Sunburn is painful skin damage that we've all experienced after spending a bit too much time outdoors without protection from UV rays. Whether it's from a lazy beach day or an exhilarating hike, the aftermath tells a singular tale - crimson skin and a nagging sting.



We've long believed that stepping out into the sun requires ample sunscreen slathering, shade-seeking, and hat-wearing, especially between the peak hours of 12 noon and 3 p.m.



However, researchers at the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Copenhagen</a> and <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nanyang Technological University</a> (NTU Singapore) have made surprising new strides in our understanding of sunburn.



As it turns out, the DNA damage we've always associated with sunburn might not be the complete story.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-rna-and-sunburn-damage">DNA, RNA, and sunburn damage</h2>



When it comes to sunburn, the prevailing wisdom suggests that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-can-now-collect-human-dna-from-water-air-and-basically-everywhere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DNA</a> damage triggers inflammation and subsequent cell death.



However, this recent research suggests that the real offender might be <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rna-world-unraveling-mysteries-life-origin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RNA</a>, not DNA. 



"Sunburn damages the DNA, leading to cell death and inflammation. So the textbooks say," stated assistant professor Anna Constance Vind from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the <a href="https://researchprofiles.ku.dk/en/organisations/institut-for-cellul%C3%A6r-og-molekyl%C3%A6r-medicin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Copenhagen</a>. 



"But in this study we were surprised to learn that this is a result of damage to the RNA, not the DNA that causes the acute effects of sunburn." 



But what's the difference between DNA and RNA? While they share similarities, the two aren't interchangeable. 



DNA is a more consistent molecule, whereas RNA is more transitory. 



A particular type of RNA, messenger RNA (mRNA), carries information from DNA to create proteins - the fundamental building blocks of cells.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-rna">Importance of RNA</h2>



The importance of mRNA in our body's response to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-does-skin-become-leathery-after-too-much-uv-light-from-sun-exposure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UV radiation</a> can't be understated. 



"DNA damage is serious as the mutations will get passed down to progenies of the cells, RNA damage happens all the time and does not cause permanent mutations," Vind explained. 



"Therefore, we used to believe that the RNA is less important, as long as the DNA is intact. But in fact, damages to the RNA are the first to trigger a response to UV radiation."



Investigating more deeply into the matter was no small task.



The researchers embarked on a study involving both mice and human skin cells to better understand the consequences of UV radiation on the skin. They discovered a consistent response in both species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zak-alpha-the-protector">ZAK-alpha - the protector</h2>



RNA damage activates a response in ribosomes (protein complexes that interpret the mRNA to assemble proteins).



This process is managed by a protein known as ZAK-alpha, which triggers what is referred to as the "ribotoxic stress response."



Think of it like a vigilant watchman, always on the lookout for RNA damage. When it detects any, it won't hesitate to call for backup.



"We found that the first thing the cells respond to after being exposed to UV radiation is damage to the RNA, and that this is what triggers cell death and inflammation of the skin," explained Professor Simon Bekker-Jensen, who was also from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.



In mice exposed to UV radiation we found responses such as inflammation and cell death, but when we removed the ZAK gene, these responses disappeared, which means that ZAK plays a key role in the skin's response to UV-induced damage.



"So you could say that everything depends on this one response, which monitors all protein translations occurring. The cells respond to the RNA damage, realizing that something is wrong, and this is what leads to cell death," Bekker-Jensen elaborated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-sunburn-and-uv-damage">Rethinking sunburn and UV damage</h2>



The study's findings question our long-held beliefs about sunburn and how our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/skins-secret-strength-shields-against-puncture-damage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">skin</a> safeguards itself. It suggests that RNA damage sparks a quicker, more efficient response, which safeguards the skin from additional harm.



"The fact that the DNA does not control the skin's initial response to UV radiation, but that something else does and that it does so more effectively and more quickly, is quite the paradigm shift," reflected Vind.



Knowing how our skin reacts to UV damage at a cellular level could potentially transform prevention and treatment approaches to sunburn and other inflammatory skin conditions.



"Many inflammatory skin diseases are worsened by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/many-parents-are-not-using-sunscreen-properly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sun exposure</a>. Thus, understanding how our skin responds at the cellular level to UV damage opens the door to innovative treatments for certain chronic skin conditions," explained Dr. Franklin Zhong, Nanyang assistant professor at NTU's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and a co-author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rewriting-the-textbooks">Rewriting the textbooks</h2>



In closing, it seems now is the time to revise our textbooks and rethink how we perceive the effects of UV radiation on our skin. 



"This new knowledge turns things upside down. I think most people associate sunburn with DNA damage; it is established knowledge," Professor Simon Bekker-Jensen concluded. "But now we need to rewrite the textbooks, and it will affect future research on the effects of UV radiation on the skin."



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1097276524008840" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molecular Cell</a>.



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Main cause of sunburn is finally identified, and it's time to rewrite the textbooks

Sunburn is painful skin damage that we've all experienced after spending a bit too much time outdoors without protection from UV rays. Whether it's from a lazy beach day or an exhilarating hike, the aftermath tells a singular tale - crimson skin and a nagging sting. We've long believed that stepping out into the sun requires ample sunscreen slathering, shade-seeking, and hat-wearing, especially between the peak hours of 12 noon and 3 p.m. However, researchers at the University of Copenhagen and Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) have...

Sleep quality impacts the brain’s ability to remove toxins. New research from the <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/">University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC)</a> shows that a lack of deep sleep disrupts the brain’s process of flushing out toxic proteins and waste. And because our <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sleep-reduces-cardiovascular-disease/">sleep</a> becomes lighter as we age, researchers believe their findings, published February 27th in <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>, could potentially unlock the mystery of aging and sleep deprivation in relation to heightened risk of Alzheimer’s disease. 

"Sleep is critical to the function of the brain's waste removal system and this study shows that the deeper the sleep the better," said lead author Maiken Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., co-director of the <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/ctn.aspx">Center for Translational Neuromedicine</a> at URMC. "These findings also add to the increasingly clear evidence that quality of sleep or sleep deprivation can predict the onset of Alzheimer's and dementia."

The study shows that deep non-REM sleep, during which both the brain and cardiopulmonary activity slow down, is the perfect sleep stage for the glymphatic system to function properly. The glymphatic system, a “plumbing” system that pumps cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) through brain tissue to flush away waste, was only just discovered by Nedergaard and her team in 2012.

Toxic proteins that accumulate in the brain, such as beta amyloid and tau, are associated with the development of Alzheimer’s. Therefore, researchers believe that an impairment of the glymphatic system due to weakened sleep may encourage the development disease.

Nedergaard and her team used anesthetized mice to conduct their experiment. While under six different anesthetic regimens, researchers watched the mice’s brain electrical activity, cardiovascular activity, and the flow of CSF through the brain. They found that the drugs ketamine and xylazine (K/X) replicated the deep non-REM sleep needed for proper cleansing.

"The synchronized waves of neural activity during deep slow-wave sleep, specifically firing patterns that move from front of the brain to the back, coincide with what we know about the flow of CSF in the glymphatic system," said first author Lauren Hablitz, Ph.D., a postdoctoral associate in Nedergaard's lab. "It appears that the chemicals involved in the firing of neurons, namely ions, drive a process of osmosis which helps pull the fluid through brain tissue."

Via this experiment, researchers found that sleep can be enhanced to better the function of the glymphatic system. Later down the road, this could prove to be a form of therapy for patients at risk for developing Alzheimer’s or dementia. And researchers also noted that certain anesthetics used in clinical settings can lead to cognitive difficulties, which could also affect glymphatic activity.

"Cognitive impairment after anesthesia and surgery is a major problem," said co-author Tuomas Lilius, M.D., Ph.D., with the <a href="https://ctn.ku.dk/">Center for Translational Neuromedicine at the University of Copenhagen</a>. "A significant percentage of elderly patients that undergo surgery experience a postoperative period of delirium or have a new or worsened cognitive impairment at discharge."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Sleep quality impacts the brain’s ability to remove toxins

Sleep quality impacts the brain’s ability to remove toxins. New...

The definition of “high blood pressure” may need to be reevaluated after a new study has found that having just above normal blood pressure <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-heart-young-help-brain/">can impact brain size.</a>

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.cbs.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences</a> examined brain scans and blood pressure measurements to see if there was a link between reduced gray matter in the brain and higher than normal blood pressure.

The findings of the study were published in an online issue of the journal Neurology.

Normal blood pressure or healthy blood pressure measures 120/80 millimeters of mercury, and the researchers defined high blood pressure as 140/90 for this study.

“Previously the assumption has been that brain damage related to high blood pressure results over years of evident disease, but our study suggests that subtle changes in the brain's gray matter can be seen in young adults who have never been diagnosed with high blood pressure,” said Arno Villringer, an author of the study. “More research should be done to investigate whether this could increase the risk for stroke, dementia and other cerebrovascular diseases later in life.”

423 people with an average age of 28 took part in the study and underwent an MRI brain scan and had their blood pressure measured. 41 percent of the participants had normal blood pressure, 29 percent had pressure levels ranging from 120/80 to 129/84.

11 percent had high blood pressure over 140/90, and 19 percent had higher than normal blood pressure, but the readings were not enough to be considered high blood pressure.

The MRI scans showed loss of brain volume in the participants with blood pressure above normal.

The researchers identified lower amounts of gray matter volume in the hippocampus, amygdala, and parietal lobes specifically related to higher than normal blood pressure levels.

As blood pressure readings increased, the researchers found that gray matter volume decreased among the participants.

Further research is needed to help explain this relationship and why high blood pressure impacts brain volume, but the results indicate that blood pressure should be carefully monitored early on.

“While the study does not prove that above normal blood pressure causes these gray matter alterations, this research suggests that treating high blood pressure or maintaining lower blood pressure in early adulthood might be essential for preventing the cascade from silent brain changes with no symptoms to organ damaging conditions such as stroke and dementia,” said Villringer.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Abnormal blood pressure may shrink your brain

The definition of “high blood pressure” may need to be...

While no one likes dealing with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-sick-allergies/">stress</a>, our bodies are equipped with special hormones and mechanisms to help us cope with it. A stressful event triggers the release of cortisol which is the primary stress hormone in humans that helps increase energy levels in the face a fight or flight response. 

But now, a new study has found that stress in the evening releases less cortisol compared to stressful events in the morning.

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/">Hokkaido University</a> in Japan and published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology Reports. 

The results suggest that we may be more vulnerable to the negative impacts of stress in the evening because our bodies stress response is dampened. 

To better understand the link between stress and time of day, the researchers focused on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and its differing responses in 27 volunteers. 

The HPA axis connects the central nervous system and the endocrine system (the hormone system). When the HPA axis reacts to a stressful event, the endocrine system floods the body with cortisol, and the body’s internal clock regulates cortisol levels throughout the day. 

The 27 volunteers for the study all had normal work and sleep schedules, and the researchers measured cortisol levels by analyzing saliva samples both before and after a stressful event. 

The participants were split into two groups, and one group had a stress test in the morning while the other had the test in the evening. 

For the test, the participants had to give a presentation and do math problems in their head. The researchers took saliva samples from the participants a half hour before the test, after the test, and during ten-minute intervals for a half hour following the test. 

Not surprisingly, cortisol levels spiked in the participants given the stress test in the morning. However, for the evening group, there were no recorded increases in cortisol. 

“Our study suggests a possible vulnerability to stress in the evening,” said aid Yujiro Yamanaka, the lead author of the study. “However, it is important to take into account each individual's unique biological clock and the time of day when assessing the response to stressors and preventing them.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Our bodies are less equipped to deal with stress at night

While no one likes dealing with stress, our bodies are...

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Depression linked to loss of memory in late adulthood. Researchers have found a link between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/medical-marijuana-stress-depression/">depression</a> and memory issues in older adults. The study also revealed that seniors with higher levels of depression developed structural changes in the brain.

Dr. Adina Zeki Al Hazzouri is an assistant professor of Epidemiology at the <a href="http://med.miami.edu/">University of Miami Miller School of Medicine</a> and one of the study's co-authors.

“Since symptoms of depression can be treated, it may be possible that treatment may also reduce thinking and memory problems,” said Dr. Al Hazzouri. “With as many as 25 percent of older adults experiencing symptoms of depression, it's important to better understand the relationship between depression and memory problems.”

The investigation was focused on over 1,000 stroke-free individuals who had an average age of 71. Study participants were given preliminary brain scans, memory and thinking tests, and psychological assessments. Memory and thinking skills were re-evaluated five years later.

The tests revealed that 22 percent of participants suffered from major depression. After adjusting for factors such as age, race, and medications, the researchers found that greater symptoms of depression correlated with declines in episodic memory, which is the ability to remember specific experiences an events.

The experts also determined that participants with major depressive symptoms demonstrated changes in the brain such as smaller brain volume. In addition, these individuals were found to have a 55 percent greater chance of small vascular lesions in the brain.


On the other hand, there was no evidence which linked major depression and changes in thinking skills over the course of the study period.


“Small vascular lesions in the brain are markers of small vessel disease, a condition in which the walls in the small blood vessels are damaged,” said Dr. Al Hazzouri. “Our research suggests that depression and brain aging may occur simultaneously, and greater symptoms of depression may affect brain health through small vessel disease.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.aan.com/">American Academy of Neurology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Depression linked to loss of memory in late adulthood

Depression linked to loss of memory in late adulthood. Researchers...

Eye and hair color, height, and even dimples are all physical traits we can inherit from our parents. But now, a new study has found that children can also inherit their parent’s moral compass.

The nature versus nurture debate shows that inherited traits and environmental influences each play a strong role in a person’s upbringing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/intelligence-inherited-genes/">intelligence</a>, personality, and worldview.

But when it comes to virtuous characteristics like responsibility and conscientiousness, which has a stronger influence, genetics or parenting?

Researchers from <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State University</a> examined the heritability of virtuous characteristics in a new study published in the journal Behavior Genetics.

“A lot of studies have shown a link between parenting and these virtuous traits, but they haven’t looked at the genetic component,” said Amanda Ramos, the lead author of the study.  “I thought that was a missed opportunity because parents also share their genes with their children, and what we think is parents influencing and teaching their children these characteristics may actually be due, at least in part, to genetics.”

The researchers reviewed data from 720 pairs of twins, both identical and fraternal, siblings, half-siblings, unrelated step-siblings, and siblings from divorced and non-divorced families. Including twins and non-related siblings in the study was important for assessing the heritability of certain traits. 

Ramos and colleagues reviewed data from the sibling’s adolescence and young adulthood and made a note of how positive or negative each sibling’s parent had been during adolescence.

Positive parenting went a long way in determining how conscientious a child grew up to be, but virtuous traits were stronger in twins and full siblings suggesting that heritability is part of the equation and that responsibility is a partially genetic trait.

The researchers say the results don’t mean that conscientious parents will always raise conscientious children, only that responsibility and other virtuous traits may be strengthened by genetics.

“Your genes are not totally deterministic of who you are,” Ramos said. “Genes simply give you a potential. People still make their own choices and have agency in shaping who they become.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Children inherit conscientiousness from their parents

Eye and hair color, height, and even dimples are all...

Kids who don’t drink water are consuming more sugary beverages. A new study from researchers at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> has found that kids and young adults who do not drink water throughout the day may consume twice the amount of calories from sugary drinks. According to study co-author Professor Asher Rosinger, the findings underscore the importance of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/behavioral-issues-brain-wiring/">children</a> having access to clean water.

“Kids should consume water every single day, and the first beverage option for kids should be water,” said Professor Rosinger. “Because if they're not drinking water, they're probably going to replace it with other beverages, like sugar sweetened beverages, that are less healthy and have more calories.”

Professor Rosinger added that while other research has shown an overall decline in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, there are still subpopulations of kids in the United States who are more likely to consume sugary drinks. His team set out to investigate the daily water intake of children and how this may affect caloric intake from sugar-sweetened beverages.

The research was focused on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including information about the water and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption of 8,400 children between the ages of 2 and 19. 

For the study, sugar-sweetened beverages included soda, fruit juices, sports drinks, energy drinks, tea, and coffee drinks, but did not include 100 percent fruit juices, drinks sweetened with zero-calorie sweeteners, or drinks that are sweetened by the consumer.

The study revealed that on any given day, about 20 percent of children reported drinking no water. The same children were found to consume 200 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages, which was twice the amount of calories from sugary drinks that were consumed by children who drank water.

According to Professor Rosinger, an extra 200 calories may not seem like a lot, but it can add up quickly if someone is drinking sugar-sweetened beverages on a regular basis.

“What you have to remember is that an extra 3,500 calories equals one pound of weight gain,” said Professor Rosinger. “So if you're not compensating for those extra calories, then over a month, you can potentially gain a pound. Over several months, that could add up.”


The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics">JAMA Pediatrics</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Kids who don’t drink water are consuming more sugary beverages

Kids who don’t drink water are consuming more sugary beverages....

Excessive sleep may negatively impact memory. While the negative impacts of sleep deprivation are well documented, a new study from the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> (UCL) suggests that too much sleep may be just as harmful. The researchers found that getting nine hours of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/physical-activity-teens-sleep/">sleep</a> caused the same amount of <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=memory&amp;cvid=82dc23458806498bb4691294ffe6af26&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">memory</a> problems as getting only five hours of sleep. 

The investigation was focused on the memory test results for nearly 400,000 individuals. The participants had completed a task that involved memorizing and matching six pairs of hidden cards.

The study revealed that seven hours of sleep may be the ideal goal for boosting memory. The participants who reported getting nine hours of sleep made the same number of mistakes as those who reported getting five hours of sleep. Excessive sleep may negatively impact memory

Furthermore, individuals who reported getting ten hours of sleep made even more mistakes. The findings indicate that too much sleep can affect cognition in the same way as sleep deprivation. 

According to the experts, people who sleep for too long are likely to have poor sleep quality. This prevents brain regions from communicating as effectively, increasing the risk of cognitive issues. 

Senior author Dr. Victoria Garfield said it is not new to find that less sleep is bad for you, but that the results of this study are unusual. "Some people may think that going to bed and sleeping for as long as you like is fine, but our findings show that sleeping for too long may affect memory."

Study lead author Albert Henry explained that there was not much evidence to suggest that too much or too little sleep is linked to a higher risk of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exposure-to-fine-particle-pollution-linked-to-higher-risk-of-dementia/">dementia.</a> He said that more research is needed to investigate a potential link.

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ije">International Journal of Epidemiology</a>.

--

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

Excessive sleep may negatively impact memory

Excessive sleep may negatively impact memory. While the negative impacts...

Hot yoga could help <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-lower-blood-pressure/">lower blood pressure</a> without the use of medication, according to new research. 

Although the study, conducted by researchers from <a href="https://www.txstate.edu/">Texas State University</a>, was small, the findings are promising and show that taking hot yoga classes could combat hypertension or high blood pressure in some adults. 

According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/faqs.htm">Centers for Disease Control</a>, around 75 million US adults have high blood pressure which is often called the silent killer because of the high health risks involved. 

High blood pressure can lead to heart disease and death, which are the major leading causes of death in the US. 

Blood pressure is the force of <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/understanding-blood-pressure-readings">blood against the artery walls</a> and is measured with two numbers, systolic blood pressure (the top number) and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number). 

Systolic pressure measures the force of blood against the artery walls when the heart is beating and diastolic pressure is the measure of blood pressure when the heart is at rest. 

Research has shown that yoga has a positive impact on blood pressure and relieving stress, but relatively little is known about the potential benefits of hot yoga. 

For this study, ten men and women between the ages of 20 and 65 were recruited to take hot yoga classes. 

The participants had high blood pressure or were at stage one hypertension and were not taking blood pressure medication. 

Five of the participants were randomly assigned hot yoga and had to take three classes per week, each an hour-long for twelve weeks, and the other five were the control group and did not participate in any classes. 

Blood pressure readings were recorded regularly, and the researchers compared the average blood pressure of both groups after the twelve weeks. 

The participants that took hot yoga had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings and decreased stress levels. 

For the five hot yoga participants, systolic blood pressure dropped from around 126 mmHg to 121 mmHg after the twelve weeks. Diastolic pressure dropped from 82 mmHg to 79 mmHg. 

"The findings are very preliminary at this point, yet they're somewhat promising in terms of unveiling another unique way to lower blood pressure in adults without the use of medications," said Stacy Hunter, Ph.D., an author of the study. "However, larger studies need to be done before we can say with confidence that hot yoga has a positive impact on blood pressure."

The researchers presented their findings at the <a href="https://professional.heart.org/professional/EducationMeetings/MeetingsLiveCME/Hypertension/UCM_316905_Hypertension-Scientific-Sessions.jsp">American Heart Association's Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/zjuzjaka

Hot yoga classes can help lower blood pressure

Hot yoga could help lower blood pressure without the use...

According to new research, consistent exercise also helps strengthen the brain. These findings, collected by a team led by Michelle Voss of the <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a>, are being presented this week at the <a href="https://www.cogneurosociety.org/">Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS)</a> in San Francisco, and show that even after a single workout, the brain shows positive change.

"There is a strong and direct link between physical activity and how your brain works," said Wendy Suzuki of <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a>, a chair of a CNS symposium on the topic. "People still do not link physical health to brain and cognitive health; they think about fitting into a bikini or losing that last pound, not about all the brain systems they are improving and enhancing every time they work out."

Voss and her team found that physical <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/light-exercise-cardiovascular-risk/">exercise</a> gives way to immediate cognitive effects, and prolonged physical training can cause positive long-term cognitive shifts, as well.

To come to this conclusion, Voss and her colleagues gave each participant in their study a fMRI brain scan and memory tests before subjecting them to light and moderate exercise. They then did the same before and after the participants fulfilled a 12-week training program. The team found that those who experienced the largest improvement in cognition and functional brain connectivity after their first single exercise session also showed the most long-term cognition and connectivity gains after the 12-week program.

“Think about how physical activity may help your cognition today and see what works,” Voss said. “Day-by-day, the benefits of physical activity can add up."

Currently, Michelle Carlson of Johns Hopkins University is working to instill this idea in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities via a program called Experience Corps Program. Through Experience Corps, physical activity is embedded into weekly volunteering opportunities for older adults at elementary schools. 

"We need to address socioeconomic barriers like cost and accessibility to motivate older adults to regularly engage in healthful behaviors," Carlson said. "And many people don't appreciate the power of physical activity for our brains."

Carlson added that studies from the Experience Corps Program have shown that exercise from the volunteering experience, such as regular walking, improved memory and other cognitive functions. "These and related findings in my lab and others have contributed to our understanding that targeting low-intensity lifestyle activity is increasingly being recognized as important and scalable intervention to promote any physical activity," Carlson said.

These findings can aid scientists in the future target which exercises are most beneficial, and to what demographic. Hopefully, future neuroimaging technologies will give evidence and insight into what is going on inside the brain when we exercise.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Physical exercise also strengthens the brain

According to new research, consistent exercise also helps strengthen the...

Exercise not only helps <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-reduces-cancer-risk/">reduce the risk of certain cancers</a>, but it also may also slow the growth of colon cancer, according to a new study.

The odds of surviving colon cancer continue to improve with new advancements in treatments. But men still face a 1 in 22 chance and women face a 1 in 24 chance of developing colorectal cancer in their lifetime, according to the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html">American Cancer Society.</a>

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> in Australia and the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/">University of Waterloo</a> in Ontario conducted a study to examine the impacts of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on cancer cell growth. 

HIIT is gaining a lot of momentum in sports medicine and rehabilitation programs, and <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/physical-medicine-rehabilitation/news/sprint-rest-repeat-exploring-the-benefits-of-high-intensity-interval-training/mac-20431116">research shows</a> that intervals of moderate exercise followed by short, intense bursts are effective for weight loss, improve metabolic functions, and benefit cardiovascular health. 

The study was published in the Journal of Physiology. 

For the study, colorectal cancer survivors were asked to complete a single session of HIIT or do 12 sessions of HIIT over four weeks. 

After the single session of HIIT, researchers took blood samples from the participants immediately once the session was complete. For those assigned the 12 sessions, blood samples were collected after the four weeks were complete and when the participants were at rest. 

The blood serum samples were then analyzed in a lab, and the researchers monitored the growth of colon cancer cells in the serum after incubating the cells for 72 hours. 

The blood samples that were taken immediately after the single HIIT session reduced colon cancer cell numbers significantly, according to the study results. The same growth decline was not observed with the blood samples taken at rest. 

“We have shown that exercise may play a role in inhibiting the growth of colon cancer cells,” said James Devin, the lead author of the study. “ After an acute bout of HIIT there were specific increases in inflammation immediately after exercise, which are hypothesised to be involved in reducing the number of cancer cells.” 

More research is needed to confirm the findings as modeling colon cancer growth in a lab is far different from the actual growth of cancer cells in the human body, but the study indicates that HIIT could help reduce colon cancer growth. 

“We would now like to look at how these changes in growth occur and understand the mechanisms by which biomarkers in the blood can impact cell growth,” Devin concluded.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exercise shown to reduce colon cancer growth

Exercise not only helps reduce the risk of certain cancers,...

We know that too much stress can impact health and wellbeing and even lead to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/work-stress-sleep-hypertension/">high blood pressure, insomnia</a>, and anxiety.

However, researchers from the <a href="https://www.bcm.edu/">Baylor College of Medicine</a> and the <a href="https://www.houstonmethodist.org/research/">Houston Methodist Research Institute</a> have discovered that a newly described type of stress called chromatin stress can improve longevity. 

A new study, published in the journal Science Advances, shows that chromatin stress triggers certain responses in yeast that increase lifespan. 

The research could help create new treatments for aging. 

The chromatin is a structure in the nucleus of the cells which is formed by DNA wrapping itself around histone proteins like beads on a string. As other proteins in the cells bind to the chromatin, it creates even more complicated structures. 

With chromatin stress, the structure is disrupted in a way that causes unwanted changes in gene expression. 

“Chromatin stress refers to disruptions in the way DNA is packed within the nucleus of the cell,” said Dr. Weiwei Dang, the corresponding author of the study. “One of the factors that influences chromatin structure is proteins called histones.”

For the study, the researchers studied how different amounts of histone proteins affected longevity in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 

If the yeast were genetically engineered to carry fewer copies of histone proteins, the researchers theorized that the yeast might have a shorter lifespan compared to non-genetically engineered yeast. 

But the team found the exact opposite to be true. 

“Unexpectedly, we found that yeast with fewer copies of histone genes lived longer than the controls,” said Ruofan Yu, the first author of the study. 

When the yeast had low doses of histone genes, there was much more chromatin stress, but this stress triggered responses in the genes that helped promote longevity and increased lifespan. 

In a previous study, the researchers found that increasing or overexpressing histone genes in aging yeast improved longevity, and now the researchers have found that decreasing the number of histone gene copies in young yeast also increases lifespan. 

“We have identified a previously unrecognized and unexpected form of stress that triggers a response that benefits the organism,” said Yu. “The mechanism underlying the chromatin stress response generated by moderate reduction of histone dosage is different from the one triggered by histone overexpression we had previously described, as shown by their different profiles of protein expression responses.”

If chromatin stress triggers the same kind of response in humans, it could lead to new interventions to help reverse the aging process. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/vchal

A moderate amount of stress could boost longevity

We know that too much stress can impact health and...

Vitamin D could help battle childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic across the world and according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm">Centers for Disease Control</a> (CDC), by 2016 nearly 1 in 5 school-aged children in the US was considered <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/societal-changes-obesity-epidemic/">obese</a>. 

There are many health risks associated with childhood obesity including the development of diabetes, metabolic problems, and heart disease later on in life. 

A new study, conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://en.uoa.gr/">National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School </a>in Greece, found that Vitamin D supplements could be an effective treatment for combating obesity in adolescents and children.

The research was presented at the 57th annual<a href="https://www.eurospe.org/"> European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology</a> meeting.

Vitamin D deficiencies are usually linked to poor bone health and not getting enough sun.

However, there is a growing body of research on vitamin D and it's potential to help with weight loss and reduce risk factors for metabolic disease and obesity.

To understand how Vitamin D impacts obesity rates in young people, 232 obese children and adolescents were chosen to participate in the study.

For 12 months, 117 of the child participants were given recommended regular doses of vitamin D. The researchers measured vitamin D levels and took blood samples to evaluate liver and heart health at the beginning and end of the study.

At the end of the 12 months, the 117 children who had been given vitamin D supplements had a lower body mass index, body fat and better cholesterol levels according to the results. 

“These findings suggest that simple vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of overweight and obese children developing serious heart and metabolic complications in later life,” said Evangelia Charmandari, the lead researcher of the study. 

The positive results of the study suggest that vitamin D may be a helpful asset in combating obesity and metabolic disease.

The researcher's next plan to study the impacts of Vitamin D supplements on children and adolescents with diagnosed health problems like high blood pressure and cholesterol. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Vitamin D could help battle childhood obesity

Vitamin D could help battle childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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