If an extraterrestrial civilization existed with technology comparable to ours, would they be able to detect Earth and recognize evidence of human activity? If so, what signals would be most visible, and from how far away?



These thought-provoking questions have been explored in a new study led by Dr. Sofia Sheikh of the SETI Institute.



Using a theoretical, model-based approach, this research is the first to analyze multiple types of technosignatures - the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/searching-for-technosignatures-from-intelligent-life-in-the-cosmos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">indicators</a> of advanced technology - together, rather than examining them separately. 



The results suggest that radio signals, particularly planetary radar emissions from the now-defunct Arecibo Observatory, would be the most detectable human-made signatures. These signals are potentially visible from as far as 12,000 light-years away.



Other signals, such as atmospheric pollutants, could also be detected, though at significantly shorter distances.&nbsp;



As observational technology continues to improve, scientists may be able to identify similar signatures on distant exoplanets, offering new ways to search for intelligent extraterrestrial life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-most-detectable-signals">Earth’s most detectable signals</h2>



Among all of the potential signals emanating from Earth, radio transmissions appear to be the most prominent on a galactic scale.&nbsp;



Radio telescopes remain the primary tool for <a href="https://www.seti.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SETI</a> (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) research, as scientists scan the skies for unnatural radio waves that might originate from advanced civilizations.&nbsp;



Given the strength of Earth's planetary radar emissions, researchers hypothesize that if extraterrestrials use similar technology to search for signals, Earth might stand out as a detectable world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-atmospheric-technosignatures">Exploring atmospheric technosignatures</h2>



Beyond radio waves, the study explored atmospheric technosignatures, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-will-increase-dramatically-in-a-hotter-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollutants</a> such as nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) - a byproduct of industrial activity.&nbsp;



Recent advances in space-based instruments, such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and the upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), could enable astronomers to detect such gases in exoplanet atmospheres.



According to the study’s findings, extraterrestrials equipped with similarly advanced telescopes could detect Earth's atmospheric pollutants from a maximum distance of 5.7 light-years, just beyond Proxima Centauri, the closest known exoplanetary system.



This suggests that industrial emissions could serve as an indirect way of identifying advanced civilizations. If scientists were to detect unusual levels of pollutants in an exoplanet’s atmosphere, it might hint at the presence of a technologically developed society.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-would-aliens-detect-on-earth">What would aliens detect on Earth?</h2>



As an observer approaches our planet, additional technosignatures become detectable. At closer distances, extraterrestrial astronomers would begin to detect multiple forms of human activity on Earth. 



City lights from urban centers could be visible from space. High-powered laser emissions used for communication, military applications, and scientific research would also be detectable. 



The thermal signature of cities, where artificial structures retain more heat than surrounding natural landscapes, would reveal urban heat islands. Additionally, the growing number of satellites and debris in Earth's orbit could be observed by advanced extraterrestrial telescopes.



Taken together, these overlapping signals would paint a compelling picture of an industrialized world, potentially making Earth one of the most recognizable planets to an alien observer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-earth-as-a-cosmic-mirror">Using Earth as a cosmic mirror</h2>



The experts emphasized that understanding Earth’s own technosignatures is critical for refining the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. By identifying which of our own signals are most detectable, researchers can better anticipate what kinds of signatures to look for on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exoplanet-discovery-nasa-identifies-over-5500-distant-worlds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exoplanets</a>.



Study co-author Macy Huston is a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley’s Department of Astronomy.



“Our goal with this project was to bring SETI back 'down to Earth' for a moment and think about where we really are today with Earth's technosignatures and detection capabilities,” explained Huston.&nbsp;



“In SETI, we should never assume other life and technology would be just like ours, but quantifying what 'ours' means can help put SETI searches into perspective.”



Sheikh echoed a similar sentiment, emphasizing that studying Earth's own impact on its environment can provide valuable insights into how extraterrestrial civilizations might be identified.



“One of the most satisfying aspects of this work was getting to use SETI as a cosmic mirror: what does Earth look like to the rest of the galaxy? And how would our current impacts on our planet be perceived?” said Sheikh.



“While of course we cannot know the answer, this work allowed us to extrapolate and imagine what we might assume if we ever discover a planet with, say, high concentrations of pollutants in its atmosphere.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-technosignature-research">The future of technosignature research</h2>



SETI research has long focused on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/are-aliens-sending-radio-signals-to-each-other/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radio signals</a> as the primary method for detecting extraterrestrial intelligence, but this study demonstrates the importance of a multi-wavelength approach - examining different forms of technosignatures across the electromagnetic spectrum.



Current and future telescopes will improve detection sensitivity, allowing scientists to expand the search for life beyond Earth. Advanced observatories may eventually identify new atmospheric technosignatures, such as alternative industrial pollutants or artificial climate alterations.



Additionally, long-term studies tracking the evolution of Earth's technosignatures may provide fresh insights into how civilizations modify their environments over time.



As new space-based observatories come online and human activities continue to reshape Earth’s atmospheric composition, periodic reassessments of the planet's detectability could refine our approach to discovering extraterrestrial life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-of-the-nbsp-study">Implications of the&nbsp;study</h2>



Ultimately, this study highlights both the strengths and limitations of current SETI efforts. While Earth is highly detectable via radio waves, other technosignatures - such as pollution - would require relatively close proximity for extraterrestrials to observe.&nbsp;



As astronomers continue their search, understanding these limitations will help shape strategies for identifying distant technological civilizations.



Whether or not intelligent extraterrestrial beings are currently observing Earth, this research emphasizes the importance of looking outward to understand our place in the cosmos.



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If aliens could detect Earth from their planet, what would they see?

If an extraterrestrial civilization existed with technology comparable to ours, would they be able to detect Earth and recognize evidence of human activity? If so, what signals would be most visible, and from how far away? These thought-provoking questions have been explored in a new study led by Dr. Sofia Sheikh of the SETI Institute. Using a theoretical, model-based approach, this research is the first to analyze multiple types of technosignatures - the indicators of advanced technology - together, rather than examining them separately.  The results suggest...

Traditional,Organic,Chinese,Dry,Green,Tea,Leaves,On,Wooden,Spoon

A compound found in green tea may boost levels of the naturally occurring anti-cancer protein p53. According to new research, the green tea compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) presents a new target for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-consumption-lowers-the-risk-of-prostate-cancer/">cancer</a> drug discovery.

P53 proteins control cell division and cell death, and have the ability to repair DNA damage or destroy cancer cells. For this reason, p53 is considered to be a tumor suppressor that is also known as the "guardian of the genome."

Meanwhile, the green tea compound EGCG serves as a powerful antioxidant that protects against cellular damage caused by free radicals. EGCG is believed to reduce inflammation, boost weight loss, and help prevent heart and brain disease. 

Study co-author Chunyu Wang is a professor of Biological Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 

"Both p53 and EGCG molecules are extremely interesting. Mutations in p53 are found in over 50% of human cancer, while EGCG is the major antioxidant in green tea, a popular beverage worldwide," said Professor Wang.

"Now we find that there is a previously unknown, direct interaction between the two, which points to a new path for developing anti-cancer drugs. Our work helps to explain how EGCG is able to boost p53's anti-cancer activity, opening the door to developing drugs with EGCG-like compounds."

Professor Wang is an expert in using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study specific mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease and cancer. He describes p53 as "arguably the most important protein in human cancer."

The protein is responsible for multiple anti-cancer functions, such as inhibiting cell growth to allow for DNA repair, activating DNA repair, and initiating programmed cell death when DNA damage cannot be repaired.

After being produced in the body, p53 is quickly degraded. This cycle of production and degradation keeps p53 at low levels. However, in the new study, the experts have made the breakthrough discovery that interaction with EGCG prevents p53 from degrading. 

"Both EGCG and MDM2 bind at the same place on p53, the N-terminal domain, so EGCG competes with MDM2," explained Professor Wang. "When EGCG binds with p53, the protein is not being degraded through MDM2, so the level of p53 will increase with the direct interaction with EGCG, and that means there is more p53 for anti-cancer function. This is a very important interaction."

The fact that EGCG directly disrupts the binding of p53 to its regulator MDM2 means that the green tea compound may serve as the basis for future treatments to promote the death of cancerous cells and prevent the spread of cancer.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Green tea compound may be a powerful weapon against cancer

A compound found in green tea may boost levels of...

Portrait,Of,Primeval,Caveman,Wearing,Animal,Skin,Standing,In,His

In a new study on the evolution of the brain, researchers have discovered that a single <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/songbirds-rely-on-an-autism-gene-for-memorization/">gene</a> alteration may separate modern humans from our earlier ancestors. The team developed "mini brains" to gain a better understanding of what makes us so different from our relatives, the Neanderthals and Denisovans, 

Study senior author Dr. Alysson R. Muotri director of the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">UC San Diego</a> Stem Cell Program and a professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. Her work is primarily focused on how the brain develops.

Evolutionary studies rely heavily on genetics and fossil analysis to explore how a species changes over time, but neither approach can reveal much about brain development and function because brains do not fossilize, explained Dr. Muotri.

The researchers took a different approach to brain reconstructions by using stem cells, precursors of other cell types that can be used to grow miniature brains in the lab. 

The team has now documented the differences between the genomes of diverse modern humans and the Neanderthals and Denisovans, who lived approximately 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. By mimicking an alteration they found in one gene of Neanderthals, the researchers used stem cells to create brain organoids.

"It's fascinating to see that a single base-pair alteration in human DNA can change how the brain is wired," said Dr. Muotri. "We don't know exactly how and when in our evolutionary history that change occurred. But it seems to be significant, and could help explain some of our modern capabilities in social behavior, language, adaptation, creativity and use of technology."

The study initially identified 61 genes that differed between modern and extinct humans. One of these genes, NOVA1, stood out because it is a master gene regulator that influences many other genes during early brain development. 

Using CRISPR gene editing, the experts engineered modern human stem cells with the Neanderthal mutation in NOVA1, and the stem cells were then transformed into brain cells and ultimately mini brains. These organoids are little clusters of brain cells, but they are not exactly the same as a brain. For example, they lack connections to other organ systems like blood vessels. 

However, organoids are useful models for studying genetics, disease development, and responses to drug treatment. Dr. Muotri's team has even managed to develop mini brains with organized electrical oscillatory waves similar to those produced by the human brain.

According to the researchers, the Neanderthal organoids looked very different from modern human brain organoids, even to the naked eye. Beyond having a distinctly different shape, these organoids varied in the way their cells proliferated and in how their connections between neurons, or synapses, formed.

Furthermore, the experts report that the electrical impulses of mini brains with the NOVA1 mutation were more active at earlier stages, but did not synchronize in networks.

Dr. Muotri pointed out that the neural network changes observed in Neanderthal-ized brain organoids parallel the way newborn primates acquire new abilities more rapidly than human newborns.

"This study focused on only one gene that differed between modern humans and our extinct relatives. Next we want to take a look at the other 60 genes, and what happens when each, or a combination of two or more, are altered," said Dr. Muotri.

"We're looking forward to this new combination of stem cell biology, neuroscience and paleogenomics. The ability to apply the comparative approach of modern humans to other extinct hominins, such as Neanderthals and Denisovans, using brain organoids carrying ancestral genetic variants is an entirely new field of study."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Modern humans are separated from Neanderthals by one gene

In a new study on the evolution of the brain,...

Domestic cats become much less of a threat to wildlife when they are fed a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-mediterranean-diet-reduces-fatty-liver-disease-by-half/">diet</a> that is rich in meat, according to new research from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. The experts also discovered that cats hunt for wildlife less when their owners play with them on a daily basis. 

The study revealed that introducing a premium commercial food, where proteins came from meat, reduced the number of prey animals cats brought home by 36 percent. In addition, five to ten minutes of daily play reduced hunting by 25 percent.

"Previous research in this area has focused on inhibiting cats' ability to hunt, either by keeping them indoors or fitting them with collars, devices and deterrents," explained study co-author Professor Robbie McDonald.

"While keeping cats indoors is the only sure-fire way to prevent hunting, some owners are worried about the welfare implications of restricting their cat's outdoor access."

"Our study shows that - using entirely non-invasive, non-restrictive methods - owners can change what the cats themselves want to do. By playing with cats and changing their diets, owners can reduce their impact on wildlife without restricting their freedom."

For the investigation, cat owners simulated hunting by moving a feather toy on a string so cats could stalk, chase, and pounce. As for the food, it is not yet clear which elements of the meat led to a reduction in hunting.

"Some cat foods contain protein from plant sources such as soy, and it is possible that despite forming a 'complete diet' these foods leave some cats deficient in one or more micronutrients -prompting them to hunt," said study lead author Martina Cecchetti.

"However, meat production raises clear climate and environmental issues, so one of our next steps is to find out whether specific micronutrients could be added to cat foods to reduce hunting."

"We also plan to investigate whether different kinds of play have different effects, and whether combining strategies can reduce hunting even further."

The study involved a 12-week trial of 355 cats in 219 households in southwest England. The researchers tested existing devices used to limit hunting by cats, such as collar covers and bells. Overall, these devices were found to be ineffective.

Lisa George has a three-year-old tabby cat named Minnie who took part in the trial.

"Minnie loves to hunt. More often than not, she will bring her prey home and let it go in the house. We've had birds in the bedroom, rats in the waste paper bin (which took us three days to catch), rabbits in the utility room," said George.

"On changing Minnie's food (previously supermarket own-brand), to Lily's Kitchen, I found she hardly hunted at all. This continued the whole time she was on this food. I can honestly say I couldn't believe the difference as regards her hunting behavior."

George Bradley of <a href="https://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/">SongBird Survival</a>, which sponsored the research, said the study is excellent news for birds.

"The data show that cat owners (like me) can make a few small and easy steps to really improve the health and happiness of our pets as well as make a really big difference for all our wildlife, especially our beloved songbirds."

According to Bradley, making these simple changes will be a win-win for birds, cats, and cat owners.

"We are really encouraged by the findings of this study," said Dr. Sarah Ellis of iCatCare. "While many cat owners are wildlife lovers and find the killing and injuring of wild animals by their cats upsetting, many owners also feel that keeping their cats indoors or restricting their outdoor access would impact negatively on their cats' quality of life."

"At iCatCare, we are particularly excited about the positive effects of play - this is an activity that owners can easily introduce at no or little cost, takes little time and is very cat-friendly.

"The mental and physical stimulation of predatory-like play are likely to help keep a cat in tip top condition and provide an appropriate behavioural outlet for its predatory behaviours."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cats will hunt less wildlife if you feed them meat

Domestic cats become much less of a threat to wildlife...

The human health impacts of burning coal, oil and natural gas are much greater than what was previously realized. According to a new report, fossil fuel pollution is responsible for one out of every five premature deaths worldwide. 

The research, which was led by <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a>, represents the most detailed assessment of premature deaths linked to fossil fuel pollution to date. 

Study co-author Eloise Marais is an expert in atmospheric chemistry at <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>.

"Our study certainly isn't in isolation in finding a large impact on health due to exposure to air pollution, but we were blown away by just how large the estimate was that we obtained," said Marais.

The investigation revealed that some of the most affected areas are in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the northeastern United States. 

In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) found that 4.2 million deaths occur every year as a result of exposure to all sources of outdoor air pollution. 

"The combined effects of ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution cause about seven million premature deaths every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections," the WHO reported. 

However, the new study shows that 8.7 million annual deaths can be attributed to fossil fuel pollution alone. The researchers noted that half of these deaths occur in China and India. 

To distinguish fossil fuel pollution from other sources of harmful particulates, the experts used a high-resolution model to clarify which kinds of pollutants people are breathing in each specific region.

Data from the industry, shipping, aviation, and power sectors was combined with NASA simulations of air circulation to estimate fossil fuel emissions.

The researchers determined that around one in eight premature deaths in the United States, as well as one in seven deaths in Europe, are caused by fossil fuel pollution every year. Meanwhile, almost one out of every three deaths in Southeast Asia are tied to fossil fuels. 

Sarah Hsu is the executive vice-chair of Medical Students for a Sustainable Future at Brown University.

"When we see that deaths from fossil fuel combustion exceed deaths from malaria by a factor of 20, we must recognize that this is a major global health crisis,' said Hsu.

"Thus it is critical that we start training current and future health professionals about the downstream effects of fossil fuels, including air pollution and climate change, and how they disproportionately impact the health of our children, elderly, pregnant patients, and communities of color."

"As healthcare workers, we have the obligation and opportunity to save millions of lives by advocating for clean energy, divesting from fossil fuels, and decarbonizing our healthcare facilities."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environmental-research">Environmental Research</a>.  

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

One in five premature deaths tied to fossil fuel pollution

The human health impacts of burning coal, oil and natural...

Closeup view of a bee surfing on violet calluna vulgaris flowers

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.sussex.ac.uk/">University of Sussex</a>, experts have uncovered new details about the relationship between plant and bee diversity. The researchers identified a link between flower morphology and energy efficiency that affects the foraging behavior of bumblebees and honey bees, allowing them to successfully co-exist.

It is not unusual to see both bumblebees and honey bees foraging on the same flower species, but it turns out that this competition is mediated by the bees' energy efficiency.

The energy that bees use to walk or fly among flowers is dictated by their weight. In other words, a bee that is twice as heavy will require twice the energy. In addition, the amount of energy that is collected by bees in the form of nectar depends on how quickly they move from flower to flower. 

The ratio of these two factors - body weight and the rate at which bees visit flowers - determines their overall energy efficiency.

"While they forage on the same flowers, frequently we find that bumble bees will outnumber honey bees on a particular flower species, while the reverse will be true on a different species growing nearby," explained Professor Francis Ratnieks.

"What was remarkable was that differences in foraging energy efficiency explained almost fully why bumble bees predominated on some flower species and honey bees on others."

"In essence, bumblebees have an advantage over honey bees in being faster at visiting flowers, so can gather more nectar (energy), but a disadvantage in being larger, and so using more of the nectar energy to power their foraging. On some flower species this gave an overall advantage to bumble bees, but on others to honey bees."

The investigation was focused on the behavior of more than 1,000 individual bees and 22 different flower species in southern England. The experts timed the bees to find out how many flowers they visited in one minute.

The researchers found that, on average, bumblebees are almost twice as heavy as the honey bees. The stopwatch results showed that bumblebees visit flowers at twice the rate of honey bees, which compensates for their extra weight. On some flowers like lavender, the bumblebees collected nectar at almost three times the rate of honey bees. 

The study also revealed that differences in flower morphology had a great impact on how energy efficient the bees were. For example, ling heather has a mass of small flowers that are better suited for the honey bee. By contrast, Erica heather has large bell-shaped flowers that are better suited for bumblebees.

"The energy efficiency of foraging is particularly important to bees. The research showed that the bees were walking (and flying) a challenging energy tightrope; half the energy they obtained from the nectar was expended in its collection," said study co-author Dr. Nick Balfour.

According to the researchers, the fact that honey bees and bumblebees do not compete head on for nectar is reassuring in terms of conservation and co-existence.

"Bumblebees have a foraging advantage on some plants, and predominate on them, while honey bees have an advantage on others and predominate on these," said Professor Ratnieks.

"Bee conservation therefore benefits from flower diversity, so that should certainly be a focus on bee conservation efforts. But fortunately, flowering plants are diverse."

Dr. Balfour said that whether you have a window box, allotment, or a garden, planting a variety of flowers or cutting your grass less often can really help pollinators during late summer.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19399170">Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bee conservation relies on plant diversity

In a new study from the University of Sussex, experts...

Winter landscape in Lapland, Abisko National Park, Abisko, Sweden

As global temperatures rise, frozen <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aerosols-play-a-mysterious-yet-powerful-role-in-arctic-warming/">Arctic</a> soil in the northern hemisphere is thawing and releasing carbon that has been stored away for thousands of years. A new study from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/">University of Copenhagen</a> describes how thawing permafrost is generating even higher CO2 emissions than what has been predicted.
The researchers have identified a previously unknown process by which bacteria release carbon that was thought to be permanently sequestered in the soil. 

Compared to the amount of CO2 emitted by humans, the amount of carbon stored in permafrost is believed to be four times greater. The frozen ground, which is warming much faster than anticipated, is estimated to contain a staggering 1,400 gigatons of carbon.

"The release of vast amounts of organic carbon during thawing of high-latitude permafrost is an emerging issue of global concern. Yet, the extent of greenhouse gas emissions from permafrost thawing remains unpredictable due to knowledge gaps related to controls on the fate of carbon in permafrost soils," wrote the study authors.

To investigate, the researchers examined peatland soils collected along a thaw gradient at Stordalen mire in Abisko, Sweden. Here, they identified a phenomenon that will release even larger quantities of carbon than what was anticipated from organic matter in permafrost. This pool of carbon was previously thought to be bound tightly and safely secured by iron.

It is known that microorganisms play a key role in the release of carbon as permafrost melts. As the frozen ground thaws, microorganisms are activated that convert dead plants and other organic material into CO2 and other greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide.

Mineral iron was believed to bind carbon, even as permafrost thawed. However, the new study has revealed for the first time that bacteria disable iron's carbon trapping ability, resulting in the release of vast amounts of CO2. 

Study co-author Carsten W. Müller is a professor in the University of Copenhagen's Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management. 

"What we see is that bacteria simply use iron minerals as a food source. As they feed, the bonds which had trapped carbon are destroyed and it is released into the atmosphere as greenhouse gas," explained Professor Miller. 

"Frozen soil has a high oxygen content, which keeps iron minerals stable and allows carbon to bind to them. But as soon as the ice melts and turns to water, oxygen levels drop and the iron becomes unstable. At the same time, the melted ice permits access to bacteria. As a whole, this is what releases stored carbon as CO2."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Arctic permafrost is releasing even more CO2 than expected

As global temperatures rise, frozen Arctic soil in the northern...

Climate change could have major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-why-breastfed-babies-live-healthier-lives/">health</a> impacts on people who suffer from seasonal allergies. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> have found that allergy seasons are now starting 20 days earlier, lasting 10 days longer, and invloving 21 percent more pollen compared to 1990.

According to the experts, human-caused climate change has played a major role in extending the pollen season, as well as a smaller role in boosting pollen counts. 

"The strong link between warmer weather and pollen seasons provides a crystal-clear example of how climate change is already affecting peoples' health across the U.S.," said study lead author William Anderegg.

Environmental allergies often have negative effects on respiratory health, and longer pollen seasons will worsen these effects. 

Previous studies have linked higher pollen production to rising temperatures and atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. The current study is the first to investigate the likely contribution of climate change to pollen trends on a continental scale. 

"A number of smaller-scale studies - usually in greenhouse settings on small plants - had indicated strong links between temperature and pollen," explained Anderegg. "This study reveals that connection at continental scales and explicitly links pollen trends to human-caused climate change."

The researchers examined records at 60 pollen count stations across the United States and Canada for the time period from 1990 to 2018. These stations collect airborne pollen and mold samples, which are then counted by hand.

The analysis showed that nationwide pollen amounts increased by around 21 percent over the study period, with the greatest increases recorded in Texas and the Midwestern United States.

The fact that allergy seasons are now starting about 20 days earlier than in 1990 indicates that global warming is causing plants to start producing pollen earlier in the year.

The experts applied statistical methods to the pollen trends in conjunction with nearly two dozen climate models. The results showed that climate change alone was responsible for around half of the pollen season lengthening and around eight percent of the increase in pollen. The study also revealed that the contribution of climate change to higher pollen counts is accelerating.

"Climate change isn't something far away and in the future. It's already here in every spring breath we take and increasing human misery," said Anderegg. "The biggest question is - are we up to the challenge of tackling it?"

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change is to blame for longer allergy seasons

Climate change could have major health impacts on people who...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> has revealed that erratic, unpredictable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/second-wave-of-covid-19-pandemic-was-driven-by-the-weather/">weather</a> slows down the economy. Through more frequent day-to-day temperature variability, climate change may have major effects on economic growth.

The researchers analyzed daily temperature changes alongside economic data from more than 1,500 regions over 40 years. They found that when the daily temperature deviates from seasonal expectations, there are negative effects on the basic components of the economy, including human health, sales, crop yields, and operational costs.

"We have known for a while that changes in annual mean temperature impacts macroeconomic growth," said study lead author Maximilian Kotz. "Yet now, for the first time, we're also able to show that day-to-day variations in temperature, i.e. short-term variability, has a substantial impact. If this variability increases by one degree Celsius, economic growth is reduced on average by 5 percentage-points."

According to study co-author Leonie Wenz, economies in low-income regions of the global South are particularly impacted. 

"We find that familiarity with temperature variations is important: Economies in Canada or Russia, where average monthly temperature varies by more than 40°C within a year, seem better prepared to cope with daily temperature fluctuations than low-latitude regions such as parts of Latin America or Southeast Asia, where seasonal temperature differences can be as small as 3°C. This is likely because farmers and small business owners have cultivated resilience against temperature variability," said Wenz.

"Furthermore, income protects against losses. Even if at similar latitude, economies in poor regions are more strongly affected when daily temperature fluctuates than their counterparts in rich regions."

The researchers looked at day-to-day temperature variability for each year between 1979 and 2018, comparing this information with the corresponding regional economic data. Overall, the team analyzed a total of 29,000 individual observations. 

"Rapid temperature variability is something completely different than long-term changes," explained study co-author Anders Levermann. "The real problem caused by a changing climate are the unexpected impacts, because they are more difficult to adapt to." 

"Farmers and other businesses around the world have started to adapt to climate change. But what if weather becomes simply more erratic and unpredictable? What we have shown is that erratic weather slows down the economy. Policy makers and industry need to take this into account when discussing the real cost of climate change."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>. 

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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

Rapid temperature variability linked to slow economic growth

A new study from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact...

In a new report from the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a>, researchers are describing how the COVID-19 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/second-wave-of-covid-19-pandemic-was-driven-by-the-weather/">pandemic</a> is accelerating the end of fossil fuel power generation. 

The pandemic is responsible for a temporary drop in CO2 emissions, as well as a reduction in coal-fired power generation that may persist beyond the coronavirus outbreak.

A team of economists based in Potsdam and Berlin analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on the energy system and investigated how the demand for electricity haa changed. 

The results of the study suggest that despite the tragedy of the pandemic, it has presented an opportunity to make the trend of decreasing coal use irreversible. According to the researchers, power sector emissions could now decline more rapidly than previously thought with the right climate policy measures.

"Coal has been hit harder by the corona crisis than other power sources - and the reason is simple," explained study lead author Christoph Bertram. "If demand for electricity drops, coal plants are usually switched off first. This is because the process of burning fuels constantly runs up costs. The plant operators have to pay for each single ton of coal."

"In contrast, renewable power sources such as wind and solar plants, once built, have significantly lower running costs - and keep on operating even if the demand is reduced."

As a result, fossil fuels were partially squeezed out of the power generation mix in 2020, and global CO2 emissions from the energy sector decreased by about seven percent. 

Across European countries, India, and the United States, monthly electricity demand declined by up to 20 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. The researchers found that monthly CO2 emissions decreased by up to 50 percent, and they estimate that these emissions will no longer reach the all-time high of 2018. 

"Due to the ongoing crisis, we expect that 2021 electricity demand will be at about 2019's levels, which, given ongoing investments into low-carbon generation means lower fossil generation than in that year," explained study co-author Gunnar Luderer. 

"As long as this clean electricity generation growth exceeds increases in electricity demand, CO2 emissions from the power sector will decline. Only if we saw unusually high demand for electricity along with surprisingly few additions of renewable power plants from 2022-2024 and beyond, fossil fuel generation would rebound to pre-pandemic levels."

The pandemic has weakened the market position of coal-fired power generation and exposed its vulnerability.

"Our research shows that investing in fossil-fueled power is not only environmentally irresponsible - it is economically very risky," said study co-author Ottmar Edenhofer. 

"In the end, it will certainly take carbon pricing to cut emissions at the required pace and stabilize our climate. Yet the impacts of the corona crisis on the power generation sector have put political leaders in a unique position: Along with additional policies such as eliminating subsidies for fossil fuels and increasing investments in wind and solar power, it is now easier than ever before to put an end to high-carbon electricity."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>. 

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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

Coal-fired power generation weakened by the pandemic

In a new report from the Potsdam Institute for Climate...

Childhood exposure to air pollution affects cognitive skills later in life. Exposure to air pollution in childhood has a detrimental impact on cognitive ability later in life, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a>. The researchers found that people who are exposed to air pollution as children may experience negative changes in their thinking skills up to 60 years later.

The study was focused on the general intelligence of more than 500 individuals who participated in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 study. 

The experts based the analysis on tests that had been conducted when the participants were 11 years old. The individuals repeated the same test at the ages of 76 and 79.

To estimate pollution levels in early childhood, the researchers analyzed records of where the participants lived throughout their lives. 

The experts used statistical models to investigate the relationship between a person's exposure to air pollution and their thinking skills in later life. The study also accounted for relevant lifestyle factors, including socioeconomic status and smoking.

The analysis revealed that exposure to air pollution in childhood had a distinguishable association with negative cognitive changes between the ages of 11 and 70.

According to the researchers, the study shows that it is possible to estimate historical air pollution and explore how this relates to cognitive ability throughout life. They explained that these types of studies were previously limited by a lack of data on air pollution levels before the 1990s.

Dr. Tom Russ is the director of the Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh.

"For the first time we have shown the effect that exposure to air pollution very early in life could have on the brain many decades later," said Dr. Russ. "This is the first step towards understanding the harmful effects of air pollution on the brain and could help reduce the risk of dementia for future generations."

The researchers have been working with the Lothian Birth Cohorts since 1999 to chart how an individual's thinking skills change over the course of their lifetime.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.j-alz.com/">Journal of Alzheimer's Disease</a>. 

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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

Childhood exposure to air pollution affects cognitive skills later in life

Childhood exposure to air pollution affects cognitive skills later in...

California's rainy season has shifted from November to December, prolonging the destructive wildfire season by nearly a month. This transition has taken place over the last six decades, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union</a>. 

The research does not definitively link the shifting rainy season to climate change. However, the results are consistent with climate models that predict warmer and drier autumn conditions in California.

Wildfires are the biggest hazard during California's dry season from May to October. The start of the rainy season in November alleviates the threat of wildfire by making the plants too moist to ignite.

In recent decades, the rainy season has been arriving progressively later. Furthermore, the rainy seasom is expected to become shorter as a result of global warming

For the current investigation, the researchers analyzed rainfall and weather data in California over the past six decades. They determined that the official onset of California's rainy season is 27 days later than it was in the 1960s. When the rain does finally arrive, the majority of it is limited to the months of January and February.

Study lead author Jelena Lukovi a climate scientist at the University of Belgrade in Serbia.

"What we've shown is that it will not happen in the future, it's happening already," said Lukovi. "The onset of the rainy season has been progressively delayed since the 1960s, and as a result the precipitation season has become shorter and sharper in California."

The findings suggest that California's wildfire season will last even longer in the years to come. The state's worst-ever wildfire season was in 2020. when nearly 10,000 fires burned more than 4.2 million acres of land.

A longer dry season will create more overlap between wildfire season and the inundation of Santa Ana winds that bring hot, dry weather to California in the fall. 

"It's not just a matter of making the vegetation drier and keeping all else equal," said UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain. "You're also increasing the number of opportunities for extremely dry vegetation and extremely strong offshore winds to coincide."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.

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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

California's rainy season has been pushed forward by a month

California's rainy season has shifted from November to December, prolonging...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a> have identified simple genetic mutations that cause zebrafish fins to transform into complex limb-like structures. While previous studies on the fin-to-limb transition have focused on the fossil record, the current study was based on advanced genetic screening. 

A team of experts led by M. Brent Hawkins set out to pinpoint mutations that affect the fin skeletons of zebrafish. Unlike tetrapod limbs with complicated skeletons, zebrafish pectoral fins have a simple endoskeleton that lacks joints.

The researchers were surprised to find mutants that modified their fins into a more limb-like pattern by adding new bones, including muscles and joints. This discovery means that the capacity to form limb-like structures was present in zebrafish in a dormant state, and that this ability can be activated by genetic changes.

"We look at some of the developmental aberrations and ask, can they inform us of the processes that were happening underlying some of these large shifts in evolution," said study senior author Professor Matthew P. Harris. "And when you see something that shouldn't be there, ever, I mean 400 million years type of never, it's a major finding."

Zebrafish are teleosts - a diverse lineage of about 30,000 species that includes goldfish, salmon, eels, flounder, clownfish, pufferfish, and catfish. Despite the remarkable diversity of teleost species, their pectoral fins are surprisingly simple and unchanged.

Study co-author Katrin Henke of Boston Children's Hospital performed forward genetic screens to randomly mutate DNA in zebrafish. The goal was to identify genes that control the formation of the fin skeleton. 

When a mutation caused interesting changes to the zebrafish skeleton, the experts traced the mutation back to see which genes were affected. They found that mutations in the waslb and vav2 genes cause the fin phenotype. Thia is the first time that these particular genes have been known to play roles in patterning the body.

"It was a big question as to how waslb and vav2 were changing fin patterning," said Hawkins. "These genes were not known to interact with any of the very well characterized pathways that guide limb development."

'However, we found that these mutations cause an increase in the expression of the gene hoxa11b. This gene is very exciting because the Hox genes are in part responsible for patterning the vertebral column as well as the regions of the limb. And the Hox11 genes in particular are required to make the forearm."

"Prior to this there aren't any examples where we have genes or mutations that actually elaborate the structure and make it even more complicated," said Hawkins. "Even in the case of limbs we only know how to make a limb smaller or less complex, but we didn't have any information on how add elements to a fin or a limb."

"That was very surprising as well," said Professor Harris. "We had no hard experimental examples where you take a gene, turn it up, make it work more and get a more complex mature structure at the end. In our findings we actually found some of the dials that can turn up the genetic pathways and get a more complicated structure in the end."

The study has revealed that fins and limbs use the same genetic mechanisms to specify the middle portion of the appendage. Going forward, Hawkins plans to investigate whether fins and limbs make other appendage regions in the same way.

"There's still the humerus in the limb and we don't know what the corresponding part in the fin is for that, in terms of the genetic requirements," said Hawkins. "We know there are proximal cues that determine where the humerus should go, but we don't know if the fish use these cues or not."

"We want to know in a developmental sense how those cues arose in limbs and if those cues are present in some form in the fish fin already. And hopefully we can fill out the correspondence between fins and limbs."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

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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

Simple genetic mutations can turn fins into limbs

Researchers at Harvard University have identified simple genetic mutations that...

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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



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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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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

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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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