Egyptian rituals have long captivated scholars and enthusiasts alike, and a recent breakthrough has demystified some of their most mysterious aspects.



In an incredible leap forward for archaeology and anthropology, a new study has provided tangible proof that hallucinogenic mixtures were an integral part of this ancient civilization's sacred practices.



The physical evidence of hallucinogens was found in an Egyptian Bes mug, a rare relic stored in a collection at the Tampa Museum of Art.



These curious objects are distinctively adorned with the ferocious face of Bes, a protective deity linked to everything from fertility to magical healing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-the-roots-of-ritualistic-practices">Tracing the roots of ritualistic practices</h2>



This research didn't materialized overnight. The role of the Bes mugs in ancient Egyptian society has been a topic of debate for a long stretch of time.



“For a very long time now, Egyptologists have been speculating what mugs with the head of Bes could have been used for, and for what kind of beverage, like sacred water, milk, wine or beer,” noted Branko van Oppen, a museum curator at the Tampa Museum of Art.



The ubiquity of the mugs throughout different epochs made it tough to pinpoint their exact use and significance.



The cryptic puzzle finally began to unravel when researchers from the <a href="https://www.usf.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of South Florida</a> embarked on an ambitious project to explore the unknown. 



“There’s no research out there that has ever found what we found in this study,” said Davide Tanasi, lead author of the research paper. 



The team managed to dissect the chemical signatures of a long-dried liquid inside one of the Tampa Museum's Bes mugs, providing a concrete clue to its past use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-secret-concoction-used-in-egyptian-rituals">The secret concoction used in Egyptian rituals</h2>



The result was nothing short of astounding. The researchers discovered a blend of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psychedelic-drugs-secreted-from-toad-skin-greatly-improve-cognitive-functioning/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">psychedelic drugs</a>, bodily fluids, and alcohol inside the mug - a "cocktail" likely used in a ritual re-enacting an Egyptian myth.



The mysterious brew was sweetened with popular ingredients of the time like honey, sesame seeds, pine nuts, licorice, and grapes, quite possibly to mimic the appearance of blood.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-glimpse-into-ancient-life">A glimpse into ancient life</h2>



This astounding find has brought to life vivid images of the Greco-Roman period in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/egypts-pyramids-were-built-along-a-buried-branch-of-the-nile-river/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Egypt</a>. 



The historical significance of the discovery underlines the importance of the Bes Chambers at Saqqara, a site frequented by individuals hoping to confirm a successful pregnancy - a perilous phase in the ancient world.



“Egyptologists believe that people visited the so-called Bes Chambers at Saqqara when they wished to confirm a successful pregnancy because pregnancies in the ancient world were fraught with dangers," explained Van Oppen. 



He believes the special brew was likely used in a dream-vision inducing ritual during this fraught period.



This groundbreaking study has helped us connect the dots between myths and reality. 



“With this study, we’ve found scientific proof that the Egyptian myths have some kind of truth and it helps us shed light on the poorly understood rituals that were likely carried out in the Bes Chambers in Saqqara, near the Great Pyramids at Giza,” Tanasi said. 



Thus, the shroud of mystery surrounding ancient Egyptian rituals is gradually lifting, one artifact at a time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-symbolism-of-bes-in-egyptian-rituals">Symbolism of Bes in Egyptian rituals</h2>



The discovery of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/peruvian-empire-kept-control-with-beer-and-hallucinogens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hallucinogenic substances</a> within the Bes mug not only sheds light on the practices of ancient Egyptian rituals but also emphasizes the cultural weight carried by Bes, the deity represented on the artifact. 



Known for his lion-like visage and protective nature, Bes held an essential place in daily life and spiritual practices. He was not just a guardian deity; he was seen as a figure that could ward off evil spirits, promote <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-improves-sperm-quality-and-fertility/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fertility</a>, and bring joy through music and dance.



In ancient Egypt, rituals involving Bes were believed to harness his powerful essence, particularly in times of vulnerability, such as childbirth and healing. 



The presence of hallucinogenic elements in the brew suggests that these ceremonies aimed to elevate participants' consciousness, inducing trance-like states for divine communication or visionary experiences.



Such practices aligned with the belief that connecting with deities like Bes could provide spiritual protection and guidance.



This new understanding of Bes' involvement in these rituals deepens our appreciation for how ancient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mystery-how-ancient-egyptians-built-pyramids-djoser-may-be-solved/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Egyptians</a> intertwined the mystical with the tangible, creating sacred ceremonies that reflected their beliefs in the interconnectedness of the human and divine realms.



The study was published in the journal <a href="https://search.app?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41598-024-78721-8&amp;utm_campaign=aga&amp;utm_source=agsadl2%2Csh%2Fx%2Fgs%2Fm2%2F4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



Image Credit:&nbsp;Scientific Reports&nbsp;(2024).



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Hallucinogens were used in ancient Egyptian rituals

Egyptian rituals have long captivated scholars and enthusiasts alike, and a recent breakthrough has demystified some of their most mysterious aspects. In an incredible leap forward for archaeology and anthropology, a new study has provided tangible proof that hallucinogenic mixtures were an integral part of this ancient civilization's sacred practices. The physical evidence of hallucinogens was found in an Egyptian Bes mug, a rare relic stored in a collection at the Tampa Museum of Art. These curious objects are distinctively adorned with the ferocious face of Bes,...

New preclinical research from a team at the<a href="https://www.utdallas.edu/"> University of Texas, Dallas</a> suggests that restricting blood glucose levels through the keto diet could prevent cancer.

To come to this conclusion, researchers restricted circulating glucose in mice with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/spicy-chili-pepper-lung-cancer/">lung cancer</a> by feeding them a ketogenic diet, which contains barely any sugar. They also gave the mice a diabetes drug that prevents blood glucose from being reabsorbed into the kidneys.

"Both the ketogenic diet and the pharmacological restriction of blood glucose by themselves inhibited the further growth of squamous cell carcinoma tumors in mice with lung cancer," said corresponding author Dr. Jung-Whan "Jay" Kim, an assistant professor of biological sciences at UT Dallas, per the study published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/home">Cell Reports</a>. "While these interventions did not shrink the tumors, they did keep them from progressing, which suggests this type of cancer might be vulnerable to glucose restriction."

Many forms of cancer cells are believed to be dependent on glucose (sugar) for their energy supply. However, as Kim and his colleagues discovered, one specific type of cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, is more dependent than others.

"The key finding of our new study in mice is that a ketogenic diet alone does have some tumor-growth inhibitory effect in squamous cell cancer," Kim said. "When we combined this with the diabetes drug and chemotherapy, it was even more effective."

It should be noted that glucose restriction did not have any effect on non-squamous-cell cancers. "Our results suggest that this approach is cancer-cell-type specific. We cannot generalize to all types of cancer," Kim said.

Kim and his team also analyzed glucose levels in blood samples taken from 192 patients affected by either lung or esophageal squamous cell cancer, as well as 120 patients with lung adenocarcinoma. These blood samples were classified into those containing glucose concentrations higher or lower than 120 mg/L — one clinical measure of diabetes. None of the patients were diagnosed with diabetes.

"Surprisingly, we found a robust correlation between higher blood-glucose concentration and worse survival among patients with squamous cell carcinoma," Kim said. "We found no such correlation among the lung adenocarcinoma patients. This is an important observation that further implicates the potential efficacy of glucose restriction in attenuating squamous-cell cancer growth."

Of course, more clinical studies are needed to determine if glucose restriction is an effective cancer treatment, but the results he and his team found are still promising.

"Manipulating host glucose levels would be a new strategy that is different from just trying to kill cancer cells directly," Kim said. "I believe this is part of a paradigm shift from targeting cancer cells themselves. Immunotherapy is a good example of this, where the human immune system is activated to go after cancer cells.”

"Maybe we can manipulate our own biological system a little bit or activate something we already have in place in order to more effectively combat cancer."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Nina Firsova

Keto diet could have anti-cancer effect, new research finds

New preclinical research from a team at the University of...

Research from the <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk/">University of Warwick</a> and the <a href="https://www.endocrine.org/about-us">Endocrine Society</a> suggests that mindfulness training may help in the fight against obesity. The experts found that practicing mindfulness can improve the effectiveness of intensive weight management programs.

Individuals who engaged in mindfulness training as part of a weight loss program shed more weight in six months compared to individuals in the same program who did not learn how to practice <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mindfulness-meditation-treat-anxiety/">mindfulness</a>. 

Study first author Petra Hanson is a research fellow and Ph.D. student at Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism. 

“This research is significant as we have shown that problematic eating behavior can be improved with mindfulness application,” said Hanson. “We are the first center in the United Kingdom that created a structured multidisciplinary course incorporating mindfulness and assessed its effectiveness in patients attending obesity clinics.”

The investigation was focused on 53 individuals who were attending the multidisciplinary tier 3 weight management program at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. Among those examined for the study, 33 participants completed at least three of four mindfulness sessions.

Mindfulness course participants lost, on average, 6.6 pounds in the six-month period following the classes. During the same time frame, individuals who engaged in fewer mindfulness courses lost only around 2 pounds, while many of those who did not learn mindfulness actually gained weight. 

“Surveys of the participants indicate mindfulness training can help this population improve their relationship with food,” said Hanson. “Individuals who completed the course said they were better able to plan meals in advance and felt more confident in self-management of weight loss moving forward. Similar courses can be held in a primary care setting or even developed into digital tools. We hope this approach can be scaled up to reach a wider population.”

Study senior author Thomas M. Barber added, “Mindfulness has huge potential as a strategy for achieving and maintaining good health and wellbeing.”

“With the burgeoning impact of 21st Century chronic disease, much of which relates to lifestyle behavior choices, it is logical that focus should be on enabling the populace to make appropriate lifestyle decisions, and empowering subsequent salutary behavior change. In the context of obesity and eating-related behaviors, we have demonstrated that mindfulness techniques can do just that.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcem">Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mindfulness training can help with weight loss

Research from the University of Warwick and the Endocrine Society...

The expectation of pain will make it hurt more, study shows. A new brain imaging study has confirmed that the anticipation of pain can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The researchers found that the false expectation and perception of pain can persist even after reality has demonstrated otherwise. 


Study senior author Tor Wager is a professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a>.

“We discovered that there is a positive feedback loop between expectation and pain,” said Professor Wager. “The more pain you expect, the stronger your brain responds to the pain. The stronger your brain responds to the pain, the more you expect.”

Self-fulfilling prophecy has been the subject of many studies, with research showing that our expectations can influence everything from how we perform on a test to how we respond to a medication. The current study is the first of its kind to model the feedback loop between expectations and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meditation-helps-chronic-pain/">pain</a>, as well as the neural mechanisms underlying it.

As a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Wager's lab, study lead author Marieke Jepma launched the investigation after noticing that test subjects still expected pain after being shown repeatedly that something would not hurt. “We wanted to get a better understanding of why pain expectations are so resistant to change,” said Jepma.

The researchers taught 34 participants to associate one symbol with low heat and another with high, painful heat. The subjects were then placed in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine and were shown low or high pain cues. They were instructed to rate how much pain they expected.

Next, the participants were exposed to varying degrees of painful but non-damaging heat on their forearm or leg, and were asked to rate their pain. The individuals were unaware that the heat intensity was completely unrelated to the preceding cue.

The study revealed that when subjects expected more heat, brain regions involved in fear were more activated as they waited, and regions involved in the generation of pain were more active when they received the stimulus. The participants reported more pain with high-pain cues, regardless of how much heat was actually applied.

“This suggests that expectations had a rather deep effect, influencing how the brain processes pain,” said Jepma.

“Our results suggest that negative expectations about pain or treatment outcomes may in some situations interfere with optimal recovery, both by enhancing perceived pain and by preventing people from noticing that they are getting better. Positive expectations, on the other hand, could have the opposite effects.”

The research may help experts to understand why chronic pain can linger longer for some people after damaged tissues have healed.


According to the study authors, the findings suggest that we need to be aware of our inherent eagerness to confirm our expectations, whether it is in regard to our physical or mental health. 

“Just realizing that things may not be as bad as you think may help you to revise your expectation and, in doing so, alter your experience,” said Jepma.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/">Nature Human Behaviour</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The expectation of pain will make it hurt more, study shows

The expectation of pain will make it hurt more, study...

Switching to a plant-based diet found to reduce risk of heart failure. According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_heart_failure.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>, heart failure impacts over 5.7 million adults in the United States. Nearly half of all people in the US who are diagnosed with heart failure die within five years of their original diagnosis. 

As heart disease is the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mortality-rates-heart-failure/">leading cause of death</a> in the United States, researchers continue to work to find effective prevention strategies. 

Now, a new study has found that plant-based diets are associated with a much lower risk of heart failure compared to diets filled with fried foods and sweetened drinks, which is often typical in southern diets. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.acc.org/">American College of Cardiology</a> reviewed data on 16,608 adults aged 45 years and older who were part of the <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/01.str.0000217259.92964.62">Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS)</a> study. 

The REGARDS study investigated the associations between racial and geographic differences in heart failure hospitalizations and part of the study included a 150-question survey of food items split into five diets. 

The researchers focused on those five diets which were listed as “convenience,” “plant-based,” “sweets/fats,” “Southern,” and “alcohol/salads.” 

REGARDS participants were followed up on after 8.7 years, and within this time there were 363 new heart failure hospitalizations. 

When the researchers examined the possible links between diet and these new hospitalizations, there was a 42 percent lower risk of heart failure among the participants that reported adhering to a plant-based diet. 

For the participants that stuck to a Southern diet, there was a 72 percent higher risk of heart failure, although once the researchers adjusted for factors like BMI or hypertension, this risk association was lower. 

A possible explanation for this drop in statistical significance is that adherence to a Southern diet affects other factors that play a more significant role in heart failures like obesity and waist size. 

What the study shows more than anything else is that a plant-based diet could be an essential prevention strategy in the rising rates of heart failure and cardiovascular disease. 

“The need for population-based preventive strategies for heart failure is critical,” said Kyla Lara, the lead author of the study, which was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. “These findings support a population-based dietary strategy for lowering the risk of incident heart failure.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Switching to a plant-based diet found to reduce risk of heart failure

Switching to a plant-based diet found to reduce risk of...

According to a number of scientists, sleep deprivation has become <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-public-health-crisis/">a public health crisis</a>. Sleeping too much or too little has negative health impacts, and adequate sleep is crucial for memory consolidation and peak cognitive functioning. 

For people with insomnia, sleep deprivation is all the more troubling because the lack of sleep is not a choice. Insomnia is characterized by chronic difficulty falling or staying asleep, and it’s a widespread sleep disorder. 

Now, a new study has found that insomnia also strengthens distressing and shameful memories, making it difficult for people to put their past experiences behind them. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://nin.nl/">Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience</a> conducted the study which was published in the journal Brain.

The results show that making an embarrassing mistake isn’t as big of a deal after the fact, unless you have insomnia.

The researchers asked study participants to relive their most shameful past experience during which magnetic resonance imaging was used to scan brain activity. 

Participants who reported healthy sleeping patterns and adequate sleep were able to recall the experiences without becoming distressed in the process as the brain had neutralized the memory. 

For the participants who suffered from insomnia, reliving the experience was troubling and as distressing as if the event had just occurred. 

Sleep is essential for consolidating and strengthening memories, but sleep also helps remove the emotional charge attached to a memory. Getting enough sleep can help get rid of the emotional tension linked to a painful or shameful experience.

In this study, the breakthrough findings show that insomnia not only helps strengthen the emotional distress tied to a memory but may also be caused by a failure to neutralize the memory during consolidation.

[caption id="attachment_1871763" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/insomnia.png"><img class="wp-image-1871763" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/insomnia.png" alt="" width="650" height="343" /></a> Distressing emotional experiences activate limbic brain circuits and the autonomic nervous system. Image Credit: Rick Wassing[/caption]

“Sayings like ‘sleeping on it’ to ‘get things off your mind’ reflect our nocturnal digestion of daytime experiences,” said Rick Wassing, the first author of the study. “Brain research now shows that only good sleepers profit from sleep when it comes to shedding emotional tension. The process does not work well in people with insomnia. In fact, their restless nights can even make them feel worse.” 

The study helps explain a past experiment conducted by the same research team wherein participants were asked to sing karaoke but were purposefully inhibited from singing in tune with the song.  

After listening to their bad singing, the participants were ashamed of their poor performance. 

The researchers played the recordings again and participants who had a restful night’s sleep no longer felt as badly about it, but the participants who had insomnia felt even worse after hearing the recording the second time. 

According to the researchers, the roots of insomnia may lie in the brain circuits that regulate emotions according to the researchers and cause people to be haunted by upsetting past events. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Insomnia strengthens distressing and shameful memories

According to a number of scientists, sleep deprivation has become...

A new study has revealed that people who are carrying a genetic mutation that causes <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/children-increase-alzheimers-risk/">Alzheimer's disease</a> could greatly benefit from exercise. Among these individuals, a minimum of 2.5 hours of physical activity per week was found to positively influence the markers of Alzheimer's disease brain changes and to delay cognitive decline. 

According to the study authors, the results “show a significant relationship between physical activity, cognition, functional status and Alzheimer's disease pathology even in individuals with genetically-driven ADAD.”

“The officially recommended physical activity duration of 150 minutes per week was associated with significantly better cognition and less Alzheimer's disease pathology in ADAD. From a public health perspective, this amount of physical activity was achieved by 70% of all ADAD individuals participating at the DIAN study. Therefore, a physically active lifestyle is achievable and may play an important role in delaying the development and progression of ADAD.”

A research team led by Dr. Christoph Laske at the <a href="https://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/en/Homepage.html">University Hospital of Tübingen</a> reviewed data from 275 adults who carry a genetic mutation for ADAD. The individuals are participating in the <a href="https://dian.wustl.edu/">Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Network</a> (DIAN), an international study led by researchers at <a href="https://medicine.wustl.edu/">Washington University School of Medicine</a> in St. Louis.

For the current study, the experts set out to investigate if at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week would produce cognitive benefits. Among the study participants, 156 were classified as high physical activity - logging more than 150 minutes of physical activity per week - while 68 were classified as low physical activity individuals. 

The study revealed that individuals who engaged in more physical activity scored higher on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (CDR-SOB), which are standard measures of cognition and function. 

Furthermore, the participants who exercised more had lower levels of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid. This included lower tau, a protein that builds up in the brains of people living with Alzheimer's disease. 


‘A physically active lifestyle is achievable and may play an important role in delaying the development and progression of ADAD. Individuals at genetic risk for dementia should therefore be counselled to pursue a physically active lifestyle,” wrote the study authors.

Dr. Maria C. Carrillo is the Chief Science Officer for the <a href="https://www.alz.org/">Alzheimer's Association</a>.

“The results of this study are encouraging, and not only for individuals with rare genetically-caused Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Carrillo. “If further research confirms this relationship between physical activity and later onset of dementia symptoms in ADAD, then we need to expand the scope of this work to see if it also is true in the millions of people with more common, late onset Alzheimer's.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/">Alzheimer's &amp; Dementia</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

Exercise has significant benefits for people with Alzheimer’s

A new study has revealed that people who are carrying...

In 2008 and 2018, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) used scientific research on the health benefits of exercise to establish the <a href="https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/pdf/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf">Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans</a>. The latest recommendations by the ODPHP report that, in order to reap the most substantial health benefits, adults should be doing at least 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise each week. 

Many of the major health advantages associated with exercise are highlighted in the guidelines, including those related to brain health, sleep, heart health, and overall well-being. Despite these implications, however, researchers at the <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a> have found that many Americans are not changing their <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sedentary-behavior-cardiovascular-trouble/">sedentary ways</a>.

"We were curious about whether the guidelines released in 2008 led to an increase in physical activity over time,” study lead author Dr. Wei Bao told <a href="https://time.com/">Time</a>.

Based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, the researchers analyzed the health, nutrition,  and exercise status of more than 27,000 adults. The study revealed that the rate of exercise among Americans did not change much from 2007 to 2016. 

In the 2007 survey, 63 percent of the respondents met the amount of physical activity recommended by the ODPHP, yet this number had only risen to 65 percent by 2016. Meanwhile, sedentary behavior was also on the rise, increasing from an average of 5.7 hours per day in 2007 to an average of 6.4 hours in 2016.

A growing collection of studies has shown that, regardless of physical activity, sedentary behavior can be a risk factor for a number of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

"We hoped the guidelines (in 2008) would be something that gave people a new message about recognizing the importance of being more physically active," Dr. Bao told Time. “But it turned out that there wasn’t much change. And we found a clear increase in the sitting time. This means we need to be more aggressive in finding ways to provide people opportunities to sit less.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen">JAMA Network Open</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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Monkey Business Images

Sedentary behavior poses major health risks for Americans

In 2008 and 2018, the Office of Disease Prevention and...

Both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mindfulness-meditation-treat-anxiety/">meditation</a> and focused breathing practice have been long-claimed to increase one’s ability to focus more clearly on tasks. Breath-focused meditation and yogic breathing practices are known to have a number of cognitive benefits, ranging from increased focus and positive emotions to decreased emotional reactivity and improved arousal levels. Despite this, no direct neurophysiological link has been found between respiration and cognition… until now. 

New research has shown for the first time that meditation and breathing exercises directly affect the levels of a natural chemical messenger in the brain called noradrenaline. 

Noradrenaline is released when we are focused, challenged, curious, exercised, or emotionally aroused — although hopefully not all at the same time. If produced at the right levels, it can help the brain develop new connections. This means that the way we breathe has a direct effect on our brain chemistry, and can enhance our attention as well as improve our brain health.

The research was done by scientists at <a href="https://www.tcd.ie/Neuroscience/">Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience</a> and the <a href="http://www.gbhi.org/">Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity</a>. They looked to measure study participants’ breathing, reaction time, and brain activity in an area of the brain stem called the locus coeruleus – where noradrenaline is made. The researchers discovered that participants who focused well while doing a task that necessitated a lot of focus had greater synchronization between their breathing patterns and their attention, compared to those who focused poorly.

“This study has shown that as you breathe in locus coeruleus activity is increasing slightly, and as you breathe out it decreases,” explains Michael Melnychuk, a PhD candidate at the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, and lead author of the study. “Put simply this means that our attention is influenced by our breath and that it rises and falls with the cycle of respiration. It is possible that by focusing on and regulating your breathing you can optimize your attention level and likewise, by focusing on your attention level, your breathing becomes more synchronized.”

The findings, published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14698986">Psychophysiology</a>, give a deeper look into the neurophysiological mechanisms that are behind ancient meditation practices. Additional research may help with the development of non-pharmacological therapies for people with attention compromised conditions like ADHD and traumatic brain injury.

“Our findings could have particular implications for research into brain ageing. Brains typically lose mass as they age, but less so in the brains of long term meditators,” says Ian Robertson, Co-Director of the <a href="http://www.gbhi.org/">Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity</a> and Principal Investigator of the study. “More ‘youthful’ brains have a reduced risk of dementia and mindfulness meditation techniques actually strengthen brain networks. Our research offers one possible reason for this - using our breath to control one of the brain's natural chemical messengers, noradrenaline, which in the right ‘dose’ helps the brain grow new connections between cells. This study provides one more reason for everyone to boost the health of their brain using a whole range of activities ranging from aerobic exercise to mindfulness meditation.”

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Meditation, breathing exercises noticeably improve brain health

Both meditation and focused breathing practice have been long-claimed to...

A new study has found that the way people experience happiness can actually depend on their age.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.upenn.edu/">University of Pennsylvania </a>discovered that young people tend to link happiness with excitement and people in older age groups are happiest when they feel content. 

“The research does not determine a relationship between age and levels of happiness,” Cassie Mogilner, who led the research, told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2022133/Are-feeling-young-happy-old-happy-Generations-feel-pleasure-different-ways.html">Daily Mail</a>. “However, it does identify a relationship between age and the meaning of happiness. When a 20-year-old and a 60-year-old express feeling ‘happy,’ they are likely feeling quite different things.”

Mogilner conducted five studies examining the motivations and priorities of different age groups from teens to people in their 50s. 

The results, published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, show two different types of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/good-friends-key-happiness/">happiness</a>. 

For one of the study, Mogilner along with a team of researchers analyzed millions of blog posts by writers of various ages using a computer program to identify the words in the blogs that were related to happiness and other emotions. 

In another study, participants were asked to listen to a calm or energetic song and the researchers recorded emotional responses in a survey. 

A third experiment involved asking participants from different age groups how they would spend money received as a gift.

The researchers found through the different studies that for young people excitement is a key driver of happiness. For people in older age groups, excitement was replaced with contentment.

One explanation is that younger people are more geared to look towards the future but older people are firmly set in the present. 

 “We are talking about two distinct types of happiness, one associated with peacefulness and one associated with being excited,” Mogilner told the Daily Mail. “Whereas younger people are more likely to associate happiness with excitement, as they get older, they become more likely to associate happiness with peacefulness.”

The research shows that our definition of happiness, our values, and priorities all change as we age. The findings are important to consider for people who find themselves experiencing joy differently and potentially confusing this with unhappiness. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How we experience happiness changes with age

A new study has found that the way people experience...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Congress-Home">European Society of Cardiology</a> has revealed that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/yoga-pain-depression-arthritis/">yoga</a> can significantly lower the risk of death among patients recovering from a heart attack. Stretching and breathing exercises were found to boost circulation and strengthen the heart.

The study was focused on 2,470 patients who had suffered the most serious type of heart attack, where one of the major arteries is blocked. The individuals were receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at three different centers in India. The patients were randomly assigned to either post-procedure yoga and pranayam or no further intervention. 

The research was led by Professor Naresh Sen from Hridaya Ganesha Sunil Memorial Super Speciality Hospital in Jaipur.

"Patients in the yoga arm undertook three months of a new daily one-hour program specifically designed for cardiac patients, incorporating yoga and meditation in the morning and a pattern of breathing exercises, comprising slow- and fast-breathing elements, in the evening,” explained Professor Sen.

The researchers found that patients who engaged in a daily hour of breathing exercises and gentle stretching were less likely to die over the next five years. According to tests, the hearts of these participants were more efficiently pumping blood throughout the body.

"Potential explanations for the beneficial effects of yoga and breathing may include reductions in the pressure in the pulmonary and coronary circulation, reduced remodelling of the left ventricle, improved oxygen tension of the blood and also reduced endothelial damage of coronary vessels with decreased release of inflammatory mediators, such as interleukins and C-reactive protein," noted Professor Sen.

"Practicing yoga can help to control risk factors, such as high blood pressure, which increase our risk of heart and circulatory diseases," said Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation. "There's also a lot of evidence that yoga can help to relieve stress and improve mental health, giving us less of a reason to make unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking."

"It's not much of a stretch to see why this might improve survival if you've suffered a heart attack. Whatever way you choose to do it, taking regular time to exercise and reduce stress is good for your heart."

The research was presented at the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Congresses-&amp;-Events/ESC-Congress">European Society of Cardiology Congress</a> in Paris.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/4 PM production

Yoga and breathing exercises could save your life after a major heart attack

A new study from the European Society of Cardiology has...

When it comes to protecting children from a house fire, a standard fire alarm may not be enough. A new study has found that only 28% of children were woken by a standard alarm; the rest slept soundly.

The study, by researchers at the <a href="https://www.dundee.ac.uk/">University of Dundee</a> and the <a href="https://www.derbys-fire.gov.uk/">Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service</a>, has watchdogs warning that parents shouldn’t rely on their fire alarm in an emergency situation.

“Our research has shown that current smoke alarms are not very good at waking up children,” lead author Dr. Niamh Nic Daeid told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>. “We would ask manufacturers of existing smoke alarms to alter their packaging so that they reflect the outcomes of our work.”

The researchers worked with more than 640 children to determine whether a standard fire alarm will actually wake them up. They found that the majority slept through the alarm, or woke only briefly before falling back to sleep.

The <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcone">BBC One</a> television show “<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mg74">Watchdog</a>” repeated the experiment with eight children under the age of 10. Nine of the children didn’t wake at all. The tenth woke up briefly, but retrieved a teddy bear and then went back to sleep. The segment was supervised by David Coss, a fire investigator from Derbyshire Fire and Rescue who worked on the study.

The good news? The team of researchers found that a fire alarm that uses a lower frequency, different tone, and recorded voice was effective in waking children 75% of the time.

“We have now identified an alarm sound which is much more effective at waking children and our next aim is to develop innovative devices which will link to existing smoke alarms to improve fire safety for children,” Nic Daeid said.

Daeid and the parents from the BBC One segment are now calling for fire alarm makers to warn buyers of the risk and consider changing their products.

“Smoke alarms are vital life-saving tools but manufacturers, fire services, local authorities, regulatory bodies and others with responsibility for fire safety must assert the message that they do not always wake young children and, as such, people must be advised to wake their children if their fire alarm sounds,” he told the Mail.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Study: most children would sleep through a fire alarm

When it comes to protecting children from a house fire,...

A new study funded by the <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/">National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute</a> (NHLBI) has revealed that a sporadic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-reckless-sexual-behavior/">sleep schedule</a> can lead to a higher risk of obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, high blood sugar, and other metabolic disorders. For every hour of variability in bedtime and in the amount of sleep, an individual was found to have a greater risk of metabolic problems by up to 27 percent.

Study co-author Tianyi Huang is an epidemiologist in the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

"Many previous studies have shown the link between insufficient sleep and higher risk of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders," said Huang. "But we didn't know much about the impact of irregular sleep, high day-to-day variability in sleep duration and timing. Our research shows that, even after considering the amount of sleep a person gets and other lifestyle factors, every one-hour night-to-night difference in the time to bed or the duration of a night's sleep multiplies the adverse metabolic effect."

The study was focused on 2,003 men and women between the ages of 45 and 84 who were participating in the NHLBI-funded Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). 

The participants were analyzed for an average of six years to identity the potential connection between irregular sleep patterns and metabolic abnormalities. The individuals wore sleep trackers for seven consecutive days, kept a sleep journal, and reported on sleep habits and other lifestyle and health factors between 2010 and 2013. 

The study revealed that greater variations in bedtimes and in the number of hours slept were linked to a higher prevalence of metabolic problems. According to the researchers, this provides evidence to support a causal link between irregular sleep and metabolic dysfunction.

The participants whose sleep duration varied more than one hour were more likely to work non-day shift schedules, smoke, and have shorter sleep duration. These individuals also had higher depressive symptoms, total caloric intake, and symptoms of sleep apnea.

Irregular sleep was strongly associated with multiple metabolic problems, including higher waist circumference, blood pressure, total triglycerides, and fasting glucose.

"Our results suggest that maintaining a regular sleep schedule has beneficial metabolic effects," said study co-author Dr. Susan Redline. "This message may enrich current prevention strategies for metabolic disease that primarily focus on promoting sufficient sleep and other healthy lifestyles."

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://care.diabetesjournals.org/">Diabetes Care</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: NHLBI

Irregular sleep patterns linked to higher risk of metabolic disorders

A new study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[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"

[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

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