The holiday season, filled with festive gatherings and delicious food, can be challenging for anyone committed to a healthy lifestyle.&nbsp;



A new national survey by <a href="https://www.orlandohealth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Orlando Health</a> finds that nearly 40% of Americans worry about overeating during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-people-die-from-heart-attacks-during-the-holidays/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">holidays</a>. However, experts reassure that a few holiday treats are not a cause for guilt or concern over weight gain long-term health impacts.



“Holidays come around once a year, and indulging in a few traditional foods and favorite recipes that may have a little extra sugar or fat is not going to affect your health or derail your healthy habits,” said Sara Riehm, a registered dietitian at Orlando Health.&nbsp;



Riehm notes that, for many, the anxiety about holiday <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-nuts-every-day-does-not-cause-weight-gain-but-it-does-improve-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weight gain</a> far outweighs actual weight gain during this time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-healthy-holiday-habits">Healthy holiday habits</h2>



The survey also revealed some common yet counterproductive tactics people use to avoid overindulgence.&nbsp;



One in four respondents, for instance, skip meals before a holiday event in an attempt to “save” calories. Riehm warns against this strategy, as it often leads to overconsumption once hunger takes over.



“It’s a lot easier to make healthier decisions when we're not hungry. Having a light meal with protein and fiber before a party helps you feel fuller and make mindful choices about what you’re eating,” Riehm advised.



She suggests balancing a serving of a favorite holiday treat with nutritious options like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-fruits-and-vegetables-improve-heart-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vegetables</a> or a fruit salad to ensure a balanced plate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-debunking-the-detox-myth">Debunking the “detox” myth</h2>



Another common response to holiday indulgence is the urge to “detox” or “cleanse” afterward. The survey showed that a third of people feel the need to detox post-holidays, believing it will offset any negative effects of holiday treats.&nbsp;



However, Riehm explains that these detox measures are not only ineffective but could also pose health risks.



“We can't really detox the body from the so-called ‘toxins’ that we're getting from our food,” she said. “Our liver and kidneys are already designed to remove toxins from the body without the need for juices or supplements.”&nbsp;



She further cautions that detox methods often involve extreme calorie restrictions, potentially leading to dangerous drops in blood sugar and disturbing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tool-detects-changes-in-gut-health-to-help-prevent-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gut health</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-healthy-goals-in-the-holiday-season">Healthy goals in the holiday season </h2>



Rather than resorting to drastic measures, Riehm recommends seeking guidance from a registered dietitian to help manage a balanced and sustainable plan through the holiday season and beyond.



“With so much information, misguided advice, and pseudoscience out there, registered dietitians are going to be your number one source for evidence-based nutrition information,” she said.&nbsp;



According to Riehm, dietitians, unlike self-designated nutritionists, are licensed to provide medical nutrition therapy, making them a reliable resource for developing lasting, health-centered strategies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-informed-choices">Making informed choices </h2>



For Joshua Walker, a participant in a six-week lifestyle program at the Orlando Health Center for Health Improvement, working with Riehm revealed surprising insights into his <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-healthy-diet-can-reduce-brain-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diet</a>. 



Walker, who carefully manages his diet and exercise, discovered that foods he once considered healthy were elevating his blood sugar.



“I was eating tons of carbs and fruit, and that turns into sugar inside the body,” Walker explained.&nbsp;



Through minor adjustments guided by Riehm, he stabilized his blood sugar and feels confident that he can navigate the holidays without compromising his health goals.&nbsp;



Walker now enjoys the flexibility to indulge without fear: “If Grandma made an apple pie that I’m just looking at and it’s speaking my name, I’ll go ahead and eat a slice.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consistency-over-perfection">Consistency over perfection</h2>



Riehm emphasizes that sustainable health is built on consistency and flexibility rather than strict avoidance.&nbsp;



“No diet or healthy habit is going to be successful in the long term without a little bit of flexibility,” she said.&nbsp;



Rather than fixating on each meal, Riehm advocates a balanced approach: “The same way that one healthy meal is not going to make a huge difference in your health outcomes, having one unhealthy meal is also not going to make a huge difference.”



Ultimately, the key to maintaining a healthy weight over the holidays is to enjoy traditional foods in moderation and make informed, mindful choices without guilt. 



Embracing this balanced perspective allows holiday celebrations to be a joyful experience rather than a source of stress.



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Worried about holiday weight gain? Here's what the experts say

The holiday season, filled with festive gatherings and delicious food, can be challenging for anyone committed to a healthy lifestyle.&nbsp; A new national survey by Orlando Health finds that nearly 40% of Americans worry about overeating during the holidays. However, experts reassure that a few holiday treats are not a cause for guilt or concern over weight gain long-term health impacts. “Holidays come around once a year, and indulging in a few traditional foods and favorite recipes that may have a little extra sugar or fat is...

The correct timing of an exercise session may influence the extent of fat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/age-related-changes-in-metabolism-dont-match-our-expectations/">metabolism</a> that takes place, as the body strives to keep glucose and energy levels in balance. This is what scientists have discovered in laboratory mice.&nbsp; A new study from researchers at the <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institutet</a> in Sweden, and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, shows that mice that did exercise in an early active phase, which corresponds to morning exercise in humans, increased their metabolism more than mice that did exercise at a time in the day when they usually rest.&nbsp;



Physiological processes in the bodies of animals are affected by circadian rhythms, the natural 24-hour cycles that respond primarily to input of light and darkness. These changes are mediated by molecular clocks that switch specific genes on or off in cells. A variety of factors including hormones, temperature, food-intake, and exercise can act on tissue-specific molecular clocks to alter the expression of genes that influence metabolism, all in a way that relates to the time of day. This system helps to anticipate and adapt an organism’s physiology and behavior to the activities that take place during different phases of the day.&nbsp;



In order to find out whether the timing of exercise affects the metabolism of fat, the researchers studied the adipose tissue of mice after a session of high-intensity exercise performed at two different points of the daily cycle – when mice began to get active, and when they were in the early stages of resting. These times correspond to a late morning and a late evening exercise session, respectively, in humans. The researchers studied various markers of fat metabolism and analyzed which genes were active in adipose tissue after exercise.



The results, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2218510120">PNAS</a>, showed that certain fatty acids, which are the breakdown products of stored fats, were present at higher concentrations in the mice’s blood after early active phase exercise, but this was not the case after exercise during the early rest phase. This indicates that fat is metabolized as a source of energy more actively when exercise takes place during the early active phase, and that the metabolic response to exercise is dependent on the time of day that exercise takes place.&nbsp;



The researchers also found that physical activity at an early active phase increased the expression of genes involved in the breakdown of adipose tissue, in thermogenesis (heat production) and in the proliferation of mitochondria (where energy for the exercise is generated) in the adipose tissue, all of which indicate a higher metabolic rate. These effects were observed only in mice that exercised in the early active phase and were independent of their food intake.



”Our results suggest that late morning exercise could be more effective than late evening exercise in terms of boosting the metabolism and the burning of fat, and if this is the case, they could prove of value to people who are overweight,” said Professor Juleen Zierath from the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the Karolinska Institutet.



Although experimental results derived from mice may not always be directly applicable to humans, the two species do share many basic physiological functions, and mice are a well-established model for human physiology and metabolism. However, there are also important differences, such as the fact that mice are nocturnal.



“The right timing seems to be important to the body’s energy balance and to improving the health benefits of exercise, but more studies are needed to draw any reliable conclusions about the relevance of our findings to humans,” said Professor Zierath.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Late morning exercise may burn more fat

The correct timing of an exercise session may influence the...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html">University of Alberta</a> in Canada has found that, during an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poor-sleep-increases-risk-of-infection/">infection</a>, it may be better to let a mild fever run its course instead of automatically reaching for medication. Although the research was conducted on fish, the experts suggest that such an approach to illness might prove beneficial for humans too.



In a laboratory setting, the scientists infected fish with bacteria and tracked and evaluated their behavior using machine learning algorithms. The investigation revealed that their outward symptoms – which were then matched to important immune mechanisms inside the animals - were strikingly similar to those of humans during infections, including immobility, malaise, and fatigue. 



Most importantly, moderate fever appeared to help to clear the fish of infection in about a week, which was half the time it took for those not allowed to exert fever. In addition, untreated moderate fever played a crucial role in controlling inflammation and repairing damaged tissue.



“We let nature do what nature does, and in this case it was very much a positive thing,” said study senior author Daniel Barreda, an immunologist at Alberta, suggesting that we should resist reaching for fever medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at the first signs of developing a mild fever. “They take away the discomfort felt with fever, but you’re also likely giving away some of the benefits of this natural response.”&nbsp;



While the health advantages of natural fever in humans are not yet confirmed, since the mechanisms driving and sustaining fever have been evolutionarily conserved across the animal kingdom for nearly 550 million years, it is reasonable to expect similar benefits in the case of humans too.&nbsp;



“Our goal is to determine how to best take advantage of our medical advances while continuing to harness the benefits from natural mechanisms of immunity,” Barreda concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.83644">eLife</a>.



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



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Moderate fever can help clear infections faster

A new study led by the University of Alberta in...

During the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors noticed that children were less affected by the virus than adults and seniors. Researchers with <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institutet</a>, the Universities of Bern (Switzerland), Oslo (Norway), and Linköping University (Sweden) have discovered that this phenomenon may be partially explained by children's exposure to the common cold, which produces memory T-cells that could help fight the COVID-19 virus.&nbsp;



To conduct their study, the scientists collected 48 blood samples from children between 2 and 6 years old and 94 samples from adults between 26 and 83 years old. They also included 59 samples from people who had recently recuperated from COVID-19.



Study co-author Annika Karlsson led the research at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet. She explained why children have more immunity than adults and how their findings are important for future epidemiology research.



“These reactions are especially strong early in life and grow much weaker as we get older. Our findings show how the T-cell response develops and changes over time and can guide the future monitoring and development of vaccines," said Karlsson.



According to the analysis, children as young as two years old seemed to benefit from this immunity. Still, more research is needed to understand how our immune response changes as we get older.



“Next, we’d like to do analogous studies of younger and older children, teenagers and young adults to better track how the immune response to coronaviruses develops from childhood to adulthood,” said study co-first author Marion Humbert.



The study was supported by the Swedish Research Council, Region Stockholm (CIMED), Karolinska Institutet, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and the European Research Council.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2220320120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Common cold helped protect children from COVID-19

During the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors noticed that children were less...

In recent years, an increasing number of smartphone spyware apps have been developed. Between September 2020 and May 2021, the use of such apps increased by 63 percent in the U.S. and 93 percent in the UK, posing significant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wireless-security-cameras-have-unexpected-privacy-risks/">privacy risks</a>.&nbsp;



While publicly marketed as tools for monitoring underage children or employees, these apps – which are hard to notice or detect and will easily leak the sensitive personal information they collect - are also frequently used by people to covertly spy on a spouse, partner, or other individuals.&nbsp;



Spyware apps are rather cheap (with a monthly fee ranging between $30 and $100), require little to no technical expertise to install and use, only need temporary access to their victims’ devices, and can easily record these devices’ activities – such as text messages, emails, photos, or voice calls – and allow abusers to remotely review this information through a web portal.



Now, a team of scientists from the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">University of California, San Diego</a> and <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> (NYU) has performed an in-depth technical analysis of 14 leading spyware apps for Android phones, which – by contrast to iPhones - commonly allow such invasive apps to be downloaded from the internet.&nbsp;



The analysis revealed that these apps use a wide range of techniques to surreptitiously gather data (such as invisible browsers), can record phone calls via the device’s microphone, can exploit accessibility features on smartphones allowing them to record keystrokes, and can masquerade as “Wi-Fi” or “Internet Service.”



Moreover, since spyware apps often use unencrypted communication channels to transmit the data they collect and store it in public URLs accessible to anyone with a link, their protection of sensitive user data is minimal.



According to the researchers, in order to counter spyware, a more creative, diverse, and comprehensive set of interventions from the industry, government, and the scientific community is urgently needed.&nbsp;



“Our recommendation is that Android should enforce stricter requirements on what apps can hide icons. Most apps that run on Android phones should be required to have an icon that would appear in the launch bar. We recommend that all actions to access sensitive data be added to the privacy dashboard and that users should be periodically notified of the existence of apps with an excessive number of permissions,” the authors wrote.



“While technical defenses can be part of the solution, the problem scope is much bigger. A broader range of measures should be considered, including payment interventions from companies such as Visa and Paypal, regular crackdowns from the government, and further law enforcement action may also be necessary to prevent surveillance from becoming a consumer commodity,” they concluded.



The study – which will be presented this summer at the <a href="https://petsymposium.org/">Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium</a> in Zurich, Switzerland - can be found <a href="https://www.sysnet.ucsd.edu/~voelker/pubs/spyware-pets23.pdf">here</a>.



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



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Is your smartphone spying on you?

In recent years, an increasing number of smartphone spyware apps...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-gut-microbiome-is-shaped-by-what-we-eat/">gut</a> is home to a vast array of microorganims that can influence both health and disease. While some of them are known to contribute to the development of inflammatory conditions, such as the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the precise sequence of events that lead from these microbes to immune cells to disease remains a mystery.&nbsp;



Now, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://brighamandwomens.org/">Brigham and Women’s Hospital</a> (BWH) has explored what drives the generation of Th17 (Interleukin-17-producing T helper) cells – a type of cells which, on the one hand, play a crucial role by helping to build a protective barrier in the gut that, when encountering a bacterial or fungal infection, releases signals causing the body to produce more Th17 cells, but on the other hand, are also implicated in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and IBD. The scientists were surprised to discover that the purine metabolite xanthine, which is found in coffee, tea, and chocolate, may have a fundamental role in Th17 differentiation.



“One of the concepts in our field is that microbes are required for Th17 cell differentiation, but our study suggests that there may be exceptions,” said co-lead auhor Jinzhi Duan, an expert in Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endoscopy at BWH. “We studied the underlying mechanisms of Th17 cell generation in the gut and found some surprising results that may help us to better understand how and why diseases like IBD may develop.”



“Sometimes in research, we make these serendipitous discoveries—it’s not necessarily something you sought out, but it’s an interesting finding that opens up further areas of inquiry,” added senior author Richard Blumberg, a gastroenterologist at the same institution. “It’s too soon to speculate on whether the amount of xanthine in a cup of coffee leads to helpful or harmful effects in a person’s gut, but it gives us interesting leads to follow up on as we pursue ways to generate a protective response and stronger barrier in the intestine.”



By using several mouse models to examine the molecular events which trigger the development of Th17 cells, the researchers were surprised to find that Th17 cells could proliferate even in germ-free mice, with endoplasmic reticulum stress in intestinal epithelial cells driving Th17 cell differentiation through purine metabolites like xanthine, even in animals which did not carry microbes. Moreover, these cells’ genetic signatures suggested they might have protective properties.



Since this study was limited to cells in the intestine, further research is needed to examine the relation between these cells and other organs, such as the skin or the lungs, which may have a critical influence on disease outcomes. More investigations are also necessary to determine what causes Th17 cells to sometimes become pathogenic.



“While we don’t yet know what’s causing pathogenesis, the tools we have developed here may take us a step closer to understanding what causes disease and what could help resolve or prevent it,” Blumberg concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2023.02.018">Immunity</a>.&nbsp;



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



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Coffee component may play a key role in gut health

The gut is home to a vast array of microorganims...

Much previous research has shown evidence linking childhood obesity to increased risk of hypertension (high blood pressure), particularly for children who are obese. U.S. data indicate that overweight children are 1.54 times as likely to have elevated blood pressure as children of average weight. For obese children, this prevalence ratio is 3.05 times.



However, the definition of what is normal weight for children is fairly broad. No information exists about the risks of hypertension for children whose body mass index (BMI) is on the high side of normal, but who are not defined as being overweight. Furthermore, there is no understanding of whether a child’s risk of hypertension changes if he or she gains extra weight (in addition to average expected increase) during childhood. A new study of over 800,000 youth between the ages of 3 and 17 has now addressed these gaps in knowledge.



The study looked retrospectively at the electronic health records of 801,019 young people who were members of <a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/">Kaiser Permanente</a> in Southern California between 2008 and 2015. The researchers considered the initial BMI and blood pressure of youths when they first joined the study, and monitored changes in these two variables during the 5-year follow-up period. They divided normal body weight into low (5th-39th percentiles), medium (40th-59th percentiles), and high (60th-84th percentiles) to provide insight into the risk of hypertension at a range of “normal” weights below the threshold for overweight.&nbsp;



The results of the analysis show that, in this cohort study of youths, high normal body weight (above the 60th percentile of BMI for age) was associated with increased risk of hypertension. In addition, extra weight gain was associated with further increases in hypertension risk. These findings are published in JAMA Network Open, and reveal the following:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Compared to youths in the medium range of average weight, the risk of developing hypertension within five years was 26 percent higher for youths at the high end of the average weight range.</li>



<li>Children gain weight over time. Every BMI unit gained per year increases their risk of hypertension by 4 percent.</li>



<li>The rate of hypertension was higher among boys than girls, and among youth on state-subsidized health plans in comparison to those not on state-subsidized health plans.</li>
</ul>



“Hypertension during youth tracks into adulthood and is associated with cardiac and vascular organ damage. Since the organ damage can be irreversible, preventing hypertension in our young people is critically important,” said study lead author Dr.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kp-scalresearch.org/investigator/corinna-koebnick-phd-msc/">Corinna Koebnick</a> of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research &amp; Evaluation. “The findings of this study of hypertension among a diverse population of children in Southern California show us the detrimental effects of even a few extra pounds on our young people.”



“This study underscores the need for medical professionals to re-evaluate how we correlate and educate about health risks across the spectrum of weight in growing children,” said study senior author Dr.&nbsp;<a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/southern-california/physicians/poornima-kunani-2148147">Poornima Kunani</a>, a pediatrician and researcher at the <a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/">Kaiser Permanente</a> Manhattan Beach Medical Office. “Obesity may be the most important risk factor for hypertension during childhood. Parents should talk to their pediatrician to see if their child might be at risk for hypertension and other preventable chronic medical conditions related to obesity. They can help you with strategies for developing habits to keep your child healthy through adulthood.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Just a few extra pounds increases hypertension risk in kids 

Much previous research has shown evidence linking childhood obesity to...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a> has found that consuming a traditional Mediterranean-type diet – consisting of significant quantities of seafood, fruits, and nuts – could help reduce the risk of dementia by nearly a quarter. As previous studies have usually been limited to small sample sizes and low numbers of dementia cases, this research is one of the largest investigations of the relationship between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-can-lead-to-longer-life/">Mediterranean diet</a> and dementia.



The scientists analyzed data from 60,298 individuals from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> who had completed a dietary assessment, and scored the participants based on how closely their diet matched key features of the Mediterranean one. Afterwards, the participants were followed for almost a decade - during which 882 of them developed dementia - while the researchers also assessed each of their genetic risk of dementia by estimating what is known as their “polygenic risk” (a measure of the variety of genes known to increase the risk of developing dementia). The results revealed that individuals who ate regularly a Mediterranean-like diet had up to 23 percent lower risk of dementia than the other participants.



“Dementia impacts the lives of millions of individuals throughout the world, and there are currently limited options for treating this condition,” said lead author Oliver Shannon, a lecturer in Human Nutrition and Aging at Newcastle.



&nbsp;“Finding ways to reduce our risk of developing dementia is, therefore, a major priority for researchers and clinicians. Our study suggests that eating a more Mediterranean-like diet could be one strategy to help individuals lower their risk of dementia.”



The experts also found that there was no significant interaction between the polygenic risk for dementia and the Mediterranean diet adherence, suggesting that even those with high genetic risk who follow a better diet could lower the likelihood of developing this debilitating condition.



Since the analysis was limited to individuals who self-reported their ethnic background as white, British, or Irish, further studies are needed to determine the potential benefits of such as diet in the case of other ethnicities.&nbsp;



&nbsp;“The findings from this large population-based study underscore the long-term brain health benefits of consuming a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats,” said co-lead author Janice Ranson, a senior research fellow in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the University of Exeter.



“The protective effect of this diet against dementia was evident regardless of a person’s genetic risk, and so this is likely to be a beneficial lifestyle choice for people looking to make healthy dietary choices and reduce their risk of dementia. Future dementia prevention efforts could go beyond generic healthy diet advice and focus on supporting people to increase consumption of specific foods and nutrients that are essential for brain health.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-02772-3">BMC Medicine</a>.



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



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Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of dementia

A new study led by Newcastle University has found that...

Although scientists have documented <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/australian-plant-species-vanish/">plant species</a> for centuries to better understand and protect the amazing diversity of flora around the world, many of these species have never been photographed in their natural habitat. By surveying 33 major online databases of plant photographs, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a> (UNSW Sydney) and the <a href="https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/science/australian-institute-of-botanical-science">Australian Institute of Botanical Science</a> has found that, out of 21,077 species of native Australian vascular plants, nearly 20 percent lack verifiable photographs.&nbsp;



Such a lack of detailed photographic records can have serious consequences, with many undocumented plant species at risk of becoming extinct.



“It was surprising to see how many plant species had just line drawings, illustrations, paintings, or even no media at all,”&nbsp;said study lead author Thomas Mesaglio, a PhD student in Botany at UNSW. “Having a comprehensive photographic set helps us to be confident in our identifications. Particularly when it is practically challenging to collect and preserve the entire plant, photos complement the physical voucher by showing the soil type, the habitat it’s growing in, and other species growing alongside it.”



The experts found that the most well-photographed plant groups tend to be trees or shrubs with noticeable or even spectacular features, such as colorful flowers. For instance, while Banksia is one of the two Australian plant genera with over 40 species to have a complete photographic record, the family with the most significant plant deficit is Poaceae (commonly known as grasses), with 343 unphotographed species.



“We noticed a charisma deficit, so the species that tend to be harder to see are the ones missing out. They may have innocuous or pale-looking flowers or be smaller and harder to spot grasses, sedges, and herbs,” Mesaglio explained. Moreover, geography significantly affects the photographic record too, with plants located in difficult to access environments being less photographed.



The scientists urge citizen scientists to help constructing comprehensive photographic records for professional scientists to use in identification guides, by engaging with platforms such as <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/">iNaturalist</a>, &nbsp;a network of citizen scientists and biologists aiming to map and share observations of biodiversity across the world.&nbsp;



“People can engage with, sympathize with, and get much more excited about plants with photographs, which is vital when our natural environments are more at risk than ever,” Mesaglio argued. “Because digital photography is so accessible now, anyone can also help make a meaningful contribution to science using the camera in their pocket.”



In addition, Mesaglio and his colleagues recommend the development of a standardized system for scientific plant photography, and publish all new species descriptions as Open Access in searchable databases with Creative Commons licensing to maximize their usage.



“We also suspect more photos exist, but they’re hidden away on social media or behind scientific paywalls that aren’t accessible, discoverable, or searchable. Of the species with photographs, many have a single photo. We not only want to capture those unrepresented species but also continue building the photographic record for all species. Doing so will help us identify, monitor, and conserve our native species for generations to come,” Mesaglio concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.18813">New Phytologist</a>.



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



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Thousands of plant species remain unphotographed

Although scientists have documented plant species for centuries to better...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a>, researchers have investigated whether mental fatigue can impair physical performance. The experts confirmed that after performing a mentally challenging task, an individual will find physical exercise to be more difficult.



For the study, a team of researchers in Birmingham’s School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences assigned cognitive tasks to a group of 16 men and women. The goal was to examine how the effects of mental fatigue may change the perception of physical exertion, or how hard it feels to perform a task.



The participants completed a 90-minute mental exercise before performing a series of weight lifting repetitions. A control group was assigned to watch neutral videos before exercising.&nbsp;



A second experiment involved a series of resistance training exercises, followed by cognitive tasks and then a 20-minute cycling trial.



In both experiments, the experts found that mentally fatigued participants had an increased sense of exertion during physical exercise. While cycling, the individuals who had also performed mental exercises had less power and covered less distance



According to the results, it would be beneficial for athletes to take the effects of mental fatigue into account during training.



In particular, the study authors recommend that coaches reduce an athlete's exposure to mentally challenging tasks, such as smartphone use, before and during training and competitions. In the long term, coaches should consider "brain endurance training" to increase resilience to mental fatigue, said the researchers.



“We know that the brain plays a part in physical performance, but the specific effects of mental fatigue have not been well understood," said study lead author Dr. Chris Ring.



“We know that athletes will often be browsing on their smartphones in rests between competing and training. All of that requires mental effort and our results strongly suggest that athletes and coaches need to better understand the effects of these activities on overall performance.”



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2022-0356">International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance</a>.



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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.

Mental fatigue impairs athletic performance 

In a new study from the University of Birmingham, researchers...

In a new study published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gbb.12843">Genes Brain &amp; Behavior</a>, experts have identified genetic variants that appear to be strongly correlated with math skills in children. The genetic study is one of the first of its kind to focus on mathematics abilities in different categories.



"Mathematical ability is moderately heritable, and it is a complex trait which can be evaluated in several different categories. A few genetic studies have been published on general mathematical ability. However, no genetic study focused on specific mathematical ability categories," wrote study lead author Liming Zhang of Shaanxi Normal University, and colleagues.



For the investigation, the researchers performed genome-wide association studies involving 1,146 students from Chinese elementary schools. The studies were focused on 11 mathematical ability categories, such as calculation ability, logical reasoning, spatial ability and applied mathematics.



The experts identified seven single nucleotide genetic variants that were strongly linked to math and reasoning abilities.&nbsp;



Upon further analysis, the researchers found three genes that significantly correlated with three specific mathematical ability categories. For example, variants in LINGO2 were associated with subtraction ability.



According to the researchers, they also found genes or gene sets significantly associated with addition, division, magnitude perception and spatial conception ability.



"The most significant variant associated with mathematical reasoning ability was rs34034296. This single nucleotide polymorphism is located in the desert region of genome. The nearest gene to this locus is CSMD3. Researchers have reported copy number variants (CNVs) of CSMD3 in patients with schizophrenia and autism," wrote the researchers.



"Autism and developmental dyscalculia are neurodevelopmental disorders, and they have comorbidities. We for the first time show that these genes are directly associated with mathematical ability."



Study co-author Professor Jingjing Zhao said the results of the research provide evidence that different mathematical abilities may have a different genetic basis. "This study not only refined genome-wide association studies of mathematical ability but also added some population diversity to the literature by testing Chinese children."



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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.

Math skills linked to specific genetic variants in children

In a new study published in the journal Genes Brain...

As the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth, giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-birds-prefer-native-trees/">trees</a> play an important ecological role in the natural world. Giant trees inspire a sense of awe, as they hold the story to our shared history. Some human societies are known to position giant trees in significant socio-cultural roles with unique identities and names selected by local people.&nbsp;



Giant trees have a spiritual connection with local people by encouraging social cohesion. Attachments with giant trees can also encourage spiritual well-being, but just exactly how this occurs remains unknown.&nbsp;



Geography and climate are known to influence the age, size, and other properties of trees. Previous studies have suggested that trees with extraordinary properties tend to be given unique names and are recognized as sacred. The size and distribution of trees and spiritual ecosystem services may be influenced by macroecological processes (e.g., geography and climate).&nbsp;



In a new study conducted by the <a href="https://www.nies.go.jp/index-e.html">National Institute for Environmental Studies</a>, researchers used structural equation modeling (SEM) on 38,994 giant tree records from 237 species across Japan. The goal was to determine whether climate and geographical variables may drive both probabilities for giant trees to be an object of faith and receive a unique name from local people.&nbsp;



The study revealed that trunk circumference and tree age were the top two variables that influenced the probability of a tree becoming a spiritual object and receiving a unique name. Tree trunk circumference and age were also strongly correlated with climatic factors.&nbsp;



The probability of a tree being an object of faith and receiving a unique name increased with lower annual precipitation. The worship of giant trees in Japan is partly related to the “prayer for rain." Rice cultivation was the foundation of traditional Japanese society. The abundance or failure of rice crops was directly linked to life and death. Drought was the strongest factor in a devastating decline in rice yields. The study's results are strongly consistent with previous empirical findings.



This research is the first to demonstrate the relationship between spiritual ecosystem services and underlying macroecological processes, which have previously been difficult to quantify. The findings provide a starting point for further clarification of the spiritual connection between people and biodiversity, as well as the driving processes behind this connection.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41477-022-01337-1">Nature Plants</a>.



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



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.

What drives a spiritual connection with giant trees?

As the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth, giant...

B cells are a vital component in our body’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-pushes-the-immune-system-into-overdrive/">immune system</a>, generating protective antibodies when we have an infection or are vaccinated, as well as harmful antibodies in connection with allergies or autoimmune diseases. For many years, scientists have debated the mechanisms through which these cells are activated, since the predominant model for how immune recognition occurs could not explain all the observations. 



Now, by examining the early step in the activation of B cells, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.au.dk/">Aarhus University</a> in Denmark has found crucial new knowledge about the ways in which our bodies fight pathogens and react to vaccines.&nbsp;



“Previously, it was believed that the antigens from, for example, viruses or vaccines would have to cross-bind a B-cell’s receptors on the cell surface. That’s what it says in all the textbooks. But now we have shown that even antigens that can only bind one receptor at a time are able to activate the B cells,” said study senior author Søren Degn, an associate professor of Biomedicine at Aarhus.&nbsp;



“The result is significant because it represents a breakthrough in our understanding of how these important immune cells ‘recognize’ their enemies. Once we understand what is going on, we can imitate it in the design of new vaccines, to ensure maximum effect. One might say that our findings can make us better at mimicking the pathogenic microorganisms, and thus better at provoking or ‘cheating’ the immune system into generating a good immune response when we vaccinate.”



Since they clarify how receptors on the surface of cells send signal into the cells – a key biological process – these findings are important not only for immunology but also for cell biology in general. Moreover, in the long term, they could have important applications, including the design of better vaccines and the development of potential treatments for allergies and autoimmune disorders.



“We have shown that the way in which the activation of B cells has been explained over the past thirty or forty years is wrong. This is an important finding, because it opens the door to better vaccines and better treatment of a large group of diseases. When we understand how the B cells are activated, we can create better vaccines. In the slightly longer term, we may also be able to switch off B-cell activation in cases where it is harmful,” Degn concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36672-0#Sec2">Nature</a>.



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



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Study changes our understanding of the immune system

B cells are a vital component in our body’s immune...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...