In the United States and worldwide, alcohol consumption remains a leading cause of preventable death and disability, contributing to liver disease, mental health disorders, and accidents.&nbsp;



Researchers from <a href="https://www.fau.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Florida Atlantic University</a> (FAU)’s Schmidt College of Medicine have delved into U.S. trends in alcohol-related deaths from 1999 to 2020. 



Utilizing data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER), they uncovered alarming statistics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dramatic-surge-in-alcohol-related-deaths-nbsp">Dramatic surge in alcohol-related deaths&nbsp;</h2>



The study reveals that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spike-in-alcohol-use-during-the-pandemic-continues-today/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alcohol</a>-related deaths in the U.S. have surged dramatically in the last two decades. The mortality rate nearly doubled from 10.7 per 100,000 in 1999 to 21.6 per 100,000 in 2020. 



The total number of alcohol-related deaths soared from 19,356 to 48,870, marking a dramatic twofold increase. Every age group experienced increases, with the most alarming spike - nearly fourfold - in those aged 25 to 34.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gender-and-age-disparities">Gender and age disparities</h2>



The 85 and older age group saw a possible but nonsignificant increase. Individuals aged 55-64 had both the steepest rise in mortality and the highest absolute rates in both 1999 and 2020.&nbsp;



Both men and women experienced significant increases in alcohol-related deaths, but men had the highest rates in both years and saw the steepest increase overall.&nbsp;



Women, however, saw the largest proportional rise, with deaths increasing from 4.8 per 100,000 in 1999 to 12 in 2020.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alcohol-consumption-among-women-nbsp">Alcohol consumption among women&nbsp;</h2>



Study senior author Dr. Panagiota “Yiota” Kitsantas is a professor and chair of the Department of Population Health and Social Medicine at FAU.&nbsp;



“Our study found significant gender differences in alcohol-related mortality. While men had higher overall death rates, women experienced a larger relative increase, which may reflect changing social norms and the alcohol industry’s increased targeting of women through marketing campaigns,” said Dr. Kitsantas.



“As alcohol consumption among women has grown, so have the associated risks. Women appear to be more vulnerable to alcohol’s harmful effects due, possibly, to differences in body composition and metabolism, leading to higher blood alcohol concentrations.”&nbsp;



Moreover, mental health issues like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-with-a-history-of-depression-tend-to-process-more-negative-information/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">depression</a> and anxiety, already more common in women, can be worsened by alcohol use, noted Dr. Kitsantas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-regional-variations-in-alcohol-related-deaths-nbsp">Regional variations in alcohol-related deaths&nbsp;</h2>



Deaths in women increased two-and-a-half times, while Asian and Pacific Islander communities experienced the steepest rise of 2.4 times.&nbsp;



Regionally, the Midwest experienced the greatest jump, with an increase of 2.5 times in alcohol-related mortality, followed by the Northeast, West, and South.



“Addressing these factors through tailored interventions could help combat the growing U.S. alcohol mortality epidemic,” said Dr. Kitsantas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complications-of-associated-risk-factors">Complications of associated risk factors</h2>



Findings from the study highlight significant clinical and public health challenges that may benefit from targeted interventions.&nbsp;



Risk factors such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childhood-obesity-rates-are-surging-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">obesity</a>, diabetes, and liver damage complicate these challenges, accelerating alcohol-related mortality. Gender, demographic, and regional differences should guide healthcare strategies.



“Health care providers should recognize that heavy alcohol use is a leading risk factor for total mortality and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-century-of-progress-in-the-fight-against-cardiovascular-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular disease</a>, especially heart attacks and stroke,” said co-author Charles H. Hennekens, a professor of medicine at FAU. 



“To mitigate these risks, screening for alcohol use in primary care settings is essential. Coexisting conditions like overweight and obesity can accelerate liver damage, which may in turn lead to earlier onset of cirrhosis and liver cancer.”



“The U.S. has the highest rates of overweight and obesity in the world and low levels of daily physical activity. The deleterious interaction of these factors may contribute to the observed trends in alcohol-related mortality, particularly in younger adults.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-context-and-future-directions">Global context and future directions</h2>



Alcohol consumption varies significantly by region worldwide and in the U.S. According to 2019 data, Latvia had the highest annual per capita consumption at 13.2 liters, followed by France at 12.2 and the U.S. at 10.&nbsp;



Descriptive data on mortality reveal complex links between alcohol use and premature deaths. Latvia, for example, leads in alcohol consumption and ranks third in total deaths, while France, despite high alcohol consumption, has low cardiovascular mortality but high rates of cirrhosis and liver cancer.&nbsp;



In contrast, Russian men have high alcohol consumption and an elevated rate of cardiovascular mortality. These patterns illustrate the complex interrelationships of alcohol consumption, premature death, and disease, regardless of the beverage type.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alcohol-consumption-and-premature-death">Alcohol consumption and premature death</h2>



“Both globally and in the U.S., high levels of alcohol consumption are closely linked to premature deaths and disability,” said Hennekens.&nbsp;



“The difference between consuming small amounts of alcohol daily and larger amounts could be the difference between preventing and causing premature death. One immediate effect of alcohol is liver damage, and in the U.S., the rising rates of obesity and diabetes also contribute to early liver damage.”



In conclusion, the authors emphasize that healthcare providers should be aware that in the U.S. as well as most populations worldwide, individuals who consume large amounts of alcohol tend to have the highest risks of mortality as well as deaths from cardiovascular disease, predominantly due to heart attacks and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dramatic-temperature-changes-linked-to-half-a-million-stroke-deaths/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stroke</a>.



The research is published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2024.10.024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The American Journal of Medicine</a>.



-----



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Alcohol-related deaths have doubled over the past two decades

In the United States and worldwide, alcohol consumption remains a leading cause of preventable death and disability, contributing to liver disease, mental health disorders, and accidents.&nbsp; Researchers from Florida Atlantic University (FAU)’s Schmidt College of Medicine have delved into U.S. trends in alcohol-related deaths from 1999 to 2020.  Utilizing data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER), they uncovered alarming statistics. Dramatic surge in alcohol-related deaths&nbsp; The study reveals that alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. have surged dramatically...

US government grants $3 million for CBD pain relief research. The US government will spend $3 million on medical marijuana research focusing on the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-treatment-opioid-heroin-addiction/">cannabidiol (CBD)</a> and hundreds of other chemicals found in the drug. 

On Thursday, nine research grants and funding were awarded to help determine whether or not marijuana is an effective pain reliever. 

None of the grants will go to THC research, the main psychoactive component in marijuana. 

THC has been the focus of many studies, but the increased risk of addiction and abuse are too great for THC to be considered as a viable option for pain relief. 

CBD, on the other hand, does not make you “high” because it’s non-psychoactive, and has become a trendy ingredient in cosmetics and foods.  

Marijuana is still considered a controlled substance and illegal under federal law. However, more than 30 states have legalized the drug for medicinal purposes. 

Whether or not medicinal marijuana is an effective treatment option and how to avoid the psychoactive effects of THC remains poorly understood. 

“The science is lagging behind the public use and interest. We’re doing our best to catch up here,” Dr. David Shurtleff, deputy director of the <a href="https://nccih.nih.gov/">National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health</a>, told the <a href="https://apnews.com/6c7f1be6ed7a440680aada789e61b10f">Associated Press.</a> 

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health is funding the research grants. 

One of the main reasons the government is investing so much into medical marijuana research is the country-wide opioid crisis. Opioids are highly addictive but were widely prescribed and used to treat pain leading to an increase in addiction and opioid-related overdoses in recent years. 

CBD and other components of marijuana may offer innovative solutions to treat and study pain. 

Only one of the research projects awarded funding will have human test subjects. 

The study, conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a>, will involve taking brain scans of participants after ingesting a CBD extract. The researchers hope to see if the CBD extract helps with lower back pain. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

US government grants $3 million for CBD pain relief research

US government grants $3 million for CBD pain relief research....

Global climate strike draws millions demanding action on climate change. On Friday, millions of people all over the globe took part in the international climate strike to call on leaders to take urgent action against climate change. 

The demonstrations were inspired by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and took place in an estimated 185 countries and included over 4 million people, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/21/across-the-globe-millions-join-biggest-climate-protest-ever">The Guardian</a>.  

Anti-fossil fuel group <a href="https://350.org/">350.org</a> reported that over 300,000 turned out in New York City alone, although precise figures have not yet been released.

Thunberg spoke to tens of thousands of people at the New York demonstrations, where the crowd could be heard chanting “Save our planet!”

“Right now we are the ones who are making a difference. If no one else will take action, then we will,” Thunberg said. 

“If you belong to that small group of people who feel threatened by us, then we have some very bad news for you," she concluded. "Because this is only the beginning. Change is coming whether they like it or not.” 

Meanwhile, across the globe, protesters took to the streets in the Pacific islands, which are under extreme threat from rising sea levels. Demonstrations were also held across Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

The protests come just before the UN’s climate crisis summit scheduled for Monday, which will include the UK’s prime minister Boris Johnson, India’s prime minister Narendra Modi, and France’s president Emmanuel Macron. 

US President Donald Trump is set to snub the climate talks for a meeting on religious freedom. Trump has long denied the existence of climate change, even though <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/americans-agree-climate-change/">recent polls</a> have shown that most Americans would like to see immediate action taken.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Editor

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Noah Labinaz

Global climate strike draws millions demanding action on climate change

Global climate strike draws millions demanding action on climate change....

On Thursday, Amazon announced plans to be carbon neutral by 2040, ten years ahead of the goals set in place by the Paris Climate Accord. 

Jeff Bezos, the company’s chief executive, said the promise was part of the Climate Pledge, a larger effort to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amazon-single-use-plastic-waste/">combat climate change</a>. Amazon is the first to sign the pledge.

According to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-amazon-climate-change-pledge-2019-9#10000-electric-delivery-vehicles-on-the-road-as-early-as-2022-and-100000-operating-by-2030-3">Business Insider,</a> the Climate Pledge was created by Amazon in collaboration with <a href="http://globaloptimism.com/">Global Optimism,</a> a company founded by the former executive secretary of the <a href="https://unfccc.int/">United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change</a>.

Amazon will monitor and report its greenhouse gas emissions and implement strategies to become carbon neutral by investing in renewables. 

The company has vowed to use 80 percent renewable energy for its operations by 2024 and be dependent on 100 percent renewable energy by 2030.  

“We’re done being in the middle of the herd on this issue—we’ve decided to use our size and scale to make a difference,” Bezos said in a <a href="https://press.aboutamazon.com/news-releases/news-release-details/amazon-co-founds-climate-pledge-setting-goal-meet-paris?tag=bisafetynet2-20">statement</a>. “If a company with as much physical infrastructure as Amazon—which delivers more than 10 billion items a year—can meet the Paris Agreement 10 years early, then any company can.” 

Climate change is accelerating faster than past predictions, and it will take a concentrated global effort to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. 

Amazon has ordered 100,000 electric delivery trucks from the company <a href="https://rivian.com/">Rivian</a> to help meet its lofty carbon-neutral goals. 

The full fleet of 100,000 vehicles won’t be out making deliveries until 2030, but 10,000 of the electric vans are expected to be in operation by 2022 according to Amazon’s pledge. 

Amazon has also committed $100 million to help restore forests and wetlands in partnership with the <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/">Nature Conservancy</a>. 

Bezos made the announcement one day before the <a href="https://globalclimatestrike.net/">global climate strike.</a> 

More than 1,500 Amazon employees said they would walk out as part of a worldwide day of planned strikes demanding that more be done to reduce fossil fuel consumption and mitigate climate change.  

--

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/Sundry Photography

Amazon announces plans to be carbon neutral by 2040

On Thursday, Amazon announced plans to be carbon neutral by...

Study finds that overweight people may be more likely to have overweight dogs. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english">University of Copenhagen</a> have identified a correlation between unhealthy weight in dogs and their owners. Compared to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pet-owners-medical-marijuana/">pet owners</a> who maintain a healthy weight, overweight or obese individuals are more than twice as likely to have a heavy or obese dog.

This can be partly explained by how people are managing their dog's treats, according to the study. Overweight dog owners were found to have a tendency to give their dogs treats as a comfort food.

"Whereas normal weight owners tend to use treats for training purposes, overweight owners prefer to provide treats for the sake of hygge," said study lead author Charlotte R. Bjørnvad. "For example, when a person is relaxing on the couch and shares the last bites of a sandwich or a cookie with their dog."

For the investigation, the team recruited 268 adult dogs from animal clinics. Overall, 20 percent of the dogs were either heavy or obese.Study finds that overweight people may be more likely to have overweight dogs

"Oftentimes, people don't consider their dog's weight status to be a problem. And this might contribute to a dog's being overweight. But being heavy or obese does have a great impact on dog health - which on average results in a shortened lifespan," explained study co-author Peter Sandøe.

Previous studies have shown that heavy dogs live an average of 1.3 years less than dogs on restrictive diets, which may be driven by an earlier development of osteoarthritis.

The researchers also investigated how castration and sterilization may affect a dog's weight. The study revealed that castrated male dogs are three times more likely to have weight problems, while sterilization seemed to have no impact on the weight of female dogs. 

"When males are castrated, they face just as high of a risk of becoming overweight as females. Castration seems to decrease the ability to regulate the appetite in male dogs and at the same time, it might also decrease the incentive to exercise which results in an increased risk of becoming overweight. Therefore, an owner should be careful about how they feed their dog after it has been castrated," said Bjørnvad.

"They might even want to consider not neutering. As long as there are no runaway females in the area, there are in most cases no reason to neuter," noted Sandøe.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/preventive-veterinary-medicine">Preventive Veterinary Medicine</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/MarinaP

Study finds that overweight people may be more likely to have overweight dogs

Study finds that overweight people may be more likely to...

Thousands of hospitalizations or deaths attributed to climate events in 2012. A new study from experts at <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a>, the <a href="http://www.ucla.edu/">University of California, Los Angeles,</a> and the <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/">Natural Resources Defense Council</a> (NRDC) has found that climate change caused about 900 deaths, 21,000 hospitalizations, and $10 billion in additional health care costs in 2012 alone. 

According to those experts, these findings show that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-investment/">climate change</a> “represents a major public health emergency” in the United States.

To come to their conclusion, experts analyzed the effects of 10 climate-sensitive events that took place in the U.S. within the year 2012: wildfires in Colorado and Washington, ozone air pollution in Nevada, extreme heat in Wisconsin, the Lyme disease outbreak in Michigan, the West Nile virus outbreak in Texas, extreme weather in Ohio, the impact of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey and New York, allergenic oak pollen in North Carolina, and algal blooms off the Florida coastline. Thousands of hospitalizations or deaths attributed to climate events in 2012

“Applying a consistent economic valuation approach to published studies and state estimates, we estimate total health-related costs from 917 deaths, 20,568 hospitalizations, and 17,857 emergency department visits of $10.0 billion in 2018 dollars, with a sensitivity range of $2.7-24.6 billion,” the experts report in their study, published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019GH000202">GeoHealth</a>. 

The research shows that Hurricane Sandy had the most devastating impact, having resulted in 300 deaths and $3.1 billion in extra medical care bills. 

And the wildfires in Colorado caused 32,000 residents of Colorado Springs to evacuate. Over 4,100 wildland fires were reported in Colorado during the 2012 wildfire season, which lead to the destruction of 648 structures, 384,803 acres of land, and to the deaths of six people.

“Climate change represents a major public health emergency. But its destructive and expensive toll on Americans' health has largely been absent from the climate policy debate,” said lead author Dr. Vijay Limaye, a scientist in NRDC's Science Center. “Our research shows that health-related costs added at least another 26 percent to the national price tag for 2012 severe weather-related damages.”

“This continuing untold human suffering and staggering cost is another reason we must take assertive action to curb climate change now,” he continued. “Cutting greenhouse gas pollution and expanding clean energy, while also investing in preparedness and climate adaptation, is the prescription for a safer, healthier future.”

In the seven years following 2012, annual temperatures have continued to rise. The five hottest years on record have all been in the last five years, and these extreme temperatures have caused weather disasters resulting in damages that have exceeded the $11 billion spent in 2012, according to the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA).

And NOAA’s extreme weather cost estimates do not include additional health care costs.

“Our research signals that all told, there could be tens to hundreds of billions of dollars in health costs already from recent climate-related exposures nationwide,” added coauthor Dr. Kim Knowlton, senior scientist at NRDC. “It's clear that failing to address climate change, and soon, will cost us a fortune, including irreversible damage to our health.”

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Leonard Zhukovsky/Shutterstock

Thousands of hospitalizations or deaths attributed to climate events in 2012

Thousands of hospitalizations or deaths attributed to climate events in...

In a new study from the Centre for Environmental Sciences at <a href="https://www.uhasselt.be/en">Hasselt University</a>, scientists have found evidence of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-early-death/">air pollution</a> in the placentas of 28 pregnant women. The research suggests that traffic and industrial fumes can move through the mother's body toward the fetus, which may cause birth complications or defects.

The experts based their work on the “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” (DOHaD) concept that the early-life environment is critical for fetal programming. 

"Life in utero is considered a particularly sensitive period during which maternal exposure to unfavorable conditions may not only influence fetal development and induce adverse pregnancy outcomes but also have long-term effects influencing offspring susceptibility to diseases later in adulthood, as postulated by the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis," wrote the researchers.

The study was focused on the potential for pollution-induced molecular alterations in the placenta, which is the source of oxygen and nutrients for an unborn baby.

Tissue samples collected from the pregnant women all contained traces of black carbon, a component of fine particulate matter that is associated with burning fossil fuels such as exhaust fumes from diesel engines. According to the experts, the black carbon was found in the fetal portion of the placenta, the villous chorion.

Among the women, the ten who lived in the most polluted areas were found to have the most black carbon in their placentas, with an average of 2.42 micrograms per cubic meter. By contrast, the women who lived in the least polluted areas had an average of 0.63 micrograms per cubic meter.

"Substantial evidence associates exposure to air pollution during pregnancy with a range of adverse health outcomes at birth, including increased risk of low birth weight and prematurity, and also in adult life, such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, and neurodevelopmental alterations, and even cancers," wrote the study authors. 

"However, the biological chain of events through which exposure to air pollution in utero influences an individual’s later-life health is still poorly known. As the placenta is a crucial organ for fetal development, alterations in the placenta on the molecular level, induced by air pollution, may be important as to the early origins of health and disease."

While the research does not prove that pollution can make it all the way into the body of a fetus, the study is the first to demonstrate that black carbon can cross into the placenta. 

"Investigating the placenta is an opportunity for future research as it may help to understand the fundamental biology underpinning the DOHaD concept through the interactions between the underlying modes of action, prenatal environment, and disease risk in later life," wrote the study authors.  

"To prevent lasting consequences from early-life exposures of air pollution, policy makers should get a basic understanding of biomolecular consequences and transgenerational risks."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://clinicalepigeneticsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13148-019-0688-z">Nature Communications</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/Nicole Rerk

Black carbon can cross into a pregnant woman’s placenta, scientists find

In a new study from the Centre for Environmental Sciences...

According to new research from the <a href="http://www.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> (MIT) and the <a href="https://www.mpg.de/6971390/empirische_aesthetik">Max Planck Institute of Empirical Aesthetics</a>, one’s interpretation of musical pitch is dependent on their culture and on what kinds of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/music-flows-brain/">music</a> they’ve listened to throughout their life.

Those of us who listen to Western music, which is based on the octave notes system, can usually perceive the similarity between notes that are the same but played in different registers — high C and middle C, for example. Knowing this, scientists have often wondered if this recognition of same note, different pitch is universal or if its a phenomenon only present because of musical exposure.

To investigate, researchers located a group of people, belonging to the Tsimane’ tribe, living in a remote area in the Bolivian rainforest, who had not been exposed to Western music. The team played them a very simple tune, of only two or three notes, in a varying number of octaves. They then asked the listener to sing the tune back. Despite the varying octaves, the listener sang back the tune within their vocal range, which was usually restricted to a single octave. 

The researchers noted that the Tsimane’ do not perceive the similarities between the same notes played in different registers. This finding suggests that the brain only recognizes the same note played at different pitches after hearing music based on the octave system.

[caption id="attachment_1878085" align="aligncenter" width="640"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Eduardo-run-figure1-2-1.jpeg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1878085" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Eduardo-run-figure1-2-1.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="351" /></a> Image Credit: MIT[/caption]

"The relative pitch was preserved (between notes in the series), but the absolute pitch produced by the Tsimane' didn't have any relationship to the absolute pitch of the stimulus," said lead author Nori Jacoby, a former MIT postdoc who is now a group leader at the Max Planck Institute. "That's consistent with the idea that perceptual similarity is something that we acquire from exposure to Western music, where the octave is structurally very important."

"It may well be that there is a biological predisposition to favor octave relationships, but it doesn't seem to be realized unless you are exposed to music in an octave-based system," said Josh McDermott, an associate professor in the MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

As Jacoby noted, the ability to reproduce the same note in different octaves may be learned by singing along with a person whose natural register is different, or with an instrument played in a different pitch range.

Despite their inability to register octaves, when it comes to registering the upper limits of pitch, like Westerners, the Tsimane’ could recognize pitch up to 4,000 hertz, despite their instruments having much lower upper limits.

"It looks almost exactly the same across groups, so we have some evidence for biological constraints on the limits of pitch," Jacoby said.

The team also saw that Westerners and Tsimane' are both drawn to musical rhythms composed of simple integer ratios. However, the ratios they favor are different, based on which rhythms are more common in the music they listen to.

This cross-cultural music perception study, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>, could help researchers better understand biological constraints and cultural influences that shape human perception.

"We're finding that there are some cross-cultural similarities, but there also seems to be really striking variation in things that a lot of people would have presumed would be common across cultures and listeners," McDermott said. "These differences in experience can lead to dissociations of different aspects of perception, giving you clues to what the parts of the perceptual system are."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Farknot Architect

Interpretation of musical pitch depends on one’s culture

According to new research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology...

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/modern-humans-immunity-denisovans/">Denisovans</a> were an ancient group of humans that may be less familiar to you than the more commonly referenced Neanderthals. But part of that unfamiliarity may be due to the fact that the entire collection of Denisovan remains includes a pinky bone, three teeth, and a lower jaw. Exactly what our Denisovan relatives looked like has remained a mystery. 

But now, a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</a> shows reconstructions of our ancient relatives based on patterns of methylation in their DNA.

“We provide the first reconstruction of the skeletal anatomy of Denisovans,” says author Liran Carmel of the <a href="https://new.huji.ac.il/en">Hebrew University of Jerusalem</a>. “In many ways, Denisovans resembled Neanderthals, but in some traits, they resembled us, and in others they were unique.”

To get these results, the researchers extracted anatomical information from gene activity patterns that they inferred based on genome-wide DNA methylation or epigenetic patterns. These patterns are chemical modifications that influence gene activity, but don’t change the underlying structural sequence of base pairs (the As, Gs, Ts, and Cs that make up a DNA strand).

[caption id="attachment_1877986" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/denisovans.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1877986" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/denisovans.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="692" /></a> Image Credit: Maayan Harel[/caption]

The researchers searched for differences in methylation patterns between Neanderthals, Denisovans, and humans. They then analyzed what these differences may affect for anatomical features based on known human disorders where these same genes lose their function. 

“By doing so, we can get a prediction as to what skeletal parts are affected by differential regulation of each gene and in what direction that skeletal part would change – for example, a longer or shorter femur,” explains David Gokhman, the study’s first author.

Ultimately, they were able to identify 56 anatomical features in which Denisovans differed from Neanderthals and/or modern humans. Of these 54 differences, 34 were in the skull. According to the results, it’s like the Denisovan’s skull was wider than the other two hominid groups, and they probably also had a longer dental arch. However, it’s likely the Denisovan’s shared Neanderthals traits such as an elongated face and wide pelvis.

Carmel notes that while their paper was being reviewed, another study was published that describes the first confirmed Denisovan mandible. In a stroke of unbiased support, it turns out that this jaw bones matches their predictions.

This approach to anatomical reconstruction through DNA methylation could have a wide range of applications in science. “Studying Denisovan anatomy can teach us about human adaptation, evolutionary constraints, development, gene-environment interactions, and disease dynamics,” says Carmel. “At a more general level, this work is a step towards being able to infer an individual’s anatomy based on their DNA.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Maayan Harel

DNA data reveals what Denisovans may have looked like

The Denisovans were an ancient group of humans that may...

Selling Amazon destruction: Companies and politicians profit as forest burns. On a day to day basis, most of us are probably more familiar with Amazon.com than the Amazon rainforest. Any sort of jungle may seem exotic and far removed from the US. Yet all of us are very much connected to the world’s rainforests. 

We drink water and breathe air daily that might’ve cycled through the rainforest at some point. When we eat bananas, chocolate or vanilla, we are eating products that are often grown near rainforests. Coffee is sometimes grown in the shade of what remains of a rainforest canopy. Cattle are raised for beef where once there was tropical forest, and more trees are cleared to grow soy to feed even more livestock. 

Hardwoods that you can buy in a store in the US sometimes come from trees cut in the jungle. We watch documentaries and visit zoos to catch a glimpse of what life in the tropical forests must be like. In all these ways and more, we are connected to tropical rainforests throughout the world, including the world’s largest: the Amazon. 

There’s a distinctly dark side to some of the dealings America has involving rainforests. Since the source of many products are not clearly visible, consumers often contribute to destruction and exploitation without being aware. Large parts of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/satellites-monitor-amazon-fires/">Amazon</a> have been burning this year and it’s common knowledge that people and profit are largely to blame. What’s less widely accepted is the role Americans play in the destruction of the Amazon.

The fires in Brazil have mainly been started to clear land for cattle, for crops, for exports and profit. Brazil is the world’s <a href="https://beef2live.com/story-world-beef-exports-ranking-countries-0-106903">top beef exporter</a>, supplying almost 20% of the global supply. Brazil is also a <a href="https://farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2019/06/ers-report-interdependence-of-china-united-states-and-brazil-in-soybean-trade/">major global supplier</a> of soybeans, and the US-China trade war is only encouraging the country to grow more soy. The United States has close ties to soy and beef in Brazil, the United States government is also becoming increasingly friendly with that of Brazil.

Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil, has sometimes been nicknamed ‘tropical Trump’ due to the similarity between the two leaders. Bolsonaro certainly shares Trump’s tendency to see environmental regulation as merely an obstacle to maximizing profits. Since the rise of Bolsonaro, the government of Brazil has reached out to Washington DC.

<a href="https://theintercept.com/2019/08/23/gop-lobbyists-help-brazil-recruit-u-s-companies-to-exploit-the-amazon/">The Intercept</a> reports that in June, the governor of the state of Amazonas, Wilson Lima, began working with Interamerica Group, a DC based lobbying firm founded by New Jersey native and Brazilian national <a href="https://www.theinteramericagroup.com/jerry-pierce">Jerry Pierce Jr</a>. Lima is part of a Conservative party associated with the <a href="https://rlp.hds.harvard.edu/faq/assembly-god">Assembly of God</a>, a conservative Pentecostal church. Wilson Lima, whose state contains roughly a third of the Amazon rainforest, made Jerry Pierce her government’s representative in meetings with US federal officials. Jerry Pierce has previously worked for George H. W. Bush and has been an <a href="https://www.theinteramericagroup.com/single-post/2016/12/29/the-trump-effect-how-the-new-administration-impacts-brazil">open supporter</a> of both Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro.  

Interamerica Group has already created an <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6319701-6687-Informational-Materials-20190605-1.html">information packet</a> promoting US businesses in Amazonas. The packet promotes Amazonas as a great place for agribusinesses, mining, and chemical companies. Several other US companies are already heavily invested in the region and profiting as the forest burns. Amazon Watch, a non-profit that works with indigenous communities to protect the Amazon, published <a href="https://amazonwatch.org/assets/files/2019-complicity-in-destruction-2.pdf">a report</a> on those who profit from the destruction of the Amazon. 

In their report, Amazon Watch analyzed 56 Brazilian companies charged with environmental crimes and their connections to US companies. In 2018, Brazil’s five main agricultural trade companies: ABC Indústria e Comércio SA, JJ Samar Agronegócios Eireli, Uniggel Proteção de Plantas Ltda, Cargill and Bunge Ltda, were caught purchasing 3,000 tons of soy and grains from farms embargoed by IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources). The culpable companies were fined more than US$27 million by IBAMA. 

Among these, Bunge and Cargill were fined most heavily by IBAMA. Bunge and Cargill are part of the “ABCD group” consisting of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Bunge, Cargill, and Louis Dreyfus, which dominate Brazil’s global grain trade. The ABCD group is heavily financed by US and EU companies. 

The Amazon Watch report listed 13 US and EU financial institutions in particular that provide over US $1 Billion in credit to ABCD commodity traders. The companies include well known banks such as JP Morgan Chase, Barclays BLC, Bank of America, Citi Group, Deutsche Bank, HSBC and Wells Fargo.

 Other US companies directly invested into the ABCD group with Vanguard, State Farm, BlackRock, State Street and T. Rowe Price being top US and EU investors. These are all companies financing the destruction of the Amazon and Bolsonaro’s policies through funding soy agribusiness in Brazil. 

Beef is another leading cause of Amazon destruction. The EU imported 41% of it’s beef from Brazil in 2018 and is the second largest trade partner after China with Brazil accounting for 18.3% of its trade. US and EU businesses heavily finance the cattle industry in Brazil and have the power to influence it as well. Some of the same financial institutions that finance soy in Brazil also finance the beef industry. HSBC, JP Morgan, Chase, and Bank of America all supply credit to major Brazilian beef exporters. Capital Group, BlackRock, Fidelity, Vanguard and Dimensional Fund Advisors are the top five US and EU shareholders in Brazilian beef exporters. 

Brazil is dependent on international trade as is any major world economy, especially dependent on China, the EU and the US. Brazil is also dependent on consumers of beef and soy products. Together, beef and soy agriculture in Brazil accounts for 80% of Amazon deforestation. These industries also prop up Bolsonaro who has called himself ‘Captain Chainsaw’ in his lust for the destruction of the Amazon Rainforest. 

As the rainforest burns, it is time for all of us to reflect on the interconnected nature of the world, how each of us is connected ecologically to the Amazon. It’s also time to remember that each of us is probably also connected economically to the Amazon and with that connection comes a certain power.     

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Pedarilhosbr

Selling Amazon destruction: Companies and politicians profit as forest burns

Selling Amazon destruction: Companies and politicians profit as forest burns....

When we <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-babble-child-literacy/">learn to read</a>, a region of the brain known as the “visual word form area” (VFWA) becomes sensitive to the letters and characters we see on the page. 

There is no brain center devoted to reading. Written language is too recent an invention in human history for specific neural networks responsible for processing reading to have evolved. 

Instead, as we learn to read, the brain makes sense of the scribbles and shapes by recycling the same networks responsible for processing visual information like faces and homes. 

It has been wondered if learning to read takes up valuable space in the visual regions of the brain. 

In a new study, researchers from <a href="https://www.ru.nl/english/">Radboud University Nijmegen</a> and the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich </a>examined the impact of reading on the visual system of the brain to investigate whether or not reading competes with other processes. 

“When we learn to read, we exploit the brain’s capacity to form category-selective patches in visual brain areas,” said Alexis Hervais-Adelman, a leader of the research. “These arise in the same cortical territory as specialisations for other categories that are important to people, such as faces and houses. A long-standing question has been whether learning to read is detrimental to those other categories, given that there is limited space in the brain.” 

Over ninety adults living in a remote area of Northern India participated in the study and literacy among the participants was varied with some unable to read at all and others skilled in the task.

The researchers used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to scan the brains of the participants while they were shown different visual images, words, letters, and sentences. 

By using brain scans, the researchers hoped to show that reading enhances the visual regions of the brain and increases the brain’s responses to visual stimuli. 

If learning to read takes up space and competes with other visual processes, the scans would show different patterns of brain activity between reading and non-reading individuals. 

Recycling visual processes in the brain for reading did not detract from the brain’s ability to recognize faces or houses the researchers found. 

“Far from cannibalising the territory of its neighbours, the visual word form area (VWFA) is rather overlaid upon these, remaining responsive to other visual categories,” said Falk Huettig, a leader of the study and author of the study. “Thus learning to read is good for you. It sharpens visual brain responses beyond reading and has a general positive impact on your visual system.”

The study was published in the journal Science Advances. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Tatiana Bobkova

Learning to read enhances visual regions of the brain

When we learn to read, a region of the brain...

Modern humans inherited an immunity-boosting gene variant from Denisovans. Experts at the <a href="https://www.garvan.org.au/">Garvan Institute of Medical Research</a> have discovered that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/denisovans-drawing-symbolic-imagery/">Denisovans</a> passed along a gene variant to modern humans that heightened immune reactions, which was likely driven by the adaptation of the immune system to a changing environment.

Modern humans interbred with Denisovans around 50,000 years ago during migrations from Africa to what is now Papua New Guinea and Australia. Among indigenous people in Papua New Guinea today, up to five percent of the genome is derived from Denisovans.

The gene variant that modern humans inherited from Denisovans increases a range of immune reactions and inflammatory responses, including those that protect humans from disease-causing microbes.

Professor Shane Grey heads the Transplantation Immunology Laboratory at Garvan and is the study's co-senior author. 

"Our study indicates that the Denisovan gene variant heightens the inflammatory response in humans," said Professor Grey. "Previous research has found collections of gene variants from extinct human species that appear to have provided an advantage to humans living at high altitudes or to resist viruses, but have been unable to pinpoint which if any were actually functional."

"This study is the first to identify a single, functional variant, and suggests that it also had an evolutionary benefit on the human immune system."

There are harmful variations of a gene called TNFAIP3 that cause the overactive immunity that is associated with autoimmune conditions, including inflammatory bowel diseases, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus. The TNFAIP3 gene codes for a protein called A20 that helps reduce immune reactions to foreign microbes.

The Garvan researchers analyzed the genomes of families in which one child had a severe and unusual autoimmune or inflammatory condition.

"Four separate families had the same DNA variant in the TNFAIP3 gene, changing one amino acid in the A20 protein from an isoleucine to a leucine (I207L)," explained co-senior author Professor Chris Goodnow. "However, the presence of this variant in healthy family members indicated it was not sufficient to cause inflammatory disease on its own."

Immune cells extracted from the blood samples were found to produce a stronger inflammatory response than the immune cells of other individuals.

Using genome data on hundreds of diverse human populations, study co-first author Dr. Owen Siggs analyzed the distribution of the TNFAIP3 variant worldwide. The analysis revealed that the gene variant carried by the Sydney families was absent from most populations, yet was common in some people with Indigenous Australian, Melanesian, Maori, and Polynesian ancestry.

"The fact that this rare version of the gene was enriched in these populations, and displayed genetic signatures of positive selection, means it was almost certainly beneficial for human health," said Professor Grey.

The team also found the I207L variant in genome data extracted from the 50,000-year-old bone of a Denisovan girl that had been recovered from a cave in Siberia. "Making that connection was extremely exciting," said Dr. Siggs.

The I207L variant was notably absent from Neanderthal remains that were recovered from the same cave, which is evidence that the gene variant emerged after the Denisovan and Neanderthal lineages split around 400,000 years ago.

Using a mouse model, co-first author Dr. Nathan Zammit replicated the I207L variant to investigate its effects on the immune system. Modern humans inherited an immunity-boosting gene variant from Denisovans

"When exposed to a pathogenic Coxsackie virus strain - a virus which was originally isolated from a fatal case of human infant infection - mice with the Denisovan variant had stronger immune reactions and resisted the infection better than mice without the Denisovan gene," said Dr. Zammit.

"It was previously thought that A20, a gene that's central to the immune system, is binary - either it's switched on or off," said Professor Grey. "We've found it in fact tunes us as individuals to optimal 'Goldilocks points' in between - where immune reactions are neither too hot nor too cold - and that blows the field wide open."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ni/">Nature Immunology</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/ESB Professional

Modern humans inherited an immunity-boosting gene variant from Denisovans

Modern humans inherited an immunity-boosting gene variant from Denisovans. Experts...

California’s right to set its own vehicle standard emissions could soon be revoked by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA). 

The move is the latest in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-emissions-epa/">long line of rollbacks</a> by the Trump administration to undo Obama-era regulations put in place to combat emissions and climate change. 

The EPA was expected to make an official announcement Wednesday, but the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/trump-administration-to-revoke-californias-power-to-set-stricter-auto-emissions-standards/2019/09/17/79af2ee0-d97b-11e9-a688-303693fb4b0b_story.html">Washington Post </a>reports that that change could be delayed by a day. 

At the heart of the matter is a waiver issued in 2013 to the <a href="http://ww2.arb.ca.gov/homepage">California Air Resources Board</a> by the EPA which gave the state the authority to set stricter vehicle emission standards given the high rates of pollution in California. 

Earlier this summer, Ford, Volkswagen, Honda, and BMW, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/25/business/ford-honda-volkswagen-bmw-emissions-deal-california/index.html">struck a deal with California air quality regulators</a> promising to offer cars with 50 miles per gallon by the year 2026 and make these cars available in all 50 states. 

But the Trump Administration has other plans and wants to freeze federal mileage standards, ensuring that cars average 37 miles per gallon from 2020 to 2026. 

There are concerns that having two emissions standards, one set by the Administration and one set by the state of California, could lead to competing auto markets.

Revoking California’s waiver to set emissions standards could jumpstart a lengthy legal battle between the Trump Administration and California over the state’s rights. 

“We embrace federalism and the role of the states, but federalism does not mean that one state can dictate standards for the nation,” EPA head Andrew Wheeler said in a speech on Tuesday addressing the National Automobile Dealers Association. 

For California, though, the move could put residents at risk of breathing in highly polluted air. 

“While the White House has abdicated its responsibility to the rest of the world on cutting emissions and fighting global warming, California has stepped up,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement. “It’s a move that could have devastating consequences for our kids’ health and the air we breathe, if California were to roll over. But we will not.”

--

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/TierneyMJ

Trump admin to eliminate California’s power on car emissions standards

California’s right to set its own vehicle standard emissions could...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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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

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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