Black holes are among the most mysterious objects in the universe. Their immense gravitational pull can warp space and time, yet they remain invisible unless they interact with their surroundings. 



Understanding black holes is crucial to deciphering the history of the cosmos. Scientists know that supermassive black holes sit at the centers of large galaxies, including the Milky Way. 



However, much remains unknown about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evidence-of-massive-early-universe-black-hole-stuns-astronomers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black holes</a> in smaller galaxies.



Using early data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (<a href="https://www.desi.lbl.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DESI</a>), researchers have uncovered an extraordinary population of black holes hiding in dwarf galaxies. 



This discovery includes the largest-ever sample of dwarf galaxies with actively feeding black holes.



The study also presents the most extensive collection of intermediate-mass black hole candidates. These findings push the boundaries of astrophysics and open new avenues for exploring galaxy formation and evolution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-universe">Mapping the Universe</h2>



DESI is one of the most advanced instruments in modern astronomy. It can capture light from 5,000 galaxies at once, allowing scientists to collect vast amounts of data efficiently. 



The instrument operates on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at <a href="https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/kitt-peak-national-observatory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kitt Peak National Observatory</a> in Arizona. 



The project is funded by the Department of Energy (<a href="https://www.energy.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DOE</a>) and the National Science Foundation (<a href="https://www.nsf.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF</a>), with contributions from international partners.



The DESI survey is in its fourth year and aims to observe 40 million galaxies and quasars. This ambitious project involves over 900 scientists from 70 institutions worldwide. 



DESI’s precision and large-scale capabilities make it a crucial tool in identifying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-draco-1es-1927-654-just-awoke-is-spewing-material-at-incredible-speeds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hidden black holes</a> across the universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunting-for-black-holes-in-dwarf-galaxies">Hunting for black holes in dwarf galaxies</h2>



Dwarf galaxies are small, faint, and contain fewer stars than massive galaxies. They are difficult to study because their black holes are not as prominent. 



In large galaxies, astronomers can detect black holes by observing the movement of stars and gas around them. However, dwarf galaxies require a different approach.



One way to find <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-black-hole-unleashes-mysterious-flares/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black holes</a> in these galaxies is by identifying active galactic nuclei (AGN). When a black hole consumes surrounding material, it releases a massive amount of energy, making it easier to detect. 



This energy illuminates the surrounding region, acting as a signal for scientists.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/black-holes_dwarf-galaxies_NoirLabs_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/black-holes_dwarf-galaxies_NoirLabs_1s.webp" alt="This mosaic shows a series of images featuring candidate dwarf galaxies hosting an active galactic nucleus, captured with the Subaru Telescope’s Hyper Suprime-Cam. Credit: Legacy Surveys/D. Lang (Perimeter Institute)/NAOJ/HSC Collaboration/D. de Martin (NSF NOIRLab) &amp; M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)" class="wp-image-1960353"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This mosaic shows a series of images featuring candidate dwarf galaxies hosting an active galactic nucleus, captured with the Subaru Telescope’s Hyper Suprime-Cam. Credit: Legacy Surveys/D. Lang (Perimeter Institute)/NAOJ/HSC Collaboration/D. de Martin (NSF NOIRLab) &amp; M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)</figcaption></figure>



“When a black hole at the center of a galaxy starts feeding, it unleashes a tremendous amount of energy into its surroundings, transforming into what we call an active galactic nucleus,” says Ragadeepika Pucha, a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.utah.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Utah</a>.



The team identified 2,500 dwarf galaxies hosting AGN - the largest sample ever discovered. Previous studies estimated that only 0.5% of dwarf galaxies contained an AGN, but this new research suggests a much higher percentage.



These results indicate that many low-mass black holes have remained undetected until now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mystery-of-intermediate-mass-black-holes">Mystery of intermediate-mass black holes</h2>



Most known black holes are either stellar-mass or supermassive. Stellar-mass black holes form when massive stars collapse. 



Supermassive black holes exist at the centers of large galaxies, weighing millions to billions of times the mass of the Sun. However, intermediate-mass black holes remain elusive.



Scientists believe these mid-sized black holes could be the remnants of the first black holes formed in the early universe. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/black-holes_intermediate-mass_mosaic_NoirLabs_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/black-holes_intermediate-mass_mosaic_NoirLabs_1s.webp" alt="This mosaic shows a series of images featuring intermediate-mass black hole candidates, arranged in increasing order of stellar mass, captured with the Subaru Telescope’s Hyper Suprime-Cam. Credit: Legacy Surveys/D. Lang (Perimeter Institute)/NAOJ/HSC Collaboration/D. de Martin (NSF NOIRLab) &amp; M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)" class="wp-image-1960355"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This mosaic shows a series of images featuring intermediate-mass black hole candidates, arranged in increasing order of stellar mass, captured with the Subaru Telescope’s Hyper Suprime-Cam. Credit: Legacy Surveys/D. Lang (Perimeter Institute)/NAOJ/HSC Collaboration/D. de Martin (NSF NOIRLab) &amp; M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)</figcaption></figure>



They may also be the seeds that eventually grew into supermassive black holes. Despite their importance, only about 100-150 intermediate-mass black hole candidates had been identified before DESI’s survey.



In their search, researchers found 300 new intermediate-mass black hole candidates, the most extensive collection to date. This dataset provides a powerful tool for studying how these black holes form and evolve.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advancements-in-black-hole-detection">Advancements in black hole detection</h2>



Detecting black holes in dwarf galaxies requires high-precision instruments. DESI’s advanced design played a key role in this discovery. 



The instrument uses small optical fibers to capture light from distant galaxies. This allows researchers to focus on the central regions of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/many-supermassive-black-holes-are-hidden-by-gas-and-dust/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> without interference from surrounding starlight.



“The technological design of DESI was important for this project, particularly its small fiber size, which allowed us to better zoom in on the center of galaxies and identify the subtle signatures of active black holes,” said Stephanie Juneau, associate astronomer at NSF <a href="https://noirlab.edu/public/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOIRLab</a>.



Previous instruments had larger optical fibers that collected too much light from the outskirts of galaxies. This extra light diluted the signals scientists were searching for. 



DESI’s small fibers provided a clearer view of black hole activity in dwarf galaxies, leading to a higher detection rate than previous surveys.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-findings-and-new-questions">Unexpected findings and new questions</h2>



Scientists expected most black holes in dwarf galaxies to be intermediate-mass. However, the study revealed an unexpected result. 



Of the 2,500 dwarf AGN candidates, only 70 overlapped with the 300 intermediate-mass black hole candidates.



This suggests that many of the detected black holes in dwarf galaxies may be more massive than previously thought.



The findings raise new questions about how black holes form and evolve in different types of galaxies. Do different black hole formation processes occur in dwarf and large galaxies? Are some intermediate-mass black holes growing more rapidly than expected?



“For example, is there any relationship between the mechanisms of black hole formation and the types of galaxies they inhabit?” Pucha said. 



“Our wealth of new candidates will help us delve deeper into these mysteries, enriching our understanding of black holes and their pivotal role in galaxy evolution.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-black-hole-research">Future of black hole research</h2>



DESI’s discoveries mark a turning point in the study of black holes. The new dataset will help scientists explore the early stages of black hole growth and their impact on galaxy evolution. As the DESI survey continues, researchers expect to uncover even more hidden black holes.



By studying these newly identified black holes, scientists hope to answer fundamental questions about the structure and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-holes-seen-creating-their-own-food-gases-x-rays-fascinating-discovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">history of the universe</a>. 



Future research will focus on confirming the nature of these candidates and examining how they interact with their host galaxies.



Black holes remain one of the greatest mysteries of astrophysics. Thanks to DESI, scientists now have a powerful tool to uncover their secrets, bringing us closer to understanding the forces that shape the cosmos.



The study is published in The Astrophysical Journal and <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.00091" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arXiv</a>.



Image Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva/M. Zamani



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Thousands of active black holes discovered where it was believed they couldn't exist

Black holes are among the most mysterious objects in the universe. Their immense gravitational pull can warp space and time, yet they remain invisible unless they interact with their surroundings. Understanding black holes is crucial to deciphering the history of the cosmos. Scientists know that supermassive black holes sit at the centers of large galaxies, including the Milky Way. However, much remains unknown about black holes in smaller galaxies. Using early data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), researchers have uncovered an extraordinary population of black...

According to a new report by the <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/">Australian Institute of Marine Science</a> (AIMS), the northern and central regions of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-barrier-reef-changes/">Great Barrier Reef</a> have recorded their highest amount of coral cover since the scientists began monitoring the reef 36 years ago. While these findings suggest that the reef can efficiently recover during periods free of intense disturbances, the loss of cover in its southern regions show how dynamic and often unpredictable coral reefs are.&nbsp;



In the 87 representative reefs surveyed from August 2021 to May 2022, the average hard coral cover in the region north of Cooktown increased to 36 percent (from 27 percent in 2021), and to 33 percent in its central region (from 26 percent in 2021). However, the coral cover in the reef’s southern regions decreased from 38 percent in 2021 to 34 percent.



“A third of the gain in coral cover we recorded in the south in 2020/21 was lost last year due to ongoing crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks,” said Paul Hardisty, the CEO of AIMS. “This shows how vulnerable the Reef is to the continued acute and severe disturbances that are occurring more often and are longer-lasting.”



The increased frequency of mass coral bleaching events – with this year’s event the fourth in only seven years and the first to occur during La Niña – highlights the vulnerability of these crucial ecosystems to stressors such as temperature rises, tropical cyclones, and other climatic factors.



“These corals are particularly vulnerable to wave damage, like that generated by strong winds and tropical cyclones,” said Mike Emslie, the AIMS monitoring program team leader. “They are also highly susceptible to coral bleaching, when water temperatures reach elevated levels, and are the preferred prey for crown-of-thorns starfish. This means that large increases in hard coral cover can quickly be negated by disturbances on reefs where&nbsp;Acropora&nbsp;corals predominate.”



“The increasing frequency of warming ocean temperatures and the extent of mass bleaching events highlights the critical threat climate change poses to all reefs, particularly while crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and tropical cyclones are also occurring. Future disturbance can reverse the observed recovery in a short amount of time,” he concluded.



The Annual Summary Report of Coral Reef Condition 2021/22 can be found <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/monitoring-great-barrier-reef/gbr-condition-summary-2021-22">here</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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Parts of the Great Barrier Reef are currently recovering

According to a new report by the Australian Institute of...

Scientists have long known that prolonged <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/showing-signs-of-stress-could-make-you-more-likeable/">stress</a> can have negative effects on the body, including premature aging, early mortality, chronic disease, depression, and overall poor quality of life. Moreover, stress can also affect the hair, by releasing hormones that change hair pigmentation, turning it gray or white, or cause hair loss. Now, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://english.hi.is/university_of_iceland">University of Iceland</a> and the <a href="https://www.insp.mx/insp-overview.html">National Institute of Public Health of Mexico</a> has found that stress levels are also reflected in how much of the hormone cortisol is stored in hair.



The scientists analyzed hair samples from over 1,200 women from Iceland and Mexico and asked them to fill in a psychological questionnaire measuring their stress perception. The analysis revealed a linear relationship between the women’s perceived stress and the cortisol levels in their hair: the higher they scored on the stress scale, the more cortisol they had in their hair, with one additional point on the scale corresponding on average to a 1.4 percent increase in hair cortisol levels. Women who scored the highest tended to be less likely to be employed, married, or have a graduate degree, and more likely to be obese and smokers, suggesting that these lifestyle and environmental pressures can play a significant role in fostering stress.



“Despite relatively small absolute differences, an association between perceived stress and hair cortisol concentration was found in a sample of women from two diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds supporting the hypothesis that hair cortisol concentration is a viable biomarker in studies of chronic psychological stress,” the study authors wrote.



Although the researchers observed small distinctions between the two groups of women living on two different continents and most likely experiencing different stressors, the similarities were stronger, suggesting that stress levels are indeed correlated with hair cortisol concentrations. However, since only women were involved in the study, further research is needed to determine how gender differences play into the stress-cortisol axis. Moreover, long-term studies investigating how cortisol in the hair changes over time as stress waxes and wanes are also crucial for clarifying the health impact of chronic stress.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0000571">PLoS Global Public Health</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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Stress is reflected in hair cortisol levels

Scientists have long known that prolonged stress can have negative...

Social isolation and loneliness are two different constructs. A person can be socially isolated but not feel lonely or, conversely, can feel lonely despite not being socially isolated. Both social isolation (the objective state of having few or infrequent social contacts), and loneliness (perceived isolation that causes stress) are associated with adverse <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-foods-are-healthier-than-animal-products/">health</a> outcomes.&nbsp;



In a new review article, a scientific committee writing on behalf of the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association</a> has summarized the observational and intervention research that examines the impact of social isolation and loneliness on cardiovascular and brain health. The experts conducted a systematic review of recent research available on four databases, namely PubMed, PsycInfo, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health, and Scopus.&nbsp;



Dr. Crystal Wiley Cené is the chair of the writing group for the scientific statement, and professor of clinical medicine and chief administrative officer for health equity, diversity and inclusion at the University of California San Diego Health.



“Over four decades of research has clearly demonstrated that social isolation and loneliness are both associated with adverse health outcomes,” said Dr. Cené. “Given the prevalence of social disconnectedness across the U.S., the public health impact is quite significant.”



The experts found that social isolation and loneliness are associated with an increase of about 30 percent in the risk of <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack">heart attack</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stroke.org/en/">stroke</a>, or of death from either cause.&nbsp;They state that social isolation becomes more of a problem with age, because of factors such as retiring or losing a life partner. It is estimated that nearly one quarter of U.S. adults aged 65 and older are socially isolated, and the prevalence of loneliness is even higher, with estimates of between 22 percent and 47 percent.



Even though older people are more likely to experience social isolation and loneliness, this does not mean that young people are immune. A survey from Harvard University’s Making Caring Common project describes “Gen Z” (adults currently ages 18-22) as the loneliest generation.&nbsp;



Increased isolation and loneliness among younger adults may be attributed to higher social media use and less engagement in meaningful, in-person activities. COVID-19 has probably also played a role in making younger people feel more disconnected from society, and has also disproportionately affected older adults, women and low-income individuals.



The writing group that reviewed research on social isolation published up until July 2021 found the following:



<ul><li>Social isolation and loneliness are common, yet under-recognized determinants of cardiovascular and brain health.</li><li>Lack of social connection is associated with increased risk of premature death from all causes, especially among men.</li><li>Isolation and loneliness are associated with elevated inflammatory markers, and individuals who were less socially connected were more likely to experience physiological symptoms of chronic stress.</li><li>In assessing risk factors for social isolation, the relationship between social isolation and its risk factors goes both ways: depression may lead to social isolation, and social isolation may increase the likelihood of experiencing depression.</li><li>Social isolation during childhood is associated with increased cardiovascular risk factors in adulthood, such as obesity, high blood pressure and increased blood glucose levels.</li></ul>



“There is strong evidence linking social isolation and loneliness with increased risk of worse heart and brain health in general; however, the data on the association with certain outcomes, such as heart failure, dementia and cognitive impairment is sparse,” said Dr. Cené.



The evidence is most consistent for a link between social isolation and loneliness, and death from heart disease and stroke, with a 29 percent increase in the risk of heart attack and/or heart disease death, and a 32 percent increased risk of stroke and stroke death. “Social isolation and loneliness are also associated with worse prognosis in individuals who already have coronary heart disease or stroke,” noted Dr. Cené.



The researchers found that people with heart disease, who were socially isolated, had a two- to three-fold increase in risk of death during a six-year follow-up study. Socially isolated adults with three or fewer social contacts per month may have as much as a 40 percent increased risk of recurrent stroke or heart attack. In addition, the chance of surviving for at least five years after heart failure was lower (60 percent) in people who were socially isolated, and for those who were both socially isolated and clinically depressed (62 percent). This was in comparison with five-year survival rates in those who have more social contracts and are not depressed (79 percent).



Social isolation and loneliness are also associated with other behaviors that negatively impact cardiovascular and brain health, such as lower levels of self-reported physical activity, eating less fruit and vegetables, and spending more time sitting. In addition, many large studies found significant associations between loneliness and a higher likelihood of smoking.



“There is an urgent need to develop, implement and evaluate programs and strategies to reduce the negative effects of social isolation and loneliness on cardiovascular and brain health, particularly for at-risk populations,” said Dr. Cené. “Clinicians should ask patients about the frequency of their social activity and whether they are satisfied with their level of interactions with friends and family. They should then be prepared to refer people who are socially isolated or lonely – especially those with a history of heart disease or stroke – to community resources to help them connect with others.”



The current review highlights research aimed at reducing social isolation and loneliness among older adults. These studies found that fitness programs and recreational activities at senior centers, as well as interventions addressing negative thoughts of self-worth and other negative thinking, have shown promise in reducing isolation and loneliness.



The review did not identify any research that tested possible interventions to mitigate the adverse impacts of social isolation or loneliness on cardiovascular or brain health specifically.



&nbsp;“It is unclear whether actually being isolated (social isolation) or feeling isolated (loneliness) matters most for cardiovascular and brain health because only a few studies have examined both in the same sample,” said Dr. Cené. “More research is needed to examine the associations among social isolation, loneliness, coronary heart disease, stroke, dementia and cognitive impairment, and to better understand the mechanisms by which social isolation and loneliness influence cardiovascular and brain health outcomes.”



The findings are published in the form of a scientific statement in the <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/jaha">Journal of the American Heart Association</a>, an open access, peer-reviewed journal.



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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

Loneliness is an underestimated threat to heart health

Social isolation and loneliness are two different constructs. A person...

A new study suggests that the link between bats and coronaviruses is likely due to a long-shared history. This genetic information can help us prevent and manage future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-covid-19-pandemic-has-changed-our-perception-of-time/">pandemics</a>.



"We found that bats have been under unusual pressure from coronaviruses compared to other mammals, supporting the idea that bats are rich sources of coronaviruses and may yield insights for future prevention or treatment," said Dr. Hannah Frank, a bat expert at <a href="https://tulane.edu/">Tulane University</a>.



"Pandemics originating from animals highlight the need to understand how natural hosts have evolved in response to emerging human pathogens and which groups may be susceptible to infection and/or potential reservoirs to mitigate public health and conservation concerns," said Dr. Frank.



The team investigated an enzyme called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, or ACE2. This is the host protein that serves as a receptor for the viruses that cause COVID-19 and SARS. Using the largest bat and mammal dataset to date, the experts also studied dipeptidyl-peptidase 4, DPP4 or CD26, which acts as a receptor for MERS-CoV, the virus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.



Both genes are under stronger selection pressure in bats than other mammals, and in residues that contact viruses. Mammal groups vary in their similarity to humans in residues that contact these viruses. They also have an increased similarity to humans in binding residues susceptible to SARS-CoV-2.&nbsp;



The study further supports our understanding of the relationship between coronaviruses and mammals, especially bats. "It also highlights broad patterns in susceptibility that may prove useful for managing this and future pandemics," said Dr. Frank.



The team stresses that this should not lead to a fear of bats, as they play an important role in our ecosystem such as pest control, pollinating plants and spreading seeds. The U.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Department estimates that bats eat enough insects to save more than $3 billion annually in crop damage and pesticide costs in the United States.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

What can bats teach us about future pandemics?

A new study suggests that the link between bats and...

Having a sense of control over our lives has been shown to influence how well we feel, how healthy we are, and how successful we are at mastering challenges in our lives. Some people have high internal control beliefs and feel they can influence their environment and their future by their own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pandemic-restrictions-had-a-lasting-effect-on-behavior-patterns/">behavior</a>. Others, with high external control beliefs, perceive that things happen to them as a result of external factors, such as powerful others, chance and fate.&nbsp;



Being involved in a romantic relationship can have a powerful influence on a person’s perception of control, often being linked to improvement in subjective well-being. Although previous research has investigated the links between perceived control and satisfaction with a romantic relationship, little is known about how a person’s perceived control changes due to the loss of such a relationship.&nbsp;



New research by Eva Asselmann of the Health and Medical University in Potsdam, Germany, and Jule Specht of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin has now investigated the changes in perceived control that people experience after going through a separation, a divorce or the death of a partner. The findings are published in the open-access journal&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.



For their study, the researchers used data from the Socio-economic Panel Study (SOEP), a nationally representative household panel study conducted in Germany. This study commenced in 1984 and is ongoing to this day. Specifically, they used yearly questionnaire results from 1994, 1995, and 1996 to evaluate changes in perceived control for 1,235 people who experienced separation from their partner, 423 who got divorced, and 437 whose partners passed away.



Statistical analysis of the questionnaire results suggests that, overall, people who went through a separation experienced a decrease in perceived control in the first year after separation, but this was followed by a gradual increase in the subsequent years. Interestingly, the authors report that individuals who separated from a partner had higher external control beliefs in the first year of being separated, but their internal control beliefs (sense that they could control the outcomes of their own lives) increased in the following years.&nbsp;



After separation, women were more likely than men to have a decreased sense of control, and younger people experienced less of a decrease in their perceived control than did older people who became separated from their partners.&nbsp;



The findings were different in the case of people whose partners had passed away. In general, people whose partners passed away had an overall increase in perceived control during the first year following the loss. Thereafter, perceived control continued to increase, when compared with levels before the loss was experienced. The authors suggest that after losing a partner, many people may realize that they are able to cope with life on their own and this would lead to a new sense of autonomy and independence.&nbsp;



There was again an age effect in changes to perceived control after experiencing the death of a partner, with younger people reporting more detrimental effects on their sense of control than older people did.&nbsp;



The analysis found no links between getting divorced and a person’s perceived sense of control. Getting divorced was thus considered to be unrelated to changes in perceived control in the years surrounding the event.&nbsp;



The researchers acknowledge that there are some limitations to their study, not least of which is the fact that perceived control was assessed in the questionnaires with a scale that made use of only eight items. More comprehensive data on this aspect in future studies would be an improvement. The researchers also call for future investigations to track people who have not yet experienced relationship loss and then to evaluate changes in perceived control when loss occurs. They also call for research into the mechanisms that underlie post-loss changes in perceived control.



“Our findings suggest that people sometimes grow from stressful experiences – at least regarding specific personality characteristics. In the years after losing a romantic partner, participants in our study became increasingly convinced in their ability to influence their life and future by their own behavior," explained the study authors. "Their experience enabled them to deal with adversity and manage their life independently, which allowed them to grow.”



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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

Relationship loss can lead to renewed sense of control

Having a sense of control over our lives has been...

Ants play a major role in the functioning of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-can-earths-ecosystems-adapt-to-climate-change/">ecosystems</a> as hunters, farmers, harvesters, and carpenters. There are more than 14,000 species of ants, and they make up a large fraction of animal biomass in most terrestrial ecosystems.&nbsp;



Despite their importance, a global view of any diversity has been lacking. Now, by combining existing knowledge with machine learning, researchers at the <a href="https://www.oist.jp/">Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology</a> have developed the first high-resolution map that estimates the global diversity of ants. "This study helps to add ants, and terrestrial invertebrates in general, to the discussion on biodiversity conservation,” said Professor Evan Economo. “We need to know the locations of high diversity centers of invertebrates so that we know the areas that can be the focus of future These findings will also help to answer a number of biological and evolutionary questions, such as how life diversified and how patterns in diversity arose.



The decade-long project began with the creation of a database of different ant species. Researchers around the world contributed and more than 14,000 species were considered - which varied dramatically in the amount of data available.



To find precise coordinates needed for mapping, study co-author Kenneth Dudley from OIST’s Environmental Informatics Section built a computational workflow to estimate the coordinates from the available data.



Then, different range estimates were made for each species of ant depending on how much data was available. Estimates were combined to form a global map of species richness, and another for species rarity.&nbsp;



“Some areas of the world that we expected to be centers of diversity were not showing up on our map, but ants in these regions were not well-studied,” explained Dr. Kass. “Other areas were extremely well-sampled, for example parts of the USA and Europe, and this difference in sampling can impact our estimates of global diversity.”



Machine learning was used to predict how their diversity would change if they sampled all areas around the world equally. “This gives us a kind of ‘treasure map,' which can guide us to where we should explore next and look for new species with restricted ranges," said Professor Economo.



Okinawa, Japan was identified as a center for rarity, as many species have very small ranges, around 1000 times smaller than species spread across North America and Europe. Places like Okinawa are critical to conserve biodiversity.



It is necessary to recognize that ant biodiversity patterns have unique features. For example, the Mediterranean and East Asia show up as diversity centers for ants more than the vertebrates.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Finally, the researchers looked at how well-protected these areas of high ant diversity are. It was a low percentage - only 15 percent of the top 10 percent of ant rarity centers had some sort of legal protection, such as a national park or reserve, which is less than existing protection for vertebrates. This demonstrates there is more work to do to protect these critical areas, concluded the researchers.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

"Treasure map" will help experts find new ant species

Ants play a major role in the functioning of ecosystems...

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in young people in Australia, affecting up to 31.5 percent of the population between 16 and 24 years of age. This is double the rate of prevalence in the general population. Characterized by feelings of extreme worry and concern that are not necessarily related to any specific cause, anxiety can have severe manifestations that interfere with a person’s ability to function effectively.



Treatments used to decrease the severity of symptoms in young people suffering from anxiety include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which is an antidepressant drug. Unfortunately, these approaches only work for about 50 percent of young people, and the rest continue to suffer the debilitating symptoms of their anxiety disorder.&nbsp;



It is this situation that led <a href="https://www.orygen.org.au/">Orygen</a>, Australia's&nbsp;first and only youth mental health policy think tank, to undertake a pilot study on the use of cannabidiol (CBD) to treat anxiety in treatment-resistant young people. The Cannabidiol Youth Anxiety Pilot Study (CAPS) was a 12-week open-label trial initiated by Orygen with the aim to test the feasibility, safety, tolerability and therapeutic effects of cannabidiol in reducing anxiety severity in young people.



“We’re seeing more and more young people experiencing anxiety – it’s the fastest growing form of mental ill-health in young people and we urgently need innovation in treatment. Cannabidiol is a promising treatment option which appears safe and effective. We need further research to confirm this and explore its value,” said Professor McGorry, study co-investigator and Orygen Executive Director.



Cannabidiol is a non-intoxicating component of the&nbsp;Cannabis sativa&nbsp;plant. This means it is not mind-altering and will not make a person “high." It is also not addictive and does not induce any significant negative side effects or lead to the emergence of any neurological or psychiatric manifestations. Previous research has already found CBD to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety in adults.&nbsp;



In Australia, cannabidiol has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration as a treatment for children with rare forms of epilepsy (Dravet syndrome and Lennox Gastaut syndrome). It has also been approved for clinical trials as a treatment for children in Australia with Tourette Syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability.



“Cannabidiol is non-intoxicating and doesn’t contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) so it doesn’t cause alterations in thinking and perception, it doesn’t make you ‘high’ and it’s not addictive. In fact, cannabidiol has been used to treat addictive behaviors in other research trials and can reduce some of the adverse and intoxicating effects of THC,” said Orygen’s Professor Paul Amminger, who led the study.



Thirty young people took part in the trial. They were all clients of Orygen’s primary care services, and were aged between 12 and 25 years. All the participants had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and had failed to show significant improvement in their symptoms after five cognitive behavioral therapy sessions. They began the trial by taking a 200mg capsule of cannabidiol each day, and increased this to 400mg after one week. Those who did not show improvement at this dosage had their dosage increased in 200mg increments until they received 800mg per day.



Participants had to fill in a questionnaire about the severity of their symptoms, such as panic attacks, situational anxieties, worries and flashbacks. This questionnaire provided a self-rated scale (the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale) that quantified the anxiety symptoms they experienced. In addition, a clinician completed a Hamilton Anxiety Rating for each participant.



The results of the pilot study, published in the <a href="https://www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/">Journal of Clinical Psychiatry</a>, showed that after 12 weeks, young people with treatment-resistant anxiety had an average of 42 percent reduction in the severity of their symptoms. This result was evident using data from both the clinician’s rating assessment and the participant’s own self-assessment.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The young people had fewer panic attacks and could do things which they were previously unable to do like leave the house, go to school, participate in social situations, eat at restaurants, take public transport or attend appointments by themselves,” Professor Amminger said. “That's an amazing change in the group which has had treatment-resistant, long-standing severe to very severe anxiety."



Professor Patrick McGorry said the findings held promise for a significant number of young people, with Australian Bureau of Statistics&nbsp;<a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/mental-health/national-study-mental-health-and-wellbeing/latest-release">data released recently showing </a>that anxiety was the most common form of mental ill-health in young people in the country.&nbsp;



“Our pilot study found that cannabidiol not only helped to reduce anxiety symptoms but it was also very well tolerated&nbsp;–&nbsp;the most common side-effects were mild sedation and mild fatigue but that was at the time when doses were increased, and usually went away after a couple of days,” said Professor Amminger. “We did not see side-effects like suicidal thoughts, irritability or sleep problems, which are not uncommon in people taking SSRIs.”



Although the findings are promising, further research is required.



“An open-label pilot study is limited by its design,” Professor Amminger explained. “To see a treatment effect in the treatment-resistant group is encouraging, but it could still be a placebo effect. The next step is a randomized controlled trial, which is the gold standard to test a new intervention. Such a trial needs to be done in a much larger group – around 200 to 250 young people – to enable us to say with some certainty that there is, or is not, a real treatment benefit and effects.”



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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

Cannabidiol is effective for treating anxiety in young people

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in young...

Researchers discovered that "super eruptions" occur when accumulations of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-explosive-magmas-hidden-under-tame-volcanoes/">magma</a> deep in the Earth’s crust - which formed over millions of years - move rapidly to the surface disrupting pre-existing rock. The magma that supplies super eruptions takes place over a prolonged period of time.&nbsp;



Plutons are rock made from solidified magma that were formed a few million years before four known super eruptions. The disruption of these plutons by newly emplaced magmas occurred extraordinarily rapidly, disrupting the crust and then erupting in just a few decades.&nbsp;



These findings, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>, explain these differences in time ranges for magma generation and eruption by flow of hot but solid crust in response to ascent of the magma, accounting for the infrequency of these eruptions and their huge volumes.



"The longevity of plutonic and related volcanic systems contrasts with short timescales to assemble shallow magma chambers prior to large-magnitude eruptions of molten rock," explained Professor Steve Sparks of Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences.



"Crystals formed from earlier magma pulses, entrained within erupting magmas are stored at temperatures near or below the solidus for long periods prior to eruption and commonly have very short residence in host magmas for just decades or less.”



Previous studies have shown that magma chambers for super eruptions form very rapidly, but there was no convincing explanation for this rapid process.&nbsp;



“By studying of the age and character of the tiny crystals erupted with molten rock, we can help understand how such eruptions happen," said Professor Sparks.&nbsp;



“The research provides an advance in understanding the geological circumstances that enable super eruptions to take place. This will help identify volcanoes that have potential for future super eruptions.”



Bristol scientists estimate that only one type of super eruption occurs on Earth every 20,000 years. These rare events are, however, highly destructive locally and can lead to global and severe climate change that would have catastrophic consequences.



The research was supported by the Mining company BHP and by NERC.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Volcanic super eruptions build up for millions of years

Researchers discovered that "super eruptions" occur when accumulations of magma...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/video/lobster-shells-have-inspired-stronger-concrete/">Concrete</a> is the second most used material on Earth, after water. It has a crucial role in critical infrastructure, such as buildings, bridges, and roads. However, cement production is carbon intensive, requiring the use of fossil fuels to reach the required high temperatures of 1500°C. Moreover, the limestone used in its production is also a source of carbon dioxide during its decomposition. Scientists estimate that global cement production comprises approximately 15 percent of industrial energy consumption and five percent of global greenhouse emissions.



Now, a research team led by the <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> (WSU) has found that putting nanoparticles from shrimp shells into cement paste made the material significantly stronger. This innovation could help reduce seafood waste - which generates between six and eight million pounds of waste annually worldwide – and lower carbon dioxide emissions from concrete production.



The researchers created nanocrystals and nanofibers of chitin – the second most abundant biopolymer – from waste shrimp shells. When these nanoparticles were added to cement paste, the resulting material was 40 percent stronger than usual and had a better consistency, durability, and setting time. “Those are very significant numbers,” said study co-author Michael Wolcott, an expert in composite materials at WSU. “If you can reduce the amount that you use and get the same mechanical function or structural function and double its lifetime, then you’re able to significantly reduce the carbon emissions of the built environment.”



“The concrete industry is under pressure to reduce its carbon emissions from the production of cement,” added study lead author Somayeh Nassiri, an associate professor of Civil Engineering at the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>. “By developing these novel admixtures that enhance the strength of concrete, we can help reduce the amount of required cement and lower the carbon emissions of concrete.”



The scientists are now hoping to scale up the work in order to begin producing the additive at larger scales, in an effort to reduce concrete’s carbon footprint while solving the problem of seafood waste. “In the current world, dealing with climate change through the circular economy, we want to use waste materials as much as possible. One person’s waste is another person’s treasure,” concluded co-author Hui Li, an assistant professor of Composite Materials at WSU.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2022.104623">Cement and Concrete Composites</a>.&nbsp;



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

Scientists improve cement with shrimp shell nanoparticles

Concrete is the second most used material on Earth, after...

Weddell seal moms transfer a large amount of iron to their pups during lactation. As a result, the mothers have to limit their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ducks-balance-water-pressure-while-diving/">diving</a> and underwater foraging capabilities, according to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-31863-7">Nature Communications</a>.



“Offload of large amounts of iron hinders female Weddell seals’ ability to maintain their own endogenous heme [hemoglobin and myoglobin] stores, and post-partum females have shorter dive durations following weaning than skip-breeders [non breeding seals],” wrote the researchers. “High iron demand during lactation ultimately impacts dive capacity as a cost of reproduction in marine mammals.”



Study lead author Michelle Shero is an assistant scientist at <a href="https://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a>'s (WHOI) Biology Department. She explained that seals have much greater iron loads than terrestrial mammals because the seals need those proteins to carry oxygen in their bodies.



“That [iron] basically acts as a sort of internal scuba tank for those animals that allows them to dive for so long,” said Shero. “The females are essentially transferring their dive capacities to the pups when they nurse, through this transfer of iron. No one has looked at that before.”



One might expect a mother who recently weaned her young to suffer due to her low iron and inability to dive deep. However, the seals use their knowledge of the ecosystem to thrive.&nbsp;



“The fact that post-partum females gained mass during the late-summer period despite their shorter dive durations indicates that they were not too adversely impacted by reduced post-weaning dive capacity," wrote the researchers.



“It’s pretty striking that the females wean their pups during this time when there is a lot more productivity around, and when that productivity seems to be shallower in the water column," explained study co-author Jennifer Burns.



“The female seals’ dive capacities are limited, but they may not need to work as hard to still catch prey. Similarly, even though their pups have lower dive capacity than their mothers, being weaned during a period of high productivity may help their foraging, too. However, if the timing of the pulse in productivity changed, the seals would likely not be able to forage as successfully.”



“In the long-run, if the environment changes such that the seals have to start catching fish species with low iron, that is going to influence the seals’ iron physiology, how much they can store in their bodies for these long dives, and how much they can provide to their pups," said Shero.



The experts hope this information will spur more research into iron physiology and its essential role in the lives of pup rearing. Moreover, they expect it will encourage more studies into the conservation of fish species that these amazing seals and pups need to survive.&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

Weddell seals sacrifice diving energy to give iron to their pups

Weddell seal moms transfer a large amount of iron to...

A study published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsbl">Biology Letters</a> has shed some light on the predatory mechanisms of the Slender Pitcher Plant, Nepenthes gracilis. This plant is native to the lush jungles of Borneo. The leaves of pitcher plants have a beautiful but deadly design; they are shaped like a cup with a hanging lid. When rain hits the lid, it closes, trapping any hapless <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-have-inherited-hundreds-of-genes-from-microbes/">insects</a> on the underside and flicking them into the pitcher, where the digestive juices consume them.&nbsp;



The Slender Pitcher Plant is the only known plant to use an external energy source (rain) to execute such a fast movement without having to sustain any energy costs itself. Until now, botanists were not sure how the lid works. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> were surprised to discover that the spring is located at the back of the tubular pitcher wall, rather than in the lid itself.



"If you look at the pitcher shape you would assume that the deformation happens at the smallest cross section, which is the transition point from lid to pitcher tube, but in fact it also deforms further down at the back of the pitcher tube," explained study lead author Anne-Kristin Lenz.



There are two advantages to this location. First, it makes the spring direction-dependent. This means that when rain falls on the lid, it can quickly close and spring insects into the trap below. However, as the lid moves up, there is more resistance, meaning the trap is ready to claim its next victim.



Secondly, the off-center position of the spring prevents the lid from twisting or tilting, making it more stable and ensuring more energy can be devoted to the critical closing action. Lenz believes this design could inspire alternative energy engineers.



"Pitcher plant traps are lightweight, but sturdy. Nepenthes gracilis uses small changes in the trap shape to transmit impact energy with astounding efficiency," said Lenz.



"We can learn from these plants how to optimize structures geometrically, which could help to save material and weight, while still having a functional spring. The springboard trapping mechanism might even provide inspiration for designing new mechanical devices for harvesting energy from rain or hail."



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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

Pitcher plants harness rain energy to capture insects

A study published in the journal Biology Letters has shed...

A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> has recently found in New Mexico a three-foot-tall pile of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-mammoths-survived-longer-than-initially-thought/">mammoth</a> bones dating back to 36,250 - 38,900&nbsp;years ago, together with evidence that the animals were butchered by early humans. This discovery suggests that humans settled in North America 17,000 years earlier than previously thought.



Scientists have long debated when humans first arrived to North America. While the Clovis culture, which dates back to 16,000 years ago, left behind elaborate stone tools, at older sites where such tools are absent it is more difficult to find conclusive evidence about the possibility of human activities.



Although the site where the mammoth bones were discovered lacks clearly associated stone tools, the researchers discovered an array of supporting evidence. For instance, CT scans revealed bone flakes with microscopic fracture networks similar to those in freshly knapped cow bones, as well as a series of well-placed puncture wounds that would have helped in draining grease from the ribs and vertebral bones. “There really are only a couple efficient ways to skin a cat, so to speak. The butchering patterns are quite characteristic,” reported study lead author Timothy Rowe, a paleontologist at the University of Texas at Austin.



Moreover, chemical analyses of the sediment surrounding the fossils showed evidence of fire particles that came from sustained and controlled fires, rather than lightning strikes or wildfires. The sediment also contained pulverized bone and burned remains of small animals, such as fish, birds, rodents, and lizards.



These findings lend support to previous theories based on genetic evidence from Indigenous populations in South and Central America, which argued that North America had at least two founding human populations – the Clovis and a pre-Clovis society with a different genetic lineage.&nbsp;



According to Professor Rowe, these ancient humans most likely came to the Americas from Asia. However, whether they took a coastal or overland route remains an open question. Further research is needed to clarify the migration and settlement patterns of these early human populations, as well as their behavioral, cognitive, and cultural characteristics.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.903795/full#S12">Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution</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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Humans settled in North America much earlier than previously thought

A team of researchers led by the University of Texas...

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

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