Aging is a natural process, but many seek ways to delay its effects. The desire to maintain health and vitality has led researchers to explore different interventions. 



Some studies suggest that reducing calorie intake can slow aging in humans. Others indicate that omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D may influence biological aging in animals.



However, until recently, it was unclear whether these approaches would have the same <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/muscles-defy-aging-with-remarkable-resilience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impact on humans</a>.



A team of researchers set out to investigate whether these simple, accessible measures could influence aging at a biological level. The findings suggest that certain lifestyle changes might hold the key to slowing down the body’s natural decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-omega-3-and-aging-in-older-adults">Omega-3 and aging in older adults</h2>



One of the most extensive studies on aging is the DO-HEALTH trial led by Heike Bischoff-Ferrari at the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Zurich</a>. The team explored whether vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and regular exercise could impact aging in humans.



Previous research had already demonstrated that these three factors contribute to better health by reducing infections, preventing falls, and lowering cancer risks.



“These results inspired us to measure the direct influence of these three therapies on the biological aging process in the Swiss DO-HEALTH participants,” said Bischoff-Ferrari.



The research team aimed to determine whether these benefits extended beyond general health and actually slowed down the biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-the-cellular-mortality-timer-that-dictates-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">markers of aging</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-aging-study">Focus of the aging study</h2>



The trial included 2,157 participants who were randomly divided into eight groups. Each group followed a different combination of vitamin D, omega-3s, exercise, or a placebo to assess aging.



Some received all three interventions, while others took only one or two. The experts monitored participants over three years, conducting follow-up phone calls every three months and in-depth health assessments at yearly intervals.



The DO-HEALTH cohort is the largest European study of healthy adults over 70. Funded by the EU’s Seventh Framework Program for Research, it represents a significant effort to understand how simple interventions can improve <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-aging-discovered-in-plant-leaves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging outcomes</a>.



The Swiss National Science Foundation provided additional support for epigenetic measurements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biological-vs-chronological-aging">Biological vs. chronological aging</h2>



Aging can be measured in different ways. Chronological age is simply the number of years a person has lived, while biological age reflects the body's actual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-begin-breaking-down-very-precise-age/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">condition</a>. 



Some people age faster due to genetic factors, lifestyle choices, or environmental influences. Others remain biologically younger than their chronological years suggest.



To measure biological aging, scientists use a tool called an epigenetic clock. This method tracks DNA modifications, specifically methylation, which can indicate how quickly a body is aging. 



The DO-HEALTH study applied this technique to analyze whether certain interventions influenced biological aging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-epigenetic-clocks">Role of epigenetic clocks </h2>



The research team collaborated with Steve Horvath, a senior researcher at Altos Labs Cambridge. Horvath is a pioneer in the development of epigenetic clocks, which have become an essential tool for measuring aging at the molecular level.



The study examined 777 individuals over the age of 70. Each participant was assigned one of eight treatment plans, which included taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily, consuming 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids, or engaging in 30 minutes of strength training three times per week. 



Some participants followed a combination of these interventions, while others received a placebo. The goal was to observe whether any of these treatments influenced biological aging over three years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-omega-3-slowed-biological-aging">Omega-3 slowed biological aging</h2>



Blood samples from the participants provided valuable insights. Researchers found that taking omega-3 fatty acids slowed down biological aging by up to four months. 



This effect was consistent regardless of gender, age, or body mass index. More significantly, the combination of omega-3s, vitamin D, and strength training yielded even stronger results.



“This result extends our previous findings from the DO-HEALTH study, in which these three factors combined had the greatest impact on reducing the risk of cancer and preventing premature frailty over a three-year period, to slowing down the biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-25-years-of-research-revealed-about-brain-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging process</a>,” noted Bischoff-Ferrari.



The findings suggest that each factor works through different mechanisms that complement each other, leading to a greater overall effect when combined.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-the-study">Significance of the study</h2>



The study provides evidence that simple lifestyle changes, including Omega-3 intake, can influence biological aging.



While the difference of a few months may seem small, slowing down aging on a molecular level could have long-term health benefits. A slower aging process might reduce the risk of age-related diseases, improve quality of life, and extend healthy lifespan.



Despite these promising findings, the researchers acknowledge that measuring biological aging remains a challenge. 



“There is no generally accepted gold standard for measuring biological age. However, we analyzed the best currently validated epigenetic clocks, which reflect the state of the art," said Bischoff-Ferrari.



The study contributes to a growing body of research exploring how lifestyle factors influence aging at a biological level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-to-a-broader-population">Expanding to a broader population</h2>



One of the study’s limitations is its focus on Swiss participants. Biological aging can be influenced by genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors, which vary across populations. 



To gain a more comprehensive understanding, the researchers plan to expand the study to include participants from Germany, France, Austria, and Portugal. This broader dataset will help determine whether the findings apply to a more diverse range of individuals.



The DO-HEALTH study is part of a larger effort to refine methods for measuring and slowing aging. Bischoff-Ferrari and her team are working with the <a href="https://healthspanextension.science" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Health Span Extension</a> Consortium to validate biological clocks and improve the accuracy of aging biomarkers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-omega-3-and-aging-research">Future of omega-3 and aging research</h2>



The findings from this study reinforce the idea that aging is not entirely out of our control. While there is no single solution to stop aging, certain lifestyle choices may slow its progression. 



The combination of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and strength training shows measurable benefits, suggesting that simple, accessible interventions can make a real difference.



Future studies will continue refining these approaches and testing new methods to measure biological aging. The hope is that ongoing research will lead to more effective strategies for maintaining health and vitality in later years. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-024-00793-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Aging</a>.



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Defying time: Three ways to slow biological aging

Aging is a natural process, but many seek ways to delay its effects. The desire to maintain health and vitality has led researchers to explore different interventions. Some studies suggest that reducing calorie intake can slow aging in humans. Others indicate that omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D may influence biological aging in animals. However, until recently, it was unclear whether these approaches would have the same impact on humans. A team of researchers set out to investigate whether these simple, accessible measures could influence aging at...

A new study presented at the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/">European Society of Cardiology</a> suggests that drinking a proper amount of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/running-dry-water-shortages-in-the-colorado-river/">water</a> could help maintain heart health and prevent the development of heart failure. The author of the research, Dr. Natalia Dmitrieva of the Heart, Lung and Blood institute explains: “Our study suggests that maintaining good hydration can prevent or at least slow down the changes within the heart that lead to heart failure."

'The findings indicate that we need to pay attention to the amount of fluid we consume every day and take action if we find that we drink too little.”

Standard recommendations for daily fluid intake are 1.6 - 2.1 liters for women and 2 - 3 liters for men. Research suggests that worldwide, many people fall short of the lower end of this recommendation. 

Measuring serum sodium is a scientifically accurate way to determine hydration. The higher the concentration of serum sodium, the more dehydrated a person is. With the rise of serum sodium concentrations, the body reacts by trying to conserve water. Some of the water conservation attempts by the body are known to be detrimental to heart health.

“It is natural to think that hydration and serum sodium should change day to day depending on how much we drink on each day," said Dr. Dmitrieva. "However, serum sodium concentration remains within a narrow range over long periods, which is likely related to habitual fluid consumption.”

The study looked closely at the serum sodium concentration levels in middle age and whether it led to heart failure up to 25 years later. The study also looked at thickening of the left ventricle, which is a predictor for future heart failure. Nearly 16,000 study participants were first assessed between the ages of 44 and 66, and were periodically examined up to the age of 90. 

The upshot is that the higher concentrations of serum sodium in middle age led to higher incidence of heart failure later in life. 

“The results suggest that good hydration throughout life may decrease the risk of developing left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure," explained Dr. Dmitrieva.

"In addition, our finding that serum sodium exceeding 142mmol/l increases the risk of adverse effects in the heart may help to identify people who could benefit from an evaluation of their hydration level."

"This sodium level is within the normal range and would not be labeled as abnormal in lab test results but could be used by physicians during regular physical exams to identify people whose usual fluid intake should be assessed.”

The research, which was funded by the Intramural Program of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, was presented at <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Congresses-&amp;-Events/ESC-Congress">ESC Congress 2021</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Hydration reduces the risk of heart failure

A new study presented at the European Society of Cardiology...

A new study from the <a href="https://gumc.georgetown.edu/">Georgetown University Medical Center</a> has completely shifted our understanding of how aging affects the mind. The research shows that two key mental abilities, which allow the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-protects-the-brain-from-dementia/">brain</a> to acquire new information and focus on what is important, can actually improve in older adults. 

Both of these mental abilities help support critical aspects of cognition such as memory, decision making, self-control, and navigation. 

“These results are amazing, and have important consequences for how we should view aging,” said study senior author Dr. Michael T. Ullman.

“People have widely assumed that attention and executive functions decline with age, despite intriguing hints from some smaller-scale studies that raised questions about these assumptions."

“But the results from our large study indicate that critical elements of these abilities actually improve during aging, likely because we simply practice these skills throughout our life.”

Dr. Ullman said that the research is particularly important because of the rapidly aging population, both in the United States and worldwide. He noted that with further research, it may be possible to deliberately improve these skills as protection against cognitive decline.

Focusing on a group of 702 participants aged 58 to 98, the researchers looked at three separate components of attention and executive function. They studied the brain networks involved in alerting, orienting, and executive inhibition. 

Each of these mental abilities has different characteristics and relies on different areas of the brain, neurochemicals, and genes. With this in mind, the experts theorized that the networks may also show different aging patterns.

“We use all three processes constantly,” explained study first author Dr. João Veríssimo. “For example, when you are driving a car, alerting is your increased preparedness when you approach an intersection. Orienting occurs when you shift your attention to an unexpected movement, such as a pedestrian. And executive function allows you to inhibit distractions such as birds or billboards so you can stay focused on driving.”

The study revealed that alerting declined over the course of aging. By contrast, both orienting and executive inhibition improved with age.

The researchers believe that because orienting and inhibition are skills that can improve with lifelong practice. The gains from this practice can be large enough to outweigh the underlying neural declines, they explained. 

“Because of the relatively large number of participants, and because we ruled out numerous alternative explanations, the findings should be reliable and so may apply quite broadly,” said Dr. Veríssimo. Furthermore, he said that since orienting and inhibitory skills underlie numerous behaviors, the results have wide-ranging implications.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/">Nature Human Behaviour</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Experts identify key mental abilities that actually improve with age

A new study from the Georgetown University Medical Center has...

More than one billion <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-who-live-near-woodlands-have-better-mental-health/">children</a> have an "extremely high risk" of suffering from the environmental shocks of the climate crisis, according to new report from <a href="https://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF</a>.

The researchers found that hundreds of millions of children are facing a dangerous threat - exposure to natural disasters, such as cyclones and heatwaves, combined with a lack of essential services, such as water and sanitation.

“For the first time, we have a complete picture of where and how children are vulnerable to climate change, and that picture is almost unimaginably dire," said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.

"Climate and environmental shocks are undermining the complete spectrum of children’s rights, from access to clean air, food and safe water; to education, housing, freedom from exploitation, and even their right to survive. Virtually no child’s life will be unaffected."

“For three years, children have raised their voices around the world to demand action. UNICEF supports their calls for change with an unarguable message - the climate crisis is a child’s rights crisis.” 

The study showed that nearly half of the world's 2.2 billion children live in one of the 33 countries that are most threatened by climate change. 

”Children in East Asia and the Pacific countries are on the frontline of the climate crisis and the climate hazards they face, from lethal heat waves to flooding to wildfires, are already becoming more severe and intense," said UNICEF Regional Director Marcoluigi Corsi.

"The region is one of the most vulnerable to climate-related disasters globally, with about half of the population directly affected every year."

Corsi noted that the climate crisis disproportionally affects the most vulnerable children and adolescents, exacerbating current inequalities and undermining the progress achieved over the last few decades.

According to the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), 240 million children are highly exposed to coastal flooding, 400 million children are highly exposed to cyclones, 600 million children are highly exposed to vector borne diseases, 820 million children are highly exposed to heatwaves, and 920 million children are highly exposed to water scarcity. Further, one billion children are are highly exposed to exceedingly high levels of air pollution.

While nearly every child around the world is at risk from at least one of these environmental hazards, an estimated 850 million children live in areas where at least four of these environmental shocks overlap, the study found. 

“Climate change is deeply inequitable. While no child is responsible for rising global temperatures, they will pay the highest costs. The children from countries least responsible will suffer most of all,” said Fore. 

“But there is still time to act. Improving children’s access to essential services, such as water and sanitation, health, and education, can significantly increase their ability to survive these climate hazards. UNICEF urges governments and businesses to listen to children and prioritise actions that protect them from impacts, while accelerating work to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The CCRI was developed in collaboration with several partners including the Data for Children Collaborative.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Children will pay the highest costs for the climate crisis

More than one billion children have an "extremely high risk"...

A common heartburn drug has become a potential candidate for treating COVID-19. Recent studies were launched after experts noticed a surprising pattern in medical records from the early days of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-covid-19-cases-linked-to-wildfires/">COVID-19</a> pandemic in Wuhan, China.

Many of the elderly patients that managed to survive the infection in Wuhan had two things in common: they were poor and suffered from chronic heartburn.

Researchers found that these particular elderly survivors were taking an inexpensive heartburn drug called famotidine, which is the key ingredient in Pepcid. 

On the other hand, wealthier patients tend to take omeprazole, a more expensive ingredient that is found in Prilosec.

A team of experts in the <a href="https://engineering.virginia.edu/">University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science</a> set out to investigate whether this over-the-counter heartburn drug was actually helping people survive COVID-19. Study co-author Phil Bourne, a professor of Biomedical Engineering, explained that this is how many medical studies begin.

“There’s often a phenomenon that doctors report anecdotally, or that’s mentioned in passing in a particular research paper, and that provides a clue - a hook,” said Professor Bourne.

Under normal circumstances, scientists use clinical trials to determine whether a drug is effective in treating a particular medical condition. Professor Bourne noted that this method is expensive and can take years.

To speed up the process, Professor Bourne and UVA senior scientist Cameron Mura worked with an international team of researchers, utilizing information from a database that contains the medical records of millions of COVID-19 patients in 30 different countries. The experts zeroed in on about 22,000 patients who were taking the heartburn relief drug famotidine. 

“The power of the electronic health record, which is really yet to be fully realized as a research tool, is that you’ve suddenly got all this data you can mine to see whether what you determined in passing or anecdotally has any basis,” said Professor Bourne.

The analysis showed that when delivered at high doses, or the equivalent of about 10 Pepcid tablets, famotidine appears to improve the odds of survival for COVID-19 patients. This was particularly true when the drug was combined with aspirin. 

According to the researchers, the heartburn drug also seems to hinder the severity of disease progression, making patients less likely to reach the point where they require intubation or a ventilator.

Patients with severe COVID-19 often experience something called a cytokine storm, a potentially deadly immune response. 

“Basically, your immune system goes haywire and starts attacking things like your otherwise healthy lung tissue because it’s so desperate to kill off the invading virus,” said Mura. “Your own physiology essentially uses a sledgehammer against the pathogen when a fly swatter would suffice.”

The experts theorize that famotidine suppresses that reaction. Like all other medications, this heartburn drug can cause side effects, and the researchers believe that interfering with cytokine storms might be one of them.

“It may well be a case of famotidine having a beneficial off-target effect,” said Mura. Side effects are typically perceived as a bad thing, but in cases like this, they could be very useful. 

Despite the team’s hopeful findings, further research is urgently needed. Previous studies have offered conflicting results on the effects of famotidine on COVID-19 patients. One study even suggested that the heartburn drug could be detrimental. 

“Scientific studies are sometimes viewed as the end-all, be-all, but they’re really just a starting point or a springboard,” said Mura. “Any good study raises more questions than it answers, and data science is often what kick-starts that process.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/sigtrans/">Signal Transduction &amp; Targeted Therapy</a> from the Nature publishing group.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Is a heartburn drug secretly saving COVID-19 patients?

A common heartburn drug has become a potential candidate for...

Reporting on climate change is finally falling in line with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-science-is-becoming-increasingly-critical-to-society/">science</a>, according to a recent study from the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado at Boulder</a>. The news strikes a hopeful note at a time when trust in media and institutions is at an all time low, though the new paper does single out one outlier - conservative media. 

The practice of balanced reporting is useful when it gives two nuanced perspectives to a contentious issue, but less so when it becomes a platform for denialism and pseudoscience.

“Two decades ago, print media frequently gave equal credence to both legitimate climate experts and outlier climate deniers," explained study lead author Lucy Mcallister.

In collaboration with researchers at the Technological University of Munich and the University of New England, the team examined around 5,000 news articles from the past fifteen years.

The experts found that the political environment often affected the accuracy of climate reporting, with accuracy taking a downturn during the negotiations of the Copenhagen Accord, for example. By contrast, accuracy in reporting increased during the signing of the Paris Agreement. 

Conservative media continues to obfuscate the public’s understanding, but by and large reporting on climate change has improved. 

“Nine out of ten media stories accurately reported the science on human contributions to climate change. It’s not portrayed as a two-sided debate anymore,” said Mcallister. However, this does not mean scientists and climate activists can rest on their laurels.

“Accurate reporting in these print outlets vastly outweighed inaccurate reporting, but this is not a cause for complacency," explained Max Boykoff, director of the Environmental Studies program at CU Boulder.

"The terrain of climate debates has largely shifted in recent years away from mere denial of human contributions to climate change to a more subtle and  ongoing undermining of support for specific policies meant to substantially address climate change.” 

Indeed, without holding media sources, politicians, and those in our immediate circle accountable for the accuracy of their information, the public’s understanding of climate change would be in dire straits. It will take vigilance and a constant reappraisal of our biases. 

“Our work helps provide insights on how the media are portraying human contributions to climate change, yet more clearly must be done," concluded Boykoff.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Reporting on climate change has become more accurate

Reporting on climate change is finally falling in line with...

New research conducted by scientists from <a href="https://www.fsu.edu/">Florida State University</a> and <a href="https://www.rice.edu/">Rice University</a> has revealed that the Earth’s outer core could be our planet’s largest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/part-of-the-amazon-now-releases-more-carbon-than-it-stores/">carbon</a> reservoir, containing 93 to 95 percent of the total amount of terrestrial carbon. 

Together with hydrogen and oxygen, carbon is one of the most important chemical elements on Earth, and plays a key role in making terrestrial life possible. 

“It’s a natural question to ask where did this carbon that we are all made of comes from and how much carbon was originally supplied when the Earth formed,” said study co-author Mainak Mookherjee, a professor of Geology in the <a href="https://www.eoas.fsu.edu/">Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science</a> at FSU.

 “Where is the bulk of carbon residing now? How has it been residing and how has it transferred between different reservoirs? Understanding the total inventory of carbon is what this study gives us insight to.”

Since humans cannot access the Earth’s core directly, they must use indirect methods to analyze its composition. To determine how much carbon is contained in the Earth’s core, the researchers used computer models.

The team simulated different compositions of iron, carbon and other light elements (including oxygen, sulfur, silicone, hydrogen, and nitrogen) at the temperature and pressure conditions of the Earth’s outer core, and compared them to the known speed of compressional sound waves that are traveling through the Earth.

“When the velocity of the sound waves in our simulations matched the observed velocity of sound waves travelling through the Earth, we knew the simulations were matching the actual chemical composition of the outer core,” said study lead author Suraj Bajgain. 

Based on the computer model simulations, the scientists estimated that 0.3 to 2 percent of the Earth’s outer core consists of carbon. This is quite an impressive amount, considering the immensity of our planet’s outer core. 

More precise knowledge of how much carbon exists on Earth will help to clarify the chemical composition of our own planet, as well as that of other rocky planets throughout the universe.

The research was sponsored by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a> and <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> and published in the journal Nature (<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-021-00222-7">Communications: Earth and Environment</a>).    

---

By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth’s outer core may be its largest carbon reservoir

New research conducted by scientists from Florida State University and...

Research on speech development stresses the challenges children face in gaining control over their vocal articulators, including the tongue, lips, and jaw, in order to be able to produce coherent speech sounds. An increasing number of scientists argue that this control is gradually gained during babbling, when infants start producing their first utterances which resemble typical speech sounds. 

Babbling appears to be a universal form of human behavior, characterizing child development in all languages and cultures. 

Language use is considered one of the trademarks of humanity. Yet, its origins and development are far from being completely understood. Much knowledge about language evolution is gathered in the field of biolinguistics through comparing vocal ontogenetic processes in humans with similar processes in non-human animals. 

Babbling behavior seems to be quite rare in the animal kingdom. Until recently, this phenomenon had only been analyzed in songbirds. Due to significant differences in both brain organization and anatomy (birds have a syrinx instead of a larynx like humans), it has been very difficult to apply research findings about songbird babbling to humans. 

Recently though, a study conducted by a team of scientists from the <a href="https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en">Museum für Naturkunde Berlin</a> discussed babbling behavior in a mammal species that, at first sight, seem to be highly different from humans: the greater sac-winged bat Saccopteryx bilineata. 

Researchers investigated this behavior of 20 bat pups in their natural habitats in Costa Rica and Panama, and discovered that these bats spend around seven weeks engaging in daily babbling behavior during their ontogeny, and employ long multisyllabic vocal sequences that include parts similar to the vocal repertoire of adult bats. 

“Pup babbling is a very conspicuous vocal behavior, it is audible at considerable distance from the roost and babbling bouts have a duration of up to 43 minutes,” researcher Martina Nagy said. While babbling, pups learn the songs of the adult males. 

Even more surprisingly, bat babbling is characterized by the same features as that of human infants, including reduplication of syllables and the use of rhythmic patterns. And whereas in the case of songbirds only young males babble, bat babbling behavior occurs in both male and female pups.

More studies of this fascinating bat species could give us new keys for unlocking the mysterious evolutionary origins of human language. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Baby bats and human infants engage in similar babbling behavior

Research on speech development stresses the challenges children face in...

A new study claims that leaking pipes from Baltimore’s aging infrastructure is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drug-pollution-becomes-addictive-for-fish/">polluting</a> the Chesapeake Bay with thousands of human doses of pharmaceuticals per year. Study lead author Megan Fork is a postdoctoral research associate at <a href="https://www.caryinstitute.org/">Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies</a>.

“Pharmaceuticals enter freshwaters through multiple pathways, including effluent from wastewater treatment and septic systems, as well as agricultural runoff," said Fork. "An important, but often overlooked contributor is aging and faulty wastewater infrastructure, which is common in many older cities.”

To understand the amount of pharmaceuticals entering the environment from leaking pipes alone, the scientists chose to research the Gwynns Falls watershed, a location where no wastewater is discharged. The researchers monitored six sites in the watershed, taking samples every week for a year and screening for 92 pharmaceutical compounds. 

Across all of the sites, 37 compounds were found. Pain relievers and antibiotics were commonly detected in the water samples. “Establishing the loads of contaminants such as pharmaceuticals is important since low concentrations may mislead regulators and managers into thinking that they are insignificant," explained Fork.

"In Baltimore we are already seeing that stream-dwelling bacteria are resistant to common antibiotics, suggesting that low chronic exposures can result in significant effects on stream life.”

Study senior co-author Emma Rosi noted that this study can be scaled up to look at an entire region.

“We estimate that nearly 1 percent of raw sewage originating in the Gwynns Falls watershed flows into the environment via leaking infrastructure. If we extrapolate our calculations to the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed, we estimate that approximately 11.7 billion liters of raw sewage may enter the Bay via leaks every year - carrying a range of pharmaceutical compounds that can affect aquatic organisms and disrupt ecosystem processes," said Rosi.

The scientists point out that the research is important because it highlights the threat of uncommon "pollution pathways" rather than just the usual suspects. We must look at everything if we are aiming to maintain healthy environments. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>

---

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Leaking pipes in Baltimore polluting the Chesapeake Bay

A new study claims that leaking pipes from Baltimore’s aging...

If ozone depleting substances - such as the notorious chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - had been left unchecked several decades ago, their continued and increased use would have had a catastrophic effect on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exceeding-tipping-points-could-triple-the-costs-of-climate-change/">climate</a>, according to a new study led by Dr. Paul Young from <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a>.

The <a href="https://www.unep.org/ozonaction/who-we-are/about-montreal-protocol">Montreal Protocol</a>, a landmark multilateral environmental agreement regulating the production and consumption of nearly 100 man-made ozone depleting substances, was adopted in 1987 in order to stop the destruction of the ozone layer. This is Earth’s protective shield against harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun (UV). 

Using a new modeling framework that integrated data on ozone depletion, the carbon cycle, vegetation damage by increased UV, and climate change, the researchers estimated that if CFCs had not been banned by the Montreal Protocol, we would have witnessed a worldwide collapse of the ozone layer by the 2040s. 

“Our new modeling tools, have allowed us to investigate the scorched Earth that would have resulted without the Montreal Protocol’s ban on ozone depleting substances," said Dr. Young.

In such a bleak scenario, which the team calls the "World Avoided," the strength of the sun’s UV in mid-latitudes (including large parts of Europe, the United States and Central Asia) would significantly surpass that from present day’s tropics by 2050, and by 2100 the ozone above the tropics would be diminished by 60 percent. 

“A world where these chemicals increased and continued to strip away at our protective ozone layer would have been catastrophic for human health, but also for vegetation. The increased UV would have massively stunted the ability of plants to soak up carbon from the atmosphere, meaning higher CO2 levels and more global warming,” stated Dr. Young. 

Without the Montreal Protocol’s ban on CFCs, there would have been 580 billion tons less carbon stored in vegetation and soils, and an additional 40 to 50 percent of CO2  in the atmosphere. This would have contributed to a 2.5°C rise in global air temperatures by the end of the 21st century. 

“With our research, we can see that the Montreal Protocol successes extend beyond protecting humanity from increased UV to protecting the ability of plants and trees to absorb CO2,” concluded Dr. Young. 

This should be a reminder for all of us that, although it is too late to avoid global warming, collective action can help avoiding some of climate change’s most catastrophic effects.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ban on ozone depleting substances prevented catastrophic consequences

If ozone depleting substances - such as the notorious chlorofluorocarbons...

A new study by ecologists at the <a href="https://www.umass.edu/">University of Massachusetts Amherst</a> has revealed that 1,330 garden centers and online retailers are still selling invasive species as garden plants. Out of the hundreds of invasive plants that the team found available for sale, 20 species are illegal to grow or sell nationwide.

“Once we’ve recognized that an ornamental plant can be invasive, we would hope that commercial sales of that species would stop,” said study lead author Evelyn M. Beaury.

“But our findings show that our current framework for removing invasive plants from plant trade isn’t working. States are generally doing a good job limiting sales of their own regulated plants, but we found major inconsistencies in what’s being regulated across state borders. Nearly all states had at least one of their regulated plants sold in a neighboring state.”

The researchers found that 61 percent of 1,285 plant species identified as invasive in the U.S. remain available through the plant trade. This includes 50 percent of state-regulated species and 20 percent of federal noxious weeds.  

According to the study authors, the most concerning case of federally designated noxious weed sales is the availability of cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica), which they found to be offered by 33 vendors in 17 states. This aggressive species, which is native to Southeast Asia, has spread rapidly across the South in the last few decades and is classified as one of the world’s most invasive plants.

“This is a tricky case, because plant breeders are marketing a sterile cultivar. But research shows these plants are not completely sterile and can still become invasive," explained Beaury.

Some of the vendors are large online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon,  where invasive plants can be shipped across state borders.

“While patchy state regulations definitely contribute to the widespread availability of invasive plants in the U.S., it’s clear we as a public also lack awareness about which plants are invasive and how they spread to new areas," said Beaury.

"We’ve already heard from state regulators that have used our results to follow up with growers selling invasive species. This is great news, and if we want to continue to protect native ecosystems, regulators and managers need more resources to do so.”

The researchers suggest that regional regulation, as well as outreach to growers and consumers, is needed to reduce the ongoing propagation of garden plants that are known to be invasive in the United States. 

"We’ve known for decades that many gardening and landscaping plants are invasive, but we’ve done little to stop propagating them. We can do better," said study senior author Professor Bethany Bradley. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.esa.org/frontiers-in-ecology-and-the-environment/">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Hundreds of invasive species are for sale as garden plants in the U.S.

A new study by ecologists at the University of Massachusetts...

The Colorado River is a major source of water in the arid western United States. To support higher populations of people and development on such a finite resource, the Colorado River has been dammed and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-reservoirs-generate-much-higher-emissions-than-expected/">reservoirs</a> have been created. One of the more famous reservoirs, Lake Mead, created by the Hoover Dam, is drying out. The reservoir is now only 35 percent full, the lowest it's been since it was first filled in the 30’s.

This low point for the reservoir is part of a long-standing drought that is now in its 22nd year. Similar dry conditions may be the norm with climate change in the foreseeable future. Growing human populations and wasteful water practices have only thrown gasoline on the fire. 

While water shortages in the American West are a surprise to no one, the drop in Lake Mead has caught the region unprepared and triggered water allotment cuts, causing ten state governors to ask President Biden to declare an emergency. Such a declaration would allow some farmers and ranchers access to federal assistance. 

Arizona will have its access to the Colorado River water reduced by 18 percent and Nevada will be reduced by 7 percent. Water released into Mexico under a treaty signed in 1944 will be reduced by 5 percent. 

Recently, small surges of Colorado River water have been able to reach the Gulf of California and wild habitats that have been under severe stress due to damming and water usage upstream. With water levels slated to drop even further in the coming years, it seems likely that these estuaries will suffer even more. 

Humans will also be forced to deal with the realities of this catastrophe of their own making. The first tier water cuts, set to impact Arizona, Nevada and Mexico, will possibly become more restrictive in the next phase, with more restrictions expected as soon as 2023.

It seems that in the West we may be coming to terms with a long legacy of water misuse and the new threat of a changing climate.         

---

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Running dry: water shortages in the Colorado River

The Colorado River is a major source of water in...

Although most people understand that it’s important to wash your hands for sanitary reasons, few have ever looked at the physics of the task. A new study led by Paul Simon Hammond does just that.

Researchers from Hammond Consulting Limited created a model looking at the mechanics of hand washing. With their model, the scientists were able to estimate the time it takes to remove harmful material such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-help-corals-survive-when-they-get-into-hot-water/">bacteria</a> and viruses. 

The model represents hands as wavy lines, because on microscopic levels, hands are quite rough surfaces. In the troughs of those wavy lines, microbes or particles can cling. This is why water has to be a certain force to remove contaminants from hands. 

"Basically, the flow tells you about the forces on the particles.Then you can work out how the particles move and figure out if they get removed," explained Hammond.

Under certain circumstances, the contaminants will remain on the hands due to inadequate hand washing. 

"If you move your hands too gently, too slowly, relative to one another, the forces created by the flowing fluid are not big enough to overcome the force holding the particle down,” said Hammond.

It still takes time, not just a brief but vigorous scrub. The team's new model and the CDC guidelines agree - you should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. 

Although the research didn’t look at the role of chemicals such as different soaps, Hammond hopes the study might be helpful in designing environmentally friendly cleaners in the future, saying,

"Nowadays, we need to be a bit more thoughtful about what happens to the wash chemicals when they go down the plughole and enter the environment," said Hammond.

The study is published by the <a href="https://www.aip.org/">American Institute of Physics</a> in the journal <a href="https://aip.scitation.org/journal/phf">Physics of Fluids</a>. 

---

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Why you should wash your hands for twenty seconds

Although most people understand that it’s important to wash your...

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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?

[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

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

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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...