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...

The most common type of hearing loss is sensorineural loss, which is caused by damage to cochlear hair cells. This condition is progressive because in humans and other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solitary-mammals-live-shorter-lives-than-social-species/">mammals</a>, the cochlear hair cells cannot regenerate once they are lost or damaged.



People who are frequently exposed to loud noises, such as musicians and construction workers, have the greatest risk of sensorineural hearing loss, but it can affect anyone over time. 



In a new study from the <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/del-monte-neuroscience.aspx">University of Rochester Medical Center</a>, researchers are working to identify the mechanisms which may promote cochlear hair cell regeneration.



“We know from our previous work that expression of an active growth gene, called ERBB2, was able to activate the growth of new hair cells (in mammals), but we didn’t fully understand why,” said Dr. Patricia White. That particular <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/study-points-to-possible-new-therapy-for-hearing-loss">study</a>, led by Dr. Jingyuan Zhang, revealed that activating the growth gene ERBB2 pathway triggered a cascading series of cellular events through which cochlear support cells began to multiply and activate the creation of new sensory hair cells.&nbsp;



“This new study tells us how that activation is happening - a significant advance toward the ultimate goal of generating new cochlear hair cells in mammals,” said Dr. White.



The team used single-cell RNA sequencing in mice to analyze cells with an overactive growth gene (ERBB2 signaling). The results showed that ERBB2 promoted cell development by triggering the expression of multiple proteins and promoted "mitosis" - the process by which one cell divides into two cells. 



“When we checked this process in adult mice, we were able to show that ERBB2 expression drove the protein expression of SPP1 that is necessary to activate CD44 and grow new hair cells,” said study first author Dr. Dorota Piekna-Przybylska. “This discovery has made it clear that regeneration is not only restricted to the early stages of development. We believe we can use these findings to drive regeneration in adults.”



“We plan to further investigation of this phenomenon from a mechanistic perspective to determine whether it can improve auditory function after damage in mammals. That is the ultimate goal,” said Dr. White.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2022.1096872">Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience</a>.



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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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Can hearing loss be reversed in humans?

The most common type of hearing loss is sensorineural loss,...

Darwin saw life in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-species-diversity-makes-forests-more-productive/">forest</a> as a constant struggle between trees that needed to compete for access to sunlight, space, water and nutrients. The winners in the competition were the fittest individuals, and they would grow tall at the expense of others. But recently there has been a change in understanding and people have begun to see forests a cooperative systems. They talk of trees sharing chemical information, sending resources to their offspring and signaling when they’re injured or diseased – all by means of a network of fungal threads that appear to connect them underground.&nbsp;



The concept of trees “talking” to one another via fungal threads that spread out from the roots is so intriguing, it’s been promoted in popular media – even being raised in the Apple TV show Ted Lasso – and been featured in recent literature, both fictional and non-fictional. The network of fine fungal threads that branches out between tree roots in forests has even been dubbed the “wood-wide web,” but the science behind these ideas is unproven, cautions <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html">University of Alberta</a> expert&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.ualberta.ca/directory/person/karst">Justine Karst</a>.



In collaboration with Melanie Jones of the University of British Columbia and Jason Hoeksema of the University of Mississippi, Karst has published a peer-reviewed article in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-01986-1">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>&nbsp;that reviews the current scientific literature about the topic. The researchers challenge three popular claims about the capabilities of underground fungal threads, known as common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs) that connect the roots of multiple plants.&nbsp;



“It’s great that CMN research has sparked interest in forest fungi, but it’s important for the public to understand that many popular ideas are ahead of the science,” said Karst, associate professor in the U of A’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/agriculture-life-environment-sciences/index.html">Faculty of Agricultural, Life &amp; Environmental Sciences</a>.



Fungi are living organisms such as molds, yeast and mushrooms, some of which form threads as they grow underground. They cannot make their own food through photosynthesis, and have a special symbiotic relationship with trees and other green plants whereby they acquire food products in exchange for providing nutrients and water to the plants. So, while the existence of CMNs has been scientifically proven, some of the claims about the benefits they offer to trees and their seedlings have yet to be substantiated.



The researchers reviewed published evidence from existing field studies in order to evaluate the popular claims. They found that one of the claims, that CMNs are widespread in forests, isn’t supported by enough scientific evidence. Not enough is known about CMN structure and its function in the field, as there are “too few forests mapped.”



The second claim, that resources such as nutrients are transferred through CMNs from adult trees to seedlings, and that they boost the survival and growth rates of the seedlings, was also found to be questionable. A review of 26 studies, including&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00572-020-00940-4">one in which Karst is a co-author</a>, established that while resources can be transferred underground by trees, CMNs don’t necessarily bring about that flow. In addition,&nbsp; seedlings typically don’t benefit from CMN access. Overall, the review revealed roughly equal evidence that connecting to a CMN would improve or hamper seedling growth or survival, with neutral effects most commonly reported.



The third claim, that adult trees preferentially send chemical “warning signals” of insect damage to young trees through CMNs, is not backed up by a single peer-reviewed, published field study, noted Professor Karst and her co-authors.



The researchers say unsubstantiated information can shape and distort the public narrative about CMNs, and that could, in turn, affect how forests are managed.&nbsp;It is important, therefore, to back up these claims with solid empirical evidence before action is planned.



“Distorting science on CMNs in forests is a problem because sound science is critical for making decisions on how forests are managed. It’s premature to base forest practices and policies on CMNs per se, without further evidence. And failing to identify misinformation can erode public trust in science,” concluded the researchers.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Can trees “talk” through fungal networks?

Darwin saw life in a forest as a constant struggle...

Over the last few centuries, societal changes have resulted in an increased buildup of carbon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-emissions-from-fertilizers-could-be-cut-by-80-percent/">emissions</a> in Earth’s ozone layer, which ultimately drives global warming. It is widely known that this cycle will increase the likelihood of extreme weather events. What many people do not know, however, is that climate change is making it increasingly difficult for scientists to accurately forecast extreme weather in the short term.&nbsp;



To navigate this issue, a team of leading meteorologists led by the <a href="http://english.iap.cas.cn/">Institute of Atmospheric Physics</a> is exploring new weather prediction techniques. Their latest study suggests that the improvement of meridional potential vorticity gradient (PVy) modeling could be the key to progress. The researchers discovered that during extreme cold events across East Asia and North America in the last two months of 2022, the PVy was abnormally weak.&nbsp;



Through the analysis of the atmospheric circulation that occurred during the final months of 2022, the team found that large and stationary blocking weather patterns prevented other weather systems from following their path. This ultimately prolonged the extreme cold weather conditions in both North America and East Asia. The phenomenon was directly correlated with the unusually weak PVy readings.



“In <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00376-022-2331-8">our previous study</a>, we found that frequent cold waves were more likely to occur in mid-latitude Asia in the upcoming 2022-2023 winter season under the background of a warm Arctic and a cold tropical Pacific," explained study lead author Yao Yao. “ In our current study, we wanted to know what actually caused these cold surges and if the cold events in North America and East Asia were related."



This prediction proved accurate; throughout the first half of the 2022-2023 winter season, extreme cold events have been more frequent in Asia’s middle latitude areas. Furthermore, a weak connection was identified between East Asia’s cold weather in late November 2022 and the “bomb cyclone” and tornadic outbreaks across North America in mid-late December 2022.&nbsp;



Whilst these findings have led to progress in understanding recent extreme cold weather events, low PVy levels have overall been identified to create less favorable conditions for weather pattern predictability. It is understood that existing models simply cannot accurately predict the movement of blocking weather patterns when the PVy levels are so low.&nbsp;



“Low Arctic sea ice and La Niña favor the reduction of mid-latitude potential vorticity gradients (PVy), but there are many other factors affecting this gradient," explained Yao Yao.&nbsp;



“The next step is to identify these factors and try to establish a relatively sound statistical model, which is important for short-term weather and climate prediction. Once these factors are determined through future study, blocking weather pattern predictability will increase."



The findings of the study may help improve future extreme weather forecasting, which could reduce the likelihood of casualties and economical loss associated with unexpected cold snaps.&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00376-023-2384-3">Advances in Atmospheric Sciences</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Extreme weather is becoming more difficult to predict

Over the last few centuries, societal changes have resulted in...

Planet,Earth,Globe,View,From,Space,Showing,Realistic,Earth,Surface

The asthenosphere is a layer in the upper mantle of the Earth’s structure. It lies just beneath the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-polar-ice-is-warping-earths-crust/">crust</a> and brittle outermost layer of the mantle, and is viscous rather than solid. The large plates of rock that form earth’s crust float on the asthenosphere, meaning that this layer plays a fundamental role in enabling the movements of these tectonic plates. The origin of the asthenosphere, and why it is soft enough to allow plate movement, are not understood.



Scientists previously thought that patches of molten rock they identified within the asthenosphere might be a factor. When Junlin Hua, at the time a graduate student at Brown University, was investigating seismic images of the mantle beneath Turkey, he became fascinated with the consequences of these molten rock patches under the mantle, and decided to investigate whether they contributed to the viscosity of the layer. He compiled similar images from other seismic stations around the world and produced a global map of the asthenosphere.&nbsp;



What he and his colleagues discovered was a brand new viscous layer in the lower asthenosphere, lying around 100 miles below the Earth’s surface. This hidden layer, named PVG-150 (positive velocity gradient at 150 kilometers) was present in many locations. What Hua and others had taken to be anomalous patches was in fact commonplace around the world, appearing on seismic readings wherever the asthenosphere was hottest.&nbsp;



The next surprise came when Hua, who is now at the Jackson School’s University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, and colleagues, compared this melt map with seismic measurements of tectonic movement. They found no correlation between these two variables, indicating that plate movement is not directly related to the areas where the molten layer of rock is present. These findings are published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-01116-9">Nature Geoscience</a>.&nbsp;



“When we think about something melting, we intuitively think that the melt must play a big role in the material’s viscosity,” said Hua, who led the research. “But what we found is that even where the melt fraction is quite high, its effect on mantle flow is very minor.”



According to the researchers, it may not be the molten-ness of molten rock that is the key factor, but instead it may be the convection processes of heat and rock in the mantle that influence the shifting of the tectonic plates. Showing that the melt layer has no influence on plate tectonics means one less tricky variable for computer models of the Earth, said study co-author Thorsten Becker, a professor at the Jackson School.



“We can’t rule out that locally melt doesn’t matter,” said Becker, who designs geodynamic models of the Earth at the Jackson School’s University of Texas Institute for Geophysics. “But I think it drives us to see these observations of melt as a marker of what’s going on in the Earth, and not necessarily an active contribution to anything.”



While the details of the asthenosphere’s function may remain a mystery, this research will enable scientists to refine their models of plate tectonics in future, to reflect the latest findings. Knowing more about tectonic plates may help us to understand and predict earthquakes that result from plate movements, thereby reducing the destructive toll of these natural disasters.&nbsp;



Study co-author Karen Fischer, a seismologist and professor at Brown University, said this work is important because understanding the properties of the asthenosphere and the origins of why it's weak is fundamental to understanding plate tectonics



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Unexpected molten rock layer discovered under Earth’s crust

The asthenosphere is a layer in the upper mantle of...

According to a recent study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2023.1080561">Frontiers in Conservation Science</a>, the Eurasian lynx in France is currently on the edge of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eu-responsible-for-extinction-of-frog-populations/">extinction</a>. This elusive wild cat – which was reintroduced to Switzerland in the 1970s and moved across the French border by the end of the decade – is experiencing a rapid loss of genetic diversity and is thus in desperate need of help to survive.



“Given the rapid loss of genetic diversity, we estimate that this population will go extinct in less than 30 years,” said study lead author Nathan Huvier, an expert in Wildlife Monitoring at the <a href="https://www.athenas.fr/">Centre Athenas</a>, an environmental organization in France. “This population urgently needs new genetic material to become sustainable.”



Scientists estimate that the population of lynxes hidden deep within France’s Jura Mountains consists of about 150 adults and is poorly connected to larger and healthier populations in Germany and Switzerland. Due to a combination of poaching, car accidents, and inbreeding depression – a phenomenon in which insufficient genetic diversity causes problems with reproduction and survival – the growth of France’s lynx population has been suppressed.



In order to determine the genetic health of this population, the scientists collected genetic samples between 2008 and 2020. Because of the current precarity of this population, samples were only taken while attending to lynxes that were already injured of dead, as well as from orphaned cubs. “For us, this method is more ethical as there is no capture and thus stress induced for DNA sampling only,” Huvier explained.



The researchers collected a total of 78 samples covering 23 genetic loci and compared them to references from the parent lynx population residing in the Carpathian Mountains. The analysis revealed that, although the size of the French population of lynxes is likely between 120 and 150, the effective population size (the estimated number of healthy breeding individuals needed to display such a level of genetic diversity) is in fact only 38.



Even more alarmingly, the experts found that the inbreeding coefficient – a measure of the likelihood that two mating individuals from the same population are closely related – was very high. According to the data, there is a 41 percent probability that an individual’s two copies of an allele at any given locus in their genome were inherited from a common ancestor of both parents. Thus, without any new genetic material, this population will likely collapse.



In order to protect the remaining population, road signs rising awareness of the presence of lynxes, together with stricter enforcement of laws against poaching are urgently needed. Moreover, replacement of poached lynxes with conspecifics from healthier populations elsewhere and the exchange of orphaned cubs between wildlife rescue centers could also help reverse the genetic collapse this population faces.



“We want this work to support action for lynx conservation. Reintroduction, replacement of poached lynxes, and exchange of orphan lynxes between care centers are the best short-term solution for this population to remain alive, and it will give it a chance to develop and connect with other populations in Europe,” Huvier concluded.



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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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Lynx population in France is on the brink of extinction

According to a recent study published in the journal Frontiers...

Scientists have long been aware of the detrimental effects of poor air quality on people’s health. In pregnant women, previous research has shown that air pollution, such as smog, can lead to a series of adverse outcomes, including preterm birth (PTB, defined as delivery before the 37th week of pregnancy), which is one of the leading causes of infant mortality in the United States.



Now, a study led by <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> has found that exposure to another type of potentially even more dangerous pollutant, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-dangerous-seniors/">wildfire smoke</a>, increases a pregnant woman’s chances of going into labor prematurely, a phenomenon known as spontaneous preterm birth.



Since wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles that can enter deep into the lungs, it can worsen pre-existing health conditions such as asthma or heart disease. These extremely fine particles can also travel for hundreds or even thousands of miles from their point of origin, thus posing significant threats for a large number of people.



To assess wildfire smoke’s impact on pregnancy, the scientists reviewed birth certificates and hospital delivery data from 2007 to 2012 of over 2.5 million pregnant women in California. Then, they compared this data with daily estimates of wildfire smoke intensity by zip code.



The analysis revealed that four weeks prior to conception through the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, 86 percent of pregnant women were exposed to at least one day of wildfire smoke, with an average exposure period of 7.5 days. According to the data, wildfire smoke was significantly linked to spontaneous preterm birth, with each additional day of exposure slightly increasing the odds of delivering an infant prematurely.



“Wildfires lead to acute and abrupt changes in air quality. And some emerging evidence suggests that wildfire smoke could be worse for your health than other types of pollutants,” said study lead author Anne Waldrop, an expert in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Stanford.&nbsp;



“So, even as we work to decrease other forms of air pollution, with wildfires becoming more frequent, more intense, and happening on a much larger scale, exposure to wildfire smoke is a serious public health problem, especially for vulnerable populations like pregnant people,” she concluded.&nbsp;



The study is published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2022.11.082">American Journal of Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology</a>.&nbsp;



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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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Wildfire smoke exposure linked to premature births

Scientists have long been aware of the detrimental effects of...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/">Osaka Metropolitan University</a> has provided evidence for the first time that fish have a sense of self. Through a series of experiments, the researchers discovered that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/paraste-eating-cleaner-fish/">cleaner fish</a> (Labroides dimidiatus) can recognize themselves in a mirror, and that, in this process of self-recognition, the determining factor was not seeing their own bodies, but rather their faces.



The experts presented each cleaner fish with four pictures: a photo of themselves, one of an unfamiliar conspecific, one of their own face on an unfamiliar cleaner’s body, and one of an unfamiliar cleaner’s face on their own body. The fish did not attack photos with their own faces, but did attack those with the faces of unfamiliar fish (an aggressive behavior known to exist in the wild). These findings suggest that the cleaner fish were capable to determine who was in the picture based on the face on the photo, but not the body.



“Here, we show that cleaner fish,&nbsp;Labroides dimidiatus, likely recognize their own mirror image using a mental image of the self-face comparable to humans.&nbsp;Mirror-naïve fish frequently attacked photographs of both themselves and strangers. In contrast, after passing the mirror test, aggression against their own photograph and composite photographs of own face/stranger body declined, but aggression remained toward unfamiliar and composite photographs of stranger face/own body. Our results suggest that cleaner fish […] can recognize their own mirror image based on a mental image of their own face, rather than by comparing body movements in the mirror,” the authors explained.&nbsp;



To assess whether the fish considered photos of themselves as very close companions, the experts conducted a photograph mark-test, by presenting fish with a picture where a parasite-like mark was placed on their throat. While six of eight fish that saw the photo of themselves with a parasite mark were observed to rub their throats to clean it off, when showing those same fish pictures of themselves without parasite marks or of a familiar cleaner fish with parasite marks, they did not rub their throats.



“This study is the first to demonstrate that fish have an internal sense of self. Since the target animal is a fish, this finding suggests that nearly all social vertebrates also have this higher sense of self,” concluded study lead author Masanori Kohda, an expert in Animal Behavior at Osaka.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2208420120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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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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Fish can recognize themselves in the mirror

A new study led by the Osaka Metropolitan University has...

According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en">University of Helsinki</a> in Finland, puppyhood and adolescence diet can have a significant influence on the incidence of canine chronic gastrointestinal problems later in life. More specifically, the experts found that feeding young <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-with-vegan-diets-may-have-better-health-outcomes/">dogs</a> a non-processed-meat diet (raw food) and giving them human meal leftovers and table scraps could protect against chronic enteropathy (CE) – a chronic condition involving persistent and/or recurrent diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, and weight loss - in their adulthood.



The scientists used data collected from an online feeding frequency survey consisting of answers from thousands of Finnish dog owners about what they fed their dogs at three different timepoints in life, what diseases their dogs have or had, and a variety of environmental factors.



“A large proportion of chronic gastrointestinal ailments can be treated with diet. That is why we wanted to look at the connection between puppyhood and adolescent diet and chronic enteropathy incidence later in life,” explained study senior author Anna Hielm-Björkman, an expert in Equine and Small Animal Medicine at Helsinki.



The analysis revealed that feeding dogs mainly or exclusively an ultra-processed carbohydrate-based diet (dog food or “kibble”) during puppyhood and young age are significant potential risk factors for CE in adulthood, while feeding them raw foods such as raw meats, raw organ meats, raw fish, raw eggs, bones, cartilage, or berries protected them later in life against chronic gastrointestinal problems.



“We could see an association between puppyhood and adolescent diet and the prevalence of chronic gastrointestinal symptoms later in life. Thus, proactive owners can influence their dogs’ gut health by providing a variety of fresh, “real” foods for the puppies and young dogs, even as an addition to a kibble-based diet,” said study lead author&nbsp;Kristiina Vuori, a researcher in Veterinary Medicine at Helsinki.



“However, the study only suggests an association. Finding out detailed mechanisms and confirming the causal relationship would require diet intervention studies. We have these under way,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-27866-z">Nature Scientific Reports</a>.



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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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Puppy diets can prevent stomach issues later in life

According to a new study led by the University of...

Everyone knows that different types of edible mushrooms can be a tasty, versatile, and nutritious ingredient in a huge range of dishes, but this isn’t the only thing they’re good for. A new study published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15767">Journal of Neurochemistry</a> has revealed that one particular mushroom may also be excellent at boosting nerve growth and enhancing memory.&nbsp;



The mushroom in question is the Hericium erinaceus, otherwise known as the “lion’s mane” mushroom. Whilst alternative medicine communities have long believed that this particular fungus has a range of health benefits, this claim has now been scientifically verified by researchers from <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">The University of Queensland</a>.&nbsp;



"Extracts from these so-called ‘lion’s mane’ mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries for centuries, but we wanted to scientifically determine their potential effect on brain cells," explained lead researcher Professor Frederic Meunier.



Pre-clinical testing demonstrated that the lion’s mane mushroom had a significant impact on influencing the improvement of memory.&nbsp;



“Laboratory tests measured the neurotrophic effects of compounds isolated from Hericium erinaceus on cultured brain cells, and surprisingly we found that the active compounds promote neuron projections, extending and connecting to other neurons," said Professor Meunier.&nbsp;



“Using super-resolution microscopy, we found the mushroom extract and its active components largely increase the size of growth cones, which are particularly important for brain cells to sense their environment and establish new connections with other neurons in the brain.”



This discovery could have huge implications for future research into cognitive development processes and disorders. In particular, study co-author Dr. Ramon Martinez-Marmol said the new discovery could be applied to treat or protect against Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative cognitive disorders.



“Our idea was to identify bioactive compounds from natural sources that could reach the brain and regulate the growth of neurons, resulting in improved memory formation,” said Dr. Martinez-Marmol, and this is exactly what the team eventually achieved.&nbsp;



The study has also resulted in an increased interest among scientific communities for researching other “alternative medicines” used in the Eastern world.&nbsp;



Project collaborator Dr. Dae Hee Lee noted that the properties of lion’s mane mushrooms had been used to treat ailments and maintain health in traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times. “This important research is unraveling the molecular mechanism of lion’s mane mushroom compounds and their effects on brain function, particularly memory."



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Edible mushrooms boost nerve growth and enhance memory

Everyone knows that different types of edible mushrooms can be...

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the use of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tinder-dating-apps-sex-partners/">dating apps</a> by people aiming to make new romantic connections ramps up. Unfortunately, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.gsu.edu/">Georgia State University</a>, as many people are looking for love, increasingly more scammers are looking for ways to steal their money – a process known as “online romance fraud.”



“We have this explosion of crime taking place online. In the physical world, maybe you can scam one or two people at a time. But thanks to social media and technology, a scammer can send an email or chat message to hundreds of people at once, just trawling for victims,” said study senior author Volkan Topalli, a professor of Criminal Justice at Georgia State. “The scammers are effective because they are experts in extracting funds from people, and they’re also experts in identifying a vulnerable target.”&nbsp;



According to a cybercrime&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2021_IC3Report.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2021, online romance fraud losses have spiked recently, reaching almost $956 million, and thus making romance fraud the third-ranked cybercrime overall in terms of losses.



By gathering data from over 10,000 online testimonials on websites where victims share their experiences (such as stop-scammers.com or male-scammers.com), the researchers aimed to identify risk and protective factors for those targeted by romance scammers in order to develop a model for victim vulnerability and resilience.



“We really wanted to take advantage of open intelligence data sources to find out what these fraudsters were doing that was so effective. The purpose is to identify patterns and uncover strategies that users can adopt to protect themselves,” said study lead author Fangzhou Wang, a doctoral student in Criminal Science at Georgia State.



The analysis revealed a set of common and frequently successful techniques of deception, including the use of visceral, emotional triggers or influences, the manufacturing of apparent crises, the exploitation of similarity and likeability, or the eliciting of the victims’ sense of guilt. Other red flags that dating app users should pay attention to are scammers quickly asking their victims to migrate the relationship away from the app to a private email or messaging service, or pushing their victims into making quick decisions.



According to the scientists, common risk factors for potential victims include a lack of familiarity with new technologies (particularly in older people) and overconfidence or inexperience with initiating relationships online (especially in younger people).



Since scammers tend to use very similar linguistic cues to deceive their victims, online service providers should develop algorithm-based predictive tools to detect fraudulent attempts. “Potentially, dating and social networking sites can draw from the information from our study to launch educational or awareness programs for those who were previously victims, and those who may be potential victims,” Wang said.



“There’s nothing wrong with starting a relationship online. But you’re basically putting yourself out in the Wild West. You always want to keep in mind what we call ‘cyber hygiene,’ which means really looking at your interactions online and the apps that you use and being very cognizant of protecting yourself,” Topalli concluded.



The study is published in the<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12103-022-09706-4"> American Journal of Criminal Justice</a>.&nbsp;



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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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Online romance fraud: how scammers target their victims

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the use of dating apps by...

People all over the world are living for longer and there is a focus on finding interventions to combat the chronic diseases that so often plague people as they age. It is known that people age at different rates and this is apparent even by mid-life. Therefore measures to slow down the rate of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aging-turns-lymph-nodes-into-fat-impairing-immunity/">aging</a>, when applied early enough, may have the effect of extending healthy life span and improving the quality of life.&nbsp;



One factor that may have the potential to slow down aging is the amount of water we drink. Previous research has shown that mice with restricted access to water die six months earlier than mice with unrestricted access. This shortened lifespan was associated with degenerative changes within multiple organ systems in the dehydrated mice. Hypohydration (not drinking enough water) in mice and humans causes the body to engage multiple mechanisms to conserve water, such as producing concentrated urine and secreting hormones to prevent water loss. It is also associated with an increase in the concentration of sodium in the blood.&nbsp;



Sodium is an essential mineral that we take in with our food. It is needed in the body for regulating blood pressure and fluid balance, and for maintaining healthy nerves and muscles. A normal blood sodium level is between 135 and 146&nbsp;mmoles per liter, but levels that are too high or too low are not healthy. The concentration of sodium in our blood increases when we do not drink enough water, and decreases when we do. Therefore, hypohydration in humans goes hand-in-hand with high serum levels of sodium.



Scientists under the auspices of the National Institutes of Health have now investigated the links between the levels of sodium in the blood and a variety of markers of biological aging in a cohort of 11,255 adults. The participants gave information on variables such as their systolic blood pressure, and their cholesterol and blood sugar levels, at five medical visits. The first two visits took place when the participants were in their 50s, and the last took place when participants were between 70 and 90 years of age, more than 20 years.&nbsp;



To allow for a fair comparison between how hydration correlated with health outcomes, researchers excluded adults who had high levels of serum sodium at the start of the study, as well as those with underlying conditions, like obesity, that could affect serum sodium levels.&nbsp;They also adjusted for factors, like age, race, biological sex, smoking status, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/high-blood-pressure">hypertension</a>. The 15 biomarkers gave information on how each person’s cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, renal, and immune system was functioning.&nbsp;



The results of the analysis, published in the online journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104404">eBioMedicine</a>, showed that adults with serum sodium levels at the higher end of a normal range were more likely to develop chronic conditions and show signs of advanced biological aging than those with serum sodium levels in the medium or lower ranges. Adults with higher levels were also more likely to die at a younger age. This highlights the importance of remaining hydrated so that sodium concentrations in the blood remain at the lower end of the normal range.



“The results suggest that proper hydration may slow down aging and prolong a disease-free life,” said Natalia Dmitrieva, Ph.D., a study author and researcher in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/science/cardiovascular-regenerative-medicine">Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine</a>&nbsp;at the <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/">National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute</a> (NHLBI), part of NIH.  &nbsp;



The study expands on previous research by the scientists, published in March 2022, which found links between higher ranges of normal serum sodium levels and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2022/good-hydration-may-reduce-long-term-risks-heart-failure">increased risks for heart failure.</a>&nbsp;These findings, along with the current ones, came from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/science/atherosclerosis-risk-communities-aric-study">Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (</a>ARIC) study, which includes sub-studies involving thousands of Black and white adults from throughout the United States.&nbsp;



Adults with sodium levels above 142 mmol/l had a 10–15 percent higher risk of being biologically older than their chronological age, as assessed by their metabolic and cardiovascular health, lung function and inflammation. Those with levels of above 144 mmol/l showed a 50 percent increase in risk. Furthermore, participants with sodium levels of 144.5–146 mmol/l were associated with a 21 percent increased risk of premature death, when compared to those with concentrations of between 137 and 142 mmol/l.



Similarly, adults with serum sodium levels above 142 mmol/l had up to a 64 percent increased associated risk for developing chronic diseases like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-failure">heart failure, stroke, </a><a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/atrial-fibrillation">atrial fibrillation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/peripheral-artery-disease">peripheral artery disease</a>, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/BreatheBetter">chronic lung disease</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/what-diabetes">diabetes</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-is-dementia">dementia</a>. Conversely, adults with serum sodium levels between 138–140 mmol/l had the lowest risk of developing chronic disease.   &nbsp; &nbsp; There is considerable variation in the amount of fluid people consume daily, but previous research has found that a large proportion of people worldwide do not take in the recommended amounts and are hypohydrated. According to the results of the current study, optimal hydration can potentially slow down the aging process and reduce the risk of developing serious health complications during aging. This will result in a longer, disease-free lifespan.&nbsp;



“People whose serum sodium is 142 mmol/l or higher would benefit from evaluation of their fluid intake,” Dmitrieva said. She noted that most people can safely increase their fluid intake to meet recommended levels, which can be done with water as well as other fluids, like juices, or vegetables and fruits with a high water content. The&nbsp;<a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/10925/chapter/6">National Academies of Medicine</a>, for example, suggest that most women should consume around 6–9 cups (1.5–2.2 liters) of fluids daily and men 8–12 cups (2–3 liters). 



Some people may need medical guidance about water intake if they have underlying health conditions. “The goal is to ensure patients are taking in enough fluids, while assessing factors like medications, that may lead to fluid loss,” said Manfred Boehm, M.D., a study author and director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/science/cardiovascular-regenerative-medicine#Meet-the-Team">Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine</a>. “Doctors may also need to defer to a patient’s current treatment plan, such as limiting fluid intake for heart failure.”



“On the global level, this can have a big impact,” Dmitrieva added. “Decreased body water content is the most common factor that increases serum sodium, which is why the results suggest that staying well hydrated may slow down the aging process and prevent or delay chronic disease.” &nbsp;



Because this was a correlational study, the findings don’t prove a causal effect, the researchers noted. Randomized, controlled trials are necessary to determine if optimal hydration can promote healthy aging, prevent disease, and lead to a longer life. However, the associations can still inform clinical practice and guide personal health behavior.  &nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Drinking water is the key to a long and healthy life

People all over the world are living for longer and...

It has long been known that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/feeling-lonely-and-unhappy-can-age-you-faster-than-smoking/">smoking</a> tobacco causes a wide variety of health problems, although there is not yet data on the long-term effects of vaping electronic cigarettes. A new study from <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/">UCLA</a> suggests that using electronic cigarettes, as well as smoking tobacco, can greatly increase the risk of developing a serious case of COVID.



Study lead author Dr. Theodoros Kelesidis explained that smoking and vaping may result in a predisposition to increased inflammation. This, in turn, increases the potential severity of developing cardiovascular complications from COVID infection.



The discovery has strengthened the opinions of researchers opposing the prolonged use of e-cigarettes, which are considered by many to be harmless.&nbsp;



“E-cigarette vapers may be at higher risk than non-smokers of developing infections and inflammatory disorders of the lungs,” said Dr. Kelesidis. “Electronic cigarettes are not harmless and should be used for only the shortest time possible in smoking cessation, and not at all by nonsmokers.”



For the investigation, the researchers collected plasma from 30 vapers, 29 cigarette smokers, and 45 non-smokers. This dataset was unique in that it was collected before the pandemic, helping them gain insight into how participants' bodies reacted upon catching COVID. The plasma was tested for furin, ACE2, Ang II, Ang1-7, and ADAM17, since-identified proteins required for SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) to replicate.



ADAM17 was of particular interest. This is a protein created by COVID-19 that consists of the proteins IL-6R, sCD163, and L-selectin. The tests found that the plasma from young vapers and smokers had increased levels of L-selectin, furin, and sCD163 when compared to those who did not smoke or vape.&nbsp;



The results suggest that furin and ADAM17 are more prominent in the immune cells of vapers and smokers, as well as in surface cells such as those found in the lung lining.



Whilst the study was limited in size and limited to blood plasma instead of also using tissue samples, the researchers still found a clear correlation between smokers, vapers, and COVID severity.&nbsp;



“The key message is that smoking is the worst, but vaping is not innocent,” said Dr. Kelesidis. “This has been shown for many lung diseases but not for COVID. It was quite an interesting and novel finding that vaping changed the levels of key proteins that the virus uses to replicate.”



The research findings have been published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00109-023-02286-8">Journal of Molecular Medicine</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Young people who smoke or vape have a higher risk of severe COVID

It has long been known that smoking tobacco causes a...

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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

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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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

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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



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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

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