THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, is being used by more pregnant women as the legalization of recreational cannabis gains ground. Women who are expecting often use cannabis for morning sickness, lower back pain, or anxiety relief.



Recent figures indicate that up to 1 in 5 pregnant women in the U.S. now use cannabis. However, growing research suggests that THC exposure could pose significant risks to the developing fetus.



A recent study highlights how prenatal exposure to THC may increase the risk of opioid addiction later in life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thc-rewires-the-fetal-brain">THC rewires the fetal brain</h2>



The preclinical animal study, led by researchers at the <a href="https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Maryland School of Medicine</a> and published in the journal Science Advances, revealed that prenatal exposure to THC rewires the fetal brain.



According to the study, THC made certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-makes-you-feel-moody-and-sad-by-depleting-dopamine/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dopamine</a> neurons hyperactive, resulting in a marked increase in dopamine release and an amplified response to reward-related cues, such as a signal indicating the availability of food or an opioid drug.



“Doctors are contending with an explosion of cannabis use, and the THC content has quadrupled from what it was a generation ago,” said Dr. Joseph Cheer, a professor of Neurobiology and Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.



“It demonstrates the enduring consequences that prenatal cannabis exposure exerts on the brain’s reward system, which ultimately results in a neurobiological vulnerability to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/opioid-related-deaths-are-on-the-rise-among-young-people/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">opioid</a> drugs.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prenatal-exposure-to-thc">Prenatal exposure to THC</h2>



The study revealed that prenatal exposure to THC led to significant changes in the brain's reward system, particularly in male animals. 



These animals displayed an exaggerated surge in the "reward-seeking" brain chemical dopamine when exposed to opioid drugs during adolescence, compared to those not exposed to THC.



Even moderate doses of THC - equivalent to one to two joints per day in humans - altered how the fetal brain processed rewards, fostering behavior suggestive of increased opioid-seeking.



This behavior was confirmed by follow-up experiments where tiny sensors implanted in their brains detected heightened dopamine release and over-activation of neurons linked to reward-seeking behavior.



“These observations support the hypothesis of a hypersensitized ‘wanting’ system that develops in the brain after exposure to THC during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prenatal-cannabis-exposure-has-unexpected-effect-on-infant-language/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prenatal</a> development,“ said Dr. Cheer. 



"Interestingly, we found that this opioid-seeking phenotype occurs significantly more in males compared to females, and we are currently performing research with our colleagues at UMSOM to determine why this is the case.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advancing-research-and-guidance">Advancing research and guidance </h2>



Dr. Cheer and his colleague, Dr. Mary Kay Lobo, co-direct the Center for Substance Use in Pregnancy at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Kahlert Institute for Addiction Medicine. 



Their ongoing research aims to further understand the long-term impact of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prenatal-thc-exposure-linked-to-life-long-health-risks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drug exposure during pregnancy</a>.



“We need to more fully understand the enduring effects of THC exposure in the womb and whether we can reverse some of the deleterious effects through CRISPR-based gene therapies or repurposed drugs," said study co-author Dr. Dean Mark T. Gladwin.



"We also need to provide better advice to pregnant patients, many of whom are using cannabis to help control anxiety because they think this drug is safer for their baby than traditional anti-anxiety medications.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-use-during-pregnancy">Cannabis use during pregnancy </h2>



The findings suggest that there is a need for more exhaustive public health programs to educate pregnant women on the long-term effects that coincide with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-number-of-americans-are-high-on-marijuana-at-work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marijuana</a> exposure during pregnancy. 



Previous studies on cannabis use during pregnancy have also raised significant concerns about its potential impacts on fetal development and maternal health.



For example, studies have linked prenatal cannabis exposure to deficits in attention, memory, and executive functioning in children. 



Furthermore, cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of low birth weight, which can lead to complications such as developmental delays and long-term health issues.



Guidelines on pregnancy and provision of adequate resources for pregnant women could be created and harmonized in collaboration between healthcare providers, researchers, and policymakers.



Investments in supplemental research, which would include human studies, may also clarify how exposures to THC impact the fetal brain in its developing state. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adq5652" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Cannabis use during pregnancy rewires the fetal brain

THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, is being used by more pregnant women as the legalization of recreational cannabis gains ground. Women who are expecting often use cannabis for morning sickness, lower back pain, or anxiety relief. Recent figures indicate that up to 1 in 5 pregnant women in the U.S. now use cannabis. However, growing research suggests that THC exposure could pose significant risks to the developing fetus. A recent study highlights how prenatal exposure to THC may increase the risk of opioid addiction later...

Outdoor recreation patterns will shift alongside climate change in the coming years, as global warming alters when and how often people will get outside, according to a new study from the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at <a href="https://www.usu.edu/">Utah State University</a>. The experts report that the timing of seasonal sports such as hiking, kayaking, and skiing will change over the next three decades.&nbsp;



The researchers predict that fewer people will participate in outdoor recreation during the summer season as temperatures rise and it becomes uncomfortably hot. Overall, outdoor recreation in warmer seasons is expected to decrease by 18 percent over the next 30 years.&nbsp;



Meanwhile, climate change will likely give winter recreational activities a major boost, as cold temperatures become milder in some regions. On public lands such as national parks, winter outdoor recreation is predicted to increase by 12 percent by mid-century, said the study authors, but the recreational activities may look different. 



The researchers predict that sports like downhill skiing will be replaced by forms of outdoor recreation that are less dependent on winter conditions, such as mountain biking. 



“We’ve known for a while that patterns for outdoor recreation and visitation to public lands are sensitive to temperature,” said study lead author Emily Wilkins.&nbsp;



“What’s important about this study is that it shows how much variation there is in the impacts of climate change on visitation to public lands across the country - there are substantial differences whether you are talking about outdoor recreation in Oregon or in Florida.”&nbsp;



The investigation was focused on the analysis of 14 years of geotagged social media data from across the continental United States. The researchers documented where and when people were getting outside on public lands, and compared these trends to climate data.&nbsp;



The experts pinpointed areas of the country where outdoor recreation will be most sensitive to climate change, and where the largest changes are expected to occur.&nbsp;



For example, summertime visits to public lands in the southeastern U.S. are expected to decline by over 50 percent by 2050 - which is significantly more than the rest of the country. The study results also suggest that winter outdoor recreation will increase the most in Texas, Oklahoma, and the upper Midwest. 



“It’s important for public land managers, like folks who work for the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, to have a good understanding of what the demand for outdoor recreation will look like in the future,” said Jordan Smith, Director of the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.



"With this information, they can make more informed decisions about where to invest time and effort to either build new outdoor recreation infrastructure, like trails and visitors centers, or maintain existing infrastructure.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/global-environmental-change">Global Environmental Change</a>.



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

Outdoor recreation patterns expected to shift in a warming climate

Outdoor recreation patterns will shift alongside climate change in the...

Researchers have struggled for decades to understand whether cocoa, an ancient fermented product that the Aztecs made from the beans of cacao trees, is beneficial for health. Cocoa is known to contain a large concentration of flavanols, which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that protect our cells from damage. As a result, cocoa consumption could potentially help us age better and reduce the risk for developing cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other illnesses.



The&nbsp;<a href="https://cosmostrial.org/">COSMOS</a>&nbsp;Trial (COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study), led by experts at <a href="https://www.brighamandwomens.org/">Brigham and Women’s Hospital</a> and the <a href="https://fredhutch.org/">Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center</a>, gathered data from 21,444 men and women in order to investigate the health impacts of a daily supplement of cocoa flavanols and a multivitamin supplement.&nbsp;



In the context of this large project, Dr. Yanbin Dong - a geneticist and cardiologist at the <a href="https://www.augusta.edu/mcg/medicine/gpi/">Georgia Prevention Institute</a> from the Medical College of Georgia - was recently awarded a $3 million grant from the <a href="https://www.nih.gov/">National Institutes of Health</a> to perform a detailed analysis of the effect of cocoa consumption on inflammatory factors and genetic changes associated with aging.&nbsp;



Dr. Dong is expected to conduct sophisticated genetic analyses looking for the impact of cocoa on age-related genetic changes by using “epigenetic clocks,” which are biochemical tests that measure biological age based on the amount of DNA-methylation.



Preliminary results of the COSMOS Trial show that cocoa flavanols have potential benefits on platelet activation, LDL oxidation, lipid profiles, endothelium-dependent vasodilation, blood pressure, inflammation, and insulin resistance, which are all crucial for cardiovascular health.



Dr. Dong’s hypothesis is that flavanol consumption can also reduce epigenetic aging and “inflammaging” (a chronic, low-grade type of inflammation that increases with aging) and, thus, that cocoa consumption can help people live longer, healthier lives.&nbsp;



The researchers emphasized that flavanols are often destroyed in normal cocoa and chocolate processing, making these unreliable sources of flavanol compounds. According to Dr. Dong, a better source of cocoa flavanols is dark chocolate, which also contains iron, copper and other healthy ingredients that help boost immunity and lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and general cognitive decline.&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

Cocoa can help people live longer, healthier lives

Researchers have struggled for decades to understand whether cocoa, an...

A recent study published in the journal <a href="https://d.docs.live.net/59aea50aab103926/Documents/nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00358-x">Nature Food</a> found that global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are double the amount of emissions associated with plant-based foods. Taking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-majority-of-global-farmland-is-at-risk-of-pesticide-pollution/">farmland</a>, livestock, and land use changes into consideration, global food production is responsible for 17,318 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually - accounting for 35 percent of all human-caused greenhouse emissions.&nbsp;



A computer modeling study led by Professor Atul K. Jain at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne</a> is the first to analyze carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions from all sub-sectors related to food production and consumption. These sub-sectors include land use changes, farmland management activities, raising livestock, and all of the operations that take place after the food leaves the farm.&nbsp;



“Although CO2 is the most important and most frequently discussed GHG (greenhouse gas), methane generated by rice cultivation and animals, and nitrous oxide from fertilizers are 34 and 298 times more powerful than CO2, respectively, when it comes to trapping heat in the atmosphere," explained study lead author Xiaoming Xu.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The researchers discovered that animal-based food emissions contributed 57 percent of food-based emissions, while plant-based emissions amounted to only 29 percent. Out of all meat and dairy products, beef was by far responsible for the most emissions (four billion metric tons), followed by cow milk, pork, and chicken meat. Among vegetables, rice production appeared to be the most damaging, contributing two billion metric tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;



In terms of location, the scientists found that South and Southeast Asia, as well as South America are the largest emitters of greenhouse gases related to food production and consumption, with China leading both animal- and plant-based emissions.



According to Professor Jain, developing climate mitigation strategies must rely on accurate estimates of GHG emissions from all sources, including those from the production and consumption of total and individual plant- and animal-based foods.



This comprehensive study is an important step forward towards encouraging policymakers to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions before climate change will become irreversible.



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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

Animal products linked to double the emissions of plant-based foods

A recent study published in the journal Nature Food found...

A new study published in American Heart Association’s journal <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/hyp">Hypertension</a> found that elevated levels of stress hormones increase the risk of developing hypertension and other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-spaces-linked-to-lower-rates-of-heart-disease/">cardiovascular</a> problems.



The researchers measured levels of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine (neurotransmitters known as catecholamines, which have a fundamental role in maintaining the stability of the autonomous nervous system), as well as cortisol (a steroid hormone regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which modulates stress response). The analysis was focused on 412 participants between the ages of 48 to 87 years who had normal blood pressure at the beginning of the study.&nbsp;



“Although all of these hormones are produced in the adrenal gland, they have different roles and mechanisms to influence the cardiovascular system, so it is important to study their relationship with hypertension and cardiovascular events, individually,” said study lead author Kosuke Inoue, an assistant professor of Social Epidemiology at the <a href="https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en">University of Kyoto</a> in Japan.&nbsp;



Between 2005 and 2018, participants were followed by three more visits to assess whether they experienced any subsequent cardiovascular problems. The scientists discovered that during a follow-up period of 6.5 years, each time the levels of the stress hormones doubled, there was a 21 to 31 percent increase in the risk of developing hypertension.&nbsp;



Furthermore, during a follow-up period of 11.2 years, each doubling of the cortisol levels triggered a 90 percent increase in the risk of experiencing cardiovascular events.



“The stress hormones norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine and cortisol can increase with stress from life events, work, relationships, finances and more. And we confirmed that stress is a key factor&nbsp;contributing&nbsp;to the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular events,”&nbsp;said Professor Inoue.&nbsp;



“Previous research focused on the relationship between stress hormone levels and hypertension or cardiovascular events in patients with existing hypertension. However, studies looking at adults without hypertension were lacking."



“It is important to examine the impact of stress on adults in the general population because it provides new information about whether routine measurement of stress hormones needs to be considered&nbsp;to prevent hypertension and CVD events.”



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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

Elevated stress hormones raise the risk of heart problems

A new study published in American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension...

The traditional energy-balance model teaches us that the maintenance of body weight is achieved by balancing the calories we consume with the energy we expend. This philosophy underlies the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 which state that losing weight requires adults to reduce the number of calories they get from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reducing-sugar-in-packaged-foods-can-prevent-disease-in-millions/">foods</a> and beverages and increase the amount expended through physical activity.



According to this approach, losing weight should be a simple matter of reducing the amount we eat and increasing the extent of physical activity. Despite decades of public health warnings, however, levels of obesity continue to rise.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that more than 40 percent of adult Americans are currently affected by obesity, despite the apparently simple solution proposed by the energy-balance model.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The authors of a recent study from the <a href="https://nutrition.org/">American Society for Nutrition</a> propose that a different model, the carbohydrate-insulin model, better explains the metabolic origins of weight gain and obesity. This model is not new - ir was developed in the early 1900s - but the recent study summarizes the current scientific evidence that supports it. The research is authored by 17 internationally recognized scientists, public health experts and clinical researchers. 



According to lead author Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and professor at Harvard Medical School, the energy-balance model doesn’t help us understand the&nbsp;biological&nbsp;causes of weight gain. “During a growth spurt, for instance, adolescents may increase food intake by 1,000 calories a day. But does their overeating cause the growth spurt or does the growth spurt cause the adolescent to get hungry and overeat?”



In contrast to the "calorie in, calorie out" approach of the energy-balance model, the carbohydrate-insulin model proposes that obesity is not caused by overeating but rather by the quality of the food we eat. In particular, our modern diets that contain a high glycemic load are to blame for the obesity pandemic. Glycemic load is a measure of the amount that a food will raise the blood sugar level after it is eaten. Foods that have a high glycemic load include those with high levels of easily digestible refined starch and sugar.&nbsp;



According to the carbohydrate-insulin model, the consumption of foods with a high glycemic load leads to an increase in the secretion of insulin, a hormone that normally helps remove sugar from the blood and store it in liver and muscle cells. In the case of high levels of insulin, however, the fat cells are stimulated to increase their storage of calories, leading to enhanced deposition of body fat. This also leaves lower levels of sugar in the blood and leads to feelings of hunger. Ironically, the body may feel it is starved of energy and respond by slowing down the metabolic rate.&nbsp;



Acceptance of the carbohydrate-insulin model necessitates a whole new way of approaching the management of weight and the treatment of obesity. Instead of limiting calorie intake or increasing energy expenditure, strategies that have not been particularly successful in the past, we should focus on what we eat and on how specific foods affect our hormone levels and metabolism.&nbsp;



"Reducing consumption of the rapidly digestible carbohydrates that flooded the food supply during the low-fat diet era lessens the underlying drive to store body fat," said Dr. Ludwig. "As a result, people may lose weight with less hunger and struggle.”&nbsp;



Foods with high glycemic loads should be replaced with non-starchy vegetables, legumes, whole fruits and intact whole grains, all of which tend to have a moderate or low glycemic load.



The study is published in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn">The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>.



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By Alison Bosman, Earth.com Staff Writer

It’s not overeating, but what we eat, that causes weight gain

The traditional energy-balance model teaches us that the maintenance of...

Looking at the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/95-percent-of-ocean-could-become-inhospitable-this-century/">ocean</a> and other "blue spaces" can instantly improve your body image, according to a recent study led by Professor Viren Swami of <a href="https://aru.ac.uk/international/english-language-support">Anglia Ruskin University</a>. The researchers found that after looking at pictures of seascapes, study participants felt significantly better about their appearance.



Images of green landscapes were also linked to healthier body image, but the effect was found to be much stronger when individuals were presented photographs of blue spaces including the sky or the ocean.&nbsp;



In a previous study published in the journal Body Image, Professor Swami explained that there are several reasons why exposure to nature could help people feel happier about their bodies.



"It might be that it distances people, physically and mentally, from appearance-focused situations that are one of the causes of negative body image," said Professor Swami. "It is also possible that exposure to environments with depth and complexity restricts negative appearance-related thoughts."&nbsp;



"More specifically, natural environments effortlessly hold your attention - a process known as 'soft fascination.' This is often accompanied by feelings of pleasure, such as when you are drawn to the sight of a setting sun."



"An environment that does not require undivided attention may provide people with cognitive quiet, which in turn may foster self-compassion such as respecting your body and appreciating it is part of a wider ecosystem requiring protection and care."



"Access to nature may also mean that individuals spend more time outdoors engaging in activities that focus attention on the body's functionality rather than aesthetics."



The current study was focused on 168 volunteers who were assigned to one of three groups. The first group was presented with high-resolution images of green spaces, the second group was shown blue spaces, and the third group viewed pictures of buildings.



Before and after viewing the photographs, the participants completed a questionnaire to measure their body appreciation. The volunteers agreed or disagreed with statements such as “Right now, I respect my body."



Professor Swami said that given the fact that not everyone has access to nature, it is important to find ways of bringing nature to everyone.



“Our study shows it may be possible to develop low-cost intervention programs by using images of the natural world. These programs could promote healthier body image across diverse populations, including those with limited access to real nature perhaps due to health reasons or where they live.”



The results of the study were presented at the British Science Festival in Chelmsford.&nbsp;



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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

Looking at blue spaces can instantly improve body image

Looking at the ocean and other "blue spaces" can instantly...

Anxiety disorders are estimated to affect around 10&nbsp; percent of the worldwide population and have been found to be twice as prevalent in women compared to men. While it is known that physical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-can-improve-heart-health-at-any-age/">exercise</a> can dramatically reduce the likelihood of developing anxiety disorders, not much is known about the specific level of fitness or the frequency of exercise that is needed to produce these benefits.&nbsp;



Researchers at Lund University in Sweden analyzed data from almost 400,000 people across both sexes, comparing those who took part in the world’s largest long-distance cross-country ski race (Vasaloppet) with those who did not.&nbsp;



The results showed that those who took part in the race between 1989 and 2010 demonstrated a “significantly lower risk” of developing anxiety disorders compared to those who did not participate during the same time period.&nbsp;



“We found that the group with a more physically active lifestyle had an almost 60 percent lower risk of developing anxiety disorders over a follow-up period of up to 21 years,” said study lead author Martine Svensson and principal investigator Tomas Deierborg. “This association between a physically active lifestyle and a lower risk of anxiety was seen in both men and women."



However, a noticeable difference was identified between male and female skiers when it came to exercise performance levels and the risk of developing an anxiety disorder.



The physical performance of male skiers did not appear to affect the risk of developing anxiety, yet the highest performing female skiers still had almost double the risk than males who had the lowest performance levels. However, the researchers concluded that the total risk of getting anxiety among high-performing women was still lower compared to the more physically inactive women in the general population.



Surprisingly, the study has ultimately concluded that there is a correlation between physical exercise performance and the risk for anxiety disorders in women. “Our results suggest that the relation between symptoms of anxiety and exercise behavior may not be linear,” said Svensson.



Whilst this research initially appears to suggest that skiing, in particular, can play an important role in preventing anxiety disorders, Svensson and Deierborg explain that it is not that simple. “We think this cohort of cross-country skiers is a good proxy for an active lifestyle, there could also be a component of being more outdoors among skiers,” they said.



“Studies focusing on specific sports may find slightly different results and magnitudes of the associations, but this is most likely due to other important factors that affect mental health and which you cannot easily control in research analysis.”



The research has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry">Frontiers in Psychiatry</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Regular exercise is a powerful weapon against anxiety

Anxiety disorders are estimated to affect around 10&nbsp; percent of...

Scientists have found that people whose diets are based on healthy vegetarian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reducing-sugar-in-packaged-foods-can-prevent-disease-in-millions/">foods</a> have a reduced risk of COVID-19 and a lower probability of experiencing serious symptoms. The study, which was conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), investigated the correlation between diet and the risk and severity of COVID-19 infection.



Although metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and obesity have already been linked to an increased risk of Sars-Cov-2 infection as well as probability to develop life-threatening symptoms, the relation between such risks and nutrition has not been previously explored.



“Previous reports suggest that poor nutrition is a common feature among groups disproportionately affected by the pandemic, but data on the association between diet and COVID-19 risk and severity are lacking,” said study lead author Jordi Merino, a research associate at the Center for Genomic Medicine at MGH.&nbsp;



In order to clarify these issues, Merino and his colleagues examined data on 592,571 US and UK participants of the smartphone-based <a href="https://covid.joinzoe.com/">COVID-19 Symptom Study</a>. At the start of the study, in March 2020, participants were asked to fill a questionnaire about their dietary habits.&nbsp;



By the end of the year, 31,831 of participants developed COVID-19. The researchers found that participants whose diets were healthier, consisting of large quantities of fruits and vegetables, had a nine percent lower risk of developing the disease and a 41 percent lower risk of experiencing severe symptoms. 



“Although we cannot emphasize enough the importance of getting vaccinated and wearing a mask in crowded indoor settings, our study suggests that individuals can also potentially reduce their risk of getting COVID-19 or having poor outcomes by paying attention to their diet,” explained co-author Andrew Chan, a gastroenterologist and chief of the <a href="https://www.massgeneral.org/mongan-institute/centers/cteu/default">Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit</a> at MGH.



The findings show that public health strategies which improve access to healthy foods can significantly help reduce the burden of the pandemic.&nbsp;



“Our findings are a call to governments and stakeholders to prioritize healthy diets and wellbeing with impactful policies, otherwise we risk losing decades of economic progress and a substantial increase in health disparities,” concluded Merino.



The research was published in the journal <a href="https://gut.bmj.com/content/early/2021/09/06/gutjnl-2021-325353">Gut</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

Vegetarian diet lowers the risk and severity of COVID-19

Scientists have found that people whose diets are based on...

A new study shows that well-being associated with having more free time only increases up to a certain point. When a person has too much free time, the benefit to their sense of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cuddling-with-dogs-can-improve-your-well-being/">well-being</a> starts to decrease.



“People often complain about being too busy and express wanting more time. But is more time actually linked to greater happiness? We found that having a dearth of discretionary hours in one’s day results in greater stress and lower subjective well-being. However, while too little time is bad, having more time is not always better," explained study lead author Dr. Marissa Sharif.



The scientists looked at data from 21,736 American research participants who agreed to take a time use survey from 2012 to 2013. The survey asked the participants to detail 24 hour periods of their life and report on their sense of well-being.



The results showed that a sense of well-being increased with free time until after two hours, after which it leveled off. For those participants with five hours of free time, well-being started to decrease.&nbsp;



The scientists also looked at data from a survey that was designed to investigate changing workforces in America. One of the questions asked how much free time each person had as well as the person’s perceived well-being. The results from this survey showed the same trend - the sense of well-being associated with free time increased only up to a point, after which it leveled off and even declines.&nbsp;



To follow up on the research, the scientists conducted online experiments, asking people to imagine being given a certain amount of free time - either a short, moderate or long period. The results, unsurprisingly, were that those with the moderate amount of time had the greatest increase in well-being.&nbsp;



Questioning the participants further, it seems the key is productivity, those who could use their free-time doing something they considered productive felt a greater sense of well-being. “Though our investigation centered on the relationship between amount of discretionary time and subjective well-being, our additional exploration into how individuals spend their discretionary time proved revealing," said Dr. Sharif.



"Our findings suggest that ending up with entire days free to fill at one’s discretion may leave one similarly unhappy. In cases when people do find themselves with excessive amounts of discretionary time, such as retirement or having left a job, our results suggest these individuals would benefit from spending their newfound time with purpose.”&nbsp;



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/psp">Journal of Personality and Social Psychology</a>.



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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

Too much free time can be a bad thing

A new study shows that well-being associated with having more...

A new study published in the <a href="https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(21)00330-5/fulltext">American Journal of Preventive Medicine</a> has found that, in over 50 U.S. cities where cannabis is legalized, indoor smoking at licensed cannabis businesses is permitted, endangering the health of customers and employees by exposing them to secondhand cannabis smoke (SHCS).



After years of progress on protection against secondhand tobacco smoke, several states now allow indoor marijuana smoking in cannabis smoking lounges pertaining to licensed retailers.



Study first author Thomas L. Rotering is a professor at the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies and the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California, San Francisco.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“While many states maintain strong tobacco smoking and vaping bans to protect public health, our research reveals that some state and local laws exempt cannabis smoke from clean air laws and open the door to smoke-filled businesses, defeating decades of public health advances,” said Professor Rotering.



The researchers investigated government websites, legal databases, local laws, and public reporting to asses the status of cannabis smoking lounges. They found significant variations in how different states address the issue of SHCS exposure, with some states prohibiting cannabis consumption in public spaces, and others (including Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Michigan) allowing onsite consumption at licensed cannabis businesses.



The experts found that of the 56 localities which permit onsite consumption cannabis businesses, only 9 percent require indoors to be smoke-free. Combined with ineffective ventilation and engineering requirements, this may endanger the health of customers and employees alike.



“After decades of progress in clearing the indoor air of tobacco smoke, we are seeing it replaced with cannabis smoke using the same discredited arguments the tobacco industry used in its unsuccessful fight against tobacco smoke restrictions. We need to learn from the past and keep the air clean for all,” said senior investigator Stanton A. Glantz, an emeritus professor at <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">University of California, San Francisco</a>.&nbsp;



The study authors suggest that a solution to these problems is designing isolated, outdoor smoking places at cannabis retailers, or allowing the indoor use of only non-inhalable modes of administration that do not pollute the air and thus put the health of patrons, staff, and customers at risk.&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

Indoor cannabis smoke endangers public health

A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive...

Supermarket layout strongly influences customers’ <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reducing-sugar-in-packaged-foods-can-prevent-disease-in-millions/">food</a> choices, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a> conducted in collaboration with the supermarket chain Iceland Foods Ltd. The scientists discovered that removing confectionary products and other unhealthy food choices from checkouts, and placing fruits and vegetables near store entrances promote healthier food purchases.&nbsp;



The study took place in several Iceland stores in England and closely monitored sales and purchasing patterns of a sample of regular customers. Researchers found that store-wide confectionary sales decreased and food and vegetables sales increased in cases where water and non-food items were placed at checkouts, and a larger fruit and vegetable section was re-positioned near the store entrance.



&nbsp;“Altering the layouts of supermarkets could help people make healthier food choices and shift population diet towards the government’s dietary recommendations. The findings of our study suggest that a healthier store layout could lead to nearly 10,000 extra portions of fruit and vegetables and approximately 1,500 fewer portions of confectionery being sold on a weekly basis in each store,” reported lead author Dr. Christina Vogel, a research fellow in Public Health Nutrition&nbsp;at the University of Southampton.



By investigating how reducing customers exposure to unhealthy food choices impacts store sales, regular purchasing patterns, and diets in a significant statistical sample, this study is one of the most comprehensive analyses of the effects of supermarket layout on customer choices and, implicitly, lifestyle and diet.



"We have been pleased to support this long-term study and the evaluation of how product placement in supermarkets can affect the diets of our customers,” said Matt Downes, Head of Format Development at Iceland Foods. “We know that childhood obesity is a growing issue and the retail industry has its part to play in tackling this. We hope that the outcomes of the study provide insights for the wider retail industry and policy makers about the impact of store merchandising on purchasing decisions.”



According to co-author Janis Baird, a Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology at the University’s MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, this study provides “novel evidence to suggest that the intended UK government ban on prominent placement of unhealthy foods across retail outlets could be beneficial for population diet, and that effects may be further enhanced if requirements for a produce section near supermarket entrances were incorporated into the regulation.”&nbsp;



The research was published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/">PLOS Medicine</a>.&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

Supermarket layout influences food choice and diet

Supermarket layout strongly influences customers’ food choices, according to a...

According to a new study published in <a href="https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP281838">The Journal of Physiology</a>, a high fat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-sense-of-smell-is-crucial-for-a-balanced-diet/">diet</a> fed to rats disturbs their brainstem body clock. Since this clock is essential for controlling satiety, such disturbances generally lead to over-eating and obesity.



The number of obese people has tripled worldwide since 1975. In England alone, 28 percent of adults are obese and over 36 percent are overweight. Obesity is known to lead to other health problems such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, strokes, and several types of cancers.



Until recently, scientists thought that the master body clock was located solely in the brain area called the hypothalamus. However, further research has shown that other parts of the brain and body also control our body’s daily rhythms, including hormone levels, appetite, and satiety markers. Specifically, the dorsal vagal complex (DVC), a cluster of neurons in the evolutionary ancient brainstem, has been found to control food intake by inducing a feeling of satiety.



Although it was known that, in obesity, daily rhythms in food intake and the modulation of eating-related hormones are blunted or eliminated, it has not been clear whether these disturbances in the brain areas controlling appetite are a cause or result of obesity.



Researchers from the <a href="https://en.uj.edu.pl/">Jagiellonian University in Krakow</a> and the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> found that rats fed with a high-fat diet showed significant changes in the DVC’s daily neuronal activities and responses to metabolically-relevant hormones, even before the rats began gaining weight. Thus, it appears that disturbances in the DVC’s timekeeping induced by high fat diets are important causes of obesity, rather than a result of excessive weight.&nbsp;



Although more research is needed in order to understand whether these processes are similar in the case of humans, this study is one of the first to discover a neurobiological basis of obesity, and thus to open important therapeutic pathways.



“I’m really excited about this research because of the possibilities it opens up to tackle the growing health issue of obesity,” said study first author Dr Lukasz Chrobok. “We still do not know what are the time cues which are able to reset or synchronise the brainstem clock. Hopefully, the restoration of daily rhythms in this satiety centre before or after the onset of obesity may provide new therapeutic opportunities.”



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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

Scientists reveal the neurobiological basis of obesity

According to a new study published in The Journal of...

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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

[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?

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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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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...