Egyptian rituals have long captivated the imaginations of 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 the use of hallucinogenic mixtures was 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 fall into place 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 that presents the findings.



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 apparently 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 unusual 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,” explained Tanasi.



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 and induce a trance-like state 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 belief 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 the imaginations of 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 the use of hallucinogenic mixtures was 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...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a> has linked greater consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to a higher risk of premature death from conditions such as <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/egg-consumption-cardiovascular-disease/">cardiovascular disease</a> and cancer. 

The researchers also found that this risk was lowered by replacing one sugary beverage per day with an artificially sweetened beverage (ASB). On the other hand, the daily consumption of four or more ASBs was linked to a higher rate of mortality for women. 

Study lead author Vasanti Malik is a research scientist in the Department of Nutrition. “Our results provide further support to limit intake of SSBs and to replace them with other beverages, preferably water, to improve overall health and longevity,” said Malik.

In the United States, SSBs such as soft drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks are the single largest source of added sugar. Although the rate of SSB consumption has been steadily declining for the last decade, this rate has recently increased among American adults. 

Sugary beverages were previously linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, yet few studies have investigated the potential mortality risk associated with SSBs.

The current analysis was focused on data from more than 80,000 women participating in the Nurses' Health Study and nearly 38,000 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The participants in these studies answered questions about their lifestyle and health status every two years.

The researchers found that the more SSBs an individual consumed, the more his or her risk of early death from any cause increased. For example, drinking two or more sugary beverages per day was associated with a 21-percent greater chance of premature death. 

In particular, SSB consumption raised the risk of a premature death from cardiovascular disease. Individuals who drank two or more servings per day had a 31-percent higher risk, and each additional serving boosted this risk by ten percent. Furthermore, the effect was found to be much stronger among women compared to men. 

“These findings are consistent with the known adverse effects of high sugar intake on metabolic risk factors and the strong evidence that drinking sugar-sweetened beverages increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, itself a major risk factor for premature death,” said Professor Walter Willett. 

“The results also provide further support for policies to limit marketing of sugary beverages to children and adolescents and for implementing soda taxes because the current price of sugary beverages does not include the high costs of treating the consequences.”


The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/circ">Circulation</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Sugary beverages substantially increase the risk of premature death

A new study led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School...

Research reveals vast differences in what Americans know about science. A new study from the <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/">Pew Research Center</a> has found that, when it comes to what Americans know and understand about science, there are vast differences. A survey of 4,464 adults revealed that just about 39 percent of American adults have a high level of science knowledge, while 29 percent have little knowledge of scientific facts. 

“In an era of easy access to a wide array of information, along with sometimes-intense debate over what information is true and false, this survey takes stock of the degree to which the public shares a common understanding of science facts and processes,” said Cary Funk, who is the director of science and society research at the Pew Research Center.


Of the 11 multiple-choice questions included in the survey, participants with a postgraduate degree answered an average of four more questions correctly compared to participants with a high school degree or less. Overall, 71 percent of those with a higher education were classified as having the most science knowledge, while only 19 percent of those with a high school degree were able to perform as well. 

There were also some gender differences found in the scores, but these discrepancies were not consistent across questions. For example, men and women were about equally likely to identify that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/antibiotic-resistance-wastewater/">antibiotic resistance</a> is a major concern related to overuse of these drugs. However, about 20 percent more men were aware that inserting a gene into a plant is an example of genetic engineering.

Republicans and Democrats were found to have similar levels of science knowledge. Study participants who leaned toward the Republican Party averaged seven correct answers, while those who leaned toward the Democratic Party got an average of 6.6 survey questions correct.

The findings are based on a nationally representative survey conducted in January of 2019, involving adults 18 years of age or older across the United States. 
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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

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Research reveals vast differences in what Americans know about science

Research reveals vast differences in what Americans know about science....

Many people struggle to manage their weight as they get older, and new research from the <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institutet</a> in Sweden has discovered that this battle involves age-related changes in the breakdown or storage of fats for energy. 

The study revealed that lipid turnover in the fat tissue decreases during the process of aging, making it easier to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/excess-weight-gain-brain-aging/">gain weight</a>. 

The investigation was focused on fat cells in 54 men and women over the course of 13 years, on average. Regardless of weight loss or weight gain, all of the individuals showed decreases in lipid turnover, which is the rate at which fat in the cells is removed and stored. The subjects who did not compensate for slower lipid turnover through diet and exercise gained weight by an average of 20 percent.

The researchers also analyzed lipid turnover in 41 women who underwent bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass, tracking their ability to keep weight off four to seven years after the procedure. The team found that women who had a low rate of lipid turnover before the surgery were able to increase this rate of fat removal and maintain their weight loss. The experts theorize that these women may have had more room to increase their lipid turnover compared to those with a higher rate prior to surgery. 

"The results indicate for the first time that processes in our fat tissue regulate changes in body weight during aging in a way that is independent of other factors," said study co-author Professor Peter Arner. "This could open up new ways to treat obesity."

The analysis supports the findings of previous research that more exercise can speed up lipid turnover in the fat tissue.

"Obesity and obesity-related diseases have become a global problem," said study co-author Kirsty Spalding. "Understanding lipid dynamics and what regulates the size of the fat mass in humans has never been more relevant."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nm/">Nature Medicine</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/tmcphotos

Why it’s easier to gain weight as you get older

Many people struggle to manage their weight as they get...

Stricter arsenic regulations helped make public drinking water safer. After the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) lowered allowable arsenic levels in drinking water, the number of arsenic violations decreased by 80 percent in the US, according to a new study. 

Researchers from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> in collaboration with the EPA tracked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-contaminated-arsenic-heart/">arsenic drinking water contamination</a> and violations after the EPA released its Final Arsenic Rule (FAR) in 2001. 

Under FAR, drinking water systems were required to ensure that arsenic levels did not exceed 10 micrograms of arsenic per liter of drinking water, a major change from the 50 micrograms of arsenic per liter allowed before the ruling.

For this study, the researchers analyzed 12 years of data from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/safe-drinking-water-information-system-sdwis-federal-reporting">Safe Drinking Water Information System</a> and tracked arsenic violations starting in 2006 when FAR went into effect.

The number of public water system violations fell from 1.3 percent in 2008 to .55 percent in 2017, and the number of people exposed to harmful levels of arsenic in drinking water dropped by more than one million people nationwide. 

“This reinforces the point that safety regulations do work, especially when they come with a carrot-and-stick approach, like increasing resources for systems to comply and giving them flexibility to choose what works best for their community,” said Molly Kile, a corresponding author of the study. 

Arsenic is naturally occurring in the Earth’s crust, but it is also found in our food, the air we breathe, and drinking water, particularly drinking water that comes from groundwater sources.

It’s categorized as a Group 1 human carcinogen, and long term ingestion of arsenic can increase the risk of cancer. Arsenic ingestion presents a significant public health risk. 

After FAR was put into effect in 2006, violations quickly spiked, and many public water systems had higher than allowable arsenic levels in their water. 

However, it didn’t take too long for municipal water systems to become compliant, and both large and small water systems worked hard to lower arsenic levels in the drinking water. 

“Improvements were seen in both ground water and surface water systems,” said Stephanie Foster, an author of the study.

Violations during the study period were more common in the western and southwestern United States, but the researchers say that due to the small number of counties where violations occurred in these areas, there may be local circumstances at work. 

“When people drink city water, they do so under the assumption that it is safe,” said Kile. “Delivering on this promise requires constant vigilance. It also requires revising regulations and making sure they reflect the best available science. This means regulations change over time to protect our health, and this study demonstrates that with proper support, organizations can comply and will comply with tougher regulations to protect the public’s health.”

The researchers published their findings in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b02358">Environmental Science and Technology</a>.

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Romiana Lee

Stricter arsenic regulations helped make public drinking water safer

Stricter arsenic regulations helped make public drinking water safer. After...

Have you ever wondered what is going on in your brain when you listen to your favorite song? 

A new study has found that the different cognitive processes involved in listening to a song and remembering a familiar tune overlap in the brain but travel in opposite directions. 

Music has a profound impact on our moods and cognition, with new research showing that listening to music may be as<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-medications-calm-nerves/"> effective as medication </a>meant to ease anxiety administered before surgery and that music students score higher in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-students-score-better/">math and science tests</a>. 

Past research has identified the areas on the right side of the brain activated by music, but the specific processes of listening to and remembering music remained somewhat of a mystery.

In other words, it was not well understood how the brain regions activated by music responded during music listening and music recall.

Researchers from <a href="https://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/publish/thu2018en/index.html">Tsinghua University </a>in Beijing, General Hospital of People’s Liberty Army in Beijing, and <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> in Maryland examined neural activity in the regions of the brain activated by music to better understand these processes. 

Ten epilepsy patients, both men and women, were recruited for the study. 

The researchers used electrocorticography to record neural activity in the brain as the participants listened to popular songs like Beethoven’s “Für Elise” or Wagner’s “Wedding March.” 

As the participants listened to the songs, the researchers found that the songs correlated with cortical activity in the temporal lobe followed by the precentral gyrus. With music recall, however, electrical activity started in the inferior frontal gyrus and spread to the temporal lobe. 

Music listening in the frontal lobe lagged behind the neural pathways in the temporal lobe, but in music recall, researchers found activity in the frontal lobe preceded activity in the temporal lobe. 

Once we hear a familiar tune, the regions of the brain that remember the song overlap but music information between listening and recall flow in the opposite directions.

The researchers published their findings in the <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1468-18.2019">Journal of Neuroscience</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/Africa Studio

How music flows through the brain

Have you ever wondered what is going on in your...

The mental and physical impacts of drinking alcohol are well understood. Drinking too much can impair judgment, slow reaction time, cause liver damage and even increase the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-years-life/">risk of early death</a>. 

However, less understood are the effects of hangovers caused by a night of overindulging. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.swinburne.edu.au/">Swinburne University of Technology</a> found that hangovers impair cognition and make it more challenging to do routine tasks like driving or performing well on a test.

The researchers focused specifically on alcohol hangovers rather than acute intoxication to get a better understanding of how a hangover impacts cognition. 

A hangover is the result of blood alcohol levels returning to zero. People suffering from hangovers commonly report having headaches, being sensitive to light and sound, feeling sick, and having problems focusing. 

To study hangovers, over 100 participants from Brisbane, Australia completed an online survey and cognition test after a night of drinking. 

The researchers recorded breath alcohol concentrations with a breathalyzer at the end of the night, and the participants were able to complete the test in their own homes. 

Rather than relying on self-reported data on how much participants drank, the breathalyzer data showed exact breath alcohol concentrations (BAC). 

Using an internet approach was also a strategic move because it eliminated the risk of having participants miss an in-person interview due to being too hungover.

The higher a participant’s BAC was, the worse their performance on the survey and cognition test, proving a direct link between alcohol hangovers and impaired brain activity.  

“Not surprisingly, the more alcohol that is consumed, the worse the hangover and impairment to the brain,” said Dr. Sarah Benson, an author of the study. 

The researchers also found that hangovers correlated with impaired memory and inability to conduct day-to-day tasks like driving. 

The study, published in the<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6518120/"> Journal of Clinical Medicine</a>, shows the importance of studying both acute intoxicating and lingering after-effects of overconsumption.  

“It is important to learn more about the causes and consequences of hangover because not only are hangovers very commonly experienced, but they also have potentially huge negative effects on day-to-day activities,” said Dr. Benson. “For example, our study proves that hangovers reduce ability to engage in complex behaviours, and thus ability to drive, work, study or conduct other activities are impaired by hangover.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/fizkes

Hangovers impact cognitive performance, study shows

The mental and physical impacts of drinking alcohol are well...

Having a healthy heart at age 50 may help reduce the risk of developing dementia later on, a new study has found. 

Dementia is a widespread progressive disease that affects around 50 million people worldwide, according to the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia">World Health Organization</a>. 

While most commonly associated with older adults, dementia can begin to develop 15 to 20 years before symptoms start to show. Finding ways to target dementia is key to helping slow the progression of the disease. 

In a new study, a team of researchers led by Séverine Sabia from the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ukpdc/collaborators/inserm-french-national-institute-of-health-and-medical-research">French National Institute of Health and Medical Research</a> and <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> found that good cardiovascular health in middle age could help lower dementia risk. 

The researchers examined the link between a higher “Life Simple 7” cardiovascular health score from the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association </a>and a lowered risk of dementia later in life. 

The study was published in the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l4414">BMJ. </a>

The Life Simple 7 health score adds up four behavioral and three biological metrics to help rate a person’s cardiovascular health and measure the risk of developing heart disease. 

A score lower than six is considered poor, but a score higher than 12 is considered optimal. 

For the study, the researchers reviewed and analyzed cardiovascular data form 7,899 British adults, aged 50 who were part of the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology-health-care/research/epidemiology-and-public-health/research/whitehall-ii">Whitehall II Study.</a> 

At age 50, the participants had good cardiovascular health and 347 developed dementia later on at some point during a 25-year follow up period. 

The participants that had adhered to the Life Simple 7 heart health recommendations during middle age had a lowered risk of developing dementia. 

A poor cardiovascular health score was associated with a 3.2 incidence rate per 1,000 persons. Those who had an optimal heart health score had a 1.3 per 1,000 persons incidence rate of developing dementia. 

The study is observational and doesn’t prove any cause or effect, but the researchers did find healthier grey matter volume in participants who had a higher cardiovascular score. 

The researchers recommend that improving heart health at age 50 could serve as an important preventative measure and protect against developing dementia in old age. 

“Our findings suggest that the Life’s Simple 7, which comprises the cardiovascular health score, at age 50 may shape the risk of dementia in a synergistic manner,” the researchers wrote. “Cardiovascular risk factors are modifiable, making them strategically important prevention targets. This study supports public health policies to improve cardiovascular health as early as age 50 to promote cognitive health. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/goodluz

A healthy heart at 50 could reduce the risk of dementia

Having a healthy heart at age 50 may help reduce...

Unsustainable land use is threatening our global food supply. According to a new report from the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC), the Earth's resources are being used up at "unprecedented" rates, and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/population-plant-based-diets/">climate change</a> is making the situation far worse. 

The research, which involved 107 experts in 52 countries, has revealed that soil is vanishing ten times faster than it can be naturally replenished. As a result, 500 million people are living in regions that are essentially transforming into desert. 

The study suggests that added pressure on land and water resources, such as changes in population growth and food consumption patterns, will have dire consequences for the global food supply. 

The experts also pointed out that storms, drought, and other extreme weather events will further strain worldwide food production. In this vicious cycle, food will become less available, more expensive, and less nutritious.

"The cycle is accelerating," said NASA climate scientist and study co-author Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig. "The threat of climate change affecting people's food on their dinner table is increasing."

Dr. Rosenzweig explained that one serious danger is that major food shortages could develop on several continents at once. "The potential risk of multi-breadbasket failure is increasing. All of these things are happening at the same time.”

In Geneva on Thursday, the IPCC researchers emphasized the urgency of the issue. They also proposed some solutions, including the reduction of food waste, shifting diets away from meat, and sustainable land use.

"The way we use land is both part of the problem and also part of the solution," said French climate scientist Valerie Masson-Delmotte. "Sustainable land management can help secure a future that is comfortable."

“One of the important findings of our work is that there are a lot of actions that we can take now. They’re available to us,” said Dr. Rosenzweig. “But what some of these solutions do require is attention, financial support, enabling environments.”

The IPCC report stressed that the longer policymakers wait to make changes, the harder it will be to prevent a global food crisis. 

"Acting now may avert or reduce risks and losses, and generate benefits to society,” wrote the study authors. On the other hand, failure to make land use improvements and cut emissions will result in the “irreversible loss in land ecosystem functions and services required for food, health, habitable settlements and production."

"We don't want a message of despair," said Professor Jim Skea of Imperial College London. "We want to get across the message that every action makes a difference."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/The Art of Brani

Unsustainable land use is threatening our global food supply

Unsustainable land use is threatening our global food supply. According...

Listening to birds in nature found to be more calming than a meditation app. The results of a new study conducted by market research firm <a href="https://www.walnutunlimited.com/">Walnut Unlimited</a> suggest that experiencing <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nature-boosts-health-well-being/">nature</a> is the best way to feel calm and relaxed. The researchers found that participants who listened to bird songs became more relaxed than those who listened to a meditation app.

The study was focused on 600 participants who reported on their stress levels before and after listening to a 60-second birdsong recording, listening to a popular meditation app, or before sitting in silence for a minute.

The researchers found that the number of people who were convincingly relaxed jumped by about 10 percent in the group that heard bird songs. By contrast, listening to meditation apps did not increase the number of participants who felt calm and relaxed. 

"Listening to the sounds of nature offers an opportunity to feel 'away' from everyday stresses and strains," said Dr. Eleanor Ratcliffe of the <a href="https://www.surrey.ac.uk/">University of Surrey</a>. "These sounds are also interesting and offer something for the mind to focus on without being overly stimulating."

"In addition, woodland sounds like songbirds and the rustle of leaves are pleasant and quiet, especially in comparison to many other sounds in urban areas such as traffic."

While the findings indicate that taking a walk in the woods is more relaxing than meditation, the meditation app was more effective in lowering stress and anxiety. For example, the stress rate dropped by 24 percent among those who listened to woodland sounds, but by 39 percent among those who listened to a meditation app.

In a previous study, experts found that meditation can lower blood pressure and help mitigate other risk factors associated with heart disease. 

"There is a large body of scientific evidence demonstrating that experience of nature can benefit health and wellbeing, including recovery from everyday psychological stress," said Dr. Ratcliffe.

"Much of this research has focused on visual experiences, but more recent work has shown that the sounds of the outdoors, such as birdsong, wind, and water, can also improve mood and reduce stress. These sounds offer a way to connect with nature no matter where you are."

In a follow-up survey by the <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/">National Trust</a>, about 20 percent of respondents said they never visited woodland, even though there are more than three million hectares of forest across the UK. Patrick Begg is the National Trust's Outdoors and Natural Resources Director.

"Sometimes a simple walk in woodlands, where you’re surrounded by the echoes of calling birds, and that satisfying crunch of fallen leaves and twigs underfoot, is the perfect remedy for reducing stress," said Begg.

--

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/JaklZdenek

Listening to birds in nature found to be more calming than a meditation app

Listening to birds in nature found to be more calming...

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The Mediterranean is a biodiversity hotspot and home to the largest number of species for an area of its size in the world. 

Unfortunately, the Mediterranean is also inhabited by many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-detection-damage-invasive-species/">alien species</a> and recreational boating is a major factor in the transport of invasive animals. 

In a new study, the first of its kind, researchers from the <a href="http://wcm-3.unipv.it/site/en/home.html">University of Pavia</a> in Italy examined how private boats carry and spread non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean. 

Recreational boating is hugely popular in the Mediterranean, but as boats travel and dock in new areas, there is a high risk of spreading invasive species due to biofouling.

Biofouling is the accumulation of algae or barnacles on the underside of boats, submerged propellers, and other underwater structures. 

“Boats which have visited Eastern Mediterranean marinas had an especially high risk of spreading alien species due to the closer proximity to the Suez Canal, where most alien species enter the Mediterranean,” said Aylin Ulman, lead author of the study.

The researchers surveyed 601 boat owners and sampled boat hulls for invasive species in 25 marinas across the Mediterranean. 

Biofouling is not regulated in the Mediterranean even though the researchers found that it was the biggest predictor of species richness. Some of the boat hulls had small areas of visible growth, but the researchers counted as many as 11 non-indigenous species in one spot. 

What’s more, the researchers found that niche areas can become quickly colonized after being cleaned. 

These areas might be overlooked during intensive cleaning, and the researchers recommend that special attention is paid to ladders and propellers where invasive species are known to accumulate. Recreational boating is spreading invasive species 

“Biofouling is a major vector for the spread of marine alien species in the Mediterranean and needs regulation,” said Ulman. “To inhibit further spreading, marine pontoons should be cleaned regularly, and incoming vessels to marinas should be screened to determine if they require professional cleaning.”

The dataset compiled in this study is being used to create a model of high-risk marinas in the Mediterranean. 

The research was published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.13502">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>.

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Aylin Ulman

Recreational boating is spreading invasive species

The Mediterranean is a biodiversity hotspot and home to the...

Heavy marijuana use may lower sperm quality, new study shows. Whether or not marijuana use causes fertility problems and negatively affects sperm remains inconclusive as studies on the topic are mixed. 

Research has shown that moderate cannabis use can <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/men-marijuana-higher-sperm-counts/">increase sperm counts</a>, but another study found that THC in cannabis can lead to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marijuana-changes-mens-sperm/">pronounced genetic changes in sperm</a>. 

An estimated one in seven US adults uses marijuana. With more and more states legalizing medicinal and recreational marijuana, it’s important to understand the effects of cannabis on sperm and if these changes hinder healthy fetal development. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english">University of Copenhagen</a> may be closer to understanding why the effects of cannabis use on sperm are so varied. 

Heavy cannabis users are more likely to have poor quality sperm the researchers found due to the way THC in cannabis interacts with the endocannabinoid system in the body. 

The endocannabinoid system is made up of endocannabinoid molecules, and cannabinoid receptors which are found all over the body. 

In a new study, the researchers analyzed testicle tissue from 15 men and pieces of the cannabis system were found within the tissue samples. 

The researchers say that heavy THC use may overwhelm cannabis receptors and disrupt signaling crucial to healthy sperm development.  

Moderate cannabis users may see some benefits, but heavy use could counter these benefits and lead to lower quality sperm in men. 

“The study provides new evidence supporting observations that recreational cannabis can have possible deleterious effects on human testicular function,” the researchers wrote in the study. Heavy marijuana use may lower sperm quality, new study shows

The full findings of the study were published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-49177-y">Scientific Reports</a>. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Mitch M

Heavy marijuana use may lower sperm quality, new study shows

Heavy marijuana use may lower sperm quality, new study shows....

A quick search on your phone’s app store for blue light filters will yield dozens if not hundreds of apps promising better sleep and relief from eye strain.

However, a researcher from <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">Oxford University</a> claims that it’s not blue light exposure that’s the problem, but rather how long into the night we use our devices. 

Blue light describes the increased exposure to blue wavelengths we get by looking at phones, computers, and televisions. Not all blue light is bad for you, but research has shown links between blue light, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blue-light-smartphones-damages-eyes/">digital eye strain</a>, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-screen-time-sleep/">disrupted sleep</a>. 

Protecting against blue light has become such a public health concern that phones have “night mode” filters. You can also buy special blue-light glasses if you spend most of your day looking at a computer screen.

Professor Russell Foster says that these special blue light filters are unnecessary because screen brightness is not likely to have much of an impact on a person’s sleep patterns. 

According to Foster, the light from phones is not strong enough and the claim that blue light exposure is harmful has led to misinformation. People under the assumption that blue light filters will protect them may use their devices longer late at night as a result. 

Phones, tablets, and TVs are a stimulant but not because of the light they emit. 

“The amount of light that you get from screens is relatively low,” said Foster. “If you’re staying up all night and on the brightest screen, it might do something. But for most people, it is not going to have a big effect.”

Based on data from <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a>, Foster suggests that for blue light exposure to impact circadian rhythms, we would need a lot more of it than what smartphones and tablets emit. Not only would we need more light but for long periods as well. 

“It seems extremely unlikely that it is the light effects versus the alerting effects of these devices,” said Foster. 

The reason you may feel groggy and unrested after binge-watching a show on your phone is not due to the blue light, but rather because you stayed up later than usual, according to Foster.

Instead of investing in blue light filters and other measures to reduce exposure to blue light from devices, more research is needed to thoroughly assess the health effects of blue light exposure.

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Marcos Mesa Sam Wordley

Blue light isn’t the problem, it’s how long we stare at our phones

A quick search on your phone’s app store for blue...

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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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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...