Psychedelic substances, once the mainstay of counterculture, are steadily blending into mainstream recreational and therapeutic activities across North America. But are they safe?



A recent in-depth study offers some sobering new insights. The investigation reveals a worrying association between the use of hallucinogens - a category that includes substances such as psilocybin, LSD, DMT (Ayahuasca), and MDMA (Ecstasy) - and a heightened risk of developing schizophrenia.



The comprehensive study was conducted by researchers at ICES, The Ottawa Hospital, the Department of Family Medicine at the <a href="https://www.uottawa.ca/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Ottawa</a>, and Bruyère Health Research Institute.



Although the positive therapeutic potential of psychedelics has garnered significant enthusiasm lately, the research team cautions that usually, such celebration outpaces thorough understanding of the associated risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychedelic-use-and-schizophrenia">Psychedelic use and schizophrenia </h2>



The analytic foundation of the study relied on over a decade's health data of people aged 14 to 65 years living in Ontario, Canada. 



The researchers monitored changes in hallucinogen-related emergency department (ED) visits and ensuing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/owning-a-cat-before-age-25-doubles-the-risk-of-schizophrenia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">schizophrenia</a> diagnosis rates.



The results were astonishing: Relative to the general population, an individual with a hallucinogen-related visit to the emergency department had a staggering 21-fold increase in the likelihood of developing schizophrenia.



Even after factoring in co-occurring substance use and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mental-health-crisis-half-of-the-worlds-population-will-be-affected-by-age-75/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mental health disorders</a>, the risk remained 3.5 times higher.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alarming-data-trends">Alarming data trends</h2>



The data, spanning from 2008 to 2021, also revealed another concerning trend. While the annual rates of ED visits associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-and-hallucinogen-use-are-at-historically-high-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hallucinogen use</a> were stable between 2008 and 2012, they saw a sudden 86% spike in the period from 2013 to 2021.



Within three years of an ED visit involving hallucinogens, 4% of individuals were diagnosed with schizophrenia. 



In comparison, the diagnosis rate for the general population was a meager 0.15% within the same timeframe - a difference that equates to an alarming 21 times higher risk for the former group.



When stacked against the risk associated with alcohol and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/high-potency-cannabis-use-linked-to-epigenetic-changes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis use</a>, hallucinogens still didn't fare well. 



Individuals with ED visits due to psychedelic use were at 4.7 and 1.5 times higher risk of schizophrenia, respectively, compared to alcohol and cannabis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-risks-of-psychedelic-use">Risks of psychedelic use</h2>



Despite the study’s potentially alarming findings, the study authors emphasized that their findings do not establish a causal link between hallucinogen use and schizophrenia and that much more information is needed about risks associated with different types and use patterns of hallucinogens.



“Our findings underscore a concerning link between hallucinogen use that requires care in the emergency room and increased risk of schizophrenia,” said Dr. Daniel Myran, a Canada Research Chair in Social Accountability at the University of Ottawa.



“While there is enormous enthusiasm for psychedelic-assisted therapy as a new mental health treatment, we need to remember how early and limited the data remains for both the benefits and the risks,” noted Myran.



This highlights the urgency for more studies and improved public health measures to better comprehend and mitigate these risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-screening-and-monitoring">Screening and monitoring</h2>



In clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, experts integrate safeguards like excluding individuals with a personal or family history of schizophrenia and close monitoring,.



However, the study authors warn about the potential risks of hallucinogen use outside of these controlled settings.



The study also highlights the need to identify those at higher risk of developing serious adverse events from hallucinogens, facilitating safe recruitment practices in future trials.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychedelic-safety-in-clinical-settings">Psychedelic safety in clinical settings</h2>



The implications of this study are very critical both to public health and to policy development. As psychedelics become more accepted for therapeutic and recreational use, understanding the associated risks becomes increasingly crucial.



Initiatives for public health education should include specific education on the dangers of hallucinogen use - particularly in cases where there is known predilection to a mental health disorder.



This awareness can be created with targeted community outreach, evidence-based medical guidelines, and collaboration among healthcare providers and mental health specialists.



Another proactive strategy could be mental health checkups for patients before <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psychedelic-drug-therapy-could-help-treat-alcoholism/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">psychedelic therapy</a>. This would allow experts screen for people with a greater risk of an adverse reaction.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2825649" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JAMA Psychiatry</a>.



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Psychedelic use linked to higher risk of schizophrenia

Psychedelic substances, once the mainstay of counterculture, are steadily blending into mainstream recreational and therapeutic activities across North America. But are they safe? A recent in-depth study offers some sobering new insights. The investigation reveals a worrying association between the use of hallucinogens - a category that includes substances such as psilocybin, LSD, DMT (Ayahuasca), and MDMA (Ecstasy) - and a heightened risk of developing schizophrenia. The comprehensive study was conducted by researchers at ICES, The Ottawa Hospital, the Department of Family Medicine at the University of...

Premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) is characterized by an atherosclerotic narrowing of coronary arteries in males under 55 years old and females under 65. While it often starts as an asymptomatic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-heightens-risk-of-death-from-heart-disease/">heart disease</a>, it may later on lead to angina and/or heart attack with progressive development of narrowing (stenosis) or plaque rupture of the arterial wall. Some risk factors associated with PCAD include high cholesterol and blood pressure, diabetes, or smoking.



Now, a team of Iranian experts has investigated the relationship between different types of grain intake and PCAD in the Middle East, and discovered that a higher intake of refined grain was linked to an increased risk of developing PCAD, while consumption of whole grains was associated with a decreased risk.



The scientists recruited 2,099 participants from hospitals across Iran who underwent coronary angiography. In total, 1,168 patients with normal coronary arteries were included in a control group, while 1,369 patients with PCAD with obstruction equal or higher than 75 percent in at least a single coronary artery or above 50 percent in the left main coronary artery made up the case group.&nbsp;



The participants were given a food frequency questionnaire to assess their dietary habits and investigate the link between whole grain versus refined grain intake and the risk of developing PCAD. The analysis revealed that a higher intake of refined grains was associated with an increased risk of PCAD, while a larger intake of whole grains was associated with a reduced risk of developing this disease.



“There are many factors involved in why people may be consuming more refined grains as opposed to whole grains and these cases differ between people, but some of the most important factors to consider include the economy and income, job, education, culture, age, and other similar factors,” said study lead author Mohammad Amin Khajavi Gaskarei, a doctor and researcher at the&nbsp;<a href="http://icri.mui.ac.ir/en">Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center</a> in Iran. “A diet that includes consuming a high amount of unhealthy and refined grains can be considered similar to consuming a diet containing a lot of unhealthy sugars and oils.”&nbsp;



“As more studies demonstrate an increase in refined grains consumption globally, as well as the impact on overall health, it is important that we find ways to encourage and educate people on the benefits of whole grain consumption,” Dr. Khajavi Gaskarei concluded.



“Tactics to consider include teaching improved dietary choices in schools and other public places in simple language the general population can understand, as well as on television programs, and by continuing to do high level research that is presented at medical conferences and published in medical journals. Clinicians must also be having these conversations with each other and their patients.”



The study will be presented at the <a href="https://www.acc.org/MiddleEast2022">American College of Cardiology (ACC) Middle East 2022 Together with the 13th&nbsp;Emirates Cardiac Society Congress</a> in Dubai (October 7-9, 2022).



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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

Refined grains increase the risk of heart disease

Premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) is characterized by an atherosclerotic...

While some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-with-access-to-nature-are-mentally-and-physically-healthier/">children</a> are risk-takers, others choose to play it safe. Scientists have long pondered whether these differences are simply based on children’s personalities, or if their environments also shape their willingness to take a gamble.&nbsp;



Now, a research team led by <a href="https://www.bu.edu/">Boston University</a> has found that children from different socioeconomic backgrounds make different decisions when placed in the same risky situation. These findings provide experimental evidence that risky decisions in childhood do not always reflect poor judgment or lack of self-control. Instead, children may be rationally choosing risk when it makes sense in the context of their environment, and avoiding risk when it doesn’t.



The premise behind this study is known as the “developmental risk sensitivity theory,” which is drawn from observations of how animals behave in foraging situation, and argues that developing organisms learn to use different risk strategies based on the availability of resources and the extent of their needs. For example, a well-fed fox is unlikely to risk entering dangerous territories for a large meal, when a certain amount of food is already available. By contrast, a hungry fox may take more risks to get access to a big dinner.



To test whether this theory applies to humans too, the researchers created an experimental setup to investigate whether children’s risk preferences would vary according to their socioeconomic status and the size of the offered rewards. Dozens of children aged 4-10 were given the choice to either accept a set number of stickers or to spin a wheel for a 50/50 chance of getting more stickers - or nothing at all. Some of the tasks included a large reward option (keep four stickers or spin the wheel for a change of getting either eight or no stickers) and a small reward option (keep two stickers, or spin for the change or getting four stickers or none). While the children performed the experiments, their parents were asked about their socioeconomic status.



The experiments revealed that children from families with lower socioeconomic status were more likely to take risks in the large reward trial than those from richer families. In the small reward trial, socioeconomic status made no significant difference. Moreover, although boys were more likely than girls to make risky decisions, gender differences did not seem to significantly affect the socioeconomic patterns the researchers examined.



“The kids with lower socioeconomic status, they followed the pattern predicted by the theory,” said study senior author Peter Blake, an associate professor of Social Cognitive Development at Boston. “They acted like the hungry fox. They were more likely to take the risk to get the larger reward, and when it came to a lower value reward, they chose the certain option so that they would get something.”



Further research is needed to assess the role of additional factors in risk taking, including peer pressure and other types of social relations the children are involved in.



The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.0712">Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</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

Why do some children take bigger risks than others?

While some children are risk-takers, others choose to play it...

Although many studies have investigated how a mother’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-whales-avoid-brain-damage-while-swimming/">brain</a> changes after the arrival of her first child, little research has been done on whether the brain of a first-time father changes in any way. In a new study led by the <a href="https://www.usc.edu/">University of Southern California</a>, experts have used MRI scans of men’s brains before and after the birth of their first baby.



“Becoming a parent entails changes to your lifestyle and your biology,” said study senior author Darby Saxbe, a professor of psychology at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. “And it requires new skills like being able to empathize with a nonverbal infant, so it makes sense but has not been proven that the brain would be particularly plastic during the transition to parenthood as well.”



In their study, published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhac333">Cerebral Cortex</a>, the researchers describe the procedure they followed with two groups of men who were shortly to become fathers. In Spain, the researchers scanned the brains of 20 expectant fathers before their partners became pregnant and then again two to three months after their partners gave birth. The 20 U.S. participants had their brains scanned when their partners were in the third trimester of pregnancy (around 30 weeks along), and then again seven to nine months after the birth of their child. As a control to the experiment, the researchers also scanned the brains of 17 male volunteers who did not sire children.



The scientists identified that the most significant changes, both in the Spanish and American fathers, occurred in the cortex – the brain's outer layer that is involved with attention, planning and executive functioning. Comparisons of the fathers’ scans before the babies were born and afterward showed changes in portions of the cortex that have a role in processing visual information and in areas that are part of the brain's default mode network, which is thought to be involved with exercising empathy – being able to consider other people's thoughts and feelings.&nbsp;



The changes in new fathers’ brains involved slight shrinkage in certain areas. Such a loss of volume, the researchers reassure us, suggests the brain is becoming more dense and streamlined in those areas, which makes it more efficient. New fathers learn the skills of recognizing their child and responding to its needs, as well as to empathizing with the non-verbal and fairly helpless child. The researchers suggest that the brain changes contribute to neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to create and form new synaptic connections in order to adapt to new experiences. The childless men exhibited no such changes to their brains.



Prior studies of the brains of new mothers also identified changes in the default mode network of the cortex. However, mothers showed the greatest changes in their limbic system, which are subcortical areas buried deep within the brain. These areas are linked with emotion, threat and reward processing. The researchers found little to no change in the&nbsp;<a href="https://medicalxpress.com/tags/limbic+system/">limbic system</a> of the new fathers, this being the key difference between the brain changes of mothers and fathers after a new baby arrives.&nbsp;



“It’s too soon to speculate with such a small sample but it might suggest that more, higher-order cognitive processing is involved in fatherhood specifically, whereas mothers are also showing change at the more basic mammalian level. In any case, the fact that we have found changes in the cortex both for fathers and mothers suggests that there is some remodeling of the social brain taking place," said Professor Saxbe.



The study provides evidence that the transition into fatherhood is associated with anatomical changes in brain cortical volume. This suggests that parenthood is a time of neuroplasticity during which the parenting experience can shape the male brain.



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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

New fathers experience slight shrinkage of the brain

Although many studies have investigated how a mother’s brain changes...

The neurohormone <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxytocin-promotes-cooperation-among-humans/">oxytocin</a> – often referred to as the “love hormone” – is known for promoting social bonds and giving rise to pleasurable feelings after activities including exercise, sex, or even art-viewing. However, this hormone has many other functions, such as the regulation of lactation and uterine contractions in females, as well as the regulation of testosterone production, ejaculation, and sperm transport in males.



Now, a team of scientists from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> (MSU) has found that, in both zebrafish and human cell cultures, this hormone has yet another, surprising function: it stimulates cells from the epicardium (the heart’s outer layer) to migrate into the myocardium (the inner layer), where they develop into cardiomyocytes, a type of muscle cells that generate heart contractions. In the future, these findings could be used to promote the regeneration of the human heart after heart attacks.



“Here we show that oxytocin, a neuropeptide also known as the love hormone, is capable of activating heart repair mechanisms in injured hearts in zebrafish and human cell cultures, opening the door to potential new therapies for heart regeneration in humans,”&nbsp;said study senior author Aitor Aguirre, an assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering at MSU.



After a heart attack, cardiomyocytes usually die off in great numbers and, since they are highly specialized cells, they cannot replenish themselves. However, a subset of cells in the epicardium can turn into stem-like cells called Epicardium-derived Progenitor Cells (EpiPCs) can help regenerate not only cardiomyocytes, but also other types of heart cells. “Think of the EpiPCs as the stonemasons that repaired cathedrals in Europe in the Middle Ages,” Professor Aguirre said.&nbsp;



While under natural conditions, the production of EpiPCs is inefficient for heart regeneration in humans, in zebrafish – a species of animal famous for its extraordinary capacity of regenerating organs – these cells can easily repair damaged hearts. According to the scientists, within three days after cryoinjury (injury due to freezing), the expression of the messenger RNA for oxytocin increases up to 20-fold in their brain. This oxytocin then travels to their epicardium and binds to the oxytocin receptor - a molecular cascade which stimulates local cells to expand and develop into EpiPCs that migrate to the myocardium to develop into cardiomyocytes, blood vessels, and other crucial heart cells.



Importantly, the scientists also showed that oxytocin has a similar effect on human tissue in vitro, by stimulating cultures of human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hIPSCs) to become EpiPCs. “These results show that it is likely that the stimulation by oxytocin of EpiPC production is evolutionary conserved in humans to a significant extent. Oxytocin is widely used in the clinic for other reasons, so repurposing for patients after heart damage is not a long stretch of the imagination. Even if heart regeneration is only partial, the benefits for patients could be enormous,” Professor Aguirre explained.



“Next, we need to look at oxytocin in humans after cardiac injury. Oxytocin itself is short-lived in the circulation, so its effects in humans might be hindered by that. Drugs specifically designed with a longer half-life or more potency might be useful in this setting. Overall, pre-clinical trials in animals and clinical trials in humans are necessary to move forward,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2022.985298">Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology</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

“Love hormone” oxytocin has heart healing properties

The neurohormone oxytocin – often referred to as the “love...

According to a new study commissioned by the bank <a href="https://www.natwest.com/">NatWest</a> and conducted by <a href="https://onepoll.com/">OnePoll</a>, the average adult spends more than ten years of their lives on “autopilot,” following the same <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/daydreaming-brain-routine-tasks/">routines</a> every day. One fourth of the 2,000 British adults surveyed claimed that they often drift through as much as five or even more hours per day without thinking much about what they are doing, which equates to 1,396 hours each year or 27 hours a week doing the same thing.



The study revealed that, for 64 percent of adults, their daily routines - including repetitive behaviors such as getting dressed or showering at the same time of the day, or eating the same breakfast - hardly ever change. However, 79 percent of those who consider that they are “stuck in a rut” of repetitive, boring routines feel that this is holding them back from achieving their goals. The most common things the respondents said they would like to do to improve their daily lives include learning a new skill or craft, travelling the world, or starting a new career.&nbsp;



In addition, 51 percent of adults admitted that they procrastinate rather than act on tasks that need to be done, such as managing their finances, organizing meetings with friends, or shopping for food – an aspect which led six in 10 of them to buy self-help books (which half of them never finished reading though).



Following these findings, NatWest launched a series of videos with entrepreneur Stephen Bartlett to help people take action to improve their lives, with episodes focused on how to set goals, start a business, or managing personal finances.&nbsp;



“We all have goals and ambitions – whether that is buying a pair of trainers, saving for a big event, or even starting your own business. But we also know how hard it can be to take that first step to make those things happen [since] everyone experiences different challenges and obstacles in life,” said Alison Rose, the CEO of NatWest.&nbsp;



“But we hope that Stephen’s inspiring story and motivational personality can help people to set and strive for their own goals – whatever they may be.”&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

Adults spend a decade of their lives on “autopilot”

According to a new study commissioned by the bank NatWest...

Young,Lady,Running,On,A,Rural,Road,During,Sunset

It has long been established that men outpace women in mid- and long-distance running. However, speed over shorter distances is determined by the magnitude of force <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-increases-heart-inflammation-risk-in-young-athletes/">athletes</a> can apply in relation to body mass. Muscular force to body mass ratio is greater in smaller individuals, and women tend to be smaller than men.&nbsp;



The understanding of sex performance differences for short sprint events has received little attention. The understanding of comparative strength, speed and endurance capabilities of male and female athletes has been a challenging issue for modern sport.&nbsp;



In a new study, PhD candidate Emily McClelland and Peter Weyand, director of the <a href="https://www.smu.edu/">Southern Methodist University</a> Locomotor Performance Lab set out to investigate. The team used data from international competitions such as the Olympics and World Championships, between 2003 and 2018. McClelland hypothesized that sex differences in sprint running performance might be relatively small and increase with distance.



The data revealed that the difference between male and female performance time increased with event distance from 8.6 to 11 percent from shortest to longest sprint events (60 to 400<s> </s>meters). The analysis of each 10-meter segment of the 100-meter event revealed a pattern across distance - sex differences increased from a low of 5.6 percent for the first segment to a high of 14.2 percent in the last segment.



This would suggest that women are at an advantage for shorter sprint distances compared to men. In contrast to other running species like horses and dogs, there is significant variation in size between human males and females. Body size differences result in muscular force to body mass ratios that are greater in smaller individuals.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Since sprinting velocities are dependent on the mass-specific forces runners can apply, greater force/mass ratios of smaller individuals provide a theoretical advantage. During the acceleration phase of a race, the shorter legs of a female lead to more steps and pushing cycles per unit time. These factors offset the advantages of males (longer legs and greater muscularity) that become more influential over longer distances.



Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce is a Jamaican track and field star who is 5’0” tall, 115 pounds, and holds two Olympic and five World Championship gold medals in the 100-meter event. Her time at the 40-yard mark of a 100-meter race has been estimated to be as fast as 4.51 seconds. This was faster than half of all the wide receivers and running backs that tested in the National Football League’s Scouting Combine in 2022. Most of these aspiring NFL football players are over 6’ tall and 200 pounds.



The research is <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/japplphysiol.00359.2022">published</a> in the Journal of Applied Physiology.



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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

Women have an advantage when running short distances

It has long been established that men outpace women in...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-has-an-odor-and-dogs-can-smell-it-on-us/">Dogs</a> and humans have a unique bond that goes back thousands of years, and humans have spent hundreds of years trying to figure out how this bond developed and why it's so strong. A study published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0274353#sec021">PLOS ONE</a> delved into another element of this special bond. The researchers wanted to know the specific behavioral traits dog owners found important in building a bond with their pets.&nbsp;



The experts wish to use this information in the future to program autonomous dog-like robots to mimic these desired behaviors to help cure loneliness. The researchers surveyed 153 dog owners, asking them open-ended questions about what dog behaviors they thought supported their bond with their pets.



Overall, the owners felt that attunement, communication, consistency, predictability, physical affection, positivity, enthusiasm, proximity, and shared activities were important in building and maintaining social bonds. Some dog behaviors the participants deemed meaningful were nudging and checking in on the owner during walks.&nbsp;



By including these behaviors in autonomous robot programming, the researchers believe that robots could, one day, provide the same mental health benefits that we currently get from dogs. They hope future studies will explore how people interact with dog-like robots and what kind of effect they have on human mental health.



&nbsp;Also, since our relationships with dogs are varied, they want to look at how people with different backgrounds and demographics respond to other dog-like behavior in robots.&nbsp;



"Using a qualitative approach enabled us to gain a deep and nuanced understanding of the things people find so endearing about our canine companions," wrote the study authors. "While it won't be easy to model most of these behaviors on robots, this work offers new and exciting insights for those working to develop pet-like technologies."



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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

Dog-human bond helps guide social robot programming

Dogs and humans have a unique bond that goes back...

Since early in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-global-failures-to-control-the-covid-pandemic/">COVID-19</a> pandemic, researchers have been interested in how peoples’ mental health has been affected. Many studies have focused on the incidence of depression and anxiety, and how they may have changed in response to the coronavirus crisis. However, in addition to impacting aspects of mental well-being, the pandemic may have altered the way we think, feel and behave. It may indeed have generated changes in our personalities.&nbsp;



Angelina Sutin of Florida State University College of Medicine and colleagues decided to investigate this using longitudinal assessments of personality from 7,109 people enrolled in the online Understanding America Study. In the past, research studies have generally found no associations between collective stressful events, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, and personality change. In fact, personality has been considered to be rather impervious in the face of environmental stressors during adulthood.&nbsp;



The researchers used the five-factor model of personality that considers psychological function along five broad dimensions: neuroticism (the tendency to experience negative emotions and vulnerability to stress), extraversion (the tendency to be talkative and outgoing), openness (the tendency to be creative and unconventional), agreeableness (the tendency to be trusting and straightforward), and conscientiousness (the tendency to be organized, disciplined and responsible).&nbsp;



There is a long-standing hypothesis that although personal experience of stressful events may lead to personality changes, collective stressful events do not have the same effect. The coronavirus pandemic presented a unique opportunity to assess whether a global stressful event, experienced by the world’s entire population, may have altered the trajectory of personality across the United States, especially in younger adults.



The researchers compared pre-pandemic (May 2014–February 2020) measurements of these personality traits with those in early (March–December 2020) and later (2021–2022) pandemic times. A total of 18,623 assessments, or a mean of 2.62 per participant, were analyzed. Participants were 41.2 percent male and ranged in age from 18 to 109. The results are published in the open-access journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274542">PLOS ONE</a>.



The data showed that, while there were few changes between pre-pandemic and 2020 personality traits, there were noticeable changes in the 2021–2022 measurements. The data showed decreases in extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness, and an increase in neuroticism, when the 2021–2022 data were compared with pre-pandemic data. The changes represented about one-tenth of a standard deviation, which is equivalent to about one decade of normative personality change.&nbsp;



Younger adults showed the most noticeable changes in personality, in particular in terms of increased neuroticism and decreased agreeableness and conscientiousness. The oldest adults, in contrast, showed no statistically significant changes in traits.



The researchers conclude that if these changes are enduring, it suggests that population-wide stressful events can bend the trajectory of personality slightly, especially in younger adults.



“There was limited personality change early in the pandemic but striking changes starting in 2021. Of most note, the personality of young adults changed the most, with marked increases in neuroticism and declines in agreeableness and conscientiousness. That is, younger adults became moodier and more prone to stress, less cooperative and trusting, and less restrained and responsible.”



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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

The pandemic made us more neurotic, less agreeable

Since early in the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have been interested...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-stress-of-2020-affected-the-development-of-young-adults/">Stress</a> has been associated with a variety of health issues, ranging from insomnia and high blood pressure to obesity and even heart disease. However, scientists have also acknowledged that some stress – like when someone is chasing a work deadline – can be helpful. Now, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://case.edu/">Case Western Reserve University</a> has found that the immune system may benefit from a measure of stress.



“This is one of the few studies showing that chronic stress could have beneficial effect instead of negative effect,” said study senior author Fabio Cominelli, a professor of Medicine and Pathology at Case Western.&nbsp;



In recent years, psychological stress has been found to exacerbate symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Similarly, the immune cells which form in response to chronic inflammation or injury – called intestinal tertiary lymphoid organs (TLOs) – are generally associated with increased inflammation. However, TLO formation in response to stress has not been yet studied.



Now, the Case Western experts discovered that, after 56 days of stress, mouse models with Crohn’s disease-like ileitis exhibited increased TLO formation in the colon as an immune response, while stress did not significantly increase small or large intestine inflammation. The scientists found that the microbiome of the stressed mice was compositionally similar to those in a control group.&nbsp;



However, after a fecal microbiome transplantation, mice receiving the microbiome of stressed mice had the same behavioral phenotype as their donors and transplantation did not increase TLO formation. Instead, stress seemed to increase production of the cytokines IL-23 and IL-22, which are an essential part of the TLO formation pathway, with IL-22 playing a protective role in wound-healing and can have both anti- and pro-inflammatory responses.&nbsp;



Stressed mice with deficiencies in the receptor for IL-23 had increased IL-23, but not IL-22, and were not able to increase TLO formation. However, when IL-22 was administered, this effect was reversed. Considering the link between TLOs and various diseases, the researchers believed that stressed mice would be more susceptible to a “second hit” in the colon. Surprisingly though, stressed mice seemed to actually exhibit less severe inflammation after this “second hit.”



“Our findings demonstrate that psychological stress induces formation of TLOs by increasing the production of IL-23. Furthermore, the stressed mice were protected after a ‘second hit,’ suggesting TLOs may function to improve the mucosal barrier,” Professor Cominelli explained.



“What we discovered it that chronic daily stress for six weeks was beneficial against a second injury. The mouse models that were stressed were actually protected. We showed they had stimulation of the immune system, which protects against intestinal inflammation. What needs to be studied is whether this may translate to other diseases and injuries.”



“So do I want to be stressed? It all depends on the definition of stress. ‘Stimulated’ is a better term. The message is that a little bit of stress is good in your life, but you want to be stressed in the right way,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2208160119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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

Stress may sometimes protect our bodies

Stress has been associated with a variety of health issues,...

New research finds that regular exercise with weights is linked to a lower risk of death, with the exception of cancer. The study, published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-105315">British Journal of Sports Medicine</a>, finds that a weekly routine of both weights and aerobic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-intensity-linked-to-different-mental-health-benefits/">exercise</a> may be even better for longer life, especially among older adults.



Current guidelines recommend 150 weekly minutes of moderate aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, or an equal combination of the two - which is referred to as MVPA (moderate to vigorous physical activity). It is also recommended to incorporate activities that work all major muscle groups. However, the effects of using weights had not yet been made clear.



The researchers set out to evaluate the potential impact of exercising with weights and aerobic activities on the risk of death among older adults. The participants were pulled from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial beginning in 1993, which included over 150,000 men and women aged 55 to 74 from 10 different cancer centers in the United States.



In 2006, more than 100,000 of the participants were asked if they had exercised with weights over the past year and how often. They were also asked about how frequent or long their workouts were over the past year.



Moderate intensity was described as "activity where you worked up a light sweat or increased your breathing and heart rate to moderately high levels’ and vigorous activity as ‘activity strenuous enough to work up a sweat or increase your breathing and heart rate to very high levels."



The responses of 99,713 people were included in the final analysis.The average age at the start of the monitoring period was 71, and the average weight (BMI) was overweight.&nbsp;



Nearly one in four respondents reported some weightlifting activity, while 18 percent said they exercised with weights one to six times a week. Nearly a third were sufficiently aerobically active, either meeting or exceeding the guidelines on MVPA.



Exercising with weights and aerobic MVPA were associated with a lower risk of death from any cause, but not from cancer. Working out with weights in the absence of MVPA was associated with a nine to 22 percent lower risk of death. For those who didn’t exercise with weights, aerobic MVPA was associated with a 24-34% lower risk of death from any cause.&nbsp;



The lowest risk of death was among those who did both types of physical activity, reaching up to 47 percent lower than those who were physically inactive. Using weights can lean body mass, which is associated with a lower risk of death. And if done in a gym, could be sociable - another factor associated with a longer, healthier life.



Education, smoking, BMI, race and ethnicity did not significantly change results, but sex did: the associations were stronger in women. The study did not consider other exercises, such as callisthenics, which include push-ups and squats; Pilates; and plyometric exercises, which include tuck jumps and burpees.



“Our finding that mortality risk appeared to be lowest for those who participated in both types of exercise provides strong support for current recommendations to engage in both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities,” wrote the study authors.



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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

People who work out with weights have a lower mortality risk

New research finds that regular exercise with weights is linked...

A new study published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurjpc/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/eurjpc/zwac189">European Journal of Cardiology</a> suggests that drinking two to three cups of coffee per day may prolong your life. The research findings apply to instant, ground and decaffeinated coffee.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“In this large, observational study, ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee were associated with equivalent reductions in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease or any cause,” said study co-author Professor Peter Kistler of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia. “The results suggest that mild to moderate intake of ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle.”



The researchers used data from the UK Biobank to investigate the associations between coffee and arrhythmias, cardiovascular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/night-owls-may-have-greater-risk-of-heart-disease/">disease</a> and death in 449,563 people between the ages of 40 and 69 years. The median age of study participants was 58, with 55.3 percent being women.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study participants were questioned about whether they usually drank instant, ground, or decaffeinated coffee. They were then grouped into six consumption categories ranging from zero to more than five cups a day.&nbsp;



The data showed that 198,062 (44.1%) of the participants drank instant, 82,575 (18.4%) drank ground, and 68,416 (15.2%) drank decaffeinated coffee. The analysis also included 100,510 (22.4%) non-coffee drinkers as a control group. Age, sex, ethnicity and various health issues were controlled for in the study.&nbsp;



Overall, 6.2 percent of participants died before follow up and 9.6 percent were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. The median follow up was 12.5 years. All types of coffee consumption were shown to lower the chances of death by any cause, with two to three cups being the most effective. 



Two to three cups a day of decaffeinated, ground and instant coffee were associated with a lower risk of premature death by 14, 27, and 11 percent respectively.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Caffeine is the most well-known constituent in coffee, but the beverage contains more than 100 biologically active components," said Professor Kistler. "It is likely that the non-caffeinated compounds were responsible for the positive relationships observed between coffee drinking, cardiovascular disease and survival. Our findings indicate that drinking modest amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged but can be enjoyed as a heart healthy behavior.”



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Coffee lowers risk of premature death from all causes

A new study published in the European Journal of Cardiology...

Much research has gone into identifying links between our risks of developing serious ailments as we age and the lifestyle choices we make, such as our day-to-day selection of foods, beverages and physical activities. A new study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1000/xyz123">Aging-US</a>, has now identified that aging is influenced by mental health just as much as lifestyle choices. People who feel happy, fulfilled and socially connected experience slower aging and less of the debilitating effects of the aging process.



As we grow older, molecular damage accumulates within our cells and tissues, and contributes to the development of aging-related frailty and serious diseases. In some people these molecular processes are more intense than in others, which leads to a condition commonly referred to as accelerated aging.&nbsp;Fortunately, the increased pace of aging may be detected, using digital models of aging (aging clocks), before its disastrous consequences manifest. Such models can also be used to derive anti-aging therapies on individual and population levels.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The new study was an international collaboration between U.S. and Chinese scientists, and led by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.deeplongevity.com/">Deep Longevity</a>, an AI company that is focused on developing customized predictions of human biological age using specific aging biomarkers. It aimed to measure the effect that being lonely or unhappy, or having restless sleep, has on the pace of aging. 



The researchers used data from 11,914 Chinese adults and succeeded in developing a new aging clock that was trained and verified with blood and biometric data from the participants. This is the first aging clock to be trained exclusively on a Chinese cohort of such magnitude.&nbsp;



Accelerated aging was detected in those participants with a history of stroke, liver and lung diseases, in smokers, and most interestingly, in people who manifested a vulnerable mental state. In fact, feeling hopeless, unhappy, and lonely was shown to increase one’s biological age more significantly than smoking did. Other factors linked to aging acceleration include being single and living in a rural area (due to the low availability of medical services).&nbsp;



The authors of the article conclude that the psychological aspect of aging should not be neglected either in research or in practical anti-aging applications. “Mental and psychosocial states are some of the most robust predictors of health outcomes - and quality of life - yet they have largely been omitted from modern healthcare," said Manuel Faria from Stanford University.



<a href="https://twitter.com/biogerontology">Alex Zhavoronkov</a>, the CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://insilico.com/">Insilico Medicine</a>, points out that the study provides a course of action to slow down or even reverse psychological aging on a national scale.



Earlier this year, Deep Longevity released an AI-guided mental health web service,&nbsp;<a href="https://futurself.ai/">FuturSelf.AI,&nbsp;</a>which is based on a previous publication in Aging-US. The service offers free psychological assessment that is processed by an AI and provides a comprehensive report on a user’s psychological age as well as his or her current and future mental well-being.&nbsp;<a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/deepankar-nayak-6339855?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F">Deepankar Nayak</a>, the CEO of Deep Longevity affirms, “FuturSelf.AI, in combination with the study of older Chinese adults, positions Deep Longevity at the forefront of biogerontological research."&nbsp;&nbsp;



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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

Feeling lonely and unhappy can age you faster than smoking

Much research has gone into identifying links between our risks...

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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



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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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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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...