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...

After a week of chaos and devastation caused by the Northern California fires, the state’s firefighters are beginning to get the fast-burning blazes under control.

Since late in the evening of Oct. 8, more than a dozen fires have been raging through several counties in the northern part of the state, killing at least 40 people and burning whole neighborhoods in the city of Santa Rosa.

But a week later, with more than 8,000 firefighters responding to the infernos, crews are beginning to gain the upper hand, despite winds that sparked new evacuations on Saturday.

“Conditions have drastically changed from just 24 hours ago, and that is definitely a very good sign,” Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the <a href="http://www.fire.ca.gov/">Cal Fire</a>, told the news agency <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/">CNBC</a>. “And it’s probably a sign we’ve turned a corner on these fires.” 

As of 1:21 p.m. Sunday, Cal Fire reported that the Tubbs Fire was 60 percent contained, after burning more than 35,000 acres in Napa County. The Atlas Fire was 56 contained at 51,057 acres. 

Fires in the Mendocino Lake Complex, Wind Complex and in Nevada County were also losing ground to the firefighters. The Sulphur Fire in Lake County was 75 percent contained, the Cascade Fire in Yuba County was 87 percent contained, and the La Porte Fire in Butte County was 80 percent contained. Other Northern California fires were at varying levels of containment.

The progress is good news for those evacuated from the wildfire areas – more than 100,000 people have been under evacuation orders over the past week, CNBC reported. About a quarter of those people were allowed to return home on Sunday.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department advised returning evacuees to wear protective clothing and expect delays. They’d have to go through safety checks and would be issued protective gear, the <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/">Sacramento Bee</a> reported.

“Residents should be prepared to evacuate again should conditions change,” the department posted on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>.

However, not all of the Northern California fires are close to being under control. The Nuns Fire – which had grown to consume four other fires in the Central LNU Complex – was only 25 percent contained. 

“Fire continued burning in the south and western portions,” Cal Fire wrote on the incident report for the fire complex.

The Redwood Valley Fire in Mendocino County, which killed at least nine people, was 35 percent contained, after burning 35,000 acres.

The Northern California fires have killed at least 40 people, mostly overnight on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, fire officials reported. Hundreds remain missing, though officials told CNBC they hope to find most of them alive.

California’s near record rainfall over the winter after several years of drought spurred vegetation growth in the state. That, combined with record heat over the summer, left behind plenty of fuel for extreme wildfires.

The long 2017 wildfire season has been extremely expensive at both the state and federal level, the <a href="http://billingsgazette.com/">Billings Gazette</a> reports. The federal government spent more than $2.7 billion on firefighting in the last budget year, the news agency said, a record high. This year’s fires have already used more than half of the state’s emergency fund.

Firefighting costs are going up in California, Oregon, Montana and elsewhere due to a combination of hotter and drier weather and a buildup of dead and dying trees damaged by past firefighting techniques, Jennifer Jones, a spokeswoman for the <a href="https://www.nifc.gov/">National Interagency Fire Center</a>, told the Gazette.

For more information about efforts to extinguish the Northern California fires, check the <a href="http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents">Cal Fire incidents website</a>. 

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image credit: Capt. Will Martin, <a href="https://www.nationalguard.com/">Army National Guard</a>

Firefighters gaining ground on Northern California fires

After a week of chaos and devastation caused by the...

For the past several days, intense wildfires have burned through eight counties in Northern California's wine country, prompting Governor Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency.

Thus far, the fires have scorched over 170,000 acres of land, and 670 people have been reported missing. California Highway Patrol has already rescued 50 people from mountain tops as the fires began to close in.

Firefighters are working to investigate the cause, but the fires were undoubtedly exacerbated by the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/santa-ana-wind-event-over-california/">Santa Ana Winds</a>, or “Los Diablos” (devil winds), which create peak fire conditions by quickly moving hot, dry air across California. 

At one time over the weekend, more than 25 different fires blazed across Northern California. More than 44 people were rescued by helicopter, and according to Sonoma County Officials, and more than 100 calls have been made to report possible missing persons. 

As of Wednesday afternoon, the death toll had risen to 21 people, and the fires have destroyed over 1000 homes and business. Cal Fire has also issued new evacuation orders for residents in Calistoga and Santa Rosa.

Though winds have died down, firefighters ares still working to contain the blazes.

Federal funds were immediately allocated to help the state in its recovery efforts and those displaced by fires.

Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park neighborhood was perhaps one of the hardest hit areas as whole street blocks were engulfed.

Even though critical conditions in Northern California are dying down, there is a fear that the fires will move south. 

Thick smoke has also caused dangerously poor air quality in the area, and some residents have been hospitalized for respiratory irritation.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

21 dead as wildfires ravage Northern California’s wine country

For the past several days, intense wildfires have burned through...

<a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) administrator Scott Pruitt announced plans to repeal the Clean Power Plan at an event in Kentucky on Monday. 

Scott Pruitt, the former Attorney General of Oklahoma, is well known for his stance against environmental protection regulations and has <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scott-pruitt-doubts-global-warming/">denied the existence of climate change</a>. Despite his new job title, Scott Pruitt is a known critic of the EPA and even pursued several legal battles against the agency during President Barack Obama’s presidency.

The Clean Power Plan was instituted by the Obama administration to help combat climate change by limiting man-made greenhouse gas emissions. The legislation aimed to significantly curb air pollution and limit pollutants that cause asthma and disease. 

Pruitt has not been shy about sharing his thoughts on the Clean Power Plan, calling it “unconstitutional” and claiming it hurts the economy. 

“When you think about what that rule meant, it was about picking winners and losers. Regulatory power should not be used by any regulatory body to pick winners and losers,” Pruitt said Monday.

Even though Pruitt claims that clean air is an important concern, he feels that new jobs and economic success, particularly with the coal industry, take precedence.

Thus far, Pruitt has not made any mention of plans to replace the Clean Power Plan or institute new regulations on emissions. His move to repeal without replacing the landmark legislation has drawn fire from environmentalists. 

“A proposal to repeal the Clean Power Plan without any timeline or even a commitment to propose a rule to reduce carbon pollution, isn't a step forward, it's a wholesale retreat from EPA's legal, scientific and moral obligation to address the threats of climate change," former EPA administrator, Gina McCarthy, told <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/09/politics/environmental-protection-agency-scott-pruitt-clean-power-plan/index.html">CNN</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

EPA administrator Pruitt announces repeal of Clean Power Plan

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Scott Pruitt announced plans to...

According to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times</a>, The Trump Administration is beginning the process to repeal the Clean Power Plan, which was put in place by President Obama to lower carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. An internal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) document obtained by <a href="http://www.reuters.com/">Reuters</a> says that the public will be asked for ways to replace the policy.

This proposal by the EPA comes as no surprise considering President Trump vowed early on in his campaign to reverse what he called “stupid" policies developed by the Obama administration to address climate change. 

Scott Pruitt also made it clear in his first interview as EPA administrator that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dem-letter-clean-power-plan/">Clean Power Plan</a> would be quickly withdrawn. In that interview, Pruitt said “the courts have seriously called into question the legality” of the regulations. 

As Oklahoma Attorney General, Pruitt sued the EPA over the Clean Power Plan. This was just one of 14 lawsuits that Pruitt participated in against the EPA before he was appointed by Trump as administrator of the agency.

The proposal to repeal the Clean Power Plan is included in the EPA’s “October 2017 Tiering List,” a document that highlights upcoming policy issues of high priority for the agency’s <a href="https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-air-and-radiation-oar">Office of Air and Radiation</a> (OAR). 

The report says that new regulations will be issued which are “similarly intended to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing fossil-fueled electric utility generating units and to solicit information for the agency to consider in developing such a rule.”

It is unclear how the EPA will defend its decision to reverse the climate policy. It is expected to be replaced by a narrower set of regulations that target thermal efficiency improvements at coal-fired power plants.

Gene Karpinski is the president of the <a href="https://www.lcv.org/">League of Conservation Voters</a>, an organization that works to turn environmental values into national priorities.

“We have no doubt that a replacement will be written by Pruitt’s industry friends, falling ridiculously short of what’s needed to fight climate change and denying millions of people the right to clean air,” <a href="https://www.lcv.org/article/lcv-clean-power-plan-repeal-members-stand-ready-fight/">said Karpinski</a>. “If Scott Pruitt’s EPA wants recommendations for replacing the Clean Power Plan, here’s ours: keep it and follow the law.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

NYT: Trump beginning process to repeal Obama’s Clean Power Plan

According to the New York Times, The Trump Administration is...

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico this morning as the strongest storm the island has seen in almost 90 years. The Category 4 hurricane roared onto the island around 6:15 a.m. with 155 mph winds, ripping roofs off of buildings and knocking out power across the entire territory. 

By mid-morning, the hurricane had completely engulfed the 100-mile island. The <a href="http://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a> in San Juan reported rainfall of up to 7 inches an hour. Residents reported windows shattering, buildings shaking, and streets turning into muddy rivers.

While anticipating the arrival of Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico's governor Ricardo Rossello told the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a>, "This is going to be an extremely violent phenomenon. We have not experienced an event of this magnitude in our modern history." 

Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency (PREMA) Director Abner Gomez was braced for the worst at a press conference today. “When we can get outside, we will find our island destroyed," he said. "The information we have received is not encouraging. It's a system that has destroyed everything it has had in its path."

On its way to Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria ripped through the Caribbean after rapidly intensifying in strength from a Category 1 to a Category 5 storm in just 15 hours. The hurricane slammed into the tiny nation of Dominica Monday night with 160 mph winds, making it the strongest storm in the recorded history of the island.

As buildings are filling up with water and rivers are overflowing in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/1918-puerto-rico-earthquake-tsunami/">Puerto Rico</a> today, torrential rain and strong winds are expected to persist through this evening. Hurricane Maria will pass to the east of the Turks and Caicos as a Category 3 storm on Friday, and then will pass well to the east of the Bahamas by Saturday. Beyond this, the path of the storm is unclear.

"At this point, it looks like Maria will miss the United States and will move out to sea sometime later next week," said <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/">ABC News</a> meteorologist Max Golembo. "But this will be a close call, so we will be watching carefully."

Governor Rossello took to Twitter today to encourage the residents of Puerto Rico. He tweeted, "God is with us; we are stronger than any hurricane. Together we will lift up."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Hurricane Maria slams Puerto Rico, whole island without power

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico this morning as...

Severe 7.1 earthquake strikes Mexico City, death toll rising. A severe earthquake with a 7.1 magnitude struck Mexico City on Tuesday September 19, 2017 at 2:15pm EST, killing over 100 people and destroying many large buildings. This, less than two weeks after an 8.1 magnitude <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/megathrust-earthquakes-and-tsunamis-may-be-tied-to-deep-slow-activity/">earthquake</a> occurred off the western coast of Mexico on September 8th that left nearly 100 dead.

As of midday Wednesday, the death toll had already risen to over 225 people killed.

According to the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press,</a> the potent quake was felt across a vast and heavily-populated area of central Mexico, causing power outages and collapsed buildings. In Mexico City alone, over 44 buildings have been reduced to rubble. Severe 7.1 earthquake strikes Mexico City, death toll rising 

The epicenter of the earthquake has been estimated to be roughly 2.8 miles northeast of San Juan Raboso and 34 miles southwest of Puebla, according to the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">US Geological Survey</a>. The quake struck at a depth of 33 miles.

The day also marked the anniversary of the devastating 1985 earthquake, which shook Mexico City with an 8.1 magnitude and killed thousands.

Just south of Mexico City, the Enrique Rebsamen school was partially flattened, killing at least 25 people, most of which were children.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Severe 7.1 earthquake strikes Mexico City, death toll rising

Severe 7.1 earthquake strikes Mexico City, death toll rising. A...

Hurricane Irma weakened to a Category 2 hurricane on Sunday as its winds – described as a “low howl” by those still in Florida – slowed to 110 mph, but the monster storm had already ripped up trees, spawned tornado warnings, flooded streets, and was threatening a storm surge that could swamp cities in southern Florida, scientists said.

At least three people in Florida have been killed, the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/">BBC</a> reported Sunday evening. More than 2.3 million were without power, and 70,000 were hunkering down in shelters. 

“The windows are shaking and the wind outside is blowing,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/10/us/miami-key-west-scene.html">New York Times</a> correspondent Frances Robles wrote from Miami on Sunday morning, before Irma made landfall. “Every few minutes, you can hear the faint sound of a tornado alarm coming from someone’s phone or computer. The trees outside are not bending as much as I thought they would.”

By Sunday afternoon, the center of the Hurricane Irma made had reached the coast near Naples, Florida, threatening a 15-foot storm surge. Waters on the Gulf Coast of Florida had risen four feet by 6 p.m. local time, the <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSLouisville/status/907003992395350016">NWS office in Louisville</a> tweeted.

The <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/">National Hurricane Center</a> advised anyone who hadn’t evacuated from Naples, Marco Island and the surrounding area to move away from the coast.

The eyewall – the strongest portion of the storm around Hurricane Irma’s eye – was hammering Fort Myers on Sunday evening as the monster storm moved toward Tampa Bay.

The <a href="https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/wwacapget.php?x=FL125867F044BC.TornadoWarning.125867F05074FL.MLBTORMLB.a6d185fbf35d9ce0a9cf179e63be3e05">National Weather Service</a> sent out a tornado advisory for central Florida as Irma’s violent winds spawned severe thunderstorms in the region.

“TAKE COVER NOW! Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris,” the agency said.

Storm surge warnings were also in place for parts of Miami beach, Tampa Bay and the Florida Keys. <a href="https://twitter.com/USATODAY/status/907014047970861056/video/1">Video posted by USA Today</a> showed the surge engulfing neighborhoods in Miami. 

“A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations,” a National Hurricane Center alert said.

As people fled their homes, several Florida cities and Miami-Dade County established curfews to prevent looting.

President Donald Trump promised emergency aid and approved a disaster declaration on Sunday. The federal funding included temporary housing grants, the BBC reported. Trump signed <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/09/08/statement-press-secretary-president-donald-j-trump-signing-hr-601">H.R. 601</a>, which diverts more than $15 billion to relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Harvey and western wildfires, on Friday.

Though weaker by Sunday afternoon, Irma was expected to remain at hurricane strength until Monday, meteorologists said.

Before reaching Florida, Hurricane Irma swept through the Caribbean, killing more than 25 people, leaving Puerto Rico without power and more than half the population of Barbuda homeless. In Cuba, Irma tore down houses and tore up trees. 

At one point, sustained windspeeds of 185 mph and gusts topping 200 mph made it the strongest hurricane ever recorded. 

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Hurricane Irma weakens, but not before massive destruction

Hurricane Irma weakened to a Category 2 hurricane on Sunday...

As Hurricane Irma continues to slam southern Florida and roll up the Gulf Coast, those who are riding out the storm have documented the flooding, violent winds, and destruction on social media. Here are some unbelievable video clips of Hurricane Irma from Instagram.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-version="7">
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<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BY4C_ZelKEb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Miami | Official Page (@lifestyle_miami)</a> on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-09-10T21:33:18+00:00">Sep 10, 2017 at 2:33pm PDT</time>

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--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: Instagram

Image Credit: <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=90948&amp;eocn=home&amp;eoci=iotd_image">NASA Earth Observatory</a>

Video footage of Hurricane Irma's flooding and destruction

As Hurricane Irma continues to slam southern Florida and roll...

Hurricane Harvey brought biblical rain and flooding to southeastern Texas this past weekend, and it seems to be settling in for a while.

The catastrophic flooding is already the worst in the area’s recorded history, news outlets reported on Sunday. Much of the southeastern part of the state got more than 20 inches of rain over Saturday and Sunday, with some locations receiving more than 30 inches of water. 

The Houston/Galveston office of the <a href="http://www.weather.gov/">National Weather Service</a> recorded rainfall of more than 24 inches in 24 hours, the office <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSHouston/status/901782033197916161">tweeted</a> early on Sunday morning.

The city was expecting another 3 inches per hour overnight on Sunday evening. 

Several deaths were reported in the Houston area. In one case, a woman and child on Interstate 10 were presumed dead, but rescuers were unable to reach the location where they were stranded, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez <a href="https://twitter.com/SheriffEd_HCSO/status/901711132917993478">tweeted</a>. The full number of fatalities was unlikely to be known for several days.

More than 6.5 million people live in the region.

The NWS is forecasting continued major flooding in the coming days, beyond the feet of water that submerged parts of Houston and the surrounding area on Sunday.

Several local officials and the NWS were tweeting out advice to those trapped by floodwaters.

“Have reports of people getting into attic to escape floodwater,” Chief Art Acevedo of the Houston Police Department <a href="https://twitter.com/ArtAcevedo/status/901723767537324032">tweeted</a>. “Do not do so unless you have an ax or means to break through onto your roof.”

“Do not go into your attic. Rescuers from air can't see you. Get to high ground, mark your roof,” the U.S. Coast Guard <a href="https://twitter.com/USCGHeartland/status/901884015338287109">tweeted</a>.

They also asked people to stay off the road.

“Never drive or walk into flood waters,” NWS <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/901971958379708416">said</a>.

Anyone with water in their home or business should also turn off their electric and gas, Acevedo said.

The rainfall has already broken records for the month of August, and although Hurricane Harvey was downgraded to a tropical storm on Sunday, it seemed likely to linger, dumping even more water. The flood threat had spread to southern Louisiana as of Sunday evening.

The hurricane also spawned tornado warnings on Sunday evening for several areas around Houston.

“This event is unprecedented and all impacts are unknown and beyond anything experienced. Follow orders from officials to ensure safety,” the NWS <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/901832717070983169">tweeted</a>.

The storm is likely to remain at tropical storm strength through Wednesday, the NWS said. Meteorologists at multiple forecasting websites were predicting rainfall through Friday.

Not all of the news was bad. Gonzalez shared stories of rescues on his <a href="https://twitter.com/sheriffed_hcso?lang=en">Twitter account</a>. Among those taken to safety were a Vietnam veteran with muscular dystrophy and his three cats, a pregnant woman who had gone into labor, and a man who’d been stranded in 8-foot water for several hours. 

When he put out a call for anyone with a boat who could help, several citizens reached out and offered their assistance.

Houston police rescued more than 1,200 people, Acevedo said. The Coast Guard also reported hundreds of rescues.

President Donald Trump was expected to visit Houston soon, possibly on Tuesday news outlets reported.

“I will be going to Texas as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety,” Trump said on his <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/901791391130554370">official Twitter account</a>.
<h3>How to help</h3>
Several organizations are collecting donations to help those displaced by Hurricane Harvey. 

Anyone with a boat in the Houston area may call 713-881-3100 to find out how they can volunteer or loan the boat for rescue operations. 

Those eligible to donate blood in the Houston area can donate at the <a href="https://southtexasblood.org/">South Texas Blood and Tissue Center</a>.

The following organizations are taking monetary donations to help Hurricane Harvey victims:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://www.redcross.org/">American Red Cross</a>, 1-800-733-2767</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/">Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services</a>, 1-800-725-2769</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://www.portlight.org/">Portlight</a>, 800-626-4959</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://www.texasdiaperbank.org/">Texas Diaper Bank</a>, 210-731-8118</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://www.savethechildren.org/">Save the Children</a></li>
</ul>
The <a href="http://www.houstonfoodbank.org/">Houston Food Bank</a>, <a href="http://www.galvestoncountyfoodbank.org/">Galveston County Food Bank</a> and <a href="http://www.foodbankcc.com/">Corpus Christi Food Bank</a> are all accepting online donations.

<a href="https://www.austinpetsalive.org/">Austin Pets Alive!</a> has also been helping shelters in the path of Hurricane Harvey to get shelter animals to safety.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Hurricane Harvey slams Texas, with more rain on the way

Hurricane Harvey brought biblical rain and flooding to southeastern Texas...

Yes, the Great American Eclipse of Monday, August 21 is likely to be as memorable as its name would suggest. For one thing, it’s a pretty exclusive event. 

While there were 228 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/importance-solar-eclipses-history/">solar eclipses</a> during the 20th century, only 71 of them were total eclipses. That’s where the moon appears to nearly completely block sight of the sun. Viewers see the sky suddenly darken and the brilliance of the sun’s corona, or outermost ring of atmosphere. If it’s not a total eclipse, the moon covers only part of the sun and the effect is muted.

This one’s total.

But even at that, we Earthlings have experienced 71 total eclipses over the last hundred years, so the phenomenon still isn’t all that rare. So what’s the big deal about the Great American Eclipse?

The Path of Totality

It’s the word “American,” not “Eclipse,” that creates the distinction. Even the most thrilling of solar eclipses are only fully experiences by a relatively few people lucky enough to find themselves within prime viewing area. That’s because the sight is only visible on relatively small swaths of the globe. Even if you’re only a few miles outside of the area of “totality” you’ll see little or no evidence of the eclipse. 

To illustrate, the last total solar eclipse fully viewable in the United States was in 1991, but you had to be in Hawaii to see it. The last total eclipse on view from any area of the continental U.S. was way back in 1979, and that only occurred over the northwest corner of the country. The last time the Path of Totality went coast-to-coast was in 1918. We assume you missed it.

So, yeah. This one’s pretty special.

Where You’ll See It

On August 21, only those in about a 70-mile band of the country stretching west to east principally along 12 states will get an awe-inspiring view. Those states are Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and, finally, South Carolina. Very tiny sections of two more states, Montana and Iowa, will also be in the path.

If you’re planning on traveling, don’t be late! Viewers in each location will only have between about two and less than three minutes to catch the stunning moment of totality.

What You’ll See

First contact is the moment when the two heavenly bodies begin to come together. From this moment to totality will be a period of about an hour and a half.

What you’ll notice leading up to totality is a change in the color of the light. Shadows become sharper. As the two bodies move closer, the sun takes on more and more of a crescent shape. 

As the sun and moon are in full alignment, the sky will darken and you’ll suddenly see the night’s stars and planets (assuming that your viewing sky is clear of cloud cover). At the point of total eclipse, the sun will look life a fiery ring. You'll be viewing it’s corona, or outer edge, the only portion of the sun that will be on view.

The experience itself is virtually indescribable. But you can see videos of previous total eclipses <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DanvV8QTaVY">here</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lHb5ruGUyw">here</a>. 

Viewings and Doings in America

Americans know that the Great American Eclipse is a big deal, and they’re making the most of it. Here are just a few of the eclipse-related happenings on tap. (Events are selling out rapidly due to crowds, so be sure to check event websites or call before traveling.)

<a href="http://independencegoesdark.com/">Independence, Oregon, Indy Goes Dark Eclipse Festival</a>, (Aug. 17-21) -- Festivities include a beer garden, 5K run, fireworks and concert in the park. But don’t stay out too late the day before. Totality hits soon after 9am here. 

<a href="http://eclipsemoonfest.com/#top">Idaho Falls, Idaho, Moonfest Music Festival</a>, (Aug. 18-21) -- Food, merch, mechanical bull riding, hypnotists and some 16 artists and bands. Oh, and the total eclipse of the sun.

<a href="http://www.eclipseville.com/">Hopkinsville, Kentucky, The Point of Greatest Eclipse</a> (Aug. 18-21) -- Just like the name says, this is the place in which viewers will get the longest show -- two minutes and 41 seconds of totality. That's why the town of 33,000 expects 200,000 visitors. 

<a href="http://italianlights.org/">Nashville, Tennessee, Italian Lights Festival and Solar Eclipse 2017</a>, (Aug 18-21) -- Music City has the distinction of being the largest city on the Path of Totality, so it’s celebrating in a number of ways and places. This event, focused on Bicentennial Capitol Mall downtown, celebrates with food, wine, music and art.

<a href="http://www.comoeclipse.com/">Charleston, South Carolina, Charleston RiverDogs</a>, (Aug. 21) This Old South city is the last on this solar tour. Its minor league team, the Charleston RiverDogs will be one place where you can get a doubleheader -- a solar eclipse and then a ballgame (if it’s not sold out). The eclipse is at 2:48 pm, the game’s at 4:05. 

That was just a sampler. <a href="http://www.americaneclipse2017.org/eclipse-events/">Visit here</a> for a more comprehensive listing of national happenings. 

Protect Your Eyes

The sun is dangerous to your vision at every stage of eclipse except totality. That means you must protect your eyes at all times until that final stage. And if you’re not in that swath of land that will see totality, there’s never a moment when it will be safe to view the sun.

Before ruining your vision, get eclipse glasses that meet the following ISO standards for eye safety: ISO 12312-2. Wear those ISO-certified glasses as the moon and sun go through the initial phases of alignment and only take them off at the point of full eclipse. 

And remember, there are no valid substitutes for those glasses. Sunglasses, no matter how strong the filter, won’t offer the vision protection you need. And if you do get official eclipse glasses (which will be a challenge at this late date), test them. You should only be able to see the sun with them. Nothing else. If you can see even strong artificial lighting, the filter isn’t strong enough. Toss them and don’t look up until the point of totality.

Now enjoy this perhaps once-in-a-lifetime and definitely unforgettable event.   

 --

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Everything you need to know about the Great American Eclipse

Yes, the Great American Eclipse of Monday, August 21 is...

A massive iceberg weighing over 1 trillion tons has broken off the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica, scientists announced Wednesday morning.

The iceberg, which most likely will be named A68, has been described as twice the size of Lake Erie and measures 2,240 square miles in size.

The event was anticipated by researchers from Project MIDAS and <a href="http://www.swansea.ac.uk/">Swansea University,</a> who had been monitoring Antarctica ever since the Larsen A ice shelf collapsed in 1995 and the Larsen B shelf dissolved in 2002.

"We have been anticipating this event for months, and have been surprised how long it took for the rift to break through the final few kilometers of ice," said Adrian Luckman, researcher from <a href="http://www.swansea.ac.uk/">Swansea University</a>. "We will continue to monitor both the impact of this calving event on the Larsen C Ice Shelf, and the fate of this huge iceberg."

The event has completely reshaped the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/massive-iceberg-larsen-c-ice-shelf/">Larsen C</a> ice shelf, reducing it by 12%, which will require maps to be redrawn.

While the team noted that this was a natural event not caused by human-induced climate change, it still leaves the ice shelf in danger of further dissipation. 

From here, the iceberg is likely to break into smaller chunks, with some pieces remaining in the water for decades, while others will make their way into warm waters and melt.

The new iceberg is about half the size of the largest iceberg ever recorded. B15 broke off Antarctica’s Ross ice shelf in 2000 and measured a whopping 4,250 square miles.

[caption id="attachment_718227" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Larsen_C_breaks.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-718227" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Larsen_C_breaks-300x268.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="268" /></a> Credit: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2017), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO[/caption]

-

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/APFN_ICEBERG?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-07-12-09-11-44"> AP</a>

Image Credit: EPA/NASA/John Sonntag

Enormous iceberg breaks off Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica

A massive iceberg weighing over 1 trillion tons has broken...

The mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey is stepping down to focus on climate change after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">Paris climate accord</a>.

Dawn Zimmer announced on Tuesday that she won’t seek a third term. Zimmer, a Democrat, said she wants to "take a new role working more directly” on climate change after Trump’s decision on the Paris accord.

As mayor, Zimmer has focused on projects to protect Hoboken from storms. Hoboken is just across the Hudson River from New York and was heavily damaged by storm surge during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Zimmer said she has no position lined up yet. She endorsed Hoboken councilman Ravinder Bhalla to replace her in this fall's election.

Trump says leaving the climate agreement was "a reassertion of America's sovereignty."

Zimmer is the first female mayor of Hoboken and was elected in a special election held in November 2009. In November 2013, she was re-elected for another 4-year term.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MAYOR_TRUMP_ENVIRONMENT_NJOL-?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-06-20-15-03-19">AP</a>

New Jersey mayor steps down to focus on climate change

The mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey is stepping down to...

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.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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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



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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



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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



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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 



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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



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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



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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



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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



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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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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



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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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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



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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



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Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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