Some of the most dramatic climate events in history are the Snowball Earth episodes, which occurred hundreds of millions of years ago. Nearly the entire planet was covered in ice up to a kilometer (0.6 miles) thick during these periods.&nbsp;



The rare Snowball Earth events did not follow regular cycles but lasted for millions to tens of millions of years before being followed by intense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-global-warming-event-sheds-light-on-earths-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming</a>. Despite their significance, the details surrounding how these frozen periods ended are still not fully understood.



A new study led by the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Washington</a> (UW) offers a more complete picture of how the last Snowball Earth episode ended and sheds light on why it was followed by a major expansion of life, including the emergence of Earth's first animals.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changes-in-key-earth-properties">Changes in key Earth properties</h2>



The research, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51412-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>, focuses on ancient rocks known as “cap carbonates,” which are believed to have formed as the planet’s ice sheets thawed.&nbsp;



These rocks provide clues about the state of Earth's atmosphere and oceans roughly 640 million years ago - long before ice cores or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-largest-ever-solar-storm-discovered-through-tree-rings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tree rings</a> could record such history.



Study lead author Trent Thomas is a doctoral student in earth and space sciences at UW.



“Cap carbonates contain information about key properties of Earth's atmosphere and ocean, such as changing levels of carbon dioxide in the air or the acidity of the ocean,” said Thomas. "Our theory now shows how these properties changed during and after Snowball Earth.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-formation-of-cap-carbonates-nbsp">Formation of cap carbonates&nbsp;</h2>



Cap carbonates are layered limestone or dolomite rocks with distinct chemical properties. Today, they can be found in more than 50 locations worldwide, including places like Death Valley, Namibia, Siberia, Ireland, and Australia.&nbsp;



These formations are believed to have resulted from the melting of the ice sheets that once covered Earth, triggering significant shifts in atmospheric and oceanic chemistry. The unique sediments were then deposited on the ocean floor.



The rocks are called “caps” because they lie atop the glacial deposits left behind after the Snowball Earth <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-complete-record-of-snowball-earth-found-in-rock-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a>, and they’re classified as “carbonates” because they consist of carbon-containing limestone or dolomite.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animals-appeared-after-the-last-snowball-earth-nbsp">Animals appeared after the last Snowball Earth&nbsp;</h2>



Understanding how these rocks formed helps clarify the carbon cycle during periods of dramatic climate shifts. 



This latest study, which models these environmental changes, also provides clues about the evolution of life on Earth and explains why more complex life-forms emerged following the last Snowball Earth.



“Life on Earth was simple - in the form of microbes, algae, or other tiny aquatic organisms - for over two billion years leading up to Snowball Earth,” said senior author David Catling, a professor of earth and space sciences at UW.&nbsp;



“In fact, the billion years leading up to Snowball Earth are called the ‘boring billion’ because so little happened. Then two Snowball Earth events occurred, and soon after, animals appear in the fossil record.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemistry-of-a-snow-covered-earth-nbsp">Chemistry of a snow-covered Earth&nbsp;</h2>



The new research offers a framework to explain how these two events may be connected. The study models the chemistry and geology during three distinct phases of Snowball Earth.&nbsp;



During the peak of the icy period, the thick ice sheets covering the planet reflected sunlight, though some open water allowed limited exchange between the ocean and atmosphere. Meanwhile, the cold seawater continued reacting with the ocean floor.



Over time, carbon dioxide built up in the atmosphere until it trapped enough heat to warm the planet and melt the ice.&nbsp;



Once this occurred, rainfall began again, and freshwater from glacial melt poured into the oceans, creating a layer of meltwater that floated on top of the denser, salty ocean water.&nbsp;



This layering slowed down ocean circulation. Eventually, ocean mixing resumed, allowing the upper ocean, deep ocean, and atmosphere to interact again.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-recovery-from-the-snowball-period-nbsp">Earth's recovery from the Snowball period&nbsp;</h2>



“We predict important changes in the environment as Earth recovered from the Snowball period, some of which affected the temperature, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preparing-for-ocean-acidification-a-silent-killer-of-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">acidity</a>, and circulation of the ocean. Now that we know these changes, we can more confidently figure out how they affected Earth’s life,” noted Thomas.



The research team plans to continue exploring how pockets of life that may have survived during Snowball Earth’s tumultuous aftermath could have evolved into the more complex <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-life-and-environment-co-evolved-over-500-million-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">life</a> forms that appeared shortly after.



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‘Snowball Earth’ event set the stage for complex life

Some of the most dramatic climate events in history are the Snowball Earth episodes, which occurred hundreds of millions of years ago. Nearly the entire planet was covered in ice up to a kilometer (0.6 miles) thick during these periods.&nbsp; The rare Snowball Earth events did not follow regular cycles but lasted for millions to tens of millions of years before being followed by intense warming. Despite their significance, the details surrounding how these frozen periods ended are still not fully understood. A new study led by...

In a new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, researchers describe how the conservation of tropical peatlands could reduce the likelihood of future <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/environmental-era-of-pandemics/">pandemics</a>. 

The experts found that the combination of habitat loss, wildlife harvesting, and the high levels of biodiversity found in peat-swamp forests can create "suitable conditions" for deadly diseases to jump from animals to humans.

The specific strain of the HIV virus that causes AIDS originated in a tropical area with extensive peatlands in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was also the site of the first Ebola outbreak in 1976, which emerged in a community near to Ebola River.

Study lead author Dr. Mark Harrison is an expert at the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Exeter's Penryn Campus and at the Borneo Nature Foundation International.

"We're not saying tropical peatlands are unique in this respect - but they are one important habitat where zoonotic diseases (those that jump from animals to humans) could emerge," said Dr. Harrison. "Tropical peat-swamp forests are rich in fauna and flora, including numerous vertebrates known to represent zoonotic EID risk, such as bats, rodents, pangolins and primates."

"Exploitation and fragmentation of these habitats, as well as peat wildfires (ultimately driven by human activity) and wildlife harvesting bring more and more people into close contact with peatland biodiversity, increasing the potential for zoonotic disease transmission."

"Our review shows that protecting tropical peatlands isn't therefore just about wildlife and carbon emissions - it's also important for human health."

The researchers investigated the possible impact of COVID-19 on tropical peatland conservation and local communities, and identified "numerous potential threats." 

The team also noted the high impacts of COVID-19 in some countries with large tropical peatland areas - some of which do not have the resources to handle pandemics.

"Many communities in these areas are remote, relatively poor, disconnected, have limited infrastructure, sub-standard or non-existent medical facilities, and depend heavily on external trade," said Dr. Ifo Suspense of Université Marien, Republic of Congo. "As a result, the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 may be particularly severe in these communities."

Study co-author Dr. Muhammad Ali Imron pointed out that the effects of major wildfires in peatland areas that cause massive air pollution, particularly in South East Asia, also increase the threat of emerging human respiratory diseases like COVID-19.

"In terms of the impacts on peatlands themselves, we reveal that conservation, research and training are all being affected by the pandemic, which may result in increased habitat encroachment, wildlife harvesting and fires started to clear vegetation," explained Dr. Ali.

The study authors conclude that the sustainable management of tropical peatlands and their wildlife is important for mitigating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and for reducing the potential for future zoonotic diseases. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Protecting tropical peatlands could prevent future pandemics

In a new study led by the University of Exeter,...

Wearing a facemask does not interfere with breathing or impair lung function, even during the most strenuous <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/a-nutritional-diet-maximizes-the-benefits-of-exercise/">exercise</a>, according to a new study from <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">UC San Diego</a>. The research contradicts the idea that facemasks impair the cardiopulmonary system by making it harder to breathe.

In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, facemasks have suddenly become a part of everyday life for most people. The physical barrier created by masks has prompted concerns that they may alter the flow of inhaled oxygen and exhaled carbon dioxide and increase shortness of breath, particularly during physical activity.

The researchers determined that even though it may seem harder to breathe due to increased sensations of dyspnea, there is no significant evidence to show that wearing a facemask diminishes lung function.

Study first author Dr. Susan Hopkins is a professor of Medicine and Radiology at the UC San Diego School of Medicine who specializes in the study of lungs under stress.

"There might be a perceived greater effort with activity, but the effects of wearing a mask on the work of breathing, on gases like oxygen and CO2 in blood, or other physiological parameters are small - often too small to be detected," said Dr. Hopkins. "There's also no evidence to support any differences by sex or age in physiological responses to exercise while wearing a facemask."

According to the researchers, the single exception may be persons with severe cardiopulmonary disease in which any added resistance to breathing or minor changes in blood gases could prompt dyspnea great enough to affect exercise capacity, 

"In such cases, these individuals might feel too uncomfortable to exercise, and that should be discussed with their doctor," said Dr. Hopkins. "However, the fact that these individuals are at great risk should they contract COVID-19 must also be considered."

Among healthy individuals, wearing a mask had minimal effects on these physiological markers, regardless of what type of mask was worn or the intensity of exercise.

"Wearing a facemask can be uncomfortable," said Dr. Hopkins. "There can be tiny increases in breathing resistance. You may re-inhale warmer, slightly enriched CO2 air. And if you're exercising, the mask can cause your face to become hot and sweaty."

"But these are sensory perceptions. They do not impact cardiopulmonary function in healthy people. So while dyspnea might be increased with a mask, you have to weigh that against the reduced risk of contracting COVID-19, knowing that the physiology is essentially unchanged."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/journal/annalsats">Annals of the American Thoracic Society</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wearing a facemask does not make it harder to breathe

Wearing a facemask does not interfere with breathing or impair...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">CDC</a> have found evidence of human transmission in the deadly outbreak of a mysterious <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/two-way-transmission-of-coronavirus-confirmed-between-humans-and-minks/">virus</a> in Bolivia. The study suggests that Chapare virus, an emerging hemorrhagic fever, can spread from person to person in healthcare settings.

The research raises concerns about the potential for future Chapare outbreaks, and also provides preliminary information about the species of rodent that carries the virus.

The Chapare virus caused at least five infections near Bolivia's capital city of La Paz in 2019, and three of the individuals did not survive. Prior to this incident, the only record of the disease was a single confirmed case in 2004 in Chapare Province, about 370 miles east of La Paz. 

All that was initially known about the Chapare virus was that it may produce symptoms similar to diseases such as Ebola.

The recent outbreak sparked a rapid mobilization of infectious disease experts from Bolivia's Ministry of Health, the CDC, and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO). The team explored the origins of the disease by securing samples from patients and developing a new diagnostic test.

"Our work confirmed that a young medical resident, an ambulance medic and a gastroenterologist all contracted the virus after encounters with infected patients - and two of these healthcare workers later died," said Dr. Caitlin Cossaboom. "We now believe many bodily fluids can potentially carry the virus."

Dr. Cossaboom said the confirmation of human-to-human transmission shows healthcare providers and anyone else dealing with suspected cases must take extreme care to avoid contact with items that may be contaminated with blood, urine, saliva, or semen. 

The medical resident who died from the disease may have been infected while suctioning saliva from a patient, while the ambulance medic who survived was likely infected when he resuscitated the same medical resident as she was being transported to the hospital.

Furthermore, the team detected viral RNA in the semen of one survivor 168 days after infection, which indicates the potential for sexual transmission. Further investigation is needed to identify other possible routes of transmission.

The Chapare virus belongs to a group called arenaviruses. This group includes extremely dangerous pathogens such as Lassa virus, which causes thousands of deaths every year in West Africa. These pathogens can cause hemorrhagic fevers - a condition that triggers severe problems across multiple organs. 

Dr. Cossaboom said that patients in the 2019 Chapare outbreak suffered fevers, abdominal pain, vomiting, bleeding gums, skin rash, and pain behind the eyes. There is still much that remains unknown about the Chapare virus, such as where it originated, how it infects humans, and the likelihood of larger outbreaks.

The researchers did come up with a few new clues about the mysterious disease, however. They detected Chapare viral RNA in rodents collected from an area around the home and nearby farmlands of the first patient identified in the 2019 outbreak. While it has not yet been determined that rodents transmitted the disease to humans, the rodents that tested positive are found across Bolivia and several neighboring countries. 

Scientists believe the Chapare virus may have been circulating in Bolivia for several years, and that infected patients could have been misdiagnosed as suffering from Dengue, which is common in this region and produces similar symptoms.

Dr. Maria Morales-Betoulle said that when it became clear the illness was not caused by Dengue, patient samples collected by Bolivian authorities were quickly moved to a highly secure biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) CDC laboratory. 

"We isolated the virus, and we were expecting to find a more common disease, but the sequence data pointed to Chapare virus," said Dr. Morales-Betoulle. "We were really surprised because the 2019 outbreak in La Paz occurred long after the first case was identified in 2004."

According to Dr. Morales-Betoulle, the availability of new sequencing tools allowed CDC experts to rapidly develop a test for Chapare, which is the same type of test often used to diagnose COVID-19 and is considered the gold standard.

The experts said that future work will focus on conducting surveillance with the diagnostics test to identify additional human infections and using field studies to determine whether rodents are involved in spreading the disease. 

"While there is still much that remains unknown about Chapare virus, it's commendable how quickly this team was able to develop a diagnostic test, confirm human-to-human transmission and uncover preliminary evidence of the virus in rodents," said ASTMH President Dr. Joel Breman. "It's a valuable lesson that international scientific teams, equipped with the latest tools and freely sharing their insights, are our best front-line defense against the disruptive threats of deadly infectious diseases."

The research was presented at the <a href="https://www.astmh.org/annual-meeting">American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 68th Annual Meeting</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Human transmission confirmed in deadly outbreak of Chapare virus

Researchers from the CDC have found evidence of human transmission...

Healthy sleep patterns reduce the risk of heart failure by 42 percent, according to a new study published by the <a href="https://www2.heart.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=donatenow_heart&amp;s_src=pmxsem19&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA48j9BRC-ARIsAMQu3WRvJ1fzWC57QNGi4mNiK8on1nB8zizJ_1HtZ_nyiHed3VomuAMi69gaAoEEEALw_wcB">American Heart Association</a>. The protective effects of healthy sleep were found to persist regardless of other risk factors for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/long-naps-increase-the-risk-of-premature-death-and-heart-disease/">heart</a> failure.

There is a growing collection of evidence to suggest that poor quality sleep plays a central role in the development of heart failure, which affects more than 26 million people. Healthy sleep patterns are characterized by getting 7 or 8 hours of sleep each night without frequent insomnia, snoring, or excessive daytime sleepiness.

The study was focused on data from 408,802 UK Biobank participants, who were between 37 and 73 years old at the time of enrollment from 2006 to 2010. During an average follow-up of ten years, the researchers found 5,221 cases of heart failure.

The team analyzed overall sleep patterns and sleep quality, including duration, insomnia, snoring, and other sleep-related factors like daytime sleepiness. Based on the scoring of these sleep behaviors, the experts calculated a healthy sleep score. 

Study co-author Dr. Lu Qi is a professor of Epidemiology and the director of the Obesity Research Center at Tulane University in New Orleans. "Our findings highlight the importance of improving overall sleep patterns to help prevent heart failure," said Dr. Qi.

After adjusting for diabetes, hypertension, medication use, genetic variations, and other relevant heart-related risk factors, the study revealed that individuals with the highest sleep scores and healthiest sleep patterns had a 42-percent lower risk of heart failure compared to unhealthy sleepers.

According to the researchers, the risk of heart failure was independently associated and found to be 8 percent lower in early risers, 12 percent lower in those who slept 7 to 8 hours daily, and 34 percent lower among individuals who reported no daytime sleepiness.

Dr. Qi noted that the study's strengths include its novelty, prospective study design,  and large sample size.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/circ">Circulation</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Healthy sleep reduces the risk of heart failure by up to 42 percent

Healthy sleep patterns reduce the risk of heart failure by...

Dog ticks that transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) are more than twice as likely to bite humans instead of dogs when temperatures rise. The research, which was presented at the <a href="https://www.astmh.org/annual-meeting">Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene</a> (ASTMH), provides new evidence that global warming elevates the risk of deadly <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/slow-living-animals-could-be-the-source-of-more-diseases/">disease</a> transmission among humans. 

"Our work indicates that when the weather gets hot, we should be much more vigilant for infections of RMSF in humans," said study lead author Dr. Laura Backus of UC Davis. "We found that when temperatures rose from about 74 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, brown dog ticks that carry the disease were 2.5 times more likely to prefer humans over dogs."

Spotted fevers have become increasingly prevalent over the last two decades. While RMSF is treatable if it is detected in the first week of infection, the fatality rate for prolonged infections can reach higher than 20 percent.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever can cause many serious complications, including damaged blood vessels, kidney failure, and inflammation of the heart, lungs, or brain. In the last ten years, deadly RMSF outbreaks have emerged among indigenous communities in Arizona and northern Mexico.

Dr. Backus said there have been indications from earlier work that brown dog ticks, which are found throughout the continental United States, may be more aggressive toward humans in hot weather. This is even more concerning given that climate change is greatly expanding areas of the country that experience multiple days of temperatures that exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

The UC Davis team set out to investigate how rising temperatures may elevate the risk of RMSF infections. They designed an experiment to observe whether brown dog ticks preferred humans or dogs when they were exposed to a temperature of 74 degrees Fahrenheit and also at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

One type of brown dog tick, known as the tropical lineage tick, made an obvious shift in sniffing out humans over dogs in the hotter conditions. These ticks are currently found in southern regions of the United States, such as Arizona, Florida, southern California, and southern Georgia. According to Dr. Backus, the range of the tropical lineage tick is expected to expand north as temperatures rise.

Temperate brown dog ticks, which also carry RMSF, were found to slightly shift their attention toward humans in warmer weather. Instead of showing a preference for dogs, as they normally would, the temperate ticks appeared to become neutral about which host they would choose when they were influenced by heat. These ticks are distributed across all of the lower 48 states. 

"We believe that this decreased preference for dogs - combined with a slight increase in preference for humans - suggests that hot temperatures may also elevate risks of RMSF in areas where the temperate ticks are more common," said Dr. Backus.

She noted that it is important to identify conditions that can increase infection risks, especially considering that symptoms in the treatable early phase of RMSF can be easily mistaken for a number of more common ailments such as headache, fever, and muscle aches.

"The findings from the use of this simple but effective laboratory experiment to gauge how rising temperatures might lead to more human infections with a very dangerous tick-borne pathogen adds to the growing evidence of the increasing connection between climate change and its impact on health," said ASTMH President Dr. Joel Breman. 

"Climate change is moving so quickly that it is critical to keep pace with the many ways it may alter and intensify the risk of a wide range of infectious diseases so we are better prepared to diagnose, treat and prevent them."

The research was presented at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 68th Annual Meeting.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dog ticks prefer human hosts in hotter weather conditions

Dog ticks that transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) are...

Experts at the <a href="https://www5.usp.br/">University of São Paulo</a> (USP) in Brazil conducted two studies to investigate mammal extinctions, or mammal defaunation, throughout the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/centuries-of-human-activities-have-taken-a-toll-on-neotropical-mammals/">Neotropics</a>. The first analysis reveals that more than 40 percent of the region's ecosystem services have been lost, while the second paper finds that 56 percent of all medium- to large-bodied mammal species have vanished.

The team also discovered that the surviving mammals are the smallest. According to study lead author Juliano André Bogoni, the researchers were surprised by the findings. 

“We knew that while mammal species are declining very rapidly in the Neotropics, there are still ‘backups’: for every species that disappears, another survives to perform the same service,” said Bogoni.

“But this isn’t the case for all species. There are families like Cricetidae (rodents such as rats, mice, voles, etc.) in which there may be 30 species in a genus and as many as 100 species in ‘sibling groups' which are closely related in evolutionary and morphological terms. In other words, there are many overlapping species among small mammals and flyers (bats). If we had confined our analysis to medium- and large-bodied mammals, the loss of ecosystem services would have been far greater.”

There is usually not the same time type of overlapping among apex predators. "Only one backup exists in many places. Jaguar and puma, for example. When one is lost, only the other remains, if they coexist in the same place, which they often don’t, so loss of the species means loss of the services,” said Bogoni.

The ecosystem services provided by mammals were divided into four groups: provision, including dietary protein for local populations, seed dispersal, forest regeneration, and genetic resources; regulation, such as climate regulation, disease and pest control, biological control, disaster recovery, and pollination; cultural services, including ecotourism, ethnocultural identity, aesthetics, and education; and support, such as soil formation, nutrient cycling, oxygen production, and primary productivity.

Under various mammal defaunation scenarios, the main ecosystem services affected were ecotourism, soil formation, disease control, and protein acquisition by traditional people. The service losses ranged from 38.9 to 53.0 percent compared to the baseline. Bogoni pointed out that some ecosystem services can decline very quickly. 

“People mostly identify with apex predators or animals with charismatic ecomorphological traits. Rats are unlikely to symbolize ethnocultural identity, whereas jaguars have gripped people’s imagination since pre-Columbian times. Another example of severe decline in services is the provision of animal protein for traditional communities in the form of subsistence hunting. This is a service without much backup and one of those that have declined most. The less backup, the greater the possibility of decline and even complete disappearance.”

To examine the true extent of mammal defaunation, the researchers used a mathematical approach called confusion matrix to handle false negatives, or situations when animals were presumed to be present but were not in the modern database. 

“Applying this matrix to ‘correct’ for possible false negatives, our results showed mean adjusted defaunation of 56.5%,” said Bogoni. “The most severe defaunation rates were in Central America, the Caatinga biome in Northeast Brazil, and the northern portion of South America.”

"Assemblages have been downsized. A breakdown of the data by assemblage should show animals weighing 14 kilograms in 95% of cases according to the historical average, but now they weigh only 4 kg. In other words, only the smaller animals have survived. Defaunation is not only pervasive but also mainly concerns large-bodied animals, probably owing above all to loss of habitat accentuated by hunting.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecosystem-services">Ecosystem Services</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mammal defaunation is wiping out valuable ecosystem services

Experts at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil...

In an effort to develop effective treatment for loneliness, researchers at the <a href="https://medschool.ucsd.edu/Pages/default.aspx">UC San Diego School of Medicine</a> investigated the factors that cause feelings of isolation different age groups. Some of the most consistent predictors of loneliness were found to be a lack of compassion and empathy, as well as less <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/how-you-use-social-media-affects-your-sense-of-happiness/">social</a> activity.

Loneliness is a widespread public health issue that can have a serious impact on health and well-being. To get a sense of how to prevent or treat loneliness, the team surveyed more than 2,800 people between the ages of 20 and 69. 

An analysis of the data revealed that levels of loneliness were highest in the 20s, peaked again during the mid-40s, and were lowest in the 60s.

"What we found was a range of predictors of loneliness across the lifespan," said study senior author Dr. Dilip V. Jeste.

The research revealed that lower levels of empathy and compassion, smaller social networks, not having a spouse or a partner, and greater sleep disturbances were the most reliable predictors of loneliness across all decades. 

A lack of confidence to deal with various aspects of one's life, or self-efficacy, and higher anxiety were associated with worse loneliness in all age decades, except the 60s.

The study confirmed the findings of previous research that there is a strong inverse association between loneliness and wisdom, particularly involving pro-social behaviors.

"Compassion seems to reduce the level of loneliness at all ages, probably by enabling individuals to accurately perceive and interpret others' emotions along with helpful behavior toward others, and thereby increasing their own social self-efficacy and social networks," said Dr. Jeste.

The survey responses indicate that people in their 20s are under a lot of stress and pressure while trying to find a life partner and become established in a career. 

"A lot of people in this decade are also constantly comparing themselves on social media and are concerned about how many likes and followers they have," said study first author Dr. Tanya Nguyen. "The lower level of self-efficacy may lead to greater loneliness."

In their 40s, individuals are beginning to experience physical challenges and health issues, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

"Individuals may start to lose loved ones close to them and their children are growing up and are becoming more independent. This greatly impacts self-purpose and may cause a shift in self-identity, resulting in increased loneliness," said Dr. Nguyen.

According to Dr. Jeste, the findings are especially relevant during the COVID-19 global pandemic. "We want to understand what strategies may be effective in reducing loneliness during this challenging time. Loneliness is worsened by the physical distancing that is necessary to stop the spread of the pandemic."

Dr. Nguyen concluded that intervention and prevention efforts should consider stage-of-life issues. "There is a need for a personalized and nuanced prioritizing of prevention targets in different groups of people," said Jeste.

The study is published in the <a href="https://ascpp.org/resources/psychiatry-resource/journal-of-clinical-psychiatry/">Journal of Clinical Psychiatry</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Loneliness hits people hardest in their 20s and 40s

In an effort to develop effective treatment for loneliness, researchers...

In a new study from the <a href="https://medicine.wustl.edu/">Washington University School of Medicine</a>, experts have demonstrated that the antidepressant fluvoxamine prevented <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-set-the-stage-for-the-rapid-spread-of-covid-19/">COVID-19</a> infections from becoming severe in some patients and kept them out of the hospital. 

The researchers conducted a trial that was designed to compare fluvoxamine with a placebo in 152 adult outpatients infected with COVID-19. Among the participants who received fluvoxamine, none had deteriorated 15 days later. On the other hand, six individuals who received placebo did experience "clinical deterioration" and were hospitalized for up to three weeks. One of the participants in the control group even ended up on a ventilator for 10 days.

The study authors acknowledge that the study size was small, but say the results are statistically significant and that fluvoxamine warrants further study as a COVID-19 treatment. The team plans to launch a larger trial in the next few weeks.

"The patients who took fluvoxamine did not develop serious breathing difficulties or require hospitalization for problems with lung function," said Dr. Eric J. Lenze. 

"Most investigational treatments for COVID-19 have been aimed at the very sickest patients, but it's also important to find therapies that prevent patients from getting sick enough to require supplemental oxygen or to have to go to the hospital. Our study suggests fluvoxamine may help fill that niche."

Last year, Dr. Alban Gaultier of UVA discovered that fluvoxamine may block deadly inflammation known as sepsis, which sends the immune system into overdrive. The study revealed that the drug can prevent dangerous "cytokine storms" that are thought to occur in severe cases of COVID-19. This prompted the Washington University team to investigate the potential protective effects of fluvoxamine for patients with COVID-19. 

"Because elevated cytokines levels have been associated with COVID-19 severity, testing fluvoxamine in a clinical trial made a lot of sense to us," said Dr. Gaultier. "We are still unclear about the mode of action of fluvoxamine against SARS-CoV-2, but research is under way to find the answer."

The experts noted that recent studies have raised questions about whether cytokines are causing COVID-19 infections to become deadly. If not, fluvoxamine may be having beneficial effects by some other mechanism that is not yet understood, said the researchers.

"There are several ways this drug might work to help COVID-19 patients, but we think it most likely may be interacting with the sigma-1 receptor to reduce the production of inflammatory molecules," explained Dr. Angela M Reiersen. "Past research has demonstrated that fluvoxamine can reduce inflammation in animal models of sepsis, and it may be doing something similar in our patients."

The researchers emphasized that their research had several limitations, which means that the results should not be treated as a measure of fluvoxamine's effectiveness against COVID-19. Even still, the findings are encouraging.

"If a larger clinical trial (phase III) confirms the results, fluvoxamine would be a perfect treatment for COVID patients newly diagnosed," said Dr. Gaultier. "Fluvoxamine is not an experimental drug, it is cheap and safe and could be available as a first line of defense to unburden the hospitals that are overwhelmed by the COVID health crisis."

The study is published in the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/">Journal of the American Medical Association</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The antidepressant fluvoxamine may prevent severe COVID-19 infection

In a new study from the Washington University School of...

Plastic particles have now invaded natural spaces all over the globe, including the most remote regions of Antarctica and some of the deepest parts of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/arctic-rivers-heat-up-the-ocean-and-shrink-sea-ice/">ocean</a>. A new study from <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> describes how these particles move and accumulate in various types of environments worldwide. 

While it is known that microplastics are carried over long distances, the methods of transport have remained somewhat of a mystery. The researchers report that plastic particles get stuck as they travel through porous materials such as soil and sediment, and then break free and continue to travel. 

Professor Sujit Datta said that this is the first time this stop-and-restart process and the conditions that control it have been identified. Prior to this study, experts assumed that when microparticles got stuck, they generally stayed put.

According to the researchers, the microparticles are pushed free when the rate of fluid flowing through the soil, groundwater, or other repository remains persistent. The Princeton team showed that the process of deposition - the formation of clogs and their breakup - runs in cycles. Clogs are broken up by fluid pressure over time and distance, pushing particles further through the pore space until clogs reform.

"Not only did we find these cool dynamics of particles getting stuck, clogged, building up deposits and then getting pushed through, but that process enables particles to get spread out over much larger distances than we would have thought otherwise," said Professor Datta.

Polystyrene is a plastic microparticle that makes up styrofoam, which is often dumped into soils and waterways through shipping materials and fast food containers. 

The researchers pumped fluorescent polystyrene microparticles and fluid through a transparent porous media created in Professor Datta's lab. The transparency allowed them to watch the microparticles move under a microscope. 

"We figured out tricks to make the media transparent. Then, by using fluorescent microparticles, we can watch their dynamics in real time using a microscope," said Professor Datta. "The nice thing is that we can actually see what individual particles are doing under different experimental conditions."

Professor Philippe Coussot said the study authors took a remarkable approach that "opened the black box" to reveal how plastic particles move through natural environments. 

The ultimate goal is to use the findings to improve parameters for larger scale models to predict the amount and location of contamination. The research can inform mathematical models to predict the likelihood of a particle moving over a certain distance and reaching a vulnerable destination, such as a nearby farmland or river. This would help prevent the spread and accumulation of contaminants in food and water sources.

Professor Datta said this experiment is the tip of the iceberg in terms of particles and applications that researchers can now study. "Now that we found something so surprising in a system so simple, we're excited to see what the implications are for more complex systems."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New study reveals how plastic particles travel

Plastic particles have now invaded natural spaces all over the...

Experts at <a href="http://www.emory.edu/home/index.html">Emory University</a> have conducted the first comprehensive review of natural plant compounds that have antibacterial properties. The research will ultimately help in the search for new <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fda-outlines-the-drugs-that-show-potential-for-treating-covid-19/">drugs</a> to fight the growing issue of antibiotic resistance.

Study senior author Professor Cassandra Quave is an associate professor in Emory's Center for the Study of Human Health.

"We hope that chemists and pharmacology researchers will use our review as a guide to dig deeper into the promising potential of many plant compounds," said Professor Quave. "If ever there was a time to cultivate our knowledge and tap into the chemical power of plants, this is it. We're seeing a rise in antimicrobial resistance across the globe. And, at the same time, we're also losing vast amounts of plant biodiversity."

According to the CDC, at least 2.8 million people get antibiotic-resistant infections each year in the United States and more than 35,000 cases are fatal.

The review from the Quave lab identifies 459 plant compounds that have the most powerful effects on antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including those found in the Brazilian peppertree, the American beautyberry, and the European chestnut. For example, triterpenoid acids from the Brazilian peppertree can block the ability of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to produce toxins.

Penicillin was discovered nearly 100 years ago as the world's first naturally occurring antibiotic drug. Since then, scientists have found other soil microbes that can kill drug-resistant pathogens. However, bacteria are now acquiring antibiotic resistance faster than new drugs can be developed.

"One obstacle to plant natural products making it into the new drug pipeline is the complexity of the discovery process," explained Professor Quave. "You have to identify a promising plant candidate, tease through the hundreds of chemicals contained within a particular plant to identify the active compound, and then isolate enough of this compound to do experiments on it. It's not nearly as easy as sequencing a soil microbe and growing up a big vat of it to conduct experiments."

Professor Quave pointed out that the knowledge of traditional plant-based medicines that have been used for centuries can provide valuable clues for where to focus research.

"In recent decades, interest has grown in investigating plants as potential drug candidates. Technologies have improved to more easily access and study bioactive molecules within plants. And more papers are being published that follow standardized procedures for evaluation of antimicrobial activities among plant compounds."

For the investigation, the team reviewed nearly 200 relevant studies published between 2012 and 2019. The 459 compounds that were identified include a diverse range of species, some of which are members of commonly known plant families such as citrus, daisies, beans, and mint. 

The researchers narrowed the results to 183 plant compounds and further examined their overall potential as antibiotics.

"These are all compounds as they appear in nature, not synthesized or derivatized by chemists," said Professor Quave. "We wanted to provide a systematic overview that brings promising drug candidates to the forefront, opening up new chemical space for discovery."

"Our review can serve as a starting point for chemists to consider whether they could possibly optimize any of these compounds to become scaffolds for antibiotics treatments."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/chreay">Chemical Reviews</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plant compounds are key to solving the problem of antibiotic resistance

Experts at Emory University have conducted the first comprehensive review...

Air pollution set the stage for the rapid spread of COVID-19. A new study suggests that air pollution and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/environmental-era-of-pandemics/">pandemics</a> are an extremely dangerous combination, as the harmful health impacts of pollution make people more susceptible to infections. Scientists at the McKelvey School of Engineering at <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University</a> found that higher levels of fine particle pollution (PM2.5) are directly linked to higher rates of the community spread of SARS-CoV-2. 

For many COVID-19 patients, the severity of infection can be traced back to pre-existing health conditions. The study shows how the health of the environment played a critical role in increasing the number of people who were exposed to the virus in the first place. 

The research was conducted in the lab of Professor Rajan Chakrabarty. The team found a correlation between the basic reproduction ratio (R0), which represents the number of people each sick person can infect, and long-term exposure to PM2.5.

Professor Chakrabarty said that the presence of secondary inorganic components in PM2.5 only makes things worse. "We checked for more than 40 confounding factors. There was a strong, linear association between long-term PM2.5 exposure and R0."

In July, a study published in the journal Science found that susceptibility to COVID-19 is a driving factor for the pandemic. Fine particle pollution can enter the lungs and cause damage to respiratory health, which increases an individual's susceptibility to respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.

Another previous study that was published in the Journal of Infection found that the highest number of cases of COVID-19 with severe and prolonged illness were occurring in places with higher pollution levels.

"I was thinking, why, in the majority of the U.S. states, have we had such a rapid spread of the virus?" said Professor Chakrabarty. "We wanted to confine our study to the point in time when the shutdown was in place. For the most part, people did remain confined from early March until the end of April."

The team focused on regions where R0 was greater than one - the point at which one person can spread an illness to more than one person. Using computer models that accounted for air pollution estimates in these areas, the experts discovered that an increase of 0.25 in R0 corresponded with a 10 percent increase in sulfate, nitrogen dioxide, or ammonium. The same boost in R0 also corresponded with a one-millionth of a gram per cubic meter (μg/m3) increase in PM2.5 mass concentrations.

"Annual mean PM2.5 national standards are set at or below 12 micrograms per cubic meter, below that you are supposed to be safe," said Professor Chakrabarty. "What we saw, the correlation we're seeing is well below that standard." In fact, the team found that the link between R0 and PM2.5 when exposure levels were below 6 micrograms per cubic meter.

"Although decades of strict air quality regulations in the U.S. have resulted in significant reductions of nitrogen dioxide levels, recent reversal of environmental regulations which weaken limits on gaseous emissions from power plants and vehicles threaten the country's future air quality scenario," wrote the study authors. Professor Chakrabarty said these reversals could be setting up the United States for future pandemics.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/science-of-the-total-environment">Science of the Total Environment</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution set the stage for the rapid spread of COVID-19

Air pollution set the stage for the rapid spread of...

A new study from <a href="https://www.uofmhealth.org/">Michigan Medicine</a> reveals the health and financial risks that people are facing after COVID-19 hospitalization. The experts report that after being released from treatment, individuals are experiencing complications ranging from mental health issues to rehospitalization and death.

The researchers analyzed records from more than 1,250 patients who had been treated for COVID-19 at 38 Michigan hospitals this past spring and summer. The team interviewed nearly 500 surviving patients by phone, who reported on an array of physical and mental health consequences, as well as financial difficulties.

The study showed that nearly seven percent of patients died within two months of leaving the hospital, and the mortality rate was even higher for patients that had been in the ICU. In addition, 15 percent of the survivors had ended up back in the hospital. 

"These data suggest that the burden of COVID-19 extends far beyond the hospital and far beyond health," said study lead author Dr. Vineet Chopra. "The mental, financial and physical tolls of this disease among survivors appear substantial."

Nearly 40 percent of the patients interviewed said they had not yet resumed their normal activities 60 days after leaving the hospital. Another 23 percent said they became short of breath just climbing a flight of stairs, while a third of the respondents had ongoing COVID-related symptoms.

Among those who had jobs before COVID-19 infection, 40 percent had either not been able to return to work due to health issues or had lost their job. A large portion of the individuals who had returned to work said they had to work fewer hours.

Overall, about half of the COVID-19 survivors were affected emotionally, and many were dealing with a heavy financial burden. Nearly 10 percent of the respondents had used up most or all of their savings.

"The sheer number of people struggling after COVID brings new urgency to developing programs to better promote and support recovery after acute illness," said study senior author Dr. Hallie Prescott.

Although hospital care for COVID-19 patients has improved since the early months of the pandemic, the researchers found that 63 percent of patients who were treated in an ICU had died either during their hospital stay or within two months of returning home. This mortality rate is nearly double that of patients who were not admitted to an intensive care unit. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.acpjournals.org/journal/aim">Annals of Internal Medicine</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Health and financial risks persist after COVID-19 hospitalization

A new study from Michigan Medicine reveals the health and...

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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

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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?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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 rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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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...