When you meet someone for the first time, take in a book's cover, or glance at a storefront, your mind rapidly constructs an initial impression. These instant perceptions stick around for a while, even when they're unfounded. 



But in a turn of events, new research suggests sleeping could aid in perceiving beyond the "book's cover" and help us make better decisions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-strong-first-impression">A strong first impression </h2>



A team at Duke University recently rolled out an intriguing study. The researchers addressed the age-old question - does it pay off to make a strong first impression or does the last word have a stronger impact?



To investigate, the team devised an experiment based on an imaginary garage sale. Participants were asked to sift through virtual boxes filled with unwanted goods and select items for the sale. 



The participants' earnings depended on the boxes they chose, hence they were motivated to figure out the worth of each box.



The secret was, however, that all of the boxes had the same total value. What differed was the arrangement of valuable and worthless items. Some boxes had valuable items right on top, others in the middle, at the bottom, or intermixed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-primary-bias-and-poor-decisions">Primary bias and poor decisions</h2>



After opening the boxes, the participants were asked to gauge the value of each and select their preferred ones. Some had to make instant decisions, while others "<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colors-of-sunset-and-sunrise-reset-our-circadian-rhythms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">slept on it</a>" and decided after a day. 



An interesting pattern emerged – the instant decision-makers tended to remember boxes not by their entire content but by the initial items they encountered. This discovery points towards a psychological trend known as "primacy bias."



Study lead author Allie Sinclair is a PhD candidate under Dr. Alison Adcock, a Duke professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.



"We found that people are strongly biased by first impressions," noted Sinclair. The participants repeatedly chose boxes with valuable items on top. 



Unveiling "treasures" before low-priced items made a box more appealing than if it was the other way round. They not only favored boxes that started strong, but also overvalued them.



Sinclair, now a postdoctoral fellow at the <a href="https://www.upenn.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Pennsylvania</a>, explained that primacy bias could lead to irrational comparisons and inaccurate estimates of value.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-rational-choices-after-sleep">More rational choices after sleep</h2>



But there's a twist in the tale. Participants who had a day to think rendered more rational choices. They treated boxes with valuable items at any position equally. 



"They made more rational choices, equally favoring boxes with clusters of valuable items at the beginning, middle, or end," said Sinclair.



This finding suggests that delaying a decision might help us avoid the pitfalls of primacy bias. "When it's over, our brain knits it all together in memory to help us make better choices - and that neat trick happens overnight,” said Dr. Adcock.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleeping-for-everyday-decision-making">Sleeping for everyday decision-making</h2>



The insights from this study offer profound implications for how we approach decision-making in everyday life. Whether we're buying a car, choosing a meal, or hiring a new team member, the tendency to rely on first impressions can lead to skewed assessments of value.



By recognizing the power of primacy bias, we can actively counter its effects by allowing ourselves time to reflect on all available information. Such a practice could enable us to make more informed, balanced decisions. 



Encouraging a brief pause or even a strategic overnight delay before arriving at significant decisions might be the key to sidestepping biases and making choices that align closer with the true merits of the situation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-science-of-memory-consolidation">Science of memory consolidation</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-increases-feelings-of-hope-happiness-and-gratitude/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">role of sleep</a> in this study highlights the fascinating process of memory consolidation. During sleep, our brains engage in an intricate activity of reorganizing and reinforcing stored information, a vital function for learning and decision-making. 



This neurological process enhances our capacities for rational thought, allowing us to access a more comprehensive understanding of complex information. 



As the study illustrates, this can mitigate the allure of initial impressions. Understanding the relationship between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleeping-less-than-seven-hours-high-blood-pressure-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a> and cognitive function opens promising avenues for improving educational methodologies, therapeutic practices, and even business strategies. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleeping-on-a-decision">Sleeping on a decision</h2>



"Judging from first impressions may actually be a good thing for choices in the moment," said Dr. Adcock. However, for decisions with longer-term implications, it's worth "<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/micro-naps-in-the-brain-some-regions-sleep-while-others-stay-awake/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleeping</a> on it."



Sinclair believes there's wisdom in the idea of delaying decisions, especially in matters of consequence, like hiring or dating.



This research, backed by a <a href="https://duke.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Duke University</a> Health Scholars Award to Alison Adcock, is an exciting first look at how our brain's summary of experiences impacts our future choices.



The study is published in the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fxge0001638" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Experimental Psychology</a>. 



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'Sleeping on it' is the best way to make a rational decision

When you meet someone for the first time, take in a book's cover, or glance at a storefront, your mind rapidly constructs an initial impression. These instant perceptions stick around for a while, even when they're unfounded. But in a turn of events, new research suggests sleeping could aid in perceiving beyond the "book's cover" and help us make better decisions. A strong first impression A team at Duke University recently rolled out an intriguing study. The researchers addressed the age-old question - does it pay off...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.smu.edu/">Southern Methodist University</a> (SMU) has found that tasks designed to make someone more agreeable can also effectively reduce a trio of negative <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ruthless-personalities-bad-business/">personality</a> traits – Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy – known as “<a href="https://blog.apabooks.org/2016/05/04/what-is-the-dark-triad/">the Dark Triad</a>.” After four months of practicing activities that increased agreeableness - such as donating money to charities or talking to strangers and asking them about themselves - all three Dark Triad traits declined, even in participants claiming that they wanted to increase rather than diminish such traits.



The Dark Triad has often been associated with a variety of behavioral hazards, including academic cheating, increased criminal activity, increased violence with intimate partners, or negative workplace behaviors leading to reduced productivity and impaired professional relationships. Thus, reducing these traits could be beneficial for both individuals and the societies in which they live.



Previous research conducted by study author Nathan Hudson, an assistant professor of Psychology at SMU, has shown that people who actively struggled to change aspects of their personality were often successful in achieving the results they desired. In order to help them accomplish such goals, Professor Hudson created a list of challenges which people can take in order to change one of the “<a href="https://www.personalityassessor.com/bigfive/">Big Five</a>” personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability).&nbsp;



However, since he was curious whether completing those tasks could also have unintended effects on other traits, in his most recent study, Professor Hudson examined whether changing any of the Big Five traits could reduce Machiavellianism, narcissism, or psychopathy. He was surprised to find that only activities targeting agreeableness were shown to significantly reduce all three Dark Triad traits.



“Thus, interventions targeting agreeableness may be an effective way to help reduce dark traits in a way that people may be likely to cooperate with. This research suggests that taking small steps to become more agreeable may also reduce individuals’ levels of the dark triad. These findings may have implications for future research, as well as therapeutic treatments,” he concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jopy.12714">Journal of Personality</a>.&nbsp;



---



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

Becoming more agreeable reduces "dark" personality traits

A new study led by the Southern Methodist University (SMU)...

Adults sleep far better with a partner than they do alone, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>. The research has revealed that people who usually sleep with a spouse or partner have less <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/listening-music-exercise-fight-fatigue/">fatigue</a>, less severe insomnia, and longer sleep duration compared to individuals who sleep by themselves.



In addition, study participants who slept with a partner reported falling asleep faster and had a lower risk of sleep apnea. Furthermore, the results showed that sleeping with a partner was associated with lower depression, anxiety, and stress scores, and greater social support and life satisfaction. 



Meanwhile, sleeping alone was associated with a higher risk of depression, less social support, and less life satisfaction.



“Sleeping with a romantic partner or spouse shows to have great benefits on sleep health including reduced sleep apnea risk, sleep insomnia severity, and overall improvement in sleep quality,” said study lead author Brandon Fuentes.



The analysis was focused on data collected in the Sleep and Health Activity, Diet, Environment, and Socialization (SHADES) study, which involved more than 1,000 adults in southeastern Pennsylvania.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Very few research studies explore this, but our findings suggest that whether we sleep alone or with a partner, family member, or pet may impact our sleep health,” said senior study author Dr. Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona. “We were very surprised to find out just how important this could be.”



The researchers also found that sleeping with a child did not produce the same benefits. Parents who often slept in a bed with their child had a greater risk of severe insomnia and sleep apnea, and also had less control over their sleep. In addition, sleeping with a child in the bed was associated with more stress. 



The study abstract is published in an online supplement of the journal Sleep. The research was presented during <a href="https://www.sleepmeeting.org/">SLEEP 2022</a>, the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.&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

Adults sleep better when they share a bed with a partner

Adults sleep far better with a partner than they do...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> has found that a community’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-sleep-helps-us-process-our-emotions/">sleep</a> health is the most significant health predictor of children’s opportunities for positive growth and success. These results suggest that promoting sleep health at a neighborhood level may be a highly efficient way of promoting overall health and well-being.



The scientists merged neighborhood sleep health data collected by the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC) with data from the <a href="https://www.diversitydatakids.org/child-opportunity-index">Child Opportunity Index</a> (COI) – a database providing indices for education, health, environment, and social and economic factors which impact child development.&nbsp;



Their analysis revealed that sleep health was the strongest predictor of the opportunities for children in a neighborhood, accounting for 57.2 percent of the variance in the COI global score. Moreover, community-level sleep health was also the most significant predictor of each individual component of the COI, including the “education,” “health and environment,” and “social and economic” scores.&nbsp;



“The most surprising thing we discovered in this study was that not only was a neighborhood’s sleep health a strong predictor of every element that makes up the Child Opportunity Index, but that it was the most important predictor when compared to other metrics of community health,” said study lead author Suzanne Gorovoy, a postdoctoral researcher in Behavioral Sleep Medicine at the University of Arizona.



“When neighborhoods were examined relative to the percent that get the recommended amount of sleep, as well as the levels of a wide range of other metrics [including access to health insurance, routine medical checkups, older adult preventive care, leisure-time activity, or prevalence of medical conditions and behaviors such as hypertension and smoking], it was sleep that outperformed them all in terms of ability to predict that neighborhood’s Child Opportunity Index,” Dr. Gorovoy explained.&nbsp;



“In fact, sleep health alone overlapped with the overall index by over 50 percent. That means that a neighborhood’s sleep health is an extremely powerful indicator of that neighborhood’s ability to provide good educational experiences, healthy and safe environments, and social supports.”



These findings suggest that public health efforts targeting sleep health at the community level could have major benefits in helping the community’s children develop in a healthy, successful way.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/45/Supplement_1/A34/6592439?login=false">Sleep</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

Community sleep health predicts success among children

A new study led by the University of Arizona has...

With many links between climate change and cardiovascular health, experts say a new specialty of "climate cardiology" is needed to protect patients and the future planet. Greenhouse gas <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/we-must-do-more-than-slash-emissions-to-keep-our-climate-safe/">emissions</a> are the highest they have ever been as a result of human activities. This has prompted a rise in global temperatures and associated climate impacts, such as an increased severity of cardiovascular risk factors.&nbsp;



Major sources of greenhouse gas emissions include fossil fuel burning, agriculture, deforestation and meat production. Globally, the healthcare sector is responsible for nearly 4.5 percent of emissions, as well as nearly 3 percent of fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5). In the US, alone, the healthcare sector emits nearly 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.



Climate change leads to more frequent extreme weather events, air pollution, ecosystem collapse, and declines in global food production. All of these factors have direct effects on cardiovascular health, as well as indirect effects through other social determinants of health and the capacity of health systems to manage climate hazards, explained the authors.



<ul><li>In 2019 high temperatures were responsible for 93,000 cardiovascular deaths worldwide</li><li>Extreme weather events are linked to trauma, stress, and depression - all risk factors for coronary heart disease</li><li>Desertification, increased atmospheric CO2, and ocean warming and acidification affect nutritious food supplies:diets low in fresh produce, whole grains, and seafood are responsible for over 3 million cardiovascular deaths annually worldwide</li><li>Climate change may prompt the forced migrations of hundreds of millions of people, often to places ill prepared to provide cardiovascular health services</li><li>Air pollution from fossil fuel burning, industrial emissions, and landscape fires are responsible for nearly 1 in 5 (3.54 million) cardiovascular deaths globally</li></ul>



However, there are opportunities to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the global toll of cardiovascular disease. The authors suggest this can be done by transitioning to plant-based diets and restructuring food subsidies. Red meat, which contains high levels of saturated fat, is a major risk factor for heart disease, and is responsible for 738,000 cardiovascular deaths in 2019.



A shift to active transport is another opportunity, as walking and cycling promote physical activity while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce stress, an expansion of green spaces in residential areas would also help absorb atmospheric CO2.&nbsp;



Transitioning our economy away from coal, oil, and gas towards solar and wind power, geothermal energy, and hydroelectricity would save more than 20 million deaths over the next 30 years.



“The window is closing to prevent the worst effects of climate change. The healthcare sector must take urgent action to prevent the climate crisis from undermining cardiovascular health,” warned the study authors.



The carbon footprint of healthcare systems can be reduced by promoting telemedicine, local ambulatory and self care and by cutting down on overprescribing, and unnecessary interventions. The authors emphasize that investing in disaster planning and early warning systems could help health systems prepare for waves of illness associated with climate change impacts. Medical education could also incorporate environmental health and sustainable practices in healthcare.&nbsp;



The research is published in the open access journal <a href="https://gh.bmj.com/">BMJ Global Health</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

Links between climate and heart disease must be addressed

With many links between climate change and cardiovascular health, experts...

In a new commentary, experts are emphasizing the critical need for physicians to better understand the health benefits of plant-based foods. Since not all doctors are trained in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-have-nutritional-wisdom-we-eat-what-our-body-needs/">nutrition</a>, the report authors feel there is an urgent need for physicians to become aware of the benefits of plant-based diets for six specific health conditions: weight loss, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and COVID-19.



The commentary is co-authored by Dr. Saray Stancic, who is the director of medical education for the <a href="https://www.pcrm.org/">Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine</a>.&nbsp;



“The field of medicine, despite its prominent influence in society, has invested little to promote healthy lifestyle choices,” said Dr. Stancic. “The consequence of this is reflected in our ever-rising chronic disease statistics, most notably obesity and diabetes rates.”



The experts say that part of the problem is that medical schools offer "an anemic number of hours of nutrition education over 4 years,” and this does not improve in postgraduate training. A recent survey of more than 600 cardiologists revealed that 90 percent felt they had not received the necessary training in nutrition.



The commentary acknowledges that not all physicians must be experts in nutrition, but says that they should at least have rudimentary knowledge of the benefits of a plant-based diet for these six conditions.



When it comes to weight loss and maintenance, a recent study of 70,000 people showed that individuals who consume a vegan diet weigh about nine pounds less, and have a reduced risk of death. Other studies show that vegetarians have lower cholesterol and a lower rate of heart disease compared to omnivores.



Furthermore, active people with diets rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains have an estimated lower risk of breast cancer by 50 to 70 percent, while diets high in dairy products increase the chances of developing prostate cancer.&nbsp;



A study from Harvard demonstrated that individuals who consume a plant-based diet could reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by 34 percent. A separate Harvard study revealed that a primarily plant-based diet is associated with a 41 percent lower risk of severe COVID-19.



The experts also point to a study which found that a plant-based Mediterranean-DASH diet can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 60 percent.



“It is time for all physicians across the globe to speak to the importance of diet and lifestyle in health,” conclude the report authors. They say this can be accomplished through counseling patients, ensuring that hospitals provide healthy menus, lecturing in the community, writing articles, and by providing commentary to the media.



The research is published in the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ajl">American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine</a>, and will be presented by Dr. Stancic at the International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine taking place in Washington, D.C.



---



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

Physicians need to know the benefits of plant-based diets

In a new commentary, experts are emphasizing the critical need...

Green,Leaves,Of,Medicinal,Cannabis,With,Extract,Oil.medical,Marijuana,Flower

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indoor-cannabis-smoke-endangers-public-health/">cannabis</a> component widely used for a variety of medical purposes, such as to improve sleep or boost energy. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another cannabis component that can induce sedation, euphoria, and cognitive and motor impairment, CBD does not appear to intoxicate people. Instead, scientific studies have shown that CBD has calming and pain relief effects, making it useful for wide range of medical conditions, including sleep disorders, anxiety, or various types of pain.&nbsp;



Now, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> has discovered that this cannabis component has no impact on people’s driving or cognitive abilities, even if consumed in high doses of up to 1,500 mg.



“Though&nbsp;CBD is generally considered ‘non-intoxicating,’ its effects on safety-sensitive tasks are still being established,” said study lead author&nbsp;Danielle&nbsp;McCartney, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sydney’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/lambert/">Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics</a>. “Our study is the first to confirm that, when consumed on its own, CBD is driver-safe.”



In order to test this, Dr. McCartney and her colleagues asked 17 participants to undertake simulated driving tasks after consuming either a placebo or 15, 300, or 1,500 mg of CBD. The participants had to try to maintain a safe distance between themselves and another vehicle, and “drive” along simulated highways and rural roads.&nbsp;



In order to cover the range of CBD plasma concentrations at different times, they had to complete these tasks twice – first, between 45 and 75 minutes after taking the treatment, and then again after 3.5 to four hours.&nbsp;



The scientists measured participants’ control of the simulated car, as well as their cognitive functioning and subjective experiences, and concluded that no dose of CBD induced feelings of intoxication or impaired their driving or cognitive performance.&nbsp;



“We do, however, caution that this study looked at CBD in isolation only, and that drivers taking CBD with other medications should do so with care,” Dr. McCartney warned.



The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02698811221095356">Journal of Psychopharmacology</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

High doses of CBD do not affect driving abilities

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabis component widely used for a...

Previous research has linked coffee consumption with lowered risk of death from various causes, but the effect of sweetening the coffee with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-amounts-of-sugar-found-under-seagrass-meadows/">sugar</a> or artificial sweeteners has not been investigated. A large-scale study of British coffee drinkers has now cast light on the role of this variable.



Researchers at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China used data from the U.K. Biobank study to evaluate whether the consumption of sugar-sweetened, artificially sweetened, and unsweetened coffee is linked with risk of mortality from all causes, and from certain specific causes.&nbsp;



More than 171,000 participants from the U.K. completed the health behavior questionnaire in which they gave details of their dietary and health status. All participants were free of known heart disease or cancer at the start of the study.&nbsp;



The researchers divided the participants in to three groups, those who sweetened their coffee with sugar, those who used artificial sweeteners and those who drank their coffee unsweetened. They monitored the participants for a period of seven years and recorded any mortalities during that time.



The results of the analysis, published today in the <a href="https://www.acpjournals.org/journal/aim">Annals of Internal Medicine</a>, showed that participants who drank any amount of unsweetened coffee in a day were 16 to 21 percent less likely to die than participants who did not drink coffee at all. They also found that participants who drank moderate amounts of coffee (1.5 to 3.5 cups daily) sweetened with sugar were 29 to 31 percent less likely to die than participants who did not drink coffee.&nbsp;



“Our study found that adults who drank moderate amounts of coffee sweetened with sugar every day were about 30 percent less likely to die from any cause during the average 7-year follow up period compared to non-coffee drinkers,” said study co-author Dr. Dan Liu.



The authors stated that adults who sweetened their coffee before drinking it added, on average, only about 1 teaspoon of sugar per cup. This is far less than the amount of sugar found in other, commercially available beverages.&nbsp;



The beneficial results of drinking unsweetened and sugar-sweetened coffee were true for all types of coffee, namely decaffeinated, caffeinated and ground. However, the researchers found that the results were inconclusive where the use of artificial sweeteners was concerned.



According to Dr. Christina Wee, editor at ACP Journals, although the study found that drinking moderate levels of coffee regularly was associated with a lower risk of dying from any cause, dying from cancer, and dying from heart disease, the authors cannot conclude definitively that coffee was the cause of the lower risk.&nbsp;



The effects of other, potentially confounding factors could not be assessed in this study. For example, the participants were all British and were likely to drink tea as well as coffee.&nbsp;



Also, coffee is a low-sugar beverage (even when sweetened with one spoon of sugar), so people who drink coffee probably take in less sugar each day than people who drink carbonated beverages. The roles of these factors cannot be separated in the current study.



“The results of this study do not necessarily apply to drinking specialty coffees which may contain a much higher level of added sugar," said Dr. Wee.



However, based on the data obtained from this research, clinicians can tell their patients that there is no need for most coffee drinkers to eliminate the beverage from their diet but to be cautious about higher calorie specialty coffees.



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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

Coffee could be a life-saver, sweetened or unsweetened

Previous research has linked coffee consumption with lowered risk of...

Eggs are a rich source of dietary cholesterol and have been given a bad rap in the past because of this. In a world struggling to understand and change the high incidence of raised cholesterol levels and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-air-pollutants-contribute-to-cardiovascular-disease/">cardiovascular disease</a>, eggs were a natural target for those wishing to live more heart-healthy lifestyles.&nbsp;



However, eggs contain a wide range of very important nutrients and are eaten by people all over the world. Studies to establish a link between eating eggs and suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD) have come up with conflicting results and so the relationship remains a subject of debate.&nbsp;



A 2018 study published in the journal Heart was focused on data from approximately half a million adults in China. The researchers found that those who ate eggs between 3 and 6 times a week had a substantially lower risk of suffering from heart disease, hypertension and stroke compared to those who ate eggs more or less frequently.



Now, a new study has again sought to establish whether eating eggs is harmful or beneficial to our cardiovascular health by considering the role of cholesterol metabolism in the blood. The authors of this study, published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/72909">eLife</a>, conducted population-based research exploring how egg consumption affects biochemical markers of cardiovascular health that are found in the blood.



“Few studies have looked at the role that plasma cholesterol metabolism plays in the association between egg consumption and the risk of cardiovascular diseases, so we wanted to help address this gap,” explained first author Lang Pan of Peking University.



For the investigation, the experts selected 4,778 participants from the China Kadoorie Biobank – 3,401 of them had a cardiovascular disease and 1,377 did not. The team then used a technique called targeted nuclear magnetic resonance to measure the levels of 225 different metabolites present in the blood plasma of each of the participants. The researchers identified 24 of these metabolites that were associated statistically with self-reported levels of egg consumption.



Of these 24 metabolites associated with eating eggs, 14 of them were linked specifically to heart disease. The researchers found that participants who ate fewer eggs had lower levels of beneficial metabolites and higher levels of harmful ones in their blood, compared to those who ate eggs more regularly.



In particular, the results of the analysis showed that individuals who ate eggs in moderation had higher levels of a protein in their blood called apolipoprotein A1, a building-block of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is also known sometimes as "good lipoprotein." These individuals had more large HDL molecules in their blood; these are molecules that help clear cholesterol from blood vessels, thereby protecting them from blockages that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.



“Together, our results provide a potential explanation for how eating a moderate amount of eggs can help protect against heart disease,” said study co-author Professor Canqing Yu. “More studies are needed to verify the causal roles that lipid metabolites play in the association between egg consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease.”



“This study may also have implications for Chinese national dietary guidelines,” added senior author Professor Liming Li. “Current health guidelines in China suggest eating one egg a day, but data indicate that the average consumption is lower than this. Our work highlights the need for more strategies to encourage moderate egg consumption among the population, to help lower the overall risk of cardiovascular disease.”



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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

An egg a day may keep the heart doctor away

Eggs are a rich source of dietary cholesterol and have...

Instead of recording single memories, our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bats-brains-are-highly-specialized-for-flight/">brains</a> store them into groups so that the recollection of a significant memory triggers the recall of other connected ones. However, as we age, our brains gradually lose the capacity to link related memories.&nbsp;



A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/">University of California, Los Angeles</a> (UCLA) has now discovered a key molecular mechanism behind memory linking, together with a way of restoring this crucial brain function in middle-aged mice. These findings could offer new methods for strengthening human memory in middle age and developing early interventions against dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.



“Our memories are a huge part of who we are,” explained study senior author Alcino Silva, a distinguished professor of Neurobiology and Psychiatry at UCLA. “The ability to link related experiences teaches how to stay safe and operate successfully in the world.”



Professor Silva and his team focused on a gene called CCR5 which encodes a receptor that the HIV virus uses to infect brain cells and cause memory loss in AIDS patients. By performing several experiments on laboratory mice, the scientists found that boosting CCR5 expression in the brains of middle-aged mice interfered with memory linking. However, when deleting this gene, the mice were able to link memories that normal mice could not.



“Life would be impossible if we remembered everything,” said Professor Silva. “We suspect that CCR5 enables the brain to connect meaningful experiences by filtering out less significant details.”



The researchers also found that maraviroc – a drug used against HIV infections since 2007 – also suppressed CCR5 in mice’s brains. “When we gave maraviroc to older mice, the drug duplicated the effect of genetically deleting CCR5 from their DNA. The older animals were able to link memories again,” reported Professor Silva. Thus, maraviroc could be used off-label to restore middle-age memory loss, in addition to reversing the cognitive deficits induced by HIV infections.



“Our next step will be to organize a clinical trial to test maraviroc’s influence on early memory loss with the goal of early intervention. Once we fully understand how memory declines, we possess the potential to slow down the process,” concluded Professor Silva.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04783-1">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

How does the brain connect meaningful memories?

Instead of recording single memories, our brains store them into...

During <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severity-of-covid-symptoms-linked-to-air-pollution/">Covid-19</a> lockdowns, many of us turned to our televisions for entertainment despite the fact that too much TV comes with negative health impacts. Now, a team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> has found that watching too much television is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, regardless of an individual’s genetic makeup.



The researchers found that 11 percent of cases of coronary heart disease could be prevented if people watched less than one hour of television each day.



According to the British Heart Foundation, coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the UK, claiming the lives of up to 64,000 people each year. One in eight men and one in 15 women die from the disease in the UK alone.&nbsp;



In addition, people with coronary heart disease are twice as likely to have a stroke. Sedentary behavior, or sitting for long periods of time, is one of the major contributing factors.&nbsp;



“Coronary heart disease is one of the most prominent causes of premature death, so finding ways to help people manage their risk through lifestyle modification is important," said Dr Katrien Wijndaele from the MRC Epidemiology Unit.



The researchers examined data from the UK Biobank, a study that followed 500,000 adults for 12 years. This allowed the team to examine the link between time spent on screen-based sedentary behaviors such as TV viewing, an individual’s DNA, and their risk of coronary heart disease.



The team created polygenic risk scores for each individual. These scores were used to identify the genetic risk of developing coronary heart disease. The results showed that people who watch more than four hours of TV per day had the greatest risk of the disease, regardless of their polygenic risk score.



Those who watched TV for two to three hours a day had a six percent lower risk, while those who watched less than an hour of TV had a 16 percent lower risk. The results were independent of genetic susceptibility and other known risk factors.



Television viewing tends to occur in the evening following dinner, usually our most calorific meal, leading to higher levels of glucose and lipids, such as cholesterol, in the blood. People also often snack more when watching TV which tends to be prolonged activity.&nbsp;



“Our study provides unique insights into the potential role that limiting TV viewing might have in preventing coronary heart disease,” said Dr Youngwon Kim, assistant professor at the University of Hong Kong. “Limiting the amount of time sat watching TV could be a useful, and relatively light touch, lifestyle change that could help individuals with a high genetic predisposition to coronary heart disease in particular to manage their risk.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Medicine</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

Television time linked with a greater risk of coronary heart disease

During Covid-19 lockdowns, many of us turned to our televisions...

A new study presented at <a href="https://digital-congress.escardio.org/Heart-Failure">Heart Failure 2022</a> - a conference organized by the European Society of Cardiology (<a href="http://www.escardio.org/">ESC</a>) – has found that levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-light-alcohol-intake-can-damage-the-heart/">alcohol</a> consumption currently considered safe by many countries are associated with the development of heart failure. The results suggest that consuming more than 70 grams of alcohol per week is linked to worsening pre-heart failure or progression to symptomatic heart failure in European populations.



“This study adds to the body of evidence that a more cautious approach to alcohol consumption is needed,” explained study author Dr. Bethany Wong, an expert on the relationship between alcohol use and heart hearth at <a href="https://www.stvincents.ie/">St. Vincent's University Hospital</a> in Dublin, Ireland. “To minimize the risk of alcohol causing harm to the heart, if you don’t drink, don’t start. If you do drink, limit your weekly consumption to less than one bottle of wine or less than three-and-a-half 500 ml cans of 4.5 percent beer.”



While it is well-recognized that long-term heavy alcohol intake can lead to a type of heart failure called alcoholic cardiomyopathy, evidence from Asian populations suggests that even lower amounts may negatively impact heart health. Since there are genetic and environmental differences between Asian and European populations, Dr. Wong and her colleagues enrolled a cohort of 744 Europeans over 40 years of age either at-risk of developing heart failure due to pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, or diagnosed with pre-heart failure (risk factors and heart abnormalities but no symptoms) in order to investigate the effect of alcohol consumption on their heart health.



By following the participants over a period of 5.4 years, the scientists found that, in the pre-heart failure group, moderate or high-alcohol intake (over 7 units of alcohol per week, or more than one bottle of wine/3.5 beers) was associated with a 4.5-fold increased risk of worsening heart health. However, in the at-risk group, no association between moderate or high alcohol use with progression to pre-heart failure or symptomatic heart failure was discovered. While some previous studies have argued that low alcohol intake could have health benefits, the current investigation found no evidence for this.



“Our results indicate that countries should advocate lower limits of safe alcohol intake in pre-heart failure patients,” said Dr. Wong. “In Ireland, for example, those at risk of heart failure or with pre-heart failure are advised to restrict weekly alcohol intake to 11 units for women and 17 units for men. This limit for men is more than twice the amount we found to be safe. More research is needed in Caucasian populations to align results and reduce the mixed messages that clinicians, patients, and the public are currently getting,” she concluded.&nbsp;&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

Alcohol is riskier to the heart than previously thought

A new study presented at Heart Failure 2022 - a...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> (OSU) has shed more light on the structure and functioning of plastins – a type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-cells-message-each-other-using-rna-and-escort-proteins/">proteins</a> found in many life forms (from yeast and plants to animals and humans) that have a role in ensuring that various cells move or maintain their shape. By binding to and bundling other proteins, plastins can be considered the bones and muscles of cells. Better understanding what drives their activities could help explain their surprising links to diseases such as cancers, congenital osteoporosis, or spinal muscular atrophy.



Scientists described their discoveries about plastin behavior in terms of a “work-life balance” metaphor. While in their “at-home” mode, the protein’s two main segments strongly bond to each other, they are often forced to separate when their bundling responsibilities in the cellular “workplace” increase, such as when cells start to migrate. According to the researchers, if their structure experiences unexpected changes, plastins keep doing aggressive bundling work, even if it is not needed anymore. Although experts discovered at least one mistimed enzymatic activity that seemed to contribute to this problem, further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind the switch between the protein's “weekend” and “workaholic” modes.



“We need to know this information so we can figure out how to regulate plastins,” said study senior author&nbsp;Dmitri Kudryashov, an associate professor of&nbsp;Chemistry and Biochemistry at OSU.&nbsp; “Because plastins are involved in disease, we see the manifestation of that, but we don’t know how precisely mutations lead to disease. In cancer, or certain autoimmune reactions, knowing exactly what plastins do and how to control their activity could be highly beneficial. If we could manage to inhibit this protein in cancer, it’s likely the cells would become less invasive.”



Actins – abundant proteins helping cells unite their contents, maintain their shape, divide, and migrate – are clustered together by plastins configured with two binding sites, each of which can bind to actin filaments. However, when these binding domains are tightly joined, they can connect only weakly to actins. If cells are stable, connecting in this way is sufficient, but when cells start to migrate, actins pushed in the direction of cell movement are situated in a less organized way that requires strong connections to plastins. In such a case, plastin’s binding domains have to separate from each other to form a stronger bond to actins. Eventually, actins shifting away from the cell’s edge no longer need a strong plastin bond, so plastin can return to its self-engaged “weekend” mode.



By introducing a mutation to plastin which mimics molecular changes detected in cancer cells, the scientists found that such a mutation prolonged plastin binding sites’ disengagement, and caused plastins to keep try to bundle up actins that don’t need to be bundled anymore. In such a case, plastin’s lack of response to what cells need could have undesirable downstream effects.



Further research is needed to clarify which factors may lead to this “irrational” behavior of plastins in order to shed more light on how these essential proteins contribute to disease.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41594-022-00771-1">Nature Structural &amp; Molecular Biology</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Plastins stuck in “workaholic” modes can lead to disease

A new study led by the Ohio State University (OSU)...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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



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

[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...