack, according to Geologist David Adede, was originally filled with volcanic ash. However, the intense rainfall washed away the material, revealing the underlying fissure. While the process was gradual, some locals reported feeling the ground shake, making the situation seem abrupt and swift.



Researchers have hypothesized that the expansion of EARS is due to the Somali and Nubian tectonic plates drifting apart, a notion confirmed by a 2004 study conducted by researchers at <a href="https://www.tudelft.nl/en/">Delft University of Technology</a> in the Netherlands.&nbsp;



The Eastern African Rift, stretching from the Gulf of Aden in the north to Zimbabwe in the south, is a complex system of deep valleys, steep escarpments, and volcanic peaks. It represents an ongoing process of continental rifting, wherein Earth's crust is gradually pulled apart.



<h2 id="h-what-is-driving-the-rift">What is driving the rift?</h2>



The <a href="https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/">Geological Society of London</a> suggests that this tectonic phenomenon could be due to the heat flow from the asthenosphere, the hotter, weaker, upper part of Earth’s mantle between Kenya and Ethiopia.&nbsp;



Confirming this hypothesis, a recent study from <a href="https://www.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a> employed 3D simulations and discovered that the rift was indeed being driven by the so-called African Superplume, which was responsible for the unusual deformations beneath the system.



Geophysicist D. Sarah Stamps explained the different deformation styles of a rifting continent using an easy-to-understand analogy: “If you hit Silly Putty with a hammer, it can actually crack and break. But if you slowly pull it apart, the Silly Putty stretches. So on different time scales, Earth’s lithosphere behaves in different ways.”



Tahiry Rajaonarison, a postdoctoral researcher at <a href="https://www.nmt.edu/">New Mexico Tech</a>, added, “We confirmed previous ideas that lithospheric buoyancy forces are driving the rift, but we’re bringing new insight that anomalous deformation can happen in East Africa.”



<h2 id="h-the-debate-continues">The debate continues</h2>



As scientists continue to investigate these geographical phenomena, the 2018 crack continues to spark debate within the scientific community. While some believe it's a real-time indication of continental separation, others contend that such rapid progression is highly unlikely.&nbsp;



Amid this scientific discourse, people like Eliud Njoroge Mbugua, a local resident, bear the brunt of these geological upheavals. Mbugua claimed to have witnessed the crack splitting his home, and he barely managed to gather some of his possessions before his house collapsed.



For now, the future course of the African continent's tectonic journey remains a matter of speculation and scientific discovery.



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African rift: Massive crack could split the continent in half

A colossal fissure tearing through the southeastern part of Africa...

In a bold stride toward innovative mental health treatment, Australia has become the first country to legally authorize psychiatrists to prescribe specific psychedelic substances to patients grappling with depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/women-with-ptsd-and-depression-are-four-times-more-likely-to-die-prematurely/">PTSD</a>).&nbsp;



This historic legislation took effect last Saturday, allowing Australian medical practitioners to administer doses of MDMA, colloquially known as ecstasy, for PTSD. Psilocybin, the psychoactive component in psychedelic mushrooms, has been greenlighted for patients suffering from intractable depression.&nbsp;



The <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/therapeutic-goods-administration-tga">Therapeutic Goods Administration</a>, Australia's regulatory body for therapeutic goods, has added these two psychedelic substances to their roster of approved medicines.



<h2 id="h-pioneering-research">Pioneering research&nbsp;</h2>



This move, initially announced in February, has drawn astonishment from the scientific community in Australia, positioning the country at the leading edge of mental health research. One scientist cited Australia as now standing “at the forefront of research in this field.”



Chris Langmead, the deputy director of the Neuromedicines Discovery Centre at the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/mips">Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences</a>, highlighted the scarcity of breakthroughs in the management of persistent mental health issues over the last half-century. This pioneering development signals a possible new direction for treatment modalities.



<h2 id="h-cultural-acceptance">Cultural acceptance&nbsp;</h2>



The shifting cultural acceptance of these substances has been reflected in legislative measures across the United States. Oregon blazed the trail by legalizing the adult use of psilocybin, closely followed by Colorado, where voters chose to decriminalize psilocybin in 2022.&nbsp;



In an intriguing twist, the youngest brother of President Joe Biden revealed in a recent radio interview that the President has exhibited a “very open-minded” stance in their discussions about the potential benefits of psychedelics for medical treatment.



<h2 id="h-breakthrough-therapy">Breakthrough therapy</h2>



The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeled psilocybin a “breakthrough therapy” in 2018, a status designed to expedite the development and evaluation of medications intended for serious conditions.&nbsp;



Psychedelics researchers, including teams at institutions such as Johns Hopkins, have gained support from federal grants. Moreover, the FDA issued preliminary guidelines last month for investigators planning clinical trials to evaluate psychedelic substances as potential treatments for an array of medical conditions.



However, the American Psychiatric Association has withheld endorsement of the use of psychedelics in treatment, citing the FDA's pending final decision.



<h2 id="h-unknown-risks">Unknown risks&nbsp;</h2>



Medical experts worldwide, including in the U.S. and Australia, have urged caution, stating that additional research is needed to fully comprehend these drugs' effectiveness and the scope of the potential risks. Psychedelics, known to induce hallucinations, are not without their dangers.



“There are concerns that evidence remains inadequate and moving to clinical service is premature; that incompetent or poorly equipped clinicians could flood the space; that treatment will be unaffordable for most; that formal oversight of training, treatment, and patient outcomes will be minimal or ill-informed," said Dr. Paul Liknaitzky, head of Monash University’s Clinical Psychedelic Lab.



Furthermore, the financial burden on patients is significant. In Australia, the cost of this novel treatment will amount to roughly $10,000 (approximately $6,600 U.S. dollars) per patient.



Despite these hurdles, Dr. Litnaitzky regards this as an exclusive opportunity for Australians to access these drugs for specific conditions. He expressed his optimism, stating that there’s excitement about drug policy progress. Dr. Litnaitzky sees the prospect of being able to offer patients “more suitable and tailored treatment without the constraints imposed by clinical trials and rigid protocols.”&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-psychedelics-and-mental-health">Psychedelics and mental health&nbsp;</h2>



Psychedelics, such as LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), psilocybin (magic mushrooms), and ayahuasca, have gained attention in recent years for their potential effects on mental health. While research in this area is still ongoing, there is growing evidence suggesting that psychedelics may have therapeutic potential for certain mental health conditions.



Psychedelics are known to produce profound alterations in perception, thoughts, and emotions. They can induce a range of effects, including hallucinations, altered sense of self, and mystical experiences. Some studies have indicated that these substances may be useful in the treatment of conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and addiction.



One of the most well-known studies on psychedelics and mental health is the use of psilocybin-assisted therapy for treating depression and end-of-life anxiety in cancer patients. Preliminary research has shown promising results, with participants experiencing reductions in depressive symptoms and improved quality of life. Similar studies have shown positive outcomes for other mental health conditions as well.



It's important to note that the therapeutic use of psychedelics typically involves a structured and supervised approach, often in the context of psychotherapy. These substances are not meant to be used recreationally or without professional guidance. The therapeutic process often includes careful preparation, the presence of trained therapists during the psychedelic experience, and integration sessions afterward to help individuals make sense of their experiences.



It's also crucial to recognize that psychedelics are not without risks. They can induce intense and challenging experiences that may be overwhelming for some individuals.&nbsp;



People with a history of mental health conditions or certain medical conditions, such as schizophrenia or certain heart conditions, may be at greater risk and should approach the use of psychedelics with caution.



—-



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Australia is the first country to legalize psychedelics for mental health treatment

In a bold stride toward innovative mental health treatment, Australia...

Looking back into the origins of our world billions of years ago, celestial bodies were beginning to form in the gargantuan, swirling disk of dust, gas, and rocky debris that orbited our sun.&nbsp;



This process, known as accretion, gradually gave rise to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-third-of-our-galaxys-planets-could-be-habitable/">planets</a>, moons, and asteroids that populate our cosmic landscape. Scientists continue to grapple with understanding the complex procedures that gave birth to planets, including Earth.



<h2 id="h-magma-holds-clues">Magma holds clues</h2>



One of the primary methods that researchers use to understand Earth's formation is the examination of magma, the molten or semi-molten natural rock, which emerges from deep within the Earth's core.&nbsp;



Magma samples contain chemical signatures that chronicle our planet's birth - detailing the timing and nature of the constituent materials that contributed to the formation of Earth. This is similar to how fossils offer us clues about the biological past of Earth.



In a groundbreaking new study from the <a href="https://www.caltech.edu/">California Institute of Technology</a>, evidence suggests that early Earth was created from hot, parched materials. This revelation suggests that water arrived relatively late in the history of Earth's formation.&nbsp;



The study fundamentally alters our understanding of our planet's creation story, shedding light on a crucial chapter in Earth's development. The research was conducted in the laboratories of Professor Francois Tissot and Yigang Zhang from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Weiyi Liu, a graduate student at Caltech, is the first author of the paper published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.



<h2 id="h-samples-from-earths-mantle">Samples from Earths mantle&nbsp;</h2>



Even though humans have not yet developed a way to physically penetrate into the heart of our planet, the interior is not entirely inaccessible to us. Deep within Earth's mantle, rocks can make their way to the surface through volcanic eruptions, bringing important samples with them.



These parental magmas can originate from different strata within the Earth, including the upper mantle, which starts roughly 15 kilometers beneath the surface and stretches to around 680 kilometers; or the lower mantle, extending from 680 kilometers down to the core - mantle boundary approximately 2,900 kilometers beneath our feet.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-chemical-signatures">Chemical signatures&nbsp;</h2>



By analyzing magmas from varying depths, scientists are able to infer information about the distinct chemical composition of Earth's layers.



The formation of Earth was not an overnight phenomenon, but was a protracted process involving materials gradually coming together over a vast span of time. Through the study, the team was able to discern that the early Earth was primarily composed of desiccated, rocky substances.&nbsp;



The chemical signatures derived from the planet's depths indicated an absence of so-called volatiles, which are substances that readily evaporate, like water and iodine. By contrast, the upper mantle samples contained a higher proportion of volatiles, three times that found in the lower mantle.&nbsp;



Liu developed a model based on these chemical ratios, demonstrating that Earth initially formed from arid, rocky materials and that significant infusion of life-essential volatiles, including water, transpired during the last 15 percent (or less) of Earth's formation.



<h2 id="h-planetary-formation-theories">Planetary formation theories</h2>



The research significantly contributes to the ongoing dialogue around planetary formation theories - a field that has witnessed multiple paradigm shifts in the past decades and continues to be the locus of vibrant scientific debate. It also provides predictions for the nature of other terrestrial planets like Mercury and Venus, which are presumed to have been formed from similar dry materials.



Tissot emphasizes the importance of space exploration in this context: "Space exploration to the outer planets is really important because a water world is probably the best place to look for extraterrestrial life."&nbsp;



"There hasn't been a mission that's touched Venus's surface for nearly 40 years, and there has never been a mission to the surface of Mercury. We need to be able to study those worlds to better understand how terrestrial planets such as Earth formed."&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-more-about-earth-s-water">More about Earth's water</h2>



Earth's water constitutes a significant part of the planet's unique identity, playing a crucial role in sustaining a wide array of life forms. Until recently, it was widely accepted that water was a key part of Earth's formation. However, the Caltech study has introduced a significant paradigm shift in this understanding.



According to the new study, the early Earth, contrary to previous assumptions, was a barren, arid place, consisting mainly of hot, dry materials. Magma evidence strongly suggests that Earth's abundant water - essential for life as we know it - made a rather late appearance in the planet's formative history.



The late addition of water to Earth's composition has far-reaching implications for our understanding of life's evolution. The late addition of water could mean that life also started to evolve relatively late in Earth's history.



—--



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When did Earth get its water? Much later than expected, study suggests

Looking back into the origins of our world billions of...

A recent study suggests that playing board games could be a fun way to boost math skills in children. The analysis, based on a review of 23 years of published research, points to games like Monopoly, Othello, and Chutes and Ladders as effective tools to improve <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-may-have-an-instinct-for-solving-math-problems/">math skills</a>.



Board games are already known to boost a variety of learning and developmental skills, including reading and literacy. The new research highlights their specific impact on mathematical abilities.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-marked-improvements">Marked improvements</h2>



Published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2023.2218598">Early Years</a>, the study reveals that number-based board games can markedly improve counting, addition, and number recognition skills among three to nine-year-olds.



The research team, led by Dr. Jaime Balladares from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, discovered that structured board game sessions under adult supervision resulted in significant benefits for children's mathematical development.&nbsp;



"Board games enhance mathematical abilities for young children," said Dr. Balladares. "Using board games can be considered a strategy with potential effects on basic and complex math skills. Board games can easily be adapted to include learning objectives related to mathematical skills or other domains."



The study distinguishes between games where players take turns moving pieces around a board and those involving specific skills or gambling. The fixed rules and the nature of moves determining the overall playing situation create a unique learning environment, noted the researchers. However, they also found that preschools rarely utilize this potential learning tool.



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



The study was designed to compile available evidence of the effects of physical board games on promoting learning in young children.&nbsp;



The team based their findings on a review of 19 studies published since 2000, involving children aged three to nine. The focus of nearly all of these studies was the relationship between board games and mathematical skills.



Children participating in these studies engaged in special sessions, on average twice a week for 20 minutes, over a span of one-and-a-half months. The sessions were led by adults, including teachers, therapists, or parents. The children were assessed on their math performance before and after the intervention, which aimed to encourage skills such as counting out loud.



The researchers gauged the success of these interventions according to four categories, which included basic numeric competency, such as the ability to name numbers, and basic number comprehension. They also examined number comprehension, where a child can accurately add and subtract.



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



In more than half (52%) of the tasks analyzed, the researchers noted a significant improvement in math skills after the intervention sessions. In about a third (32%) of cases, children participating in the sessions outperformed those who did not.



Interestingly, the researchers also found that previous studies on the impact of board games on language or literacy areas lacked scientific evaluation methods to assess their efficacy.&nbsp;



Dr. Balladares emphasized the need for designing and implementing board games with rigorous scientific procedures to evaluate their efficacy, calling it an "urgent task to develop in the next few years."



The team is now looking ahead to their next project, exploring the potential wider effects of these games.&nbsp;



"Future studies should be designed to explore the effects that these games could have on other cognitive and developmental skills," said Dr. Balladares. "An interesting space for the development of intervention and assessment of board games should open up in the next few years, given the complexity of games and the need to design more and better games for educational purposes."&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-more-about-board-games">More about board games&nbsp;</h2>



Board games can be an excellent tool for learning, both for children and adults. They have several characteristics that make them ideal for educational purposes:



<h3 id="h-cognitive-skills">Cognitive skills</h3>



Games can significantly enhance cognitive skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision making. They often require players to strategize, plan ahead, and make choices that will affect future outcomes.



<h3 id="h-social-skills">Social skills</h3>



Most board games are interactive and require some level of communication and cooperation between players. This can help improve social skills such as teamwork, negotiation, and conflict resolution.



<h3 id="h-learning-specific-subjects">Learning specific subjects</h3>



Some board games are designed to educate players on specific subjects. For instance, there are games that teach math, science, history, geography, and language skills, among others.



<h3 id="h-patience-and-perseverance">Patience and perseverance</h3>



Board games require a level of patience as players must wait their turn and also handle the ups and downs during the game. This can help inculcate a sense of perseverance, particularly in children.



<h3 id="h-focus-and-attention">Focus and attention</h3>



Playing board games often requires a great deal of focus and attention to detail. This can help improve concentration levels.



—--



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Board games help children improve their math skills

A recent study suggests that playing board games could be...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.uc.edu/">University of Cincinnati</a> have found compelling evidence that extinct dwarf hippos, once indigenous to the island of Madagascar, were forest dwellers as opposed to their mainland African counterparts that favored open <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grasslands-can-be-managed-to-benefit-biodiversity-and-soil-health/">grasslands</a>. The study illuminates the significant role that forests played in Madagascar's ecological past, challenging previous notions about the island's landscape.



In the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10402">Plants, People, Planet</a>, the experts report that the extensive grasslands that currently dominate Madagascar are more a result of recent human-driven changes than a naturally sustained habitat influenced by the island's large vegetarian fauna.



<h2 id="h-malegasy-hippos">Malegasy hippos</h2>



When Madagascar detached from mainland Africa around 150 million years ago, it evolved independently, nurturing a unique ecosystem secluded in the Indian Ocean. Unlike the mainland that was populated with elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and other large mammals, Madagascar had small hippos.



These dwarf or Malagasy hippos were much smaller than their four-ton relatives - the common hippos. Still yet, the dwarf hippos were one of the island's largest land animals, along with Nile crocodiles and the gigantic flightless elephant bird.&nbsp;



The Malagasy hippos, roughly the size of a cow, bore a striking resemblance to the endangered pygmy hippos presently inhabiting the forests and swamps of Liberia and Guinea in West Africa, noted study lead author Professor Brooke Crowley.



“Ecologically, we think the Malagasy dwarf hippos were pretty close to the pygmy hippos that live in forests in West Africa,” said Professor Crowley. This assertion is based on an isotopic analysis of stable carbon and nitrogen found in the bones of the extinct Malagasy dwarf hippos, providing a 'fingerprint' of the animals' diet, thereby shedding light on their preferred habitats.



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



The researchers sampled bones from both museums and ones they collected on the island, and the analysis revealed that the dwarf hippos did not regularly graze on grass in dry, open habitats, even in regions presently dominated by grassland.&nbsp;



On the contrary, they seemed to favor plants found in wetter, forested landscapes. This finding suggests that forests were more prevalent before human interference began to alter the landscape for agriculture, domestic livestock grazing, and obtaining firewood and building materials.



The common hippopotamus, found on the mainland, is a known lover of grass, earning it its name from the Greek words for “river horse.” As part of their nocturnal routine, they depart from the safety of rivers and waterholes to graze on fresh grass, returning only at dawn.&nbsp;



However, the researchers found that grass represented only a small part of the diet of Malagasy dwarf hippos, who were more inclined to feed on sedges and leaves, behaving more like browsers than grazers.



<h2 id="h-human-impacts">Human impacts</h2>



“For years we’ve seen evidence that these animals were not grazers,” said study co-author Professor Laurie Godfrey of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She argues that the extinction of hippos on the island was likely triggered by the advent of permanent human communities transitioning from hunting and gathering to pastoralism and crop cultivation



Professor Godfrey calls this theory the "Subsistence Shift Hypothesis," an extension of a similar idea previously proposed by noted archaeologist Robert Dewar. “There is pretty compelling convergent evidence showing that many of the extinct animals disappeared in a short window of time coinciding with the transition of people from hunting and gathering to pastoralism,” said Professor Crowley.



<h2 id="h-conservation-actions">Conservation actions</h2>



Given the importance of forests for Madagascar's wildlife as underlined by the study, Professor Crowley advocates for the restoration of native forests on the island. She contests the idea that grasslands were a critical habitat, at least not for the island's hippos.&nbsp;



“Some colleagues argue that grasslands are ancient and that we need to protect and manage them like we do forest,” says Crowley, “I would argue that forests are far more important. We are not contending that grasses did not exist in the past, but pointing out that there is no evidence for large grasslands devoid of trees prior to about 1,000 years ago.”



Emphasizing the urgent need for novel conservation efforts, the researchers concluded: “It is clear that Madagascar faces a biodiversity crisis much greater than that which it has already endured. Preventing this crisis will demand new conservation actions.”&nbsp;



—-



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Dwarf hippos of Madagascar were forest dwellers, not grazers

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have found compelling evidence...

For those who dream of witnessing the northern lights, an opportunity could present itself next week. The aurora borealis is expected to be visible over 17 U.S. states on Thursday, July 13.



The states that could potentially get a glimpse of this rare spectacle include Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, Maryland, New York, New Hampshire, Washington, Vermont, Idaho, Massachusetts, Wyoming, and Indiana.



<h2 id="h-what-causes-the-northern-lights">What causes the northern lights?</h2>



The northern lights, one of nature's most awe-inspiring phenomena, are caused by the interaction between the sun's solar winds and Earth's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-can-switch-their-perception-of-earths-magnetic-field-on-and-off/">magnetic field</a>.&nbsp;



"Aurora is the name given to the glow or light produced when electrons from space flow down Earth’s magnetic field and collide with atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere in a ring or oval centered on the magnetic pole of Earth," explains the <a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/">NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center</a>.



This collision results in the emission of light, an effect similar to how neon lights operate. "The collisions produce light much like how electrons flowing through gas in a neon light collide with neon and other gases to produce different colored light bulbs."



<h2 id="h-exciting-forecast-for-next-week">Exciting forecast for next week</h2>



Recent forecasts from the <a href="https://www.gi.alaska.edu/">University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute</a> suggest a surge in auroral activity on the night of July 13, with the possibility of this captivating light show becoming visible in several parts of Canada and the United States.



The predictions indicate that the northern lights could illuminate the night skies in the northern regions of 17 U.S. states, provided the weather conditions remain favorable.&nbsp;



"Auroral activity will be high(+). Weather permitting, highly active auroral displays will be visible overhead from Inuvik, Yellowknife, Rankin and Iqaluit to Vancouver, Helena, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Bay City, Toronto, Montpelier, and Charlottetown, and visible low on the horizon from Salem, Boise, Cheyenne, Lincoln, Indianapolis and Annapolis," reports the UAF Institute.



<h2 id="h-when-and-how-to-view-the-northern-lights">When and how to view the northern lights&nbsp;</h2>



For those fortunate enough to be in these regions, the ideal window for viewing the aurora borealis is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. Enthusiasts are advised to move away from city lights to enjoy a clearer and brighter view of the northern lights.



The brightness and visibility of the aurora significantly depend on the level of geomagnetic activity. As the anticipated date draws closer, NOAA will be closely monitoring the activity and will release its own forecast to aid potential viewers.



Notably, the last major northern light event in the U.S. occurred during a geomagnetic storm in late April, where the lights were visible across 30 U.S. states including parts of Iowa, North Dakota, and Kansas. Next week's event could offer another rare opportunity to witness this celestial fantasy.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-more-about-the-northern-lights">More about the northern lights&nbsp;</h2>



The northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, are a captivating natural light display predominantly seen in the high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic. The lights form when solar particles enter the Earth's atmosphere and collide with molecules of oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements.



The interaction between these particles and atmospheric molecules results in the emission of light, producing a vibrant, ethereal spectacle of green, red, yellow, blue, and violet.&nbsp;



The particular color of the light display depends on the type of gas particles involved in the collision and the altitude at which the collision occurs. For instance, green light, the most common color seen in the auroras, is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 miles above Earth's surface.



The term "aurora borealis" is derived from the Latin words "aurora" (meaning dawn) and "borealis" (meaning north). Similarly, its southern counterpart is known as the aurora australis, or southern lights.



The occurrence and strength of the northern lights are closely linked to solar activity. They are most commonly seen during periods of high solar activity such as during a solar maximum, when sunspots and solar flares are more frequent.&nbsp;



However, the lights can occur anytime the Earth passes through a region of space affected by solar wind, a stream of charged particles released from the sun.



The northern lights have fascinated humans for centuries, and are featured in the folklore and mythology of many cultures. Today, they continue to draw tourists from around the world to high-latitude regions like Scandinavia, Canada, and Alaska, where the northern lights are a regular spectacle.



While they are a year-round phenomenon, northern lights are more easily observed in the winter months due to the extended hours of darkness. It's also worth noting that clear skies are essential for observing these lights. Places with low light pollution are the best spots for viewing.



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Rare spectacle: Northern lights may be visible in 17 states next week

For those who dream of witnessing the northern lights, an...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> has found that creative people are more likely to fruitfully use their idle time by engaging in original associations of ideas. 



A series of experiments revealed that participants who were more creative felt less bored when being alone in a room and, during the Covid-19 pandemic – when the whole world experienced unusually extended periods of unstructured time – such people were more engaged with their thoughts and thus less prone to experience boredom.



“I am particularly interested in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/creativity-peak/">creativity</a> because we wanted to know what’s going on in the mind of creative individuals, especially in situations where nothing constrains their thoughts,” said study lead author Quentin Raffaeli, a graduate student in Psychology at Arizona.



Many historical anecdotes report that famous scientists, artists, or philosophers enjoyed being alone with their thoughts, and often generated some of their best ideas during idle time. “In today’s busy and digitally connected society, time to be alone with one’s thoughts without distraction may be becoming a rare commodity,” said senior author Jessica Andrews-Hanna, an associate professor of Cognition and Neural Systems at the same university.



<h2 id="h-new-approach-to-assessing-creativity">New approach to assessing creativity&nbsp;</h2>



However, most psychological and neuroscientific studies of human cognition either prompt participants to think in a certain way or ask them to report on thoughts they have previously experienced. Such approaches fail to take into account how thoughts naturally arise and unfold over time in unprompted contexts.



To overcome these limitations, the researchers conducted two experiments in which they could gather real-time data. In the first one, 81 participants were asked to sit alone in a room for 10 minutes without any access to digital devices and voice their thoughts aloud in real time.&nbsp;



Creativity was assessed through a “divergent thinking test,” a laboratory-based verbal test used to measure people’s ability to think “outside of the box.” Participants who scored high in this test had free-flowing thoughts that were associated with one another – a feature indicated by the recurrent use of phrases such as “this reminds me of” or “speaking of which.”



“While many participants had a tendency to jump between seemingly unrelated thoughts, creative individuals showed signs of thinking more associatively,” Raffaeli explained.



Moreover, creative individuals seemed to be more engaged in their thoughts when they were left alone without distractions such as digital devices. “Creative people rated themselves as being less bored, even over those 10 minutes. They also spoke more words overall, which indicated that their thoughts were more likely to move freely,” Andrews-Hanna said.



<h2 id="h-relaxing-with-our-thoughts">Relaxing with our thoughts</h2>



In a second experiment, the scientists extended their study to cover a much longer period of time – the Covid-19 pandemic – when many people were forced to be alone with their thoughts more often.&nbsp;



Over 2,600 participants answered questions through a smartphone app called&nbsp;<a href="https://news.arizona.edu/story/app-unlocks-mysteries-mind">Mind Window</a>, which was developed by Andrews-Hanna and her graduate student Eric Andrews. In this case, participants who self-identified as more creative also reported feeling less bored during the pandemic.



“As we become more overworked, overscheduled, and addicted to our digital devices, I think we need to do a better job in our homes, our workplaces, and our schools to cultivate time to simply relax with our thoughts,” Andrews-Hanna said.



The experts plan to continue using this app to better understand how people across the globe think in their daily lives. “Understanding why different people think the way they do may lead to promising interventions to improve health and well-being,” she concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2023.2227477">Creativity Research Journal</a>.



<h2 id="h-more-about-creative-people">More about creative people</h2>



Creative people are individuals who have a propensity to generate, develop, and communicate original, novel ideas or solutions. Creativity is a broad spectrum that spans numerous disciplines, including art, science, technology, business, and more. It's not just about producing art; it's about being innovative, imaginative, and able to think outside the box.



<h3 id="h-characteristics-of-creative-people">Characteristics of creative people&nbsp;</h3>



<h4 id="h-curiosity">Curiosity</h4>



Creative people have an unending desire for knowledge and understanding. They ask questions, seek answers, and are not afraid to explore new territories or concepts.



<h4 id="h-open-mindedness">Open-mindedness</h4>



They are open to new experiences and ideas, even if these contradict their current beliefs or knowledge. This allows them to view problems from multiple perspectives and come up with unique solutions.



<h4 id="h-risk-taking">Risk-taking</h4>



Creative individuals are often willing to take risks in pursuit of their ideas and innovation. This doesn't necessarily mean physical or financial risk, but also the willingness to explore new ideas that might not work or be popular.



<h4 id="h-persistence">Persistence</h4>



Creativity doesn't always lead to immediate success. Creative people tend to be resilient and persistent, often iterating on their ideas and work until they achieve their vision.



<h4 id="h-highly-observant">Highly observant</h4>



Creative individuals often notice details that others miss. They have a keen eye for observing their surroundings, which fuels their imagination and powers their ability to create.



<h4 id="h-ability-to-reframe-problems">Ability to reframe problems</h4>



Rather than getting stuck on a problem, creative people often have the ability to reframe it, viewing it from different angles and perspectives, which can lead to innovative solutions.



<h4 id="h-passionate">Passionate</h4>



They often have a strong passion for their creative pursuits. This passion fuels their creativity and drives them to continue creating even when faced with obstacles.



<h4 id="h-intrinsic-motivation">Intrinsic motivation</h4>



Creative people are often driven more by internal motivations than external rewards. They enjoy the process of creation for its own sake.



<h4 id="h-flexibility">Flexibility</h4>



Creative people can adapt to changes easily and are flexible in their thought process. They can shift from one perspective to another, which can lead to innovative ideas and solutions.



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



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Creative people make the most of their idle time

A new study led by the University of Arizona has...

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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



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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



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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



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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 



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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



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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



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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



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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



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.

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



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 reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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



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.

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



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.

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



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 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

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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



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Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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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...