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...

With all the advancements made in disease prevention and medicine, it’s hard to believe that science has yet to find a cure for the common cold. 

There are vaccines for viruses like smallpox and polio. Every year during flu season you probably see plenty of reminders to get a flu shot at your local clinic or pharmacy, but no such shot exists for a cold.

Researchers from <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University </a>and the <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">University of California-San Francisco</a> have identified a single protein in our cells that could be the key to stopping a cold virus dead in its tracks. 

“Our grandmas have always been asking us, ‘If you’re so smart, why haven’t you come up with a cure for the common cold?’” said Jan Carette, Ph.D., a senior author of the study. “Now we have a new way to do that.”

Colds are viral infections that affect the upper respiratory systems. In the United States, the common cold costs the economy around $40 billion a year. 

Trying to find a cure for a cold is like looking for a needle in the haystack as nearly half of all colds are caused by mutation-prone rhinoviruses, and there are around 160 known types of rhinovirus. This is why you might find yourself catching <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-immunity-common-cold/">multiple colds throughout the year.</a> 

For this study, the researchers discovered that disabling a protein in human and mice cells stops rhinoviruses from replicating. Enteroviruses like rhinovirus depend on this protein. Other diseases associated with enteroviruses include asthma and encephalitis. 

The researchers had a cultured set of human cells that enteroviruses could infect, and gene editing was used to randomly disable a gene in the cultures.

The cells were then infected with RV-C15 cells, which aggravates asthma in children and EV-C68 virus cells. 

Some of the cells survived, and the researchers identified one gene that when disabled, stopped the viruses from replicating. The gene encodes an enzyme called SETD3. 

The researchers tested SETD3 by infecting a culture of human cells lacking the enzyme with poliovirus, three types of rhinovirus, and several other enteroviruses. None of the viruses were able to replicate without the enzyme. 

Bioengineered mice that were SETD3 deficient also grew up healthy and fertile but were immune to viral infections. 

“This gives us hope that we can develop a drug with broad antiviral activity against not only the common cold but maybe all enteroviruses, without even disturbing SETD3’s regular function in our cells,” said Carette. 

The study was published in the journal Nature Microbiology. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Dragana Gordic

Finding a cure for the common cold

With all the advancements made in disease prevention and medicine,...

Sustainable agriculture will be critical to preventing global food shortages. The world has a unique opportunity to stem the tides of climate change, ensure future food security, protect biodiversity, and make healthier diets widely accessible, according to a new global report. 

With the global population expected to increase by two billion in the next 26 years, food insecurity is a growing threat. Rising temperatures, droughts, severe floods, and wildfires linked to climate change pose a major risk to crop yields and agriculture land. 

A new report conducted by the <a href="https://www.foodandlandusecoalition.org/">Food and Land Use Coalition</a> calls for the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unsustainable-land-use-food-supply/">transformation</a> of food and land-use systems over the next ten years to help buffer against climate change and protect food security for the world’s population. 

According to the report, the economic, environmental, and health gains would far outweigh the heavy costs associated with changing policies and making food production sustainable. 

Transforming food and land use systems could generate new business opportunities worth $4.5 trillion a year by 2030 and a return worth 15 times more than the cost of the initial investment. 

Diversifying food production, making healthy diets more accessible, eliminating deforestation and making agriculture more sustainable would go a long way in protecting the world’s vulnerable food supply. 

“A small disruption in supply really can do a lot of damage and leads to huge price increases,” Per Pharo of the Food and Land Use Coalition told <a href="https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5N2633EX">Reuters</a>. “That creates suffering and social unrest. And it will highly likely also lead to hunger and instability.” 

The report is the first of its kind to examine how transforming food and land use systems would benefit food security and the environment. 

<a href="https://www.foodandlandusecoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/FOLU-GrowingBetter-GlobalReport.pdf">Growing Better: Ten Critical Transitions to Transform Food and Land Use</a> proposes a new agenda with ten transitions to ensure food security by 2050. 

“What we’re saying is realistic if the reform agenda is implemented,” Pharo told Reuters. “The excuse that we cannot prioritize environment at the same time because we’ve got to focus on development, on human welfare, is simply false. We can deliver both.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Creative Freeke

Sustainable agriculture will be critical to preventing global food shortages

Sustainable agriculture will be critical to preventing global food shortages....

Cooperation and social play can greatly improve kindergarten classrooms. New research from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> has found that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/social-problems-kindergarten-lower-incomes/">kindergarten</a> curriculums which involve more play, hands-on learning, and student cooperation are the most beneficial. This approach was found to boost self-control, attention regulation, and academic performance. 

Incorporating this style of learning into the kindergarten classroom also reduced bullying and teacher burnout. Children gained more enjoyment from their learning experiences, while teachers took more pleasure in their roles as instructors. 

"Before children have the ability to sit for long periods absorbing information the way it is traditionally presented in school through lectures, they need to be allowed to be active and encouraged to learn by doing," said study lead author Dr. Adele Diamond. "Indeed, people of all ages learn better by doing than by being told."

Dr. Diamond and her team used a randomized controlled trial to analyze the effectiveness of a curriculum called Tools of the Mind (Tools). The project involved 351 children and their teachers in 18 public schools located in Vancouver and Surrey.

The Tools curriculum was developed in 1993 based on the idea that social-emotional development and improving self-control should be prioritized as much as academic performance. The program emphasizes the role of social dramatic play in building executive functioning skills, such as selective attention, working memory, reasoning, and planning.

"Executive functioning skills are necessary for learning, and are often more strongly associated with school readiness than intelligence quotient (IQ)," said Dr. Diamond. "This trial is the first to show benefits of a curriculum emphasizing social play to executive functioning in a real-world setting."

While previous studies have shown that Tools greatly improves reading and math skills, the current study has revealed that the program dramatically improves writing and executive functions and provides a variety of social and emotional benefits.

In classrooms where Tools was applied, teachers reported more cooperation and a greater sense of community. Kids did not form cliques in Tools classes as they did in most control classes, and Tools teachers were still energized and excited about teaching at the end of the school year.

"I have enjoyed seeing the enormous progress my students have made in writing and reading. I have never had so many students writing two or three sentences by the end of kindergarten," said Susan Kochan, a Tools teacher in Vancouver. "I have also enjoyed seeing the students get so excited about coming to school and learning. They loved all the activities we did so much that many students didn't want to miss school, even if they were sick."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</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/Rawpixel.com

Cooperation and social play can greatly improve kindergarten classrooms

Cooperation and social play can greatly improve kindergarten classrooms. New...

Teens who experience ‘social jet lag’ are more likely to be overweight. According to a new study from <a href="https://www.massgeneral.org/children/">Massachusetts General Hospital for Children</a> and <a href="https://hms.harvard.edu/">Harvard Medical School</a>, teens who stay up late are more likely to be overweight, especially if they suffer from “social jet lag,” a measure of how waking up for school changed their natural sleeping pattern.

The study, published in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics">JAMA Pediatrics</a>, looked at 804 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17. Researchers assessed whether the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/teens-distracted-driver/">teens</a> preferred waking up early or staying up late, differences between their weekdays and weekends, and then measured each teen’s waistline.

They found that teens of both sexes may experience weight gain if their sleep cycle is interrupted. Disrupted sleep often led to unhealthier diets, less exercise, and more time spent on their phones or watching television.

However, teen girls were also more likely to experience emotional eating and were prone to being more affected by social jet lag when forced to disrupt their sleep cycles to wake up for school. 

The measure of social jet lag was found by comparing the mid-point of someone’s sleep during the weekend to that on a weeknight. So, if someone naturally woke up late during the weekend, but must get up early during the week, they were deemed to have greater social jet lag.

“Large variability in sleep patterns across the week can disrupt normal physiology, resulting in obesity and [heart] risk,” said lead researcher <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7460657/Social-jet-lag-make-fat-disturbing-sleep-week.html">Dr. Elizabeth Feliciano</a>. “Our study supports the importance of biological clocks in influencing obesity risk.”

Dr. Feliciano and colleagues calculated that each hour earlier a teen had to get up during the week led to a 62% higher risk of them becoming obese.Teens who experience ‘social jet lag’ are more likely to be overweight

“Adults and adolescents with evening vs morning preferences tend to have shorter sleep duration, disturbed and irregular sleep, and less healthy lifestyles, including less physical activity, poor dietary habits, and greater electronic media use,” Dr. Feliciano and colleagues wrote. “Adolescent girls with short sleep duration were reported to be more likely to eat high-fat diets compared with their male peers, which was postulated to reflect greater emotional eating.”

Because obese children are more likely to remain overweight throughout their adult lives, and are therefore at a higher risk of developing cancer, heart disease, or experiencing stroke, the researchers offer suggestions on how to improve teens’ sleep and, therefore, their overall health.

“Families should encourage consistency in their children's sleep schedules and their bed and wake times as well as improvements in their sleep hygiene by limiting electronic media and caffeine use in the evening,” Dr. Feliciano said.

The researchers even suggest that school start times be delayed so teenagers’ sleep can become more consistent throughout the week.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/finwal89

Teens who experience ‘social jet lag’ are more likely to be overweight

Teens who experience ‘social jet lag’ are more likely to...

Humans may share an ancient form of communication with great apes. A team of scientists at the <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/">University of St. Andrews</a> has been investigating the various gestures used for communication among <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-hunting-eating-crabs/">chimpanzees</a> and bonobos, which are two of the closest related species to humans. After discovering that chimps and bonobos share many of the same gestures, the researchers theorize that this language may have been inherited from our last common ancestor.

Gestures may not be full-blown languages with grammatical rules, but these signals still have meaning. For example, chimpanzees stroke their mouths to request food or raise their arms to request grooming. 

While shooting and analyzing videos of wild bonobos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the researchers observed signals that were very similar to those used by chimpanzees. In fact, the scientists found that 90 percent of gestures used by bonobos and chimps were shared. 

Study lead author Kirsty Graham said that this percentage is significantly higher than what would be expected by chance. She believes the gestures may be part of a basic sign language used by the last common ancestor of humans and apes.

"This gestural communication is probably biologically inherited among the great apes - including humans," said Graham. 

The St. Andrews team has documented the gestures and their meanings in an online collection called the Great Ape Dictionary. They have identified 70 gestures, some of which share the same meaning. 

The researchers conducted an experiment where participants watched short video clips of ten common signs made by chimpanzees and bonobos. Presented with four options, the individuals chose the correct meaning of the signals at least 52 percent of the time. According to Graham, some gestures had success rates of over 80 percent, such as when a chimp strokes near its mouth to request food.

A previous study by psychologists at St. Andrews looked for great ape gestures among preverbal children between the ages of one and two years old. The researchers filmed infants in Germany and Uganda as they interacted with parents and caregivers. 

Out of 52 types of gestures recorded by the team, almost 90 percent were shared with chimps. "46 of the 52 gestures described for children were also present in the chimpanzee repertoire, an overlap of 89%," <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-018-1213-z">wrote the study authors</a>.

"As seen in great ape gesturing, the production of gestures and other signals by children were not necessarily a clear production of a single signal followed by a response. Instead gestures, and other signals, could be produced in series, could overlap with each other, and could be exchanged."

Graham presented the research this week at the <a href="https://primobevolab.web.ox.ac.uk/european-federation-primatology-2019-primate-society-great-britain-winter-meeting">European Federation of Primatology meeting</a> in Oxford.

--

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/Patrick Rolands

Humans may share an ancient form of communication with great apes

Humans may share an ancient form of communication with great...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/">British Ecological Society</a>, researchers have analyzed the four most recent environmental series that were narrated by Sir David Attenborough. The experts found that while these nature documentaries often describe the human- induced threats to our planet, they rarely give viewers a candid look at them. 

For the investigation, a team of researchers from Bangor University, the University of Kent, Newcastle University, and the University of Oxford coded the scripts from each of the docuseries. 

The study revealed that the Netflix series <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/our-planet-ominous-warning/">Our Planet</a> dedicates 15 percent of its script to environmental threats and conservation, but this type of content is not nearly as prevalent in the BBC series Planet Earth II and Dynasties.

According to the researchers, Our Planet is also unique in that it incorporates the topic of human environmental impacts into each episode. By contrast, the subject is only addressed in the series Blue Planet II in the final episode.

The team noted that Our Planet shares visual similarities with the other series. Despite making much more mention of human-induced threats, Our Planet contains few visual depictions of these threats and largely shows the natural world as being untouched and separate from humans, which is something nature documentaries have been criticized for in the past.

"One could argue that by using camera angles to avoid showing any sign of people, nature filmmakers are being disingenuous, and even actively misleading audiences. The viewer may be led to believe that things cannot be that bad for biodiversity as what they are seeing on the screen shows nature, for the most part, doing fine," said study lead author Professor Julia Jones.

"The inextricable link between threats to the natural world and the high consumption of western lifestyles would be more difficult to ignore if the presence, or even dominance, of commercial agriculture, mining and transport infrastructure were more visible in the landscapes, reducing the space for the awe-inspiring wild spectacles shown."

While nature documentaries have the potential to spark behavioral changes and raise awareness about important environmental issues, the extent of this effect is not well understood. 

"Previous studies have shown that documentaries can increase willingness amongst viewers to make personal lifestyle changes, increase support for conservation organizations, and generate positivity towards an issue, making policy change more likely," said Laura Thomas-Walters. 

"However, we still don't understand the mechanisms by which these changes take place. Considerable research is needed to investigate how viewing nature, portrayed as threatened or pristine, in a documentary affects people in ways which might, ultimately, contribute to saving it."

According to the study authors, collaboration between filmmakers and researchers could help to pinpoint the impacts of these documentaries. 

"There is limited evidence on the causal relationships between viewing a documentary and subsequent behaviour change," said Dr. Diogo Vesrissimo. "Nature documentary producers should work with researchers to better understand these positive and negative impacts." 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25758314">People and Nature</a>.

--

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/FloridaStock

Nature documentaries have the potential to move the needle on climate action

In a new study from the British Ecological Society, researchers...

Specific dietary changes needed to protect human health, the environment. Food production and consumption are key drivers of undernutrition, obesity, and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/communities-preparing-climate-change/">climate change</a>. In a new study, researchers have analyzed the potential for addressing these issues simultaneously by accounting for the role of food production in climate change.

The experts found that achieving adequate diets in most low- and middle-income countries will require significant increases in greenhouse gas emissions and water usage for food production.

"Our research indicates there's no one-size-fits-all diet to address the climate and nutrition crises. Context is everything, and the food production policies for each country must reflect that," explained study senior author Dr. Keeve Nachman, who is the director of the Food Production and Public Health program at the <a href="https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-a-livable-future/index.html">Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future</a>.

The researchers developed a model that assessed how dietary changes across 140 countries would impact greenhouse gas emissions and freshwater use. The investigation was focused on plant-forward diets that ranged from no red meat to lacto-ovo vegetarian, which involves the consumption of some animal products like eggs and dairy.

According to the study, a diet that includes animal protein primarily sourced from low food chain animals, such as small fish and mollusks, has nearly as low of an environmental impact as a vegan diet. The researchers also found that reducing animal food consumption by two-thirds, or a "two-thirds vegan" diet, has a lower climate and water footprint than the more popular lacto-ovo vegetarian diet.

The findings suggest that high-income countries must accelerate the adoption of plant-forward diets in an effort to counter climate impacts and to address diet-related mortality.

The study authors emphasized that dietary recommendations or behavioral changes based on this kind of research could help strike a balance between health and nutritional needs and planetary boundaries.

"Our data indicate that it is actually dairy product consumption that explains much of the differences in greenhouse gas footprints across diets," said study co-author Dr. Martin Bloem. "Yet, at the same time, nutritionists recognize the important role dairy products can have in stunting prevention, which is a component of the World Bank Human Capital Index."

"The study findings highlight the difficulty in prescribing broad dietary recommendations to meet the needs of individual countries."

The study revealed that a food's country of origin can have vastly different environmental consequences. For example, one pound of beef produced in Paraguay contributes nearly 17 times more harmful emissions compared to one pound of beef produced in Denmark. This type of discrepancy is often due to the conversion of forests into grazing land. 

"Where you get your food from matters," said Dr. Nachman. "Trade patterns have an important influence on countries' diet-related climate and fresh water impacts."

"It would be satisfying to have a silver bullet to address carbon footprints and the impact of food production; however, with problems as complex and global as nutrition, climate change, freshwater depletion, and economic development, that's not possible," said Dr. Bloem. 

"There will always be tradeoffs. Environmental impact alone cannot be a guide for what people eat; countries need to consider the totality of the nutritional needs, access, and cultural preferences of their residents. The good news is this research can be a part of the solution, as it now gives policymakers a tool to develop nationally appropriate strategies, including dietary guidelines, that help meet multiple goals."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/global-environmental-change">Global Environmental Change</a>.

--

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/Sea Wave

Specific dietary changes needed to protect human health, the environment

Specific dietary changes needed to protect human health, the environment....

According to a new study from <a href="https://www.dukehealth.org/">Duke Health</a>, a concerning number of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/e-cigarette-fertility/">e-cigarette</a> liquids and smokeless tobacco products contain a potential carcinogen. The chemical, known as pulegone, was banned as a food additive last year by the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/home">U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a> (FDA).

However, pulegone is still widely contained in menthol and mint flavored e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, which are usually promoted as safer alternatives to regular cigarettes.

"Our findings suggest that the FDA should implement measures to mitigate pulegone-related health risks before suggesting mint- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products as alternatives for people who use combustible tobacco products," said study lead author Dr. Sven-Eric Jordt.

After the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published studies showing that mint- and menthol-flavored e-cigs and other tobacco alternatives contain substantial amounts of pulegone, Dr. Jordt teamed up with Sairam V. Jabba to investigate. 

The researchers analyzed the amount of pulegone in several top brands of regular menthol cigarettes, three e-cigarette brands, and one smokeless tobacco brand. They compared the CDC-reported amounts of pulegone with the levels at which exposure-related tumors were reported in animal studies.

The analysis revealed that the pulegone levels in the e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products exceeded the threshold of concern, while regular menthol cigarettes contained levels of the chemical that were below the threshold.

"Our analysis suggests that users of mint- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco are exposed to pulegone levels higher than the FDA considers acceptable for intake in food, and higher than in smokers of combustible menthol cigarettes," said Dr. Jordt.

"The tobacco industry has long known about the dangers of pulegone and has continuously tried to minimize its levels in menthol cigarette flavorings, so the levels are much lower in menthol cigarettes than in electronic cigarettes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine">JAMA Internal Medicine</a>.

--

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/Kurylo Sofiya

Some e-cigarettes contain high levels of a potential carcinogen

According to a new study from Duke Health, a concerning...

A new investigation from the <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a> (AAAS) has found that many communities across the United States are addressing their own unique challenges associated with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/population-climate-change-crops/">climate change</a>. Some communities are also working to reduce their contribution to harmful emissions and global warming. 

The AAAS report "How We Respond" describes projects in 18 communities that are applying science-based solutions to minimize the impacts of climate change. The initiatives by local governments, nonprofits, and businesses represent a range of climate responses that could be adapted for other communities as well.

The local efforts involve various approaches, including: the use of wetlands to limit flooding and emissions; the modification of water, food, and waste systems; and the deployment of sea level sensors and monitoring.

In Dane County, Wisconsin, the goal is to capture methane and develop cleaner energy. Meanwhile, residents of Sheridan County, Kansas are working to improve water use and efficiency in farming. In Alaska, two communities are relocating buildings to protect them from shoreline erosion.

The report also summarizes the science on climate change, and reveals the impacts that are currently being experienced in different American communities. 

The researchers explain how scientific information can be used in multiple stages of community response, from understanding the risks and analyzing options to implementing a plan and monitoring progress. For example, many communities in the United States are working with scientists to conduct vulnerability assessments, which evaluate local climate risks and pinpoint changes to help mitigate these risks.

"We want to shine a light on how communities are taking action on climate change," said Emily Therese Cloyd, director of the AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology. "We hope How We Respond gives communities ideas for how they can respond to climate change locally and ways that scientists and community members can work together to build stronger, more resilient communities."

For more information, the full report can be accessed <a href="http://howwerespond.aaas.org">here</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

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Impact Media Lab / AAAS

How American communities are preparing for the impacts of climate change

A new investigation from the American Association for the Advancement...

More than half of teens have been at the mercy of a distracted . In a new survey from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a>, more than half of parents reported that their child has been a passenger in a car with a distracted teen driver behind the wheel. The top safety concerns expressed by the participants included distractions caused by loud music, cell phone use, or having other teens in the car.

The C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll also revealed that nearly half of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/social-media-mental-health/">teens</a> have ridden in the car with a friend who was speeding, while other kids admitted that their teen driver was impaired by alcohol, drugs, or sleep deprivation. 

"When teens start driving, there is rightfully a big focus on the safety of the drivers themselves," said poll co-director and Mott pediatrician Dr. Gary Freed. "But our poll suggests that parents should play an active role in not only preparing teens to be safe drivers - but to be safety-minded passengers when riding with friends."

The survey involved 877 parents who had at least one child between the ages of 14 and 18. Many of the parents said they tried to limit the time their teen spent in the car with a young driver, such as when there was bad weather, it was late at night, or when the driver had less than six months of experience. 

[caption id="attachment_1877861" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/distracted-driver.png"><img class="wp-image-1877861" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/distracted-driver.png" alt="" width="650" height="545" /></a> Image Credit: C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan[/caption]

"Many parents recognize that teens' minimal experience on the road is a disadvantage when there's a change in driving conditions," said Dr. Freed. "Some parents try to reduce their teens' risks in potentially hazardous situations, such as late nights or bad weather."

Car crashes are the leading cause of death among teens, and more than half of those who are killed are not driving. 

According to Dr. Freed, lack of experience can result in drivers not always reacting quickly to changes in road or driving conditions or paying as close attention to other cars or pedestrians as needed to stay safe. He encourages parents to talk to their kids about being responsible passengers by taking actions such as offering to hold the driver's phone, lowering radio volume, or asking the driver to slow down if necessary.

"Parents should try to empower their teen to be proactive in avoiding common situations that cause distractions to the driver and also speak up to stop any unsafe activities," said Dr. Freed. "Safe driving should be a shared responsibility for both teen drivers and passengers as the risks are high for each."

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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

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/Sean Locke Photography

More than half of teens have been at the mercy of a distracted

More than half of teens have been at the mercy...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rice-farming-environmental-impact/">way food is harvested</a>, how goods are manufactured, and where goods and food end up all have calculable environmental impacts, but tallying up the carbon footprint of a supply chain on a global scale is more than a challenge. 

For example, toilet paper purchased in one region of the United States may have started its journey along the supply chain with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/americas-toilet-paper-destroying-forests/">logging in Canada</a>.

Researchers have combined satellite data with artificial intelligence to analyze the environmental impacts of a global supply chain for the first time, according to a report from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Tracing_the_environmental_impacts_of_supply_chains">European Space Agency </a>(ESA). 

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.wu.ac.at/en/">Vienna University of Economics and Business</a> developed a new way to evaluate global supply chain impacts as part of the <a href="https://www.wu.ac.at/ecolecon/research/global-resource-use/fineprint">ERC FINEPRINT project</a>. 

With FINEPRINT, images from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 and US Landsat satellites are used to map food production or mineral extraction sites and show the rippling environmental impacts. 

Researchers can take the satellite data and track the distribution of crops like soybeans and sugarcane. 

Machine learning is then used to map out changes in land use over time in these areas, and trade models like the <a href="https://www.fineprint.global/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/fineprint_brief_no_3.pdf">Food and Agriculture Biomass Input-Output Model</a> can track distribution from  production to consumption.  

“While remote sensing has been widely used to analyse a wide range of ecosystem changes such as deforestation, satellite data has rarely been connected to the underlying economic production, trade and consumption patterns that drive these changes,” said Victor Maus from the Vienna University of Economics and Business during a speech at <a href="https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/ESA_s_-week_2019_opens_with_a_flourish">ESA’s ɸ-week</a> (Phi-Week). 

Having a way to monitor and assess the environmental impact of food or goods from production to consumption can help inform policymakers and ideally create more sustainable supply chains. 

“There is a huge, hitherto untapped potential to combine Earth observation and economic data to support efforts by business and policy in making supply chains more sustainable,” said Maus,

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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/Travel mania

What are the environmental impacts of global supply chains?

The way food is harvested, how goods are manufactured, and...

More resources and collaboration urgently needed to adapt to climate change. Extreme weather events such as storms and floods are not only becoming more frequent as a result of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-heat-europe/">climate change</a>, but are also becoming more intense. For many experts and leaders, the immediate focus has shifted from preventing dangerous global warming to preparing for it.

Ban Ki-moon is the chair of the <a href="https://gca.org/global-commission-on-adaptation">Global Commission on Adaptation</a> and was the eighth Secretary General of the United Nations. In a feature for <a href="https://time.com/">Time Magazine</a>, Ki-moon emphasizes the urgent need for adaptation to climate change. 

"Hundreds of millions of people are living with the effects of global warming - some now irreversible. For those on the frontlines of climate change, developing coping mechanisms is a matter of survival. And yet the world is not paying enough attention to the need to adapt to a warming planet alongside our efforts to reduce our carbon emissions. We urgently need more resources, more collaboration and more political will to make adaptation a global priority," Ki-moon writes in Time.

He explains that well-executed adaptation methods also make the most sense economically.

"The Global Commission on Adaptation, which I co-founded about a year ago with Bill Gates and World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva, estimates that investing $1.8 trillion to improve climate resilience between now and 2030 in five critical areas - early-warning systems against cyclones and hurricanes, resilient infrastructure, better dryland agriculture, mangrove protection and water security - would yield up to $7.1 trillion in net benefits."

These findings are included in the organization's first report, which calls for changes that address underlying inequalities in society and involve more people in the decision-making process, particularly in those areas most affected by climate change. 

"Resourceful communities are already adapting to climate change with human ingenuity and solutions that range from green tech to biotech to high-tech. In 2017, Miami became the first city in the world to issue municipal bonds to finance climate adaptation at scale, and it could become a model for how governments finance investments in resilient infrastructure. Shanghai is greening districts with wetland areas, rooftop gardens, parks and permeable pavements to capture, slow down and filter stormwater. For about 20 years, Bangladesh has been investing in early-warning systems in the event of natural disasters; in building shelters; and in implementing evacuation drills," Ki-moon writes in Time.

"These are bright spots where adaptation has begun, but we need to do more of it, with more urgency and at scale. Let’s not compound our climate emergency with a failure of the imagination."

Most of the regions that are highly threatened by extreme weather and rising sea levels did the least to contribute to global warming, which makes adaptation even more imperative. 

"People everywhere are experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change. Those most impacted are the millions of smallholder farmers and their families in developing countries, who are struggling with poverty and hunger due to low crop yields caused by extreme changes in temperature and rainfall. With greater support for innovation, we can unlock new opportunities and spur change across the global ecosystem," said Bill Gates. More resources and collaboration urgently needed to adapt to climate change

"Adaptation is an urgent issue that needs support from governments and businesses to ensure those most at risk have the opportunity to thrive."

--

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/NASA/Sasa Kadrijevic

More resources and collaboration urgently needed to adapt to climate change

More resources and collaboration urgently needed to adapt to climate...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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...