Since 1990, childhood obesity has significantly increased on all continents, nearly doubling in prevalence. Although the United States currently has the highest prevalence, many other nations are not very far behind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-childhood-obesity-worldwide-nbsp">Childhood obesity worldwide&nbsp;</h2>



For instance, in Southern European countries such as Greece, Italy and Spain, 10 to 15 percent of children are obese, and, although Eastern European countries have for the moment slightly lower rates, they are experiencing a rapid surge which may soon match Southern Europe.&nbsp;



At a global level, Asia has almost half of all overweight children under five, while Africa has one-quarter of such children. Finally, in Latin America, nearly 20% of children under 20 are overweight.&nbsp;



And sadly, a great number of developing countries currently face not only the challenge of&nbsp; overweight/obesity in their children, but also malnutrition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-epidemic-levels-of-childhood-obesity-nbsp">Epidemic levels of childhood obesity&nbsp;</h2>



This obesity epidemic leads to a variety of health issues, including childhood <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/high-blood-pressure-drug-called-rilmenidine-dramatically-slows-aging-in-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hypertension</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/high-blood-pressure-drug-called-rilmenidine-dramatically-slows-aging-in-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">type 2 diabetes</a>.&nbsp;



Recently, a team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.fau.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Florida Atlantic University</a> (FAU) has discussed these challenges and provided possible solutions in a commentary published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10995-024-04001-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Maternal and Child Health Journal</a>.



Study lead author Charles H. Hennekens is a professor of medicine and preventive medicine at FAU.&nbsp;



“Pediatric overweight and obesity have reached epidemic levels in the U.S. and are becoming a pandemic globally. These conditions lead to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and lipid disorders, which contribute to metabolic syndrome,” said Hennekens.



“In adults, these issues significantly increase the risks of heart attacks, stroke, liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, arthritis and certain cancers - many of which are now occurring at younger ages.”



Hennekens noted that through coordinated clinical and public health efforts, we can address these troubling trends and work toward a healthier future for children and families globally.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-misconceptions-about-childhood-obesity-nbsp">Misconceptions about childhood obesity&nbsp;</h2>



In the United States, a preschooler is considered overweight if their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weight-and-bmi-do-not-accurately-reflect-a-persons-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">body mass index</a> (BMI) surpasses the 85th percentile.&nbsp;



Previous research has shown that such children are at a significantly higher risk of being overweight in their adolescence than those with a BMI at the 50th percentile. This highlights the current misconception that children can simply “outgrow” overweight problems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-boosting-daily-activity-among-children-nbsp">Boosting daily activity among children&nbsp;</h2>



According to the experts, health care providers and public health practitioners face great challenges in their attempts to boost daily <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/any-type-of-physical-activity-can-help-protect-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">physical activity</a> among children, which could significantly increase metabolic rates, lower BMI, and reduce risks of coronary heart disease later in life.



“With declining physical education in schools and excessive time spent on electronic devices, many children fail to meet recommended activity guidelines,” said co-author Panagiota “Yiota” Kitsantas, the chair of FAU’s Department of Population Health and Social Medicine.&nbsp;



“This sedentary behavior contributes to overweight and obesity through poor diet, reduced sleep, and decreased physical activity. Encouraging organized, enjoyable activities rather than competitive ones can help children achieve necessary physical activity levels.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contributing-factors-to-childhood-obesity-nbsp">Contributing factors to childhood obesity&nbsp;</h2>



However, the scientists warn that while increasing the amount of physical activity among children is necessary, it is far from sufficient to have a large impact on the rates of childhood overweight and obesity. 



This is due to the fact that other major contributors are the increase of foods containing high quantities of sugars, together with the consumption of ultra-processed foods.



“Nearly 70 percent of the average U.S.-based child’s diet is made up of ultra-processed foods,” Hennekens said. “Moreover, consumption of ultra-processed foods among children under 24 months is rising worldwide, triggering not only the potential of developing obesity but also decreased immunological protection.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-ultra-processed-foods-nbsp">The role of ultra-processed foods&nbsp;</h2>



Although further research is needed to clarify which components of ultra-processed foods lead to weight gain in children, it is already clear that a diet high in such foods is connected to increasing rates of overweight and obesity.



“Evidence suggests that enhancing school lunch nutritional standards could help reduce obesity, particularly among low-income children,” Kitsantas said.&nbsp;



“We recommend adopting school food policies that remove ultra-processed foods from menus and promote healthier alternatives, alongside educational programs on healthy eating, despite the challenges posed by external influences on children.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-health-measures-nbsp">Public health measures&nbsp;</h2>



Some of these challenges include the use of social media and advertising, which affects children’s food choices and behaviors such as sharing unhealthy food posts.



“Despite recommendations from the World Health Organization and public health authorities to restrict food marketing aimed at children, few countries have implemented such measures,” Hennekens explained.&nbsp;



“The effectiveness of existing regulations in today’s media landscape is uncertain, creating an opportunity for health providers and public health practitioners to educate families about the impact of this advertising.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-managing-the-public-health-crisis">Managing the public health crisis </h2>



The scientists argue that tackling the rising pediatric obesity epidemic requires a multidimensional approach. In 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics endorsed World Health Organization’s guidelines, while releasing their own recommendations for managing this public health crisis.&nbsp;



The guidelines suggest that healthcare providers and public health professionals address the social determinants of health, utilize motivational interviewing to encourage changes in nutrition and physical activity habits, and consider options like pharmacotherapy or surgery to achieve individualized patient objectives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reversing-the-troubling-trends">Reversing the troubling trends</h2>



Yet, the study authors argue that although there are approved drug therapies available, maternal and child health care providers should employ therapeutic lifestyle changes before prescribing pharmaceutical interventions.



“While the ultimate goal is prevention of pediatric overweight and obesity as well as metabolic syndrome, to paraphrase Voltaire, we should not ‘let the perfect be the enemy of the good,’” Hennekens said.



“Health care and public health professionals must collaborate across disciplines to address these issues with patients, families, communities and policymakers. United efforts can help reverse these troubling trends and ensure a healthier future for children worldwide,” Kitsantas concluded.



-----



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Childhood obesity rates are surging worldwide

Since 1990, childhood obesity has significantly increased on all continents, nearly doubling in prevalence. Although the United States currently has the highest prevalence, many other nations are not very far behind. Childhood obesity worldwide&nbsp; For instance, in Southern European countries such as Greece, Italy and Spain, 10 to 15 percent of children are obese, and, although Eastern European countries have for the moment slightly lower rates, they are experiencing a rapid surge which may soon match Southern Europe.&nbsp; At a global level, Asia has almost half of...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.cshl.edu/">Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</a> (CSHL) have identified nerve cells in the brains of mice that help the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/animals-have-a-biological-switch-that-prepares-them-for-seasonal-changes/">animals</a> learn to avoid negative experiences. The neurons are located in the striosome, a brain region involved in behavior that is motivated by the desire for reward or reinforcement.

Previously, the striosome thought to be dedicated to supporting our ability to learn from positive reinforcement. The fact that nerve cells in this same structure are involved in negative-reinforcement learning shows that the striosome is a complex motivation-processing center in the brain. 

Study lead author Bo Li said that it is critical to understand the function of the striosome because motivation processing is impaired in people with certain mental illnesses.

"We know those neurons are important for normal motivation - the motivation to pursue a reward or the motivation to avoid punishment," said Li. "So we have hopes that the striosome neurons could be critical for either, or both, depression and addiction." 

The striosome is located in a brain region called the dorsal striatum. Previous studies have shown that the dorsal striatum is involved in making decisions regarding actions that are more flexible or goal oriented, sensitive to rewarding feedback, or those that are habitual or related to addiction.

The cells of the dorsal striatum are defined by the chemicals they produce rather than by  their anatomical boundaries, and this has made it difficult to study their function. 

The CSHL team was able to pinpoint the function of specific cells in this brain region by identifying a gene, Tshz1, that is associated with some of these neurons. 

Using Tshz1 as a genetic tag, the researchers were able to trace the neurons within the striosome, which allowed the experts to manipulate the cells and monitor their activity in mice.

The experiments revealed that mice need Tshz1-expressing cells in the striosome to learn to associate certain places or sounds with an unpleasant experience. The researchers found that these particular cells had nothing to do with positive reinforcement or reward learning, which means this responsibility is delegated to other nerve cells in the striosome. 

"So it seems like the striosome is not as simple as we initially believed. There are actually two kinds of neurons in the striosome that allow the animal to do both - reward pursuing and also punishment avoidance," said Li. "Those different things are both critical for us to survive with. You can imagine if you are not sensitive to punishment, you're going to get into trouble if you run into danger and if you are not sensitive to reward, of course, you can also have a difficulty in survival, because you are not going forward for the food, for example."

According to Li, understanding how neurons in the striosome interact with other motivation-processing parts of the brain to guide behavior will ultimately allow researchers to pinpoint the cells or circuits that contribute to mental illnesses. He hopes this will lead to the development of better treatments.

The research team also included experts from Stanford University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The brain region that motivates us may also help us avoid punishment

Scientists at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have identified...

The words we use to describe emotions are a reflection of our mental health and overall well-being, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.pitt.edu/">University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine</a>. A larger negative emotion vocabulary, or having more ways to describe negative feelings, is associated with psychological distress and poorer physical <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-during-pregnancy-improves-the-health-of-babies/">health</a>. On the other hand, a bigger vocabulary describing positive emotions is associated with a greater sense of well-being and better physical health.

"Our language seems to indicate our expertise with states of emotion we are more comfortable with," said study lead author Dr. Vera Vine. "It looks like there's a congruency between how many different ways we can name a feeling and how often and likely we are to experience that feeling."

To investigate the relationship between emotion vocabulary and life experience, Dr. Vine and her team analyzed 35,000 public blogs, as well as stream-of-consciousness essays by 1,567 college students. During the study period, the students regularly reported on their moods.

The analysis showed that people who used a wider variety of negative emotion words, such as references to illness or being alone, reported greater depression and neuroticism and poorer physical health.

By contrast, those who used a variety of positive emotion words, including references to leisure activities, achievements, and being part of a group, reported higher rates of conscientiousness, agreeableness, and overall health. These individuals also had lower rates of depression and neuroticism.

The findings suggest that an individual's vocabulary corresponds to their emotional experiences, but it is not yet clear whether emotion vocabularies are helpful or harmful in bringing about emotional experiences.

"There's a lot of excitement right now about expanding people's emotional vocabularies and teaching how to precisely articulate negative feelings," said Dr. Vine. "While we often hear the phrase, 'name it to tame it' when referring to negative emotions, I hope this paper can inspire clinical researchers who are developing emotion-labeling interventions for clinical practice, to study the potential pitfalls of encouraging over-labeling of negative emotions, and the potential utility of teaching positive words."

The experts discovered that during the stream-of-consciousness exercise, students who used more words to describe sadness grew sadder over the course of the experiment. Likewise, individuals who used more words for fear became more worried, and people who used more names for anger became angrier.

Study co-author Dr. James W. Pennebaker is a professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.

"It is likely that people who have had more upsetting life experiences have developed richer negative emotion vocabularies to describe the worlds around them," explained Dr. Pennebaker. "In everyday life, these same people can more readily label nuanced feelings as negative which may ultimately affect their moods."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/com">Journal of Comparative Psychology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The emotion vocabulary we use reflects our true state of mind

The words we use to describe emotions are a reflection...

Experts at <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a> have pinpointed the site of male sexual desire in the brain. Using a mouse model, the team demonstrated that sexual behavior among males is controlled by <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/people-with-brains-that-learn-implicitly-have-stronger-religious-beliefs/">brain</a> tissue that contains the gene aromatase.

This particular gene converts testosterone to estrogen in the brain, which drives male sexual activity. Prior to this research, the full function of aromatase was not known.

The researchers said that since aromatase regulates sexual behavior in men, it can be targeted by drugs to either increase its function for low sexual desire or decrease its function for compulsive sexual desire. 

Study senior author Dr. Serdar Bulun is the chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern Medicine. 

"This is the first key finding to explain how testosterone stimulates sexual desire," said Dr. Bulun. "For the first time, we demonstrated conclusively that the conversion of testosterone to estrogen in the brain is critical to maintain full sexual activity or desire in males. Aromatase drives that."

When aromatase was selectively knocked out in brain tissue, sexual activity in male mice decreased by 50 percent, despite the fact they had higher levels of testosterone circulating in their blood compared with normal mice.

"Male mice partially lost interest in sex," said study co-author Dr. Hong Zhao. "Aromatase is the key enzyme for estrogen production. Estrogen has functions in males and females. Testosterone has to be converted to estrogen to drive sexual desire in males."

Dr. Bulun said that if a normal male mouse is put with a female one, it would chase after her and try to instigate sex. "If you knock out the aromatase gene in the brain, their sexual activity is significantly reduced. There is less frequency of mating. The male mice are not that interested."

According to the researchers, the finding can contribute to new treatments for disorders of sexual desire. For example, hypoactive sexual desire disorder is a common condition that can be a side effect of widely used medications such as antidepressants. A treatment to boost aromatase in this disorder could heighten sexual desire, said Dr. Bulun.

By contrast, compulsive sexual desire is another condition that can be treated by an existing systemic aromatase inhibitor, but that treatment has side effects such as osteoporosis. Dr. Bulun said that now, new selective drugs that suppress only the brain promoter region of the aromatase gene can be developed to eliminate such side effects.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://joe.bioscientifica.com/">Endocrinology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Experts identify the gene that controls sexual desire in men

Experts at Northwestern University have pinpointed the site of male...

A study from <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/">King's College London</a> is shedding new light on the importance of a healthy diet and exercise during pregnancy. According to the research, physical activity among pregnant women who are <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/obese-higher-taste-satisfaction/">obese</a> can actually transform the long-term cardiovascular health of the child.

"Obesity in pregnancy is a major problem because it can increase the risk of complications in pregnancy as well as affecting the longer-term health of the child. This study strengthens my resolve to highlight just how important it is that we give children a healthy start in life," said study senior author Professor Lucilla Poston.

The research, which was supported by the British Heart Foundation and Tommy's charity, examined how diet and physical activity may positively influence the health of obese women and their children three years after giving birth.

Women who were given a diet and exercise intervention were compared to women in a control group, who made no changes to their lifestyle during pregnancy. 

In follow-up examinations three years after birth, the children of mothers in the intervention group had a lower resting heart rate of -5 bpm than children treated with standard care. In adults, a higher resting heart rate is associated with hypertension and cardiovascular dysfunction.

"This research shows that an lifestyle intervention in pregnant women, which focused on improving diet and increasing physical activity, is associated with improved cardiovascular function in the child at three-years of age and a sustained improvement in the mothers diet, three years after the intervention finished," said study lead author Kathryn Dalrymple.

"These findings are very exciting as they add to the evidence that pregnancy is a window of opportunity to promote positive health and lifestyle changes which benefit the mother and her child."

The study also showed that mothers who received an intervention maintained a healthier diet three years after birth.

"Pregnancy can be higher risk for women who are obese, but trying to lose lots of weight while pregnant is not advised, so our research focuses on finding new ways to make pregnancy safer for these families," said Lizzie D'Angelo, researcher and policy director at Tommy's charity. "It's very reassuring to see that our researchers have been able to improve mothers' diets and children's heart health in the long term, helping to give these babies the best start in life."

Tracy Parker, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, noted that for pregnant women, the benefits of keeping physically active and maintaining a balanced diet extend beyond heart health. "A healthy diet before, during and after pregnancy can have positive long-term health benefits for both mother and child."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/20476310">Pediatric Obesity</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exercise during pregnancy improves the health of babies

A study from King's College London is shedding new light...

In a new study published by the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/">Wiley Online Library</a>, experts report that a single workout can improve learning and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-boosts-blood-flow-to-the-brain-and-improves-memory/">memory</a> in young adults. Remarkably, the researchers found that these cognitive benefits can be achieved in as little as two minutes of moderate exercise.  

"Exercise makes you smart," said study co-author Dr. Peter Blomstrand of County Hospital Ryhov and Jönköping University in Sweden.

"Physical exercise improves mental health and cognitive function. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the current literature examining the acute effects of a single exercise workout on learning and memory functions in young adults."

Based on 13 relevant studies, the researchers determined that engaging in moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise for 2 to 60 minutes can improve attention, concentration, and learning functions for up to two hours. The experts also noted improvements in working memory, short-term memory, long-term memory, verbal fluency, and planning and problem-solving ability.

"These higher-orders of executive processes are depending on the prefrontal cortex," explained the researchers. "However, more studies are needed to identify optimal exercise strategies to improve learning and memory."

Some of the types of exercise that were examined in the studies included walking, running, and bicycling. 

"Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain how acute exercise can improve memory and learning functions. Physical activity may induce plasticity-related proteins that tag nearby synapses for capturing by the memory stimuli."

"Exercise may enhance attention and memory encoding through modulation of dopamine transmitters and increase the expression of dopamine."

While more research is needed to understand the link between exercise and improved cognitive function, the findings may have important education-related implications, noted the researchers.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25738488">Translational Sports Medicine</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Two minutes of exercise boosts learning ability in young adults

In a new study published by the Wiley Online Library,...

A widespread dietary shift from meat to plant-based foods could offset years of harmful CO2 emissions, according to a study from <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">NYU</a>. The researchers propose that transitioning to plant-sourced <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-proteins-that-control-nutrient-uptake-in-plants/">protein</a> will free up agricultural land that may be re-dedicated to ecosystems which absorb carbon dioxide. 

The experts have pinpointed specific locations where changing what people grow could support the cultivation of beneficial ecosystems.

"The greatest potential for forest regrowth, and the climate benefits it entails, exists in high- and upper-middle income countries, places where scaling back on land-hungry meat and dairy would have relatively minor impacts on food security," said study lead author Professor Matthew Hayek.

The investigation shows that if the demand for meat drastically declined in the coming decades - along with its massive land requirements - vegetation regrowth could remove as much as 16 years of global fossil fuel CO2 emissions. The removal of this much CO2 would basically double the Earth's rapidly shrinking carbon budget.

"We can think of shifting our eating habits toward land-friendly diets as a supplement to shifting energy, rather than a substitute," said Professor Hayek. "Restoring native forests could buy some much-needed time for countries to transition their energy grids to renewable, fossil-free infrastructure."

The researchers emphasize that their findings are designed to assist locally tailored strategies for mitigating climate change. While meat consumption is excessive in many countries, raising animals remains critically essential in some places. These considerations will be important as countries attempt to develop their economies sustainably, said study co-author Professor Nathan Mueller.

"Land use is all about tradeoffs. While the potential for restoring ecosystems is substantial, extensive animal agriculture is culturally and economically important in many regions around the world. Ultimately, our findings can help target places where restoring ecosystems and halting ongoing deforestation would have the largest carbon benefits," said Professor Mueller.

Technological solutions for climate change, such as new methods for carbon capture and storage, will soon become available. However, placing too much confidence in these technologies could prove dangerous, according to study co-author Helen Harwatt of Harvard Law School.

"Restoring native vegetation on large tracts of low yield agricultural land is currently our safest option for removing CO2. There's no need to bet our future solely on technologies that are still unproven at larger scales," said Harwatt.

The benefits of cutting back on meat and dairy reach far beyond addressing climate change. "Reduced meat production would also be beneficial for water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity," noted study co-author Professor William Ripple of Oregon State University.

The COVID-19 pandemic is shedding new light on the importance of healthy ecosystems in preventing zoonotic disease outbreaks.

"We now know that intact, functioning ecosystems and appropriate wildlife habitat ranges help reduce the risk of pandemics," said Harwatt. "Our research shows that there is potential for giving large areas of land back to wildlife. Restoring native ecosystems not only helps the climate; when coupled with reduced livestock populations, restoration reduces disease transmission from wildlife to pigs, chickens, and cows, and ultimately to humans."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain">Nature Sustainability </a>.

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Major shift to plant-based food could offset years of CO2 emissions

A widespread dietary shift from meat to plant-based foods could...

The depression rate in the United States has tripled as a result of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/children-can-spread-covid-19-for-weeks-even-when-they-have-no-symptoms/">COVID-19</a> pandemic, according to a study from <a href="https://www.bu.edu/sph/">Boston University School of Public Health</a> (BUSPH). The number of adults with depressive symptoms jumped from 8.5 percent before the pandemic to 27.8 percent by mid-April.

The researchers also found that income and savings were the strongest predictors of depression during the early weeks of COVID-19 lockdowns.

"Depression in the general population after prior large scale traumatic events has been observed to, at most, double," said study senior author Dr. Sandro Galea. She pointed to since examples such as the Ebola outbreak and civil unrest in Hong Kong.

"We were surprised to see these results at first, but other studies since conducted suggest similar-scale mental health consequences," said Dr. Galea. 

Those similar studies were mainly conducted in Asia and focused on specific groups such as healthcare workers and college students. For example, one study found that half of Chinese healthcare workers who had treated COVID patient were suffering from depressive symptoms.

The investigation from BUSPH is the first of its kind to assess changes in the prevalence of depression across the general population in the United States. 

The research was focused on data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and the COVID-19 Life Stressors Impact on Mental Health and Well-Being (CLIMB) study, which was conducted from March 31 to April 13, 2020. During these particular weeks, 96 percent of Americans were under stay-at-home advisories.

The surveys, which involved thousands of respondents, used a standard test to assess depressive symptoms. The 2020 questionnaire also gathered data on COVID-related stressors such as job loss, the death of a loved one from COVID-19, and financial problems.

The analysis revealed an increase in depression among all demographic groups. As expected, those who experienced more COVID-related stressors reported the most depressive  symptoms.

However, the biggest statistical differences were centered around money. During the pandemic, individuals with less than $5,000 in savings were 50 percent more likely to experience depression compared to those with more than $5,000.

"Persons who were already at risk before COVID-19, with fewer social and economic resources, were more likely to report probable depression, suggesting that inequity may increase during this time and that health gaps may widen," said study lead author Catherine Ettman.

"We would hope that these findings promote creating a society where a robust safety net exists, where people have fair wages, where equitable policies and practices exist, and where families can not only live on their income but can also save money towards the future."

"There may be steps that policymakers can take now to help reduce the impact of COVID-19 stressors on depression, such as eviction moratoria, providing universal health insurance that is not tied to employment, and helping people return to work safely for those able to do so."

The researchers hope their findings will help people who are feeling depressed to realize that they are not alone. They should know that one in four U.S. adults is likely suffering through the same feelings.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen">JAMA Network Open</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Depression rates have tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic

The depression rate in the United States has tripled as...

Cat owners are often perceived as being quiet and introverted, but a new study shows that there is much more to the story. A new study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has identified different types of cat owners, ranging from "freedom fighters" to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/support-from-land-owners-could-protect-endangered-species/">wildlife</a> advocates.

Based on survey responses of cat owners, the researchers determined that they fall into five categories. While some cat lovers believe cats should roam free without restrictions, others are more "conscientious caretakers" that feel responsible  for their cat's impact on wildlife.

People who are primarily focused on cat safety fall into the category of "concerned protectors," while "tolerant guardians" dislike their cat's hunting but tend to accept it. Meanwhile "laissez-faire landlords" are mostly unaware of any issues around cats roaming and hunting.

In the UK, conservation organizations are increasingly concerned about the number of animals killed by domestic cats. Even though some cats do not kill wild animals, and most kill very few, the number of victims can quickly accumulate with a population of around 10 million cats.

The Exeter team has launched a research project called "Cats, Cat Owners and Wildlife" with the goal of identifying ways that owners can best manage their cats while protecting wildlife.

According to the researchers, their findings demonstrate the need for diverse management strategies that reflect the differing perspectives of cat owners.

"Although we found a range of views, most UK cat owners valued outdoor access for their cats and opposed the idea of keeping them inside to prevent hunting," said lead author Dr. Sarah Crowley.

"Cat confinement policies are therefore unlikely to find support among owners in the UK. However, only one of the owner types viewed hunting as a positive, suggesting the rest might be interested in reducing it by some means."

"To be most effective, efforts to reduce hunting must be compatible with owners' diverse circumstances."

Dr. Sarah Ellis said the finding that many UK cat owners actually care a great deal about wildlife conservation, including their cat's impact, suggests that some owners are receptive to employing cat-friendly ways of reducing hunting.

"The right interventions could improve wildlife conservation efforts, maintain good cat mental-wellbeing, and at the same time improve the cat-human relationship," said Dr. Ellis.

"This would be especially true for 'tolerant guardians' and 'conscientious caretakers' by reducing the internal conflict of loving an animal that often hunts other animals they also care about."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.esa.org/frontiers-in-ecology-and-the-environment/">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>

.---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Some cat owners care about their pet's impact on wildlife conservation

Cat owners are often perceived as being quiet and introverted,...

Helping others is good for your health and well-being. The extent of these benefits, however, depend on the person and the act of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/intelligence-key-success-kindness/">kindness</a> itself, according to a new study published by the <a href="https://www.apa.org/">American Psychological Association</a>.

"Prosocial behavior - altruism, cooperation, trust and compassion - are all necessary ingredients of a harmonious and well-functioning society," said study lead author Dr. Bryant P.H. Hui of the University of Hong Kong. "It is part of the shared culture of humankind, and our analysis shows that it also contributes to mental and physical health."

Previous studies have examined a potential link between prosocial behavior and better mental and physical health, but the results have been widely variable. To investigate what drives this variability, Dr. Hui and his colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of 201 independent studies, involving more than 198,000 participants.

Overall, the team found a modest association between prosocial behavior and well-being. Even though the connection is small, it is still meaningful given how many people perform acts of kindness every day, said Dr. Hui.

"More than a quarter of Americans volunteer, for example. A modest effect size can still have a significant impact at a societal level when many people are participating in the behavior."

The researchers determined that random acts of kindness, such as helping an older neighbor carry groceries, were more strongly associated with overall well-being than formal prosocial behavior, such as volunteering for a charity. This is likely because informal helping is more casual and spontaneous and may more easily lead to forming social connections, according to Dr. Hui. He added that informal giving is also more varied and less likely to become stale or monotonous.

The benefits of prosocial behavior were greatly influenced by age and gender. Older participants reported higher levels of physical health as a result of a kindness act, while young people reported higher levels of overall well-being and psychological functioning. In addition, women reported a stronger sense of well-being after an act of kindness compared to men.

Future research may examine whether more prosociality is always a good thing, or whether there is an "ideal level" of prosociality beyond which too much kindness and giving become detrimental to the giver, said Dr. Hui.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/bul">Psychological Bulletin</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

&nbsp;

Helping others improves health and well-being

Helping others is good for your health and well-being. The...

In the United States, more than half of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/teens-who-stay-up-late-have-more-asthma-and-allergy-issues/">teens</a> report some type of experience with cyberbullying - harassing online behavior that may involve degrading rumors, threats, insults, or humiliation. 

In a new study from <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">NYU</a>, researchers have found that adolescents who perceive their parents as being emotionally supportive and loving are less likely to engage in cyberbullying.

The findings are especially relevant today, when family dynamics have been drastically altered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"With remote learning replacing classroom instruction for many young people, and cell phones and social media standing in for face-to-face interaction with friends, there are more opportunities for cyberbullying to occur," said study lead author Laura Grunin. "New family dynamics and home stressors are also at play, thanks to higher unemployment rates and more parents working from home."

Study senior author Professor Sally S. Cohen emphasized that understanding the factors related to cyberbullying among young people is important for developing strategies for families, schools, and communities to prevent bullying or to intervene when it occurs.

The study was focused on data from the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey. The researchers analyzed responses from more than 12,000 individuals between the ages of 11 and 15, who reported on their bullying behavior.

The adolescents also shared details on their perceived relationships with their parents.

The analysis revealed that when adolescents perceived their parents as being loving and supportive, they were much less likely to engage in cyberbullying. 

Young people who said their parents were "almost never" loving were more than six times more likely to engage in frequent cyberbullying compared to those who perceived a parent as "almost always" loving. 

Other types of emotional support, such as how much parents understood their children, also contributed to the likelihood of cyberbullying.

"Our findings point to the importance of parental emotional support as a factor that may influence whether teens cyberbully--and more importantly, it is how teens perceive the support they receive from their parents," said Grunin. "I would stress to parents it is not necessarily if they think they are being supportive, but what their adolescent thinks. Parents should strive to discern their teen's perception of parental emotional support as it might be associated with youth cyberbullying behavior."

The study also identified certain demographic factors that had an influence on cyberbullying. For example, girls were much less likely than boys to exhibit high levels of cyberbullying. In addition, Asian American adolescents were the least likely to be cyberbullies.

"Since 2010, when the survey was conducted, technology and social media have become increasingly ubiquitous in teens' lives; the increase in screen time during the current pandemic poses new challenges," said Professor Cohen. "Online access and anonymity in posts create widespread opportunities for cyberbullying."

The researchers noted that educators, health professionals, social media experts, and others working in youth development should take family dynamics into account when creating programs to address cyberbullying.

"While our study doesn't prove that a lack of parental support directly causes cyberbullying, it does suggest that children's relationships with their parents might influence their bullying behaviors," said Grunin. "These relationships should be considered when developing interventions to prevent cyberbullying."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/42380">International Journal of Bullying Prevention</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

&nbsp;

Teens who feel loved by their parents are less likely to be cyberbullies

In the United States, more than half of teens report...

While it is known that the act of sharing produces health benefits for both the giver and the receiver, a new study suggests that generosity is far more rewarding than what has been recognized. Fanny Kluge and Tobias Vogt of the <a href="https://www.demogr.mpg.de/">Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research</a> report that people who live in generous societies have much longer <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/healthy-life-longevity-lifespan/">lifespans</a>.

"Willingness to share has been critically important for our past evolutionary success and our present daily lives. Here, we document a strong linear relationship between the public and private sharing generosity of a society and the average length of life of its members," wrote the study authors.

"Our findings from 34 countries on six continents suggest that survival is higher in societies that provide more support and care for one another. We suggest that this support reduces mortality by meeting urgent material needs, but also that sharing generosity may reflect the strength of social connectedness, which itself benefits human health and wellbeing and indirectly raises survival."

According to the researchers, their study is the first of its kind to evaluate the effect of transfers from both family members and the state.

"Intergenerational transfers are like gifts from one age or generation to another, taking place between relatives, such as from parents to children, or through the public sector, such as retirement benefits or health care from taxpayers," explained the study authors.

The researchers used data for 34 countries from the National Transfer Accounts project. All state and private transfer payments received and given by each individual were calculated and presented in relation to lifetime income.

"Comparing this comprehensive measure across countries, transfer generosity is negatively related to national mortality and positively related to longevity. This result is consistent with a positive effect of prosocial behavior on health," wrote the researchers.

The study showed that sub-Saharan African countries such as Senegal share the lowest percentage of their lifetime income and have the highest mortality rate of all the countries studied. Furthermore, even though South Africa is more economically developed, few resources were found to be redistributed. Across these African countries, the mortality rate of children and young people is higher compared to the other countries studied. 

"Our analyses suggest that redistribution influences the mortality rate of a country, regardless of the per capita gross domestic product," said Kluge.

Among the countries examined for the study, France and Japan had the lowest mortality rates, and the average citizen in these countries was found to share between 68 and 69 percent of their lifetime income. 

In China and Turkey, 44 to 48 percent of lifetime income is redistributed, yet the risk of dying in the next year is twice as high as those living in Japan or France.

"What I find particularly interesting is that the relationship between generosity and lifetime income that we described does not depend on whether the benefits come from the state or from the wider family," said Kluge. Both factors contributed to longevity among societies. 

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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

&nbsp;

Generosity has been linked to substantially longer life expectancy

While it is known that the act of sharing produces...

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/body-weight-impacts-cerebral-blood-flow-and-brain-function/">Weight</a> loss can prevent or reverse diabetes, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/">European Society of Cardiology</a>. The researchers found that body mass index (BMI) has a stronger influence on type 2 diabetes than genetics.

Diabetes doubles the risk of heart disease, stroke and death from cardiovascular issues. The main preventable cause of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is obesity, while an individuals genetic makeup often indicates who has a greater likelihood of developing T2D.

Dr. Brian Ference is a cardiologist and genetic epidemiologist at the University of Cambridge.

"Because we are born with our genes, it might be possible to pinpoint early in life who has a high chance of developing diabetes during their lifetime," said Dr. Ference. "We conducted this study to find out if combining inherited risk with current body mass index (BMI) could identify people at the highest risk of developing diabetes. Prevention efforts could then concentrate on these individuals."

The study was focused on close to half a million participants in the UK Biobank with an average age of 57 years. The experts tested for millions of genes to assess the risk of developing T2D, and x measured BMI at the time of enrollment.

The participants were divided into five groups depending on their genetic risk of diabetes, and were also divided into five groups according to BMI.

Over the next eight years, more than 30,000 of the study subjects developed type 2 diabetes. The analysis showed that individuals in the highest BMI group had a greater likelihood of developing diabetes than all other BMI groups, regardless of genetic risk.

Compared to participants in the lowest BMI group, those with the highest BMI had an 11 times greater risk of T2D. "The findings indicate that BMI is a much more powerful risk factor for diabetes that genetic predisposition," said Dr. Ference.

The researchers used statistical methods to determine that the duration of elevated BMI did not have an impact on the risk of diabetes.

"This suggests that when people cross a certain BMI threshold, their chances of diabetes go up and stay at that same high-risk level regardless of how long they are overweight."

According to Dr. Ference, the threshold is likely different for each person and would be the BMI at which they start to develop abnormal blood sugar levels. 

"The findings indicate that most cases of diabetes could be avoided by keeping BMI below the cut-off which triggers abnormal blood sugar. This means that to prevent diabetes, both BMI and blood sugar should be assessed regularly. Efforts to lose weight are critical when a person starts to develop blood sugar problems," explained Dr. Ference.

"It may also be possible to reverse diabetes by losing weight in the early stages before permanent damage occurs."

The research was presented at <a href="https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/ESC-Congress-2020-The-Digital-Experience">ESC Congress 2020 The Digital Experience</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

&nbsp;

Weight loss can prevent or reverse diabetes

Weight loss can prevent or reverse diabetes, according to a...

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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?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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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

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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