On September 29, 2024, something unusual happened in our cosmic neighborhood. Earth captured a tiny asteroid named 2024 PT5, turning it into a temporary mini-moon. 



That's right... as of today, November 2, 2024, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/its-official-earth-now-has-two-moons-captured-asteroid-2024-pt5/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth has two moons</a>.



Richard Binzel, an astronomer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (<a href="https://www.mit.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIT</a>), shed some light on these fleeting celestial companions.



"These happen more often than we think, but they're small and tough to spot," Binzel explained. "Only lately have our telescopes become powerful enough to catch them regularly."



Back in August, a team of astronomers from the <a href="https://www.ucm.es/english" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Complutense University</a> of Madrid detected the small space rock using a powerful telescope in Sutherland, South Africa.



They weren't the only ones keeping an eye on it. The asteroid was first noticed on August 7, 2024 by NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (<a href="https://atlas.fallingstar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ATLAS</a>) at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii.



This discovery sparked excitement among astronomers, offering a chance to learn more about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-test-simulation-shows-earth-not-prepared-prevent-large-asteroid-strike/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">near-Earth objects</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-exactly-is-2024-pt5">What exactly is 2024 PT5?</h2>



Earth occasionally captures small asteroids like 2024 PT5, placing them into temporary orbits around our planet. 



While most asteroids circle the sun on their regular paths, some venture close enough for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-global-electric-field-discovered-equally-important-gravity-magnetic-fields/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's gravity</a> to snatch them up for a brief visit.



These cosmic visitors only stay in Earth's orbit for a short time -- typically a few weeks or months -- before breaking free and resuming their solar journey.



Each mini-moon gives scientists a rare opportunity to examine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/27500-hidden-near-earth-asteroids-discovered-using-google-cloud/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">near-Earth asteroids</a> up close, revealing valuable insights about our solar system's mechanics.



So, what makes this asteroid special, aside from the fact that new technology and the internet made it famous? 



William Blackmore, Planetarium Director and Astronomy Instructor at <a href="https://www.mhcc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mt. Hood Community College</a>, offered his thoughts.



"All mini-moons are unique in their own way," Blackmore explained. "This one isn't different from others except that it's the most recent.”



2024 PT5 will be around for about two more weeks, probably until mid-November.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comparing-2024-pt5-to-our-moon">Comparing 2024 PT5 to our moon</h2>



Let's compare our moon to this new mini-moon: 2024 PT5 is only about 37 feet across, while our familiar moon stretches a massive 2,159 miles in diameter. That makes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-earth-get-its-moon-a-new-theory-has-emerged/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our moon</a> over 300,000 times wider than this tiny asteroid.



Knowing it’s up there is pretty exciting, even though we can't see it for ourselves without an invitation to a huge Earth telescope installation.



“These temporary captures are natural cosmic laboratories,” Binzel mentioned. “They help us understand the small bodies that come close to Earth and could be important for future space missions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-asteroid-2024-pt5-became-famous">How Asteroid 2024 PT5 became famous</h2>



Understanding how 2024 PT5 became Earth's temporary moon involves a bit of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/finding-order-in-the-chaos-of-the-three-body-problem/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">orbital mechanics</a>. 



Blackmore explained, "It's moving along with us in our orbit around the sun. It's part of a group of asteroids called the Arjuna asteroids, which move at about the same pace as Earth."



He added an interesting analogy: "Imagine a skateboarder dropping into a skate park. They ride the curves, adding energy as they go. That's like the asteroid getting caught in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dart-mission-debris-will-create-a-human-made-meteor-shower/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's gravitational field</a>, riding the curve before moving on."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-spotting-mini-moons">Significance of spotting mini-moons</h2>



Spotting mini-moons is tough because they're incredibly small and faint. These tiny asteroids are often just a few dozen feet across, which means they don't reflect much sunlight. That makes them nearly invisible against the dark backdrop of space.



Plus, they're zipping around at high speeds and don't hang around for long, so by the time we point our telescopes their way, they might already be gone. 



It's like trying to catch a glimpse of a firefly from miles away -- you need the right conditions and equipment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-high-tech-telescopes">Modern high-tech telescopes</h2>



Astronomers find them by using powerful telescopes equipped with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gaia-reveals-moons-around-hundreds-of-asteroids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sensitive detectors and smart software</a>.



Projects like the ATLAS system scan the skies every night, searching for any objects that weren't there before. 



When they spot something moving in a way that suggests it's close to Earth, they alert other astronomers to help confirm the find. 



It's a collaborative effort, combining technology and teamwork to spot these elusive cosmic visitors.



Knowing more about these temporary moons helps us prepare for any potential asteroid threats and opens up possibilities for mining resources from near-Earth objects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-in-observing-2024-pt5">Challenges in observing 2024 PT5</h2>



For those eager to see this mini-moon, both experts warned that it would be extremely difficult. "You'd need a telescope with a diameter of at least 30 inches," Blackmore mentioned. "That's beyond what most amateur astronomers have."



Todd agreed, adding, "It won't be visible to the naked eye. Being 33 feet wide and so far away, you'd need a very large telescope."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



While 2024 PT5 doesn't pose any threat to Earth, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-there-a-fifth-force-of-nature-asteroids-provide-new-clues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studying it is crucial</a>. 



"It's important to analyze how it moves and interacts with Earth's gravitational pull," Blackmore said. "This helps us refine our techniques for tracking objects that could cross our path again."



Todd highlighted the practical applications of this knowledge. 



"We need to understand how to intercept an asteroid at a distance and change its direction," he said. "This could be vital in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-dart-mission-proves-humanity-can-be-saved-from-asteroid-collision/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preventing potential impacts</a> in the future."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inspiration-for-future-space-missions">Inspiration for future space missions</h2>



Blackmore envisioned future missions that could take advantage of these temporary visitors. 



"It would be fascinating if we had missions ready to send small satellites or probes to these objects when they come close," he mused. "Imagine building a network of sensors or cameras traveling along with us, like space webcams."



Todd also saw <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-named-psyche-is-worth-10000-quadrillion-for-whoever-can-extract-minerals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">potential in asteroid mining</a> and scientific discovery. 



"There might be materials on these asteroids that we can't find on Earth," he said. "They could solve problems in medicine or technology. But we need to weigh the benefits carefully."



To sum it all up, the brief visit of asteroid 2024 PT5 serves as a reminder of the dynamic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/building-blocks-of-life-found-in-asteroids-were-formed-in-cold-regions-of-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nature of our solar system</a>. 



While it won't be with us for long -- just a couple more weeks -- its presence offers valuable opportunities for learning and exploration.



As technology advances, we'll likely spot more of these mini-moons. Each one gives us a chance to understand our cosmic environment better and prepare for the future. 



So even though you'll never see it, you might want to spare a moment of your time and stop to appreciate 2024 PT5 while you still can.



The full study was published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2515-5172/ad781f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">journal IOPscience</a>.



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Earth's second moon, a mini-moon, will drift away in a few days and never return

On September 29, 2024, something unusual happened in our cosmic neighborhood. Earth captured a tiny asteroid named 2024 PT5, turning it into a temporary mini-moon. That's right... as of today, November 2, 2024, Earth has two moons. Richard Binzel, an astronomer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), shed some light on these fleeting celestial companions. "These happen more often than we think, but they're small and tough to spot," Binzel explained. "Only lately have our telescopes become powerful enough to catch them regularly." Back in August,...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au/">Curtin University</a> has found that Generation Z – those born after 1995 – overwhelmingly believe that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-debate-is-over-humans-caused-climate-change/">climate change</a> is caused by humans through activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and waste. However, only a third of the respondents seemed to understand how livestock and meat consumption are contributing to emissions and, consequently, global warming – despite the fact that over a quarter of the world’s emissions are linked to meat and livestock production.



The scientists conducted an online survey of Australian participants between the ages of 18 and 26 from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, and Adelaide. When asked about the main contributors to climate change, 85 percent of them stated that coal, fossil fuels, and other unsustainable forms of energy contributed the most, followed by deforestation and biodiversity loss (59 percent), plastic, food, and rubbish waste (58 percent), consumption and lifestyle practices, such as services and goods (55 percent), transportation (54 percent), large industries (53 percent), and global population growth (45 percent). However, only a third of the respondents (38 percent) claimed that livestock and agriculture – including meat production and consumption and unsustainable animal farming practices – have a significant contribution to climate change.



“Young people will be most impacted by climate change, and already they are paying the price for historic emissions. A steep reduction in emissions will be required to curb climate change, so it is vital our future decision-makers understand which activities contribute most and make informed choices,” said study lead author Diana Bogueva, an expert in meat consumption at the University of Sydney.



&nbsp;“There is a clear disconnect at play –&nbsp;while global warming is high on the Gen Z radar, the nexus between climate change and food is yet to be properly understood by young Australians.”



Moreover, the survey also revealed that Generation Z does not generally engage with food provenance and don’t pay attention to food labelling.



“Without urgent changes to Generation Z’s food choices, now and in the future, meat consumption and livestock production will continue to drive global emissions, and I don’t think that’s a future young people want,” Dr. Bogueva concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/19/2512">MDPI Animals</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

Generation Z doesn't recognize the climate impact of meat consumption

A new study led by the University of Sydney and...

Fruit,Fly

In the fight for love, the male members of a species usually take center stage. However, a group of scientists at the <a href="https://www.fchampalimaud.org/champalimaud-foundation/champalimaud-centre">Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown</a> have demonstrated that female fruit flies aren't spectators when it comes to sexual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sexual-competition-makes-animal-populations-more-resilient/">competition</a>.



"It is well known that female fruit flies display aggression over food and territory. So we asked, 'what about mating?" said study senior author Maria Luisa Vasconcelos.



When the team placed one male with two virgin females, everything seemed fine while the male was courting both females. But if the male began copulating with one of the flies, the spurned female began attacking the other female.



"This is curious because when the situation is reversed - when two males are in the same chamber with one female - both vigorously court the female simultaneously. But once mating is in progress, the 'losing' male doesn't attack. Instead, it courts the female even though she is otherwise engaged," explained Vasconcelos.&nbsp;



However, if a male had not previously courted a female, she would not attack. This piqued the researchers' curiosity.



"We wanted to understand what were the exact circumstances that gave rise to this behavior. For example, was it important that the females were virgins? Also, were there any external signals involved, like particular odors?" explained study first author Miguel Gaspar.



The researchers confirmed that the sexual status of the female influenced her behavior. "Mating triggers a series of physiological changes in females, which are known to have a dramatic effect on their behaviour as well," Gaspar explained. "And indeed, we found that while virgins quickly became aggressive, mated females were indifferent to the copulating pair."



The presence of food also played a role. "This was very interesting," said Vasconcelos. "We know that mated females become aggressive towards each other in the presence of food. Probably because they need nourishment to support the pregnancy. However, here the females were virgins. A possible explanation might be that mating in an environment with food is perceived as conducive to a successful pregnancy."



"We report here how female aggression towards mating pairs can be elicited. These findings add to the growing body of evidence that fruit fly females display rich, complex behaviors that are sensitive to social, environmental, and internal states. Now, we can use the extensive genetic and molecular tools available in fly research to investigate the neural underpinnings of this newly-discovered behavior."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(22)01453-1?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982222014531%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">Current Biology</a>.



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.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scorned female fruit flies attack their sexual competitors

In the fight for love, the male members of a...

Blood,Sample,Positive,With,Lassa,Virus,Test

The Lassa <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/viruses-have-eyes-and-ears-on-their-hosts/">virus</a> is a zoonotic virus, spreading to humans from Natal multimammate rats (Mastomys natalensis), most likely via their droppings. Although about 80 percent of infections are mild or even asymptomatic, the remaining 20 percent are quite severe, with symptoms including hemorrhaging from the mouth and gut, shock due to low blood pressure, and potentially permanent hearing loss. For patients hospitalized with Lassa fever, the fatality rate can reach a staggering 80 percent. So far, there are no approved vaccines or effective therapies against this virus.



Currently, several hundred thousand infections occur annually, mainly in Nigeria and other West African countries. However, by analyzing decades of environmental data associated with Lassa virus outbreaks, a team of scientists from <a href="https://www.scripps.edu/">Scripps Research</a> has estimated that, due to changes in temperature, rainfall, and land-use, the virus may spread from West Africa into Central and East Africa over the next few decades. With this expansion and estimated African population growth, the human population living in areas where Lassa might circulate may rise by more than 600 million.



“Our analysis shows how climate, land use, and population changes in the next 50 years could dramatically increase the risk of Lassa fever in Africa,” said study first author Raphaëlle Klitting, a postdoctoral fellow at Scripps. “We found that several regions will likely become ecologically suitable for virus spread in Central Africa, including in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and even in East Africa, in Uganda.”



By considering projections of African population growth, the researchers discovered that the number of people potentially exposed to the virus could increase from approximately 92 million today to 453 million by 2050, and 700 million by 2070 – a more than 600 percent spike.



Fortunately, analyses of the dynamics of the spread of Lassa revealed that virus dispersal is rather slow, which may imply that – unless transmission dynamics change drastically in the new locations where the virus will circulate – its spread into new ecologically suitable areas over the following decades may also be slow.



According to the scientists, these findings should inform African public health policies by encouraging officials to add Lassa virus to lists of viruses under epidemiologic surveillance in parts of Central and East Africa.



“With the ongoing climate change and increasing impact of human activities on the environment, further comprehensive studies of the ecology and spread of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases are needed to anticipate possible future changes in their distribution as well as their impact on public health,” concluded senior author Simon Dellicour, an expert in Population Dynamics at the <a href="https://www.ulb.be/en">University of Brussels</a>.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</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

Lassa fever risk could increase dramatically in Africa

The Lassa virus is a zoonotic virus, spreading to humans...

Much research has gone into identifying links between our risks of developing serious ailments as we age and the lifestyle choices we make, such as our day-to-day selection of foods, beverages and physical activities. A new study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1000/xyz123">Aging-US</a>, has now identified that aging is influenced by mental health just as much as lifestyle choices. People who feel happy, fulfilled and socially connected experience slower aging and less of the debilitating effects of the aging process.



As we grow older, molecular damage accumulates within our cells and tissues, and contributes to the development of aging-related frailty and serious diseases. In some people these molecular processes are more intense than in others, which leads to a condition commonly referred to as accelerated aging.&nbsp;Fortunately, the increased pace of aging may be detected, using digital models of aging (aging clocks), before its disastrous consequences manifest. Such models can also be used to derive anti-aging therapies on individual and population levels.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The new study was an international collaboration between U.S. and Chinese scientists, and led by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.deeplongevity.com/">Deep Longevity</a>, an AI company that is focused on developing customized predictions of human biological age using specific aging biomarkers. It aimed to measure the effect that being lonely or unhappy, or having restless sleep, has on the pace of aging. 



The researchers used data from 11,914 Chinese adults and succeeded in developing a new aging clock that was trained and verified with blood and biometric data from the participants. This is the first aging clock to be trained exclusively on a Chinese cohort of such magnitude.&nbsp;



Accelerated aging was detected in those participants with a history of stroke, liver and lung diseases, in smokers, and most interestingly, in people who manifested a vulnerable mental state. In fact, feeling hopeless, unhappy, and lonely was shown to increase one’s biological age more significantly than smoking did. Other factors linked to aging acceleration include being single and living in a rural area (due to the low availability of medical services).&nbsp;



The authors of the article conclude that the psychological aspect of aging should not be neglected either in research or in practical anti-aging applications. “Mental and psychosocial states are some of the most robust predictors of health outcomes - and quality of life - yet they have largely been omitted from modern healthcare," said Manuel Faria from Stanford University.



<a href="https://twitter.com/biogerontology">Alex Zhavoronkov</a>, the CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://insilico.com/">Insilico Medicine</a>, points out that the study provides a course of action to slow down or even reverse psychological aging on a national scale.



Earlier this year, Deep Longevity released an AI-guided mental health web service,&nbsp;<a href="https://futurself.ai/">FuturSelf.AI,&nbsp;</a>which is based on a previous publication in Aging-US. The service offers free psychological assessment that is processed by an AI and provides a comprehensive report on a user’s psychological age as well as his or her current and future mental well-being.&nbsp;<a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/deepankar-nayak-6339855?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F">Deepankar Nayak</a>, the CEO of Deep Longevity affirms, “FuturSelf.AI, in combination with the study of older Chinese adults, positions Deep Longevity at the forefront of biogerontological research."&nbsp;&nbsp;



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.



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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

Feeling lonely and unhappy can age you faster than smoking

Much research has gone into identifying links between our risks...

Macro,The,Stinkbug,On,Green,Leaf

A new modeling study led by <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> (WSU) has found that, in the United States, climate change could increase the suitable habitat for the brown marmorated stink bug by 70 percent. The foul-smelling, voracious pest migrated from Asia to the United States two decades ago.&nbsp;



By drawing on data from a three-year stink bug monitoring effort in 17 states, as well as several potential climate change scenarios, the experts estimated a possible northward shift in stink bug-hospitable areas, including the Mid-Atlantic, the Great Lakes, and West Coast valleys such as the Sacramento Valley in California or the Treasure Valley in Idaho. However, whether the insects will manage to thrive in these places will depend on the conditions of each area and potential mitigation measures.



“Every system will change with climate change, so the fact that you can grow garbanzo beans, lentils or wheat without these pests now, doesn’t mean that you will not have them in a few years,” said study lead author Javier Gutierrez Illan, an entomologist at WSU. “There are mitigating things that we can do, but it is wise to prepare for change.”



The brown marmorated stink bug is a generalist herbivore, known to feast on almost 170 different plants, including crops and even ornamental plants. Since its arrival in the U.S. two decades ago, it has been detected in 46 states and is considered a pest in 15 of them. Because these bugs like to winter indoors, proximity to populated areas appeared to help them get established in new places.&nbsp;



However, once there, they do not need people to proliferate, and other factors – such as water availability – have a greater impact on their abundance. Thus, although the bugs dislike cold winters, rising temperatures caused by climate change are not necessarily beneficial for them if the land becomes too dry. As a consequence, changing patterns of precipitation will likely play a leading role in influencing where the bugs will thrive.&nbsp;



Currently, some states (including Washington) are employing a parasitoid insect called the samurai wasp to control stink bugs. These wasps lay their eggs inside stink bug eggs, which not only destroys the affected eggs, but also gives the opportunity to wasp larvae to further consume other developing stink bugs.&nbsp;



According to the scientists, such measures may help prevent or minimize stink bug spread into new areas. They also advise Washington growers to use WSU’s&nbsp;<a href="https://decisionaid.systems/">DAS, or Decision Aid System</a>,&nbsp;a online tool that provides information to help them prepare for future changes to their agricultural systems, including the possible invasion of such pests. Finally, growers would also benefit from familiarizing themselves with the stink bugs through websites such as <a href="https://www.stopbmsb.org/">stopbsmb.org</a>.



“Most growers learn from their parents or from the previous generation, but the information that they had is probably no longer as useful because the climate is changing, so they need these types of tools,” Gutierrez Illan concluded.



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.



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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

Stink bug habitat could increase by 70 percent in the U.S.

A new modeling study led by Washington State University (WSU)...

An important aspect of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-houseplants-can-poison-children-and-pets/">plant</a> development is gravitropism, the directional growth of organisms in response to gravity. This process allows plants to compete for limited resources. For example, if crop roots could be directed to grow down at a steeper angle, the plants could gain access to deeper water and nutrient reserves and potentially become more drought resistant.



A new study led by the <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin</a> has revealed four genes that are involved in gravitropism in corn and the model plant Arabidopsis. The research will help explain why some plant roots make a steeper turn towards gravity than others.&nbsp;



In collaboration with experts at the University of Illinois, the team used advanced techniques to observe subtle differences in root gravitropism in thousands of seedlings. This data was combined with genetic information for each seedling. The results allowed the researchers to map the likely positions of gravitropism genes in the genome.



“Because we had previously performed the same experiment with the distantly related Arabidopsis plant, we were able to match genes within the relevant regions of the genome in both species. Follow-up tests verified the identity of four genes that modify root gravitropism," explained study lead author Professor Edgar Spalding. "The new information could help us understand how gravity shapes root system architectures."



“We looked at an under-researched trait in maize that is important for a number of reasons, especially in the context of climate change. And we did it by making the evolutionary differences between plants work in our favor," said study co-author Professor Matt Hudson.



Corn and Arabidopsis evolved about 150 million years apart. Although both species share basic plant functions, the genes controlling them have likely been jumbled within the genome over time, explained Professor Hudson.



“I thought it was super cool that we could identify genes we wouldn’t have found otherwise just by comparing genomic intervals in unrelated plant species. We were pretty confident they were the right genes when they popped right out of this analysis, but Spalding’s group then spent seven or eight more years getting solid biological data to verify they do, indeed, play a role in gravitropism. Having done that, I think we’ve validated the whole approach such that in future, you could use this method for many different phenotypes," said Professor Hudson.



According to Professor Spalding, the method was probably particularly successful because precise measurements were made in a common environment. “Often, maize researchers will measure their traits of interest in a field, whereas Arabidopsis researchers tend to raise their plants in growth chambers. We measured the root gravitropism phenotype in a highly controlled way. These seeds were grown on a petri plate, and the assay lasted just hours, as opposed to traits you might measure in the real world that are open to all sorts of variabilities.”



“Gravitropism may be especially amenable to study through this approach because it would have been key to the original specialization of shoots and roots after the successful colonization of land."



Professor Hudson pointed out that gravitropism will be key to colonization of a different landscape, as well. “NASA is interested in growing crops on other planets or in space and they need to know what you'd have to breed for to do that. Plants are pretty discombobulated without gravity.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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.



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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

Study reveals genes that help plant roots grow toward gravity

An important aspect of plant development is gravitropism, the directional...

A,Woman,Collecting,And,Separating,Recyclable,Garbage,Plastic,Bottles,Into

All the proteins, carbohydrates and fats that we eat consist of polymers – very large molecules that are made up of smaller units or building blocks. These repeated small molecules are known as monomers and the function of our digestive system is to break down the large molecules into their small units so that they may be absorbed into our blood. Thereafter, these monomers are available in our bodies to be reassembled into our own protein, carbohydrate and fat polymers. Just like Lego blocks, the units are broken apart and then put back together again to produce something useful.



Plastics are also made of polymers, with their monomers being derived from petrochemicals resulting after the fractional distillation of crude oil. Currently, some of the plastics can be <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-waste-can-be-recycled-into-construction-materials/">recycled</a>, but this involves turning them into a powdered form and melting them for reuse in another form. A team of scientists from the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> has now taken a different approach to the problem of recycling plastic polymers and attempted to break down the chemical bonds between the monomers so that they can be used again to build something new, just as we do with our digested food.&nbsp;



“We are thinking outside the box, about different ways of breaking chemical bonds,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.colorado.edu/chemistry/wei-zhang">Wei Zhang</a>, lead author of the study and chair of the Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado. “Our chemical methods can help create new technologies and new materials, as well as be utilized to help solve the existing plastic materials crisis.”



The research focused on a class of durable plastics that is widely used in the aerospace and microelectronics industries, and is very challenging to recycle because it is designed to keep its shape in conditions of extreme heat. Instead of trying to recycle the plastic, the researchers investigated techniques to break down the bonds between the monomers chemically, so that they are available as building blocks to produce new items of the same material.&nbsp;



It’s a major step in the development of repairable and fully recyclable network polymers and the study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41557-022-01046-4">Nature Chemistry</a>, documents how this type of plastic can be perpetually broken down and remade, without sacrificing its desired physical properties. In fact, the new chemical methods developed by the scientists could potentially be applied to other plastic materials and could lead to similar discoveries about how to break down the chemical bonds fully and rebuild them, enabling the circular production of more plastic materials in our daily lives.



This means that the plastics in our satellites, cars and electronic devices, not to mention all those used in everyday life for packaging, textiles, toys and household goods, may soon be reprocessed to live another life – over and over again – rather than ending up in a landfill or contributing to the great garbage gyres in the oceans.&nbsp;



In the mid-20th century, plastics were ubiquitously adopted in almost every industry and part of life as they are extremely convenient, functional and cheap. But half a century later, after exponential demand and production, plastics pose a major problem to the health of the planet and to people. Plastics don’t biodegrade, but perish to form smaller and smaller fragments, known as microplastics. These have become ubiquitously present in land and sea environments, in our drinking water, our food and ourselves.&nbsp;



Conventional recycling currently involves breaking down the plastics mechanically into powders, and then melting them, burning them or using bacterial enzymes to digest them. The products can then be used to make something new and useful. For example, shoes may be made from recycled rubber tires, and certain clothing products can be made from plastic bottles. The material is not the same as the original, but at least the plastic does not end up in a landfill or an ocean – for the moment.&nbsp;



Unfortunately, a very small proportion of the world’s plastic waste currently gets recycled. The large majority of plastic items so beloved by us end up being thrown away, which results in hundreds of millions of tons of waste being generated every year.&nbsp; These slowly fragment and form microplastics, but they never really go away. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could simply break the plastic polymers up into their building blocks again and use them to make a brand new item of the same type? Plastics would then go round and round, being reincarnated into new products of the same material and potentially becoming immortal …&nbsp;



This is exactly what Zhang and his colleagues have managed to engineer. They reversed a chemical method and discovered they can both break existing chemical bonds and form new ones. This approach is based on the concept of reversible or dynamic chemistry, whereby chemical reactions can proceed forwards but can also go backwards.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This chemistry can also be dynamic, can be reversible, and that bond can be reformed,” said Zhang. “We are thinking about a different way to form the same backbone, just from different starting points.”&nbsp;



What’s especially novel about this latest method is that it has not only created a new class of polymer material that, like Legos, is easy to build, break apart and rebuild over and over, but the method can be applied to existing, especially hard-to-recycle polymers. These new chemical methods are also ready for commercialization and can plug and play with current industrial production.



“It can really benefit future design and development of plastics to not only create new polymers, but it’s also very important to know how to convert, upcycle and recycle older polymers,” said Zhang. “By using our new approach, we can prepare many new materials – some of which could have similar properties to the plastics in our daily life.”



This advance in the closed-loop recycling of plastics is inspired by the natural world, as plants, animals and human beings alike are currently part of a planetary-level, circular system of recycling, said Zhang. “Why can’t we make our materials the same way?”&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

Plastics may live an immortal life thanks to new techniques

All the proteins, carbohydrates and fats that we eat consist...

Patients who have suffered from heart failure are often placed on diuretic drugs to help them control the fluid levels in their bodies. Since the heart does not pump as efficiently in these patients, waste products accumulate in the body, causing shortness of breath and a build-up of fluid in the lungs, legs and abdomen. Diuretic drugs increase the production of urine in these patients so that they can avoid the negative effects of fluid retention. However, this gives rise to a potentially dangerous situation if these patients are exposed to the hot and dehydrating conditions of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-marine-heatwave-persists-in-the-mediterranean-sea/">heatwave</a>.



Care of heart failure patients involves close monitoring of their weight on a daily basis in order to detect sudden swelling or edema, which is the main reason for hospital admission. The <a href="https://www.escardio.org/">European Society of Cardiology</a> (ESC) guidelines recommend educating patients to increase their diuretic dose or alert their healthcare team if they experience an increase in breathlessness or swelling, or a sudden unexpected weight gain of more than 2 kg in three days. &nbsp;These conditions could indicate that the heart is under strain or that the dosage of diuretic medication needs to be increased.&nbsp;



Heart failure patients are not commonly instructed to look out for instances of weight loss, a situation that could be dangerous in times of hot temperatures, state the authors of a new study. “When healthy people drink more fluids during hot weather, the body automatically regulates urine output. This does not apply to patients with heart failure because they take diuretics,” explained study author Professor François Roubille of Montpellier University Hospital, France.



The nationwide study conducted in France linked hot temperatures during the 2019 heatwave with weight loss in heart failure patients. This may potentially indicate dehydration and is associated with a worsening condition in these patients who will not be aware of the danger if they are focused on monitoring their weight for increases only. The findings are published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.14129">ESC Heart Failure</a>,&nbsp;the open access journal of the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Sub-specialty-communities/Heart-Failure-Association-of-the-ESC-(HFA)">Heart Failure Association</a>&nbsp;(HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology.



“This study is the first to show a strict relationship between ambient temperature and body weight in heart failure patients,” said Professor Roubille. “The finding is timely given the heatwaves again this year. The weight loss we observed in people with heart failure may lead to low blood pressure, especially when standing up, and renal failure, and is potentially life-threatening. With rising temperatures forecast for the future, clinicians and patients should be ready to reduce the dose of diuretics when weight loss occurs.”



The study made use of a national telemonitoring system to examine the relationship between body weight and air temperature in heart failure patients between 1 June and 20 September 2019. During this time, two heatwaves occurred, one at the end of June and the other at the end of July. The participants included 1,420 patients with chronic heart failure who weighed themselves every day using a connected scale that automatically sent their data to the clinic. They also reported daily symptoms such as edema, fatigue, breathlessness and coughing by answering questions on a personal device (e.g. smartphone, tablet) that also sent their answers automatically to the clinic.



Data that was collected remotely in this way was combined with measurements of daily noontime temperatures from the closest weather station to each patient’s home. The researchers analyzed the association between patient weight, ambient temperature on the same day, and temperature two days prior to the weight measurement. The negative relationship between temperature and weight was very strong, with weight decreasing as temperature increased. The strongest relationship was found between a patient’s weight and the ambient temperature two days prior to the weight measurement.&nbsp;



“The weight loss we observed during the heatwave was clinically relevant. Patients weighing 78 kg lost 1.5 kg in a short period of time. We were surprised to see that weight dropped with hot temperatures, as we had expected the opposite. For this reason, the telemonitoring system was programmed to alert clinicians when patients gained weight," said Professor Roubille.



“Given the expectation of more heatwaves, telemonitoring systems also need to alert clinicians of weight loss in heart failure patients. In addition, systems could notify patients losing weight that it may be due to the heat and they should contact their healthcare provider about reducing the dose of diuretics. For heart failure patients not monitored remotely, a good rule of thumb would be to contact a healthcare professional if weight drops by 2 kg during a heatwave for advice on adjusting diuretic medication. Reacting early should help us to prevent complications.”



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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

Heatwaves have life-threatening effects on heart failure patients

Patients who have suffered from heart failure are often placed...

Since <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-fungal-diseases/">fungal diseases</a> in human populations are on the rise, it is important for health authorities to know where these pathogens come from. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.unm.edu/">University of New Mexico</a> (UNM) has revealed that small mammals like rodents could act as reservoirs, agents of dispersal, and incubators of fungal pathogens.



“We wanted to understand if the fungal spores of respiratory pathogens reside in soils because they feed on dead and decaying plant matter, or if they are instead living within small animals and their spores are released into the soil after the rodents die,” said study lead author Paris Salazar-Hamm, a postdoctoral fellow in Microbiology at UNM.



“Our analysis, which specifically focused on lung pathogens that cause disease in humans, detected a wide range of fungi in the lung tissues of small mammals. We found that many of the rodents we sampled from areas in the Southwestern US were harboring the type of fungi that can cause lung infections in humans, such as the fungus that leads to Valley Fever, a disease that typically causes flu-like symptoms and can be life threatening.”



The scientists used next-generation sequencing – a method that allows for a quick detection and assessment of a wide number of fungal species – to analyze fungal DNA in rodent lung tissues from museum specimens. The investigation detected the fungus&nbsp;Coccidioides (the cause of Valley Fever) in the lung tissues of small rodents from Kern County, California, and Cochise and Maricopa Counties, Arizona - areas which have high rates of this disease – as well as from Catron, Sierra, and Socorro Counties in New Mexico, where this fungus has not been detected before.



“Current forecasts of the distribution of&nbsp;Coccidioides, based on climate and soil conditions, predict that Valley Fever will expand substantially northward and eastward over the next century as a result of climate change impacting environmental conditions. Our results will inform these modeling efforts by adding valuable information about animals as reservoirs for pathogens,” Dr. Salazar-Hamm said.



Future research is needed to assess the health of the host animals and clarify how this might impact the spread and virulence of the diseases.&nbsp;



“We were not able to assess the health of the mammalian hosts from which the lung tissues were acquired. Despite the presence of pathogens, it was impossible to say conclusively that there was disease. It would be interesting to further explore the impact of the fungi on the mammals. That effort would require more detailed information about the general health of the animal in question,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/ffunb.2022.996574">Frontiers in Fungal Biology</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

Rodents are reservoirs for dangerous fungal diseases

Since fungal diseases in human populations are on the rise,...

In 2012, after two years of increased rainfall, California’s most prized ornamental trees – the coral beans – began wilting and falling away, revealing stems which had been hollowed out from the inside by the caterpillars of Erythrina stem borer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moths-may-struggle-to-move-in-response-to-climate-change/">moths</a>. Another massive outbreak followed in 2015 after a significant bout of rainfall caused by the Hurricane Dolores and, although the moths have declined afterwards, they have nevertheless continued to be spotted in Southern California each year, indicating that they may be there to stay. Now, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/">Florida Museum of Natural History</a> has performed a comprehensive DNA analysis of this invasive insect, in order to clarify its origins and find ways of controlling it.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Initially, the scientists believed that the moths invading Southern California’s coral beans may have originated from the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts in Mexico. However, the analyses revealed that Erythrina stem borers have a very wide distribution, from Florida down through the Caribbean and some parts of South America, as well as many regions from Africa and Asia. Thus, since these insects can easily hitch a ride from one place to another while hidden in their host plants, it is possible they could have come from anywhere in the world through the horticultural trade.



By sequencing the DNA of the moths involved in the Southern Californian outbreaks and comparing it to that of moths from different U.S. states and other countries, the researchers found that these moths were most closely related to those living in the Baja Peninsula and Arizona. However, although the moths from North and South America seem almost identical, DNA analysis revealed that the western moths were in fact on a highly different evolutionary trajectory than their eastern relatives.



“The specimens turned out to be western, but to our surprise, all western moths also turned out to be isolated genetically from the rest of the New World,” said study lead author Andrei Sourakov, an entomologist at the Florida Museum. “So we had two entities here: one ranging from Florida to Argentina, and the other one with a distribution in western North America, which we named as a new subspecies.”



According to Sourakov and his colleagues, although it is possible that the insects were unintentionally brought to California by humans, they presence could also result from a natural expansion mediated by regional changes in climate.&nbsp;



Further research is needed to clarify these pests’ origin and patterns of spreading, and to devise ways of controlling them in order to mitigate their impact on crops.



The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jen.13082">Journal of Applied Entomology</a>.&nbsp;&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

What is the origin of California’s latest invasive insect?

In 2012, after two years of increased rainfall, California’s most...

Today, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft successfully slammed into its target, an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-building-blocks-of-life-may-come-from-asteroids/">asteroid</a> called Dimorphos. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> controllers deliberately crashed the $330 million robot spacecraft into Dimorphos, which passed at a distance of about 10.8 million kilometers from the Earth.&nbsp;



When striking its target, the Dart spacecraft traveled at over four miles per second and was almost immediately destroyed. The aim of this kamikaze mission is to learn how to deflect asteroids that may collide with our planet in the future.&nbsp;



“We know&nbsp;asteroids have hit us in the past,” said Alan Fitzsimmons, a professor of Astronomy at <a href="https://www.qub.ac.uk/">Queen’s University Belfast</a> and member of the science team for the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (Dart) mission. “These impacts are a natural process and they are going to happen in the future. We would like to stop the worst of them. The problem is that we have never tested the technology which will be needed to do that. That is the purpose of Dart.”



The probe was launched last November and is scheduled to strike the asteroid in the early hours of September 26. By investigating the asteroid’s path after the collision, the scientists hope to clarify how similar methods could be employed to deflect Earth-bound asteroids or comets.



“Dart’s target has been carefully chosen,” explained Jay Tate, the director of the <a href="https://spaceguardcentre.com/">National Near Earth Objects Information Center</a> in Knighton, UK. “Dimorphos actually orbits another, bigger asteroid called Didymos, and the extent of the deflection caused by the crash will be easier to detect as astronomers have been carefully observing its path around the bigger asteroid.”



In 2024, the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> will send another robot spacecraft called Hera to Dimorphos in order to study the crater left by Dart and find more about its collision with the asteroid.&nbsp;



“Hitting Dimorphos is not going to be easy,” Fitzsimmons said. “It is only 160 meters in diameter and the spacecraft will be travelling at four miles a second. Hitting the asteroid dead center – where the crash will have most effect – will push Dart’s autonomous navigation devices to their limit.”



“NASA engineers and scientists have done a tremendous job and are confident this should absolutely work. But you never really know until you have done it,” he 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

NASA successfully crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid

Today, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft successfully slammed...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/highly-reactive-chemicals-discovered-in-the-atmosphere/">atmosphere</a> above a telescope is an important factor in how much an astronomer can see in the sky. For this reason, the locations of observatories are carefully picked. Usually, high elevation, desert, and remote areas are preferred. 



Now, a team of scientists led by the University of Bern and the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) PlanetS has investigated how climate change might impact astronomical observation.&nbsp;



“Even though telescopes usually have a lifetime of several decades, site selection processes only consider the atmospheric conditions over a short timeframe. Usually over the past five years – too short to capture long-term trends, let alone future changes caused by global warming," explained study lead author Caroline Haslebacher.



The research shows that observatories in Hawaii, the Canary Islands, Mexico, Chile, South Africa, and Australia will probably experience rises in temperature and atmospheric humidity by 2050. These changes could make observing the cosmos more challenging.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Nowadays, astronomical observatories are designed to work under the current site conditions and only have a few possibilities for adaptation. Potential consequences of the climatic conditions for telescopes therefore include a higher risk of condensation due to an increased dew point or malfunctioning cooling systems, which can lead to more air turbulence in the telescope dome," said Haslebacher.&nbsp;



This problem was not something that was simply overlooked, the scientists say, but available technology didn’t allow climate change to be taken into account when many observatories were built.



"This is the first time that such a study has been possible. Thanks to the higher resolution of the global climate models developed through the Horizon 2020 PRIMAVERA project, we were able to examine the conditions at various locations of the globe with great fidelity - something that we were unable to do with conventional models. These models are valuable tools for the work we do at the Wyss Academy," said study co-author Marie-Estelle Demory.



"This now allows us to say with certainty that anthropogenic climate change must be taken into account in the site selection for next-generation telescopes, and in the construction and maintenance of astronomical facilities," said Haslebacher.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202142493">Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global warming changes how we see the sky

The atmosphere above a telescope is an important factor in...

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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



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.

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



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.

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

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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

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