In a remarkable medical breakthrough, engineers have developed a light-activated pacemaker so tiny that doctors can inject it into the body through a syringe. Remarkably, the device simply dissolves after it’s no longer needed.&nbsp;



Designed for newborns, the pacemaker could transform temporary heart care after congenital defect surgeries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-controlling-the-heart-with-light">Controlling the heart with light</h2>



The new pacemaker is smaller than a grain of rice. It's wirelessly activated through pulses of light which are delivered by a soft, wearable device mounted on the patient’s chest.



The external controller detects abnormal rhythms and sends light through the body to activate the pacemaker and restore heartbeat. The study demonstrates the device’s effectiveness across animal and human donor hearts.&nbsp;



The development of the pacemaker was led by John A. Rogers, a professor of material science, biomedical engineering, and neurological surgery at <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northwestern University</a>.&nbsp;



“We have developed what is, to our knowledge, the world’s smallest pacemaker,” said Professor Rogers.



“There’s a crucial need for temporary pacemakers in the context of pediatric heart surgeries, and that’s a use case where size miniaturization is incredibly important. In terms of the device load on the body - the smaller, the better.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solution-designed-for-newborns">Solution designed for newborns</h2>



Though the light-activated pacemaker can function in patients of all sizes, its miniaturized design was motivated by the needs of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/infant-speech-is-driven-by-heart-rate-activity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infants</a>. 



Igor Efimov is a co-leader of the study and experimental cardiologist at Northwestern.&nbsp;



“About 1% of children are born with congenital heart defects. The good news is that these children only need temporary pacing after a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-smallest-robot-could-transform-minimally-invasive-surgery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surgery</a>. In about seven days or so, most patients’ hearts will self-repair. But those seven days are absolutely critical," said Efimov.



Traditional pacemakers require surgery and have wires sticking out of the chest to connect to an external device. When they are no longer needed, the wires are removed - risking bleeding, tissue damage, or even death.



“Wires literally protrude from the body, attached to a pacemaker outside the body,” Efimov explained. “When the pacemaker is no longer needed, a physician pulls it out. The wires can become enveloped in scar tissue. That’s actually how Neil Armstrong died.”



The new injectable pacemaker addresses these risks. All of its components are biocompatible and bioresorbable, meaning they safely dissolve in the body’s fluids without needing surgical removal. Once the device has served its purpose, it simply disappears.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-refining-the-light-activated-pacemaker">Refining the light-activated pacemaker</h2>



This innovation builds on <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-021-00948-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earlier work</a> by Rogers and Efimov, who developed a quarter-sized dissolvable pacemaker in 2021. Surgeons asked for a smaller version to allow easier placement and suit the smallest patients.&nbsp;



The original device used near-field communication (NFC), but its antenna limited how small the device could be made. To overcome this, the team replaced the NFC system with a novel light-based mechanism.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pacemaker_light-activated_worlds-smallest_heart-health_Northwestern_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pacemaker_light-activated_worlds-smallest_heart-health_Northwestern_1s.webp" alt="The tiny pacemaker sits next to a single grain of rice on a fingertip. The device is so small that it can be non-invasively injected into the body via a syringe. Credit: John A. Rogers/Northwestern University" class="wp-image-1964846"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The tiny pacemaker sits next to a single grain of rice on a fingertip. The device is so small that it can be non-invasively injected into the body via a syringe. Click image to enlarge. Credit: John A. Rogers/Northwestern University</figcaption></figure>



“Instead of using the radio frequency scheme for wireless control, we developed a light-based scheme for turning the pacemaker on and delivering stimulation pulses to the surface of the heart. This is one feature that allowed us to dramatically reduce the size,” said Professor Rogers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-powered-by-the-body-s-own-fluids">Powered by the body’s own fluids</h2>



The engineers also reimagined how to power the tiny pacemaker. Rather than requiring a battery or external power source, the device uses a simple galvanic cell - a chemical battery formed by two different metals as electrodes.&nbsp;



When the device is inside the body, surrounding biofluids act as the electrolyte, allowing electrical current to flow and stimulate the heart.



“A very tiny light-activated switch on the opposite side from the battery allows us to turn the device from its ‘off’ state to an ‘on’ state upon delivery of light that passes through the patient’s body from the skin-mounted patch,” explained Professor Rogers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-trauma-and-risk">Reducing trauma and risk</h2>



Using infrared light, which can safely penetrate deep into the body, the wearable controller detects when a patient’s heart rate falls too low. It then triggers a light-emitting diode (LED) to flash on and off at the desired pacing rhythm.&nbsp;



“Infrared light penetrates very well through the body,” Efimov said. “If you put a flashlight against your palm, you will see the light glow through the other side of your hand. It turns out that our bodies are great conductors of light.”



Despite its microscopic size - just 1.8 mm wide, 3.5 mm long, and 1 mm thick - the pacemaker delivers stimulation on par with traditional devices. “The heart requires a tiny amount of electrical stimulation,” Rogers said.&nbsp;



“By minimizing the size, we dramatically simplify the implantation procedures, we reduce trauma and risk to the patient, and, with the dissolvable nature of the device, we eliminate any need for secondary surgical extraction procedures.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-era-of-heart-care">A new era of heart care</h2>



Because these light-activated pacemakers are so small and wireless, doctors could one day deploy multiple units on different parts of the heart to create more advanced pacing systems. 



Each device could be controlled independently using different light wavelengths, enabling personalized and precisely timed stimulation across the heart’s surface.



“We can deploy a number of such small pacemakers onto the outside of the heart and control each one,” Efimov said. “Then we can achieve improved synchronized functional care.”



Professor Rogers noted that because it’s so small, the pacemaker can be integrated with almost any kind of implantable device.



“We also demonstrated integration of collections of these devices across the frameworks that serve as transcatheter aortic valve replacements to address complications that can occur during a patient’s recovery process," said Rogers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-bioelectronic-medicine">Future of bioelectronic medicine</h2>



While this breakthrough has clear implications for pediatric heart care, the technology could pave the way for a new generation of bioelectronic medicine.&nbsp;



These tiny, dissolvable devices could one day be adapted to promote nerve and bone regeneration, manage <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mindfulness-meditation-is-a-powerful-weapon-against-chronic-pain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pain</a>, support wound healing, and more.



Northwestern engineers shrank the device and removed risks by making it dissolve after use. In doing so, they’ve created a tool that could reshape how doctors care for the heart - from the tiniest patients to adults.



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Click here to <a href="https://youtu.be/j_0hZ8cUwgo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watch a video interview...</a>



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08726-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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World's smallest pacemaker is set to revolutionize heart health

In a remarkable medical breakthrough, engineers have developed a light-activated pacemaker so tiny that doctors can inject it into the body through a syringe. Remarkably, the device simply dissolves after it’s no longer needed.&nbsp; Designed for newborns, the pacemaker could transform temporary heart care after congenital defect surgeries. Controlling the heart with light The new pacemaker is smaller than a grain of rice. It's wirelessly activated through pulses of light which are delivered by a soft, wearable device mounted on the patient’s chest. The external controller detects...

Seabirds often mistake plastic debris for food, and ingestion poses many health risks to the animals such as intestinal blockages. A new study has shown, for the first time, that plastic waste can release potentially harmful <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-produce-medically-valuable-chemicals/">chemicals</a> into the stomach fluid of seabirds for extended periods of time.

The findings highlight the urgent need to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans and to dispose of our waste more responsibly. As levels of marine plastic pollution continue to grow, so do the threats to wildlife.

Pieces of plastic can remain in birds' intestines for long periods of time, and scientists are now concerned that the plastic is capable of releasing harmful chemicals.

"I've been working on northern fulmars for almost 10 years," said study lead author Susanne Kühn of the Wageningen Marine Research in the Netherlands. "As these seabirds ingest plastics regularly, and 93% of the fulmars from the North Sea have some plastic in their stomachs, it is important to understand the potential harm this could cause."

The researchers set out to investigate whether plastics may release chemicals after being eaten by fulmars. 

The team replicated the conditions found in the fulmar stomach, as well as the plastic debris that the seabirds ingest. The experts collected stomach oil, a nutrient-rich liquid found in the fulmar stomach, from hunters in the Faroe Islands.

"Previous studies have typically used uniform plastic pellets, sometimes artificially contaminated, which is not representative of plastic found in the sea," explained Kühn. "Instead, we went beach combing and found a variety of plastic types and shapes to create a marine plastic sample that a fulmar might realistically ingest."

After covering the plastic samples in stomach oil, the researchers mimicked the temperature and levels of agitation that can be found in the fulmar stomach. Next, the team chwmically analyzed the oil at different points in time to determine whether chemicals had leached out of the plastic.

The study revealed that the plastic released a variety of chemicals in the stomach oil over time. In some cases, foreign chemicals leaked from the plastics for more than three months. The chemicals turned out to be additives such as plasticizers, flame retardants, and stabilizers.

The team was shocked to find that the stomach oil of fulmar chicks already contained plastic-derived chemicals before the experiments, indicating that their parents had mistakenly feed them plastic waste.

While the long-term health implications are unclear, previous studies have shown that several of the leached chemicals can disrupt hormones and reproduction among seabirds and may have genetic effects in birds.

The research suggests that the impacts of plastic pollution on birds are not limited to immediate effects, such as entanglement, but have the potential to be much longer lasting.

"I hope that these results will increase awareness of the various negative effects of plastic debris in the oceans," said Kühn. "We urgently need to reduce the amount of plastic in the marine environment."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-science">Frontiers in Environmental Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Chemicals from plastics leak into seabird stomachs over time

Seabirds often mistake plastic debris for food, and ingestion poses...

A new study has revealed that the amount of microplastics in the Atlantic Ocean has been largely underestimated. The research shows that there is as much as 10 times more plastic in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-system-in-asia-influences-hurricanes-in-the-atlantic/">Atlantic</a> than was previously realized.

Study lead author Dr. Katsiaryna Pabortsava is a scientist at the <a href="https://www.noc.ac.uk/">National Oceanography Centre</a> (NOC) in the UK.

"Previously, we couldn't balance the mass of floating plastic we observed with the mass we thought had entered the ocean since 1950," said Dr. Pabortsava. 

"This is because earlier studies hadn't been measuring the concentrations of 'invisible' microplastic particles beneath the ocean surface. Our research is the first to have done this across the entire Atlantic, from the UK to the Falklands."

The mass of invisible microplastics found in the upper waters of the Atlantic is approximately 12 to 21 million tons, according to the research. 

Furthermore, this figure only represents three of the most common types of plastic litter in a limited size range. 

At the same time, the microplastics estimate is comparable in magnitude to all of the plastic waste that is believed to have entered the Atlantic Ocean over the past 65 years, which is estimated at 17 million tons. This indicates that there is much more plastic waste in the ocean than what was expected.

"If we assume that the concentration of microplastics we measured at around 200 meters deep is representative of that in the water mass to the seafloor below with an average depth of about 3,000 meters, then the Atlantic Ocean might hold about 200 million tons of plastic litter in this limited polymer type and size category. This is much more than is thought to have been supplied," explained study co-author Professor Richard Lampitt.

"In order to determine the dangers of plastic contamination to the environment and to humans we need good estimates of the amount and characteristics of this material, how it enters the ocean, how it degrades and then how toxic it is at these concentrations." 

"This paper demonstrates that scientists have had a totally inadequate understanding of even the simplest of these factors, how much is there, and it would seem our estimates of how much is dumped into the ocean has been massively underestimated."

The researchers collected the ocean water samples used for the study during the 26th Atlantic Meridional Transect expedition in September to November 2016. They filtered large volumes of seawater at three selected depths in the top 200 meters.

Using a state-of-the-art spectroscopic imaging technique, the team detected and identified three of the most common plastic contaminants: polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene.

The research is part of the NOC's mission to understand the extent and implications of microplastic pollution on the health of marine ecosystems.

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

&nbsp;

Atlantic Ocean may hold 200 million tons of microplastics 

A new study has revealed that the amount of microplastics...

The "insect apocalypse" does not seem to be taking place in the United States, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a> (UGA). The researchers found that these warnings may be exaggerated, and do not accurately reflect what is happening with insects on a larger scale.

There is evidence that European honey <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bees-use-incredibly-forceful-buzzing-for-flower-pollination/">bees</a> are sharply declining, but UGA Professor Bill Snyder wanted to determine whether insects are disappearing worldwide. 

"We depend on insects for so many things. If insects disappear it would be really, really bad. Maybe the end of human existence," said Professor Snyder.

To investigate, the experts analyzed data on insects and other arthropods that was collected over 36 years. The data is from monitoring sites that represent 68 natural and managed areas of the United States.

While some sites showed increases or decreases in the abundance and diversity of insects, many remained unchanged. 

Overall, the abundance and biodiversity trends were essentially indistinguishable from zero. The lack of general gains or losses was consistent across all arthropod groups.

The researchers compared the data with human influences like insecticides and light pollution, but the trends were found to be similar across both disturbed sites and natural sites.

Study lead author Michael Crossley is a postdoctoral researcher in the UGA Department of Entomology.

"No matter what factor we looked at, nothing could explain the trends in a satisfactory way," said Crossley. "We just took all the data and, when you look, there are as many things going up as going down. Even when we broke it out in functional groups there wasn't really a clear story like predators are decreasing or herbivores are increasing."

"This is an implication for conservation and one for scientists, who have been calling for more data due to under-sampling in certain areas or certain insects. We took this opportunity to use this wealth of data that hasn't been used yet."

"There's got to be even more data sets that we don't even know about. We want to continue to canvass to get a better idea about what's going on."

According to the study, insects are not declining overall. However, the researchers noted that some insect species that we rely on for critical ecosystem services including pollination remain unambiguously in decline in North America.

Professor Snyder said there may be a larger and longer lasting impact in Europe, where studies have found dramatic insect declines, compared to the United States.

"It's not the worst thing in the world to take a deep breath. There's been a lot of environmental policies and changes. A lot of the insecticides used in agriculture now are narrow-acting. Some of those effects look like they may be working."

And when it comes to conservation, everyone can make a contribution, even if it's just a small one.

"It's hard to tell when you're a single homeowner if you're having an effect when you plant more flowers in your garden," said Professor Snyder. "Maybe some of these things we're doing are starting to have a beneficial impact. This could be a bit of a hopeful message that things that people are doing to protect bees, butterflies and other insects are actually working."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

No signs of "insect apocalypse" in the United States

The "insect apocalypse" does not seem to be taking place...

A team of scientists at the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a> has solved a long-standing mystery of what drove rapid <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-human-health-impacts-of-climate-change/">climate</a> warming during the Last Interglacial period 130,000 years ago, and the research suggests that the same processes are accelerating sea ice retreat across the Arctic today. As a result, the Arctic may be completely free of sea ice by 2035.

"High temperatures in the Arctic have puzzled scientists for decades. Unravelling this mystery was technically and scientifically challenging," said study co-lead author Dr. Maria Vittoria Guarino. "For the first time, we can begin to see how the Arctic became sea ice-free during the last interglacial. The advances made in climate modeling means that we can create a more accurate simulation of the Earth's past climate, which, in turn gives us greater confidence in model predictions for the future."

For the investigation, the experts used the latest version of the UK Hadley Center climate model to compare Arctic sea ice conditions during the last interglacial with present day. This model is the UK's most advanced physical representation of the Earth's climate and provides a critical tool for climate research.

The current study is unique in that it accounted for the effects of melt ponds, which have a strong influence on sea ice retreat.

Melt ponds are shallow pools of water that form on the surface of Arctic sea ice during the spring and summer. These ponds affect how much sunlight is absorbed by the ice and how much is reflected back into space. 

The model simulations revealed that during the last interglacial, the impact of intense springtime sunshine created many melt ponds, which played a crucial role in the retreat of Arctic sea ice. 

A simulation of the future using the same model indicates that the Arctic may become sea ice-free by 2035.

"We know the Arctic is undergoing significant changes as our planet warms. By understanding what happened during Earth's last warm period we are in a better position to understand what will happen in the future," said Dr. Louise Sime. "The prospect of loss of sea-ice by 2035 should really be focusing all our minds on achieving a low-carbon world as soon as humanly feasible."

The melt pond scheme that was incorporated into the climate model was developed by Dr. David Schroeder and Professor Danny Feltham from the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a>. They said the research shows just how important sea ice processes like melt ponds are in the Arctic, and why it is crucial that they are accounted for in climate models.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

The Arctic may be completely free of sea ice in 15 years

A team of scientists at the British Antarctic Survey has...

Sperm movement has been misinterpreted for 300 years. In a new study from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>, scientists have made an unexpected discovery of how human sperm "swim." The research represents a major breakthrough in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/honey-bees-reveal-how-heat-stress-affects-fertility-among-insects/">fertility</a> science which contradicts a universally accepted theory of sperm movement that dates back three centuries.

Over 300 years ago, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek described human sperm as having a "tail, which, when swimming, lashes with a snakelike movement, like eels in water." In the new study, however, scientists have determined that this is an optical illusion.

A team of experts including Dr. Hermes Gadelha from the University of Bristol managed to reconstruct the true movement of the sperm tail in unprecedented detail with the help of advanced 3D microscopy and mathematics. The researchers also used a high-speed camera capable of recording over 55,000 frames per second.

The experts found that the sperm tail actually only wiggles on one side. While this should have the sperm swimming in circles, they have found a clever way to thrust themselves forward, according to the researchers.

"Human sperm figured out if they roll as they swim, much like playful otters corkscrewing through water, their one-sided stoke would average itself out, and they would swim forwards," said Dr. Gadelha.

"The sperms' rapid and highly synchronized spinning causes an illusion when seen from above with 2D microscopes - the tail appears to have a side-to-side symmetric movement 'like eels in water' as described by Leeuwenhoek in the 17th century."

"However, our discovery shows sperm have developed a swimming technique to compensate for their lop-sidedness and in doing so have ingeniously solved a mathematical puzzle at a microscopic scale: by creating symmetry out of asymmetry."

"The otter-like spinning of human sperm is however complex: the sperm head spins at the same time that the sperm tail rotates around the swimming direction. This is known in physics as precession, much like when the orbits of Earth and Mars precess around the sun."

The analysis systems that are in use today still use 2D views to look at sperm movement, which provides the same limited view as the early microscope used by Leeuwenhoek. This means that clinicians still experience the illusion of symmetry while assessing the quality of semen. 

"With over half of infertility caused by male factors, understanding the human sperm tail is fundamental to developing future diagnostic tools to identify unhealthy sperm," said Dr Gadelha.

The 3D microscope method used for the study was developed by Dr. Gabriel Corkidi and Dr. Alberto Darszon from the <a href="https://www.unam.mx/">Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico</a>.

"This was an incredible surprise, and we believe our state-of the-art 3D microscope will unveil many more hidden secrets in nature. One day this technology will become available to clinical centres," said Dr. Corkidi.

"This discovery will revolutionize our understanding of sperm motility and its impact on natural fertilization. So little is known about the intricate environment inside the female reproductive tract and how sperm swimming impinge on fertilization. These new tools open our eyes to the amazing capabilities sperm have," said Dr. Darszon.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Sperm movement has been misinterpreted for 300 years

Sperm movement has been misinterpreted for 300 years. In a...

A breakthrough study from <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/">UC Riverside</a> has exposed the genetic secrets of an invasive pest that nearly wiped out the global <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/resveratrol-treating-depression/">wine</a> industry in the 19th century. The scientists identified about 3,000 genes that enable the insect phylloxera to colonize and feed on grape vines. 

With a new understanding of how the insects gain a stronghold, experts can develop ways to stop their spread.

Phylloxera is an invasive species that is native to North America. The insects attack grape vines and create tumor-like structures to feed off and live in. These structures, known as galls, protect phylloxera from vulnerability to other parasites.

"In effect, phylloxera creates its own refrigerator on the plant that it can feed from whenever it wants," said Professor Paul Nabity.

The galls disrupt the vine's ability to circulate the nutrients it needs to survive. The structures also cause wounds in the roots that make grape vines more susceptible to fungi and other pathogens.

The current study was led by Claude Rispe from the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment. Professor Nabity helped the team identify how phylloxera secrete molecules that can change the immune system of grape vines.

"These molecules alter the plant's defense systems and make it so that the plant doesn't know it's being attacked," said Professor Nabity.

Phylloxera was accidentally introduced to Europe in the 1860s, and had killed more than 70 percent of the vines in France by the 1900s.

Since native North American grapevines co-evolved with phylloxera, they are now resistant to it. However, most of the grapes consumed are European varieties, and many growers protect the grapevines by grafting them onto North American roots.

A phylloxera outbreak like the one that emerged in the Pacific Northwest last year, when the insects appeared for the first time in Washington's Walla Walla Valley, could cause grape vines to lose their leaves. If the infestation reaches the roots of grape vines, the plants could die.

Walla Walla Valley is vulnerable to phylloxera because many growers in this region planted grape vines on their own roots, rather than grafting them onto phylloxera-resistant roots.

The parasites actually do benefit vines to some degree, but the protection they provide is a self-serving strategy to keep the hosts alive. As phylloxera feed on plants and create gall structures, they transform cells on the leaves into tiny pores called stomata, which allow movement of gases in and out of the cells.

"We think this is a means to reduce the negative impact on its host," said Professor Nabity. "Stomata can create carbon gains for plants that can offset how much the insects are taking from it."

Now that the experts have managed to pinpoint the specific genes involved in the attack on grapevines, it may be possible to engineer phylloxera-resistant grapevines.

"Growers currently have to graft roots to make their plants viable," said Professor Nabity. "A lot of money and effort could be saved with pest-resistant rootstocks."    

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Notorious grape vine pest may soon be a problem of the past 

A breakthrough study from UC Riverside has exposed the genetic...

A special report from the <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/">Mayo Clinic</a> warns that health care providers and officials must be aware of the limitations of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing and the potential for false negatives. 

The article emphasizes that clinical and public health decisions should not be heavily reliant on the results of <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/covid-19-vaccine-testing-is-underway/">COVID-19</a> tests. The experts suggest that RT-PCR testing is accurate in diagnosing infection, but not as reliable in ruling it out. 

Study co-author Dr. Priya Sampathkumar is an infectious diseases specialist at the Mayo Clinic.

"RT-PCR testing is most useful when it is positive. It is less useful in ruling out COVID-19. A negative test often does not mean the person does not have the disease, and test results need to be considered in the context of patient characteristics and exposure," explains Dr. Sampathkumar.

Previously, the <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/">National Institutes of Health</a> (NIH) conducted a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32219885/">study</a> based on more than 600 patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 in Wuhan during February. The experts discovered a "potentially high false negative rate of real-time RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2." In some cases, RT-PCR results were variable for the same patients over the course of diagnosis and treatment. 

The Mayo Clinic warns that overreliance on COVID-19 test results can have a negative impact on efforts to control the pandemic. Dr. Sampathkumar says that health care officials should expect a "less visible second wave of infection from people with false-negative test results."

Even with an accuracy rate as high as 90 percent, the risk of false negatives will grow as more people are tested.

"In California, estimates say the rate of COVID-19 infection may exceed 50% by mid-May 2020. With a population of 40 million people, 2 million false-negative results would be expected in California with comprehensive testing. Even if only 1% of the population was tested, 20,000 false-negative results would be expected."

The Mayo Clinic recommends for public health officials to use evidence-based reasoning while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The experts say risk levels must be carefully assessed prior to testing, and negative test results should be viewed cautiously, especially for people in high-risk categories and in areas where COVID-19 infection is widespread.

"For truly low-risk individuals, negative test results may be sufficiently reassuring," explains study first author Dr. Colin West. "For higher-risk individuals, even those without symptoms, the risk of false-negative test results requires additional measures to protect against the spread of disease, such as extended self-isolation."

"We need to continue to refine protocols for asymptomatic patients and exposed health care workers," says Dr. Sampathkumar.

The report is published in <a href="https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/">Mayo Clinic Proceedings</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

False-negative COVID-19 tests may lead to a "second wave of infection"

A special report from the Mayo Clinic warns that health...

As the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bat-colonies-harbor-coronavirus/">coronavirus</a> pandemic continues, social media is increasingly flooded with false information about the virus. For example, rumors are spreading that patients who are taking medications known as angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have an increased susceptibility to coronavirus infection.

Hundreds of millions of people depend on ARBs to treat conditions such as congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and hypertension. By giving up these important medications to protect themselves from coronavirus, patients are critically endangering their health.

After carefully reviewing all relevant data, a team of experts has determined that there is not enough consistent evidence to support the theory that ARBs pose a significant coronavirus risk.

Dr. Murray Epstein, an emeritus professor at the <a href="http://www.med.miami.edu/">University of Miami Miller School of Medicine</a>, participated in the study. Dr. Epstein edits a medical textbook that is exclusively focused on ARBs.

"The only thing we can conclude definitively, based on all the known data, is that there is no credible evidence whatsoever that ARBs enhance susceptibility to COVID," said Dr. Epstein.

The concerns about ARBs originally stemmed from reports that the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2) protein receptor may facilitate coronavirus entry into cells. While there are some studies based on animal models which indicated ACE 2 activity may be elevated by ARBs, other studies failed to corroborate these results.

"People are making an unadvised leap," said Dr. Epstein. "The logic goes that, if it enhances penetrability, it enhances susceptibility to the disease, but that's a dangerous conclusion. What investigators have found varies widely, depending on the organ studied, the experimental animal model and the ARB being used in the study. In summary, there is a complete lack of consistency."

Dr. Epstein warns that there are serious risks for patients who stop taking ARBs over COVID-19 fears, ranging from heart attacks and strokes to kidney failure.

"This would be a double tragedy, because it would be happening precisely at a time when our hospital and ICU resources are stressed to the limit," said Dr. Epstein. "It will further tax our medical facilities and hospitals, and it will be truly tragic."

The research is published by the American Heart Association in an article written for the journal <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/hyp">Hypertension</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

&nbsp;

Patients should not stop taking medications over coronavirus fears

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, social media is increasingly flooded...

Mandatory and voluntary <a href="https://www.wusa9.com/article/weather/hurricane/evacuations-ordered-for-parts-of-floridas-east-coast-ahead-of-hurricane-dorian/65-b4b49308-f5c1-46f6-8515-a9f37e404b98">evacuations </a>are underway for all but two counties along Florida’s east coast as residents prepare for <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/hurricane-dorian-over-the-northern-bahamas/">Hurricane Dorian</a>. 

Evacuations are also in effect for Georgia and South Carolina. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a State of Emergency on Thursday of last week. 

After making landfall in the Bahamas over the weekend, Dorian slowed down and is drifting west at one mile per hour. 

All eyes are on the hurricane’s projected path. The way in which the storm turns could spell the difference between severe flooding and storm surges or less intense fallout for Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. 

If Dorian shifts north, Florida and the US East coast would be spared from much of the storm, but if it moves west, it could be devastating. Regardless of where it turns, strong winds and storm surge warnings are in effect. 

“Although it remains uncertain just how close the eye of Dorian will get to the Florida east coast, the threat of damaging winds and life-threatening storm surge remains high,” the <a href="https://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a> office wrote. “There will be considerable impacts and damage to coastal areas, with at least some effects felt inland as well!”

Dorian is expected to remain a Category Three or Four as it drifts closer to Florida and weaken to a Category Two as it makes way to the Carolinas. 

Dorian’s persistently strong winds battered the Bahamas when the storm made landfall on Sunday, making it the first Category Five storm to hit the Bahamas since 1992. 

From Sunday into Monday, the islands of Elbow Cay, Great Abaco, and Grand Bahama Island have endured nightmarishly strong winds and an extended direct hit. 

Nearly 200 mph winds and storm surge flooding have destroyed homes, torn roofs off, flooded streets, and created a perilously dangerous situation for many in the Bahamas who have yet to see relief from the storm.

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Evacuations underway as Hurricane Dorian heads for the Florida coast

Mandatory and voluntary evacuations are underway for all but two...

On Friday at midnight, the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) began the process of temporarily laying off employees, after the agency's funding ran out as a result of the partial government shutdown.

A week ago, 25 percent of federal agencies were already forced to cease normal operations after the government failed to agree on a final funding bill.

The House and Senate both met briefly on Thursday, yet no agreement was reached between Congressional Democrats and President Trump, who are at odds over $5 billion in funding that is needed for the proposed border wall.


According to an email obtained by <a href="https://thehill.com/">The Hill</a>, acting EPA administrator <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/andrew-wheeler-inew-epa-head/">Andrew Wheeler</a> has informed employees: “In the event an appropriation is not passed by midnight Friday, December 28th, EPA will initiate orderly shutdown procedures.”

The message also said that travel plans will be cancelled for furloughed employees, who were instructed to create an out of office email message and to change their voicemail greeting. 


During the EPA shutdown, more than 700 of the most essential EPA employees will have to work without pay, while the remaining 13,000 employees will be on temporary leave from their positions. 

In addition, the Smithsonian will close its museums and popular galleries, the <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2018/12/29/epa-museums-close-shutdown-slogs-into-weekend/QieABjlBLyfdrAquiseysO/story.html">Boston Globe</a> reports. This includes The National Zoo, The National Air and Space Museum, and the National Museum of Natural History.

Overall, 400,000 federal employees will be affected by the partial government shutdown. In addition, previous EPA shutdowns have caused more than 134 facilities to close across the country. 

The Senate is not expected to reconvene until January 2, which is the same month that Democrats will take over the House. North Carolina Republican Representative Mark Meadows told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a>, “At this point, it looks like we could be in for a very long-term shutdown.”

Activities such as inspections for drinking water systems and hazardous waste management sites could be potentially affected by the EPA shutdown. It will be up to senior officials to decide what work must continue in order to best protect public health.
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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 

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EPA runs out of money amid government shutdown, museums to close

On Friday at midnight, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began...

The Arctic is has lost 95 percent of its oldest, thickest sea ice, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s <a href="https://www.arctic.noaa.gov/Report-Card">2018 Arctic Report Card</a>. 

The Arctic Report Card is a yearly report that has been issued since 2006 to provide a comprehensive view of the Arctic and any environmental changes through the years.  

This year’s report shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-sea-ice-extent-low/">Arctic sea ice covered less area</a> compared to previous years and was thinner and younger. 

The Arctic has experienced nearly record-breaking sea ice minimums yearly for the past 12 years, which highlights how vulnerable the Arctic is to climate change. 

Sea ice older than four years now makes up less than one percent of all sea ice in the Arctic, according to the report. 

If this trend continues, it could be disastrous for the native species that rely on sea-ice like polar bears but also for the world's oceans which are impacted by Arctic sea ice melt. 

“The oldest ice can be thought of as a kind of glue that holds the Arctic together and, through its relative permanence, helps keep the Arctic cold even in long summers,” wrote Chris Mooney, a reporter for the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/energy-environment/2018/12/11/arctic-is-even-worse-shape-than-you-realize/?utm_term=.ac7b60f95375">Washington Post</a>.

Without a blanket of ice over the Arctic, the ocean will only get warmer as heat from the sun previously reflected away by the ice could be absorbed by the ocean. 

“The Arctic is an indication of what’s coming to the rest of the globe,” Walt Meier, a sea ice expert at the National Snow and Ice Data Center told the Washington Post. “In the Arctic Ocean, a difference of 2 degrees can be huge. If it goes from 31 Fahrenheit to 33 Fahrenheit, you’re going from ice skating to swimming. … the Arctic is an early warning system for the climate.” 

Sea ice volume has declined by 78 percent between 1979 and 2012, and it’s this loss of volume that is a larger cause for concerns. 

“We’ve lost about half of the extent, we’ve lost half of the thickness, and if you multiply these two things, we’ve lost 75 percent of the September sea ice,” Axel Schwieger, the head of <a href="http://psc.apl.washington.edu/zhang/IDAO/data_piomas.html">Pan-Arctic Ice Ocean Modeling and Assimilation System</a> at the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> told the Washington Post. 

Using Schweiger’s and the Pan-Arctic Ice Ocean Modeling and Assimilation System, the Arctic has lost trillions of tons of ice over the years. 

The sea ice declines are directly related to warmer ocean and air temperatures, and the Arctic is warming nearly twice as fast as the rest of the world. 

As Arctic warming continues, unusual weather patterns and weather extremes driven by changes in the Arctic will become more and more frequent. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Report: Arctic has lost 95 percent of its oldest, thickest ice

The Arctic is has lost 95 percent of its oldest,...

Three giant asteroids will pass by the Earth on Saturday, according to astronomers at <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a>. The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/asteroids-formed-ancient-planets/">asteroids</a> will zip past the planet within hours of each other, with the nearest extraterrestrial visitor approaching at a distance that is closer than the moon. 

At around 9:03 a.m. EST on Saturday, the first asteroid known as 2018 VS1 will fly by at a distance of 861,700 miles from the Earth. VS1 measures between 42 and 92 feet, and will be traveling at a speed of around 23,700 miles per hour, which is faster than most rockets. 

The largest of the space bodies, known as 2018 VR1, will appear around 15 minutes later. VR1 is estimated to be up to 98 feet in width, which is comparable to the length of a blue whale. This asteroid will emerge at a much greater distance from the Earth, around 3,128,892 miles away. 

The final asteroid, 2018 VX1, will make the closest approach to the planet at 1:26 p.m. The object is predicted to pass by about 1,800 miles closer than the moon at a distance of 237,037 miles. VX1 is the smallest of the space rocks, measuring between 26 and 59 feet. It is also traveling at the slowest pace of around 13,556 miles per hour. 

The asteroids will be too small and too far away to be observed using normal equipment and will only be visible by satellite. Nasa has reported that a total of 10 Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) will make a “close approach” to our planet during the month of November.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Three large asteroids will pass by close to Earth on Saturday

Three giant asteroids will pass by the Earth on Saturday,...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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