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...

Staring down at your smartphone all day could cause neck and jaw pain, and women are especially at risk, according to a new study. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uark.edu/">University of Arkansas</a> found that because of the way women point their chin down to look at their devices, they may be likely to suffer neck pain. 

Men, who are taller than women on average, bend their neck in a different way which is better for the neck and joints. 

We spend around <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/americans-half-day-screen/">half our day looking at screens</a>, including laptops, phones, and tablets. Research has found that our addiction to screens can negatively impact <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/technoference-smartphones-sleep-productivity/">health and wellbeing,</a> and personal electronic devices are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smartphone-manufacturing-brutal-environment/">draining natural resources</a>. 

One recent study even found that looking down at smartphones could be causing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/looking-down-phone-skull/">spikey bony growths </a>to grow from the back of our skulls. 

For this research, ten men and twelve women took part in the study and were X-rayed while holding a tablet in five positions. On average, the women in the study were around six inches shorter than the men and had to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/long-necked-reptiles-tanystropheus-were-easily-decapitated-by-dinosaur-predators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bend their necks</a> in more awkward positions. 

[caption id="attachment_1877585" align="aligncenter" width="631"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Ashley-N-Romero.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1877585" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Ashley-N-Romero.jpg" alt="" width="631" height="640" /></a> Image Credit: Ashley N Romero[/caption]

When looking straight ahead at the tablet or phone, there were no differences in posture between men and women, but the X-rays told a different story. 

The researchers identified differences between men and women in six vertebrae in the neck and 46 stress points in the jaw and face. These differences were apparent when the participants were sitting up straight, bent forward, or reclined back at 15 or 30 degrees. 

The women looked straight down at their devices, a position that could increase the risk of neck problems and jaw pain. 

Whether this position is just a natural reflex or dictated by height remains to be understood, and the researchers say that taller female participants may have led to different results. 

“Our advice to people in general would probably be to try to avoid spending hours looking down at a tablet or a mobile phone,” said Dr. Claire Terhune, a senior author of the study, “But the advice to women would be to be aware of their posture and try to put themselves in a better position if they are using a device.”

The researchers published their findings in the journal Clinical Anatomy.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/JKstock

Looking down at your phone can cause neck and jaw pain

Staring down at your smartphone all day could cause neck...

Antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs can alter gut contents. In a new study on rats, scientists found that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/antidepressants-waterways-marine-life/">antidepressants</a> and other psychiatric drugs can change the composition and quantity of gut bacteria. 

Now, the research team is carrying out a large-scale human observational study which will hopefully help them understand the specificity of psychoactive drug action and whether or not psychiatrists need to consider the effects of these drugs on the body before prescribing.

Within the first rat-based study, the researchers gave seven groups of eight rats normal or slightly raised levels of psychopharmaceuticals, including Lithium, valproate, Prozac (fluoxetine), and escitalopram. Then, after four weeks, the scientists studied the gut bacteria — the microbiome — to see if and how the drugs affected it.

"We found that certain drugs, including the mood stabiliser lithium and the antidepressant fluoxetine, influenced the composition and richness of the gut microbiota. Although some psychotropic drugs have been previously investigated in in vitro settings, this is the first evidence in an animal model,” said lead researcher Sofia Cussotto of the <a href="https://www.ucc.ie/en/">University College, Cork</a>.

The team saw that some drugs, like lithium and valproate, increased the number of certain bacteria in the gut, whereas other drugs, like escitalopram and fluoxetine, inhibited growth of bacterial isolated strains such as E.coli.

“Some studies have shown that depressed or schizophrenic patients can have altered microbiota composition, therefore psychotropic drugs might work on intestinal microbes as part of their mechanisms of action,” Cussotto said. “Of course, this has to be proved. Given that antidepressants, for example work on some people but not others, making an allowance for microbiome may change an individual's response to antidepressants.”

“On the other hand,” she continued, “microbiome-targeting effects might be responsible for the side effects associated with these medications. All these hypotheses have to be tested in preclinical models and in humans, and this is our next step.”

"These early data are intriguing, and worthy of further investigation,” added Professor Serguei Fetissov from <a href="https://rouenuniversity.univ-rouen.fr/">Rouen University, France</a>, who did not take part in the study. “At the moment it would be premature to ascribe a direct role of gut bacteria in the action of antidepressant drugs until this work can be reproduced in humans, which is what the authors now hope to do.” 

“The composition of gut microbiota is very sensitive to the metabolic processes of the body and can change naturally, through drug-induced metabolic shifts in the brain and other organs,” he continued. “Some of the changes reported here, for example increased Christensenella, can be indeed beneficial, but overall significance of drug-induced changes of bacterial composition on the metabolic and mental health needs further research.”

This work will be presented at the <a href="https://www.ecnp.eu/">European College of Neuropsychopharmacology</a> Conference in Copenhagen.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/fizkes

Antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs can alter gut contents

Antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs can alter gut contents. In...

If a driver is suspected of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a quick breathalyzer test can measure blood alcohol concentration. But when it comes to driving under the influence of marijuana, testing for THC, a psychoactive compound in cannabis, is much more complicated.  

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.chem.pitt.edu/">University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Chemistry</a> and the <a href="https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/">Swanson School of Engineering</a> have developed a breathalyzer device that can accurately measure marijuana influence.  

If further testing and research prove successful, the device could aid law enforcement officials and help states come up with better laws for driving while under the influence of marijuana. 

Currently, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marijuana-use-increased/">recreational marijuana is legal</a> in eleven states and Washington DC, while medical marijuana is legal in 33 states. 

It is possible to test for marijuana with current drug testing methods using blood, urine, or hair, but these tests can’t be used by police officers in the field. 

The researchers used machine learning and carbon nanotubes which are 100,000 times smaller than a strand of human hair to create a breathalyzer device that measures THC levels in the breath. 

 When a person under the influence of marijuana breathes into the device, THC molecules bind to the surface of the nanotubes and sensors then detect and measure the levels of THC. 

“The semiconductor carbon nanotubes that we are using weren’t available even a few years ago,” said Sean Hwang, lead author on a paper about the research. “We used machine learning to ‘teach’ the breathalyzer to recognize the presence of THC based on the electrical currents recovery time, even when there are other substances, like alcohol, present in the breath.”

The device looks like a typical breathalyzer that measures alcohol with a mouthpiece for and a digital display. 

The researchers tested the device in a lab setting, and the breathalyzer successfully measured THC levels when mixed with other breath components like CO2, water, and methanol. 

“Creating a prototype that would work in the field was a crucial step in making this technology applicable,” said Dr. Ervin Sejdic, a collaborator on the project. “It took a cross-disciplinary team to turn this idea into a usable device that’s vital for keeping the roads safe.” 

The researchers published their findings in the journal ACS Sensors and patented the device.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Craig F Scott

Developing a breathalyzer that can detect marijuana influence

If a driver is suspected of operating a vehicle while...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.med.upenn.edu/">University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine</a> have found that wearable devices may not be enough to motivate people to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/daily-exercise-alzheimers-disease/">exercise</a>. In collaboration with a team at Deloitte Consulting LLP, the experts discovered that competition may be key in driving higher levels of physical activity.

"Gamification and wearable devices are used commonly in workplace wellness programs and by digital health applications, but there is an opportunity to improve their impact on health behaviors by better incorporating behavioral insights and social incentives," said Dr. Mitesh Patel. 

"We found that a behaviorally designed gamification program led to significant increases in physical activity compared to a control group that used wearable devices alone. During the nine-month trial, the average person in the competition arm walked about 100 miles more than the average person in control."

The research was focused on roughly 600 Deloitte employees from 40 states as they participated in a physical activity program. The individuals, who were all classified as obese or overweight, pursued daily step goals that were tracked by wearable devices. The participants were divided into four groups, including three groups that engaged in games and one control group that used only the activity tracker. 

The individuals who were assigned to gaming groups could achieve points and higher levels. The participants also signed a commitment contract, pledging to strive for their daily goals. The games were comprised of five levels, and each participant started in the middle to allow for progression or regression based on goal achievement. 

The gamer groups had different social dynamics: one was a support group that designated "sponsors" to provide weekly encouragement or motivation, the second was a collaboration group with members selected to earn points for the whole team, and the third was a competition group that  received weekly updates on their individual rankings compared to each other.

Over the course of six months, the competition group increased their physical activity by 920 steps per day more than the control group. The support and collaboration groups also had significant increases of 689 and 637 more steps per day, respectively. 

However, the competitive players were the only participants who seemed to experience lasting motivation. In the three months after the games ended, the competition group continued to walk an average of 569 more daily steps than the control group, while the other former gamers no longer showed significant gains in their activity levels. 

"Many wellness solutions and patient engagement applications are implemented without proper testing of whether or not they actually work," said Greg Szwartz with Deloitte Consulting LLP. "We partnered with the Penn Medicine Nudge Unit to conduct a rigorous clinical trial that would provide evidence on the most effective approach overall and how to tailor future interventions for each individual."

"Most interventions are designed as one-size-fits-all, in which a single intervention is deployed to a large population," said Dr. Patel. "Even if the program works on average, many participants may not benefit. Our next step will be to use data from this trial to develop behavioral profiles that could be used in the future to match the right intervention to the right person."

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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/nd3000

When it comes to tracking exercise, a little competition can go a long way

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have...

New research suggests that the positive aspects of childhood have a lasting effect on mental health and relationships, and may even outweigh the influence of difficulties in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/childhood-exposure-incarceration-depression/">childhood</a>. 

In a study led by <a href="https://www.jhsph.edu/">Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health</a>, researchers found that positive childhood experiences are linked to a lower risk of depression and poor mental health in adulthood. 

Positive dynamics such as supportive family interactions and community involvement were also associated with a better chance for healthy relationships later in life. Notably, these benefits were observed among individuals who also had a history of adverse childhood experiences.

Study lead author Dr. Christina Bethell is a professor in the Bloomberg School's Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health and the director of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. 

Dr. Bethell explained that researchers have long known that adverse childhood experiences, such as physical or emotional abuse or neglect, substance abuse and mental health problems in the household, exposure to violence, parental incarceration or divorce, can have lifelong negative effects on physical and mental health.

However, some individuals with multiple adverse childhood experiences still manage to thrive as adults, while many people without negative childhood encounters have health issues associated with adverse experiences. This may be due to a lack of positive childhood dynamics, which have a major influence on health and well-being.

The current study was focused on data from the Wisconsin Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, which collects information from adults about health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and the use of preventive services. 

In 2015, the Wisconsin survey added seven questions related to positive childhood experiences, including whether the respondents: were able to talk with their families about their feelings, felt that their families stood by them during difficult times, enjoyed participating in community traditions, felt a sense of belonging in high school, felt supported by friends, had at least two non-parent adults who took genuine interest in them, and felt safe and protected by an adult in their home.

The survey participants also reported on adverse childhood experiences and answered questions about mental health, including depressive symptoms or the frequency of poor mental health days.

Dr. Bethell's team found a clear connection between positive childhood experiences and emotional health among the adult respondents. For example, individuals who reported six to seven positive childhood experiences were 72 percent less likely to suffer from depression or poor mental health compared to individuals who reported zero to two positive childhood experiences. In addition, those who reported three to five positive childhood experiences were 50 percent less prone to depression or poor mental health.

Positive aspects of childhood produced protective mental health benefits even when the participants reported multiple adverse encounters as children. Furthermore, adults with six to seven positive childhood experiences were almost four times more likely to report that they "always" get the emotional support they need as adults. 

"This study offers the hopeful possibility that children and adults can thrive despite their accumulation of negative childhood experiences," said Dr. Bethell. "People assume eliminating adversity automatically results in good health outcomes, but many people reporting lower adversity in childhood still had poorer mental and relational health outcomes if they did not also report having had positive childhood experiences."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics">JAMA Pediatrics</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Ruslan Huzau

Positive childhood experiences create lasting mental health benefits

New research suggests that the positive aspects of childhood have...

An international team of researchers has analyzed a vast collection of existing research on nutrients that are proven to assist in the management of mental health issues. Led by the <a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/nicm">NICM Health Research Institute</a> at Western Sydney University, the scientists used the "best of the best"evidence available to provide a clear overview of specific nutritional supplements and their benefits for various <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/living-alone-mental-disorders/">mental disorders</a>.

The researchers examined 33 meta-analyses of randomized control trials (RCTs) including data from nearly 11,000 people with conditions such as depression, stress and anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, schizophrenia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

While most of the nutritional supplements that were studied did not significantly improve mental health on their own, the team found clear evidence that certain nutrients can provide an effective supplemental treatment for mental disorders.

The strongest evidence was found for omega-3 supplements as an additional treatment for major depression. These supplements reduced the symptoms of depression more than the use of antidepressants alone. Furthermore, the research suggests that omega-3 supplements may have some benefits for ADHD.

The study revealed that special types of folate supplements may be effective as additional treatments for major depression and schizophrenia, yet these benefits were not observed with folic acid. The experts also found some indication that the amino acid N-acetylcysteine could be useful to help treat mood disorders and schizophrenia.

According to the researchers, there was a lack of evidence to support the use of vitamins E, C, or D, or minerals such as zinc and magnesium, for any mental disorder.

Study lead author Dr. Joseph Firth said the findings should be used to produce more evidence-based guidance on the use of nutrient-based treatments for various mental health conditions.

"While there has been a longstanding interest in the use of nutrient supplements in the treatment of mental illness, the topic is often quite polarizing, and surrounded by either over-hyped claims or undue cynicism," said Dr. Firth.

"In this most recent research, we have brought together the data from dozens and dozens of clinical trials conducted all over the world, in over 10,000 individuals treated for mental illness."

"This mass of data has allowed us to investigate the benefits and safety of various different nutrients for mental health conditions - on a larger scale than what has ever been possible before."

Senior study author Professor Jerome Sarris explained that as the role of nutrition in mental health is becoming increasingly acknowledged, it was vital that an evidence-based approach be adopted.

"Future research should aim to determine which individuals might benefit most from evidence-based supplements and to better understand the underlying mechanisms so we can adopt a targeted approach to supplement use in mental health treatment," said Professor Sarris.

"The role of the gut microbiome in mental health is a rapidly emerging field of research, however more research is needed into the role of 'psychobiotics' in mental health treatment."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/20515545">World Psychiatry</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/Syda Productions

Which nutrients can help treat mental disorders effectively?

An international team of researchers has analyzed a vast collection...

The Philippines may be the next nation to grant rights to nature In the West, non-human animals, plants and inanimate things such as mountains and rivers have long been seen as intrinsically different from humans. This is partially due to religious tradition. The Bible seems pretty clear that humans are superior to animals and everything else on Earth in Genesis 1:26:

“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.””

Again in verse 28, God tells the new humans he created to “fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Many Christians interpret these passages and others in the Bible as blanket permission to treat animals in whatever way they feel like. The idea of humanity’s superiority was also influenced by Aristotle who felt humans but not animals had immortal souls. 

Later thinkers like French philosopher René Descartes believed that animals were unfeeling machines merely responding to their environment with the illusion of feeling pain or other cognitive features. Descartes even dissected a live, conscious dog and interpreted his yelps of pain as nothing more than an automated response. 

Other Christians have interpreted the Bible as instructing humans to take good care of non-human animals and other life, each deserving respect as fellow creations. In most of mainstream America, it seems that the prevalent thinking is to assume non-humans as lesser beings with fewer rights to a life of dignity. Although we have some <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/canada-protect-whales-dolphins-captivity/">anti-cruelty laws</a>, they don’t apply in many cases such as animals raised for food. 

In general, animals have relatively few rights. Other countries have started to forge a different way ahead, influenced by different thinking, to grant animals and nature rights not afforded in the US as we slowly move forward as well. 

The first anti-cruelty animal laws date back to Ashoka, a Buddhist emperor of India who ruled from circa 268 to 232 BCE, but that was more of a historical anomaly than a trend. Slowly, concerns for nature and non-human life have been revived in recent centuries and gained some support. During the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress held in Hawaii, members from over <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2016/10/natures-right-to-exist-gets-a-boost-from-key-organizations/">170 countries supported</a> the idea that nature has an inherent right to exist.

Individual countries have taken more substantial steps forward. In 2018, an <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/05/animals-accorded-rights-humans-indian-national-park/">Indian court ruled</a> that animals have rights like humans in the Indian state of Haryana. Previously, courts in India have declared rivers to have rights as well, a decision that was overturned. Rulings in 2014 and 2015 also gave animals in India constitutional rights as well as affirmed the right of birds to fly.

South American countries have also pioneered the idea of granting non-human animals rights. <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/sandra-the-orangutan-inside-argentina-zoo-granted-human-rights-in-landmark-ruling-9940202.html#r3z-addoor">In Argentina</a>, animal rights activists filed a habeas corpus petition, a document used to free people held in prison without good reason. The petition in this case was filed for a captive orangutan named Sandra who was held at the Buenos Aires zoo. In a 2014 court ruling, the judge found Sandra to be not a thing but instead a “non-human person” thus granting her basic rights. The decision allowed Sandra to be transferred from the zoo where she is said to have been treated poorly to an animal sanctuary. 

This was followed by a <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/argentina-judge-says-chimpanzee-poor-conditions-has-rights-and-should-be-freed-from-zoo-a7402606.html">similar court ruling</a> in Argentina that forced the release of a chimpanzee from a zoo where she was held alone to a wildlife sanctuary. A similar trial in the US ended with a captive chimpanzee being <a href="https://gizmodo.com/new-york-court-says-chimps-aren-t-people-but-it-s-not-h-1825886329">denied person status</a> under the law but the judge acknowledged the inadequacy of the law as well. Germany and New Zealand have meanwhile advanced their own legal recognition of non-human rights. 

Germany was the first country in the EU to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jun/22/germany.animalwelfare">change its constitution</a> in 2002 to give non-human animals the right to have their dignity protected under law. 

New Zealand went even further. The Māori tribe of Whanganui traditionally consider the Whanganui River an ancestor and thus worthy of consideration as a person. In 2017, the status of the river as a person was legally recognized in New Zealand. The new law allows humans to act as legal guardians of the river and opens the door for legal redress previously not available to the body of water. The trend of allowing non-human animals and even physical features or ecosystems legal standing seems to have caught hold worldwide.

The Philippines may be the next country to grant some sort of legal standing to the non-human world. A coalition in the Philippines including a local arm of the Catholic Church is pushing for a new <a href="http://www.pmpi.org.ph/news-statements/environment/417-press-statement-pmpi-and-nassa-caritas-philippines-spearhead-filing-a-rights-of-nature-bill">“right of nature” bill</a>. 

If passed, the bill would be similar to other bills in that humans could act as guardians of non-humans and seek legal redress in courts based on rights given to non-humans. Catholic Church leaders have spoken up in support of the new bill, calling for people to live in communion with nature. The bill is still being drafted and hasn’t been submitted to Congress yet but it’s already creating a discussion about the place of nature in law. 

The Philippines bill drew inspiration from <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2016/10/natures-right-to-exist-gets-a-boost-from-key-organizations/">Ecuador and Bolivia</a>. In 2008, Ecuador became the first country to allow nature the constitutional right to thrive. In 2010 Bolivia passed the Law of the Rights of Mother Earth which granted Earth itself a legal personhood. 

Despite these laws, non-human nature is still not always treated with deep amounts of respect in Latin America or other parts of the world where it has legal standing. Pollution still occurs as does animal abuse and poaching. It could be that changing the law is a first step towards changing daily reality.                         

--

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/Parmna

The Philippines may be the next nation to grant rights to nature

The Philippines may be the next nation to grant rights...

A new study from <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a> has identified a link between behavior problems in childhood and the development of severe <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/insomnia-heart-failure-stroke/">insomnia</a> in adulthood. The research suggests that parents should be addressing behavioral issues early on, as well as establishing a consistent sleep schedule. 

Insomnia is a very common sleep disorder among adults, and is estimated to affect nearly one in three people. Chronic insomnia is known to increase the risk of mental and physical health issues and may lead to economic consequences when an individual's capacity to work suffers.

The Australian research team used data from a long-running population study to investigate a potential connection between childhood behavioral problems and insomnia in middle age. The United Kingdom 1970 Birth Cohort Study is a large-scale study of more than 16,000 babies born in a single week. 

The current investigation was focused on thousands of cohort participants aged 5, 10, and 16 years old, who were followed up on at age 42. For the UK study, externalized behavioral problems had been reported by parents, including disobedience, fighting, bullying, property damage, theft, and irritability.

Study senior author Robert Adams is a professor of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health (AISH).

"This study shows a consistent association of behavioral problems during childhood, particularly at ages 5 and 10 years, with insomnia symptoms in adulthood," said Professor Adams. "The findings suggest that early intervention to manage children's externalized behaviors, such as bullying, irritability or constant restlessness, may reduce the risk of adult insomnia."

"As well as identifying sleep problems early in life, we should also identify children with moderate to severe behavioral problems that persist through childhood as potential beneficiaries of early intervention with a sleep health focus."

Study lead author Dr. Yohannes Adama Melaku explained that the study is the first to highlight an unfavorable association between early-life behavioral problems in children and insomnia, as well as the first to address insomnia from a life-long perspective.

"Given the cost of sleep disorders, including insomnia, to every economy and society in the world, it's another important step towards managing this endemic problem in the community," said Dr. Melaku. 'This first study is important because we don't know exactly the childhood or early-life factors that potentially influence this outcome of insomnia and finding these connections could reduce sleep disorders in the future."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/">JAMA Network Open</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/Brian A Jackson

Childhood behavioral problems linked to severe insomnia in adulthood

A new study from Flinders University has identified a link...

A year-long study of nine men hints at an intriguing possibility: someday, maybe even soon, there may be medications to slow or even reverse the aging process.

An international team of scientists set out to determine if they could affect study participants’ “biological age” by repairing the thymus, a lymphoid organ that plays a major role in the immune system.

They separated biological age – physical signs of aging on the human body – from chronological age – i.e., what you answer when asked how old you are. To do that, they used a set of epigenetic tests, including <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30669119">GrimAge</a>. Study participants took the tests at the start of the study and again at the end.

For the year of the study, the nine men between the ages of 51 and 65 took a drug cocktail that included recombinant human growth hormone and metformin, a drug used to treat diabetes and insulin resistance. Studies have shown that growth hormone can regenerate the thymus, but also trigger diabetes. 

At the end of the year, the nine men saw a major effect on the aging process. Their biological ages were now 1.5 years lower, on average, than when they had started. 

The drugs alone may not have been the only factor in the men’s better health.

“Perhaps just undergoing this trial somehow changed the behavior of these men towards a more healthy lifestyle,” Dr. João Pedro de Magalhães of the <a href="https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/">University of Liverpool</a> told the New Scientist. 

And the team admitted that, because they didn’t have a control group taking a placebo, the results will need to be studied more closely.

But it’s unlikely that the reversal of the aging process was spontaneous, lead author Dr. Greg Fahey of <a href="http://www.21cm.com/">21st Century Medicine</a> said.

“If placebo by itself caused such a strong effect, it would be expected that many prior interventions would have reported similar effects,” he said.

The researchers plan to continue looking into the drug cocktail and its effects on the aging process, as well as how better diet and exercise might have affected their current research.

“This study certainly opens exciting avenues for future work and doing a larger trial with proper controls is now warranted,” de Magalhães said.

The new research adds to a growing body of work focused on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/anti-aging-drugs-human-trials/">medications</a> that may slow or reverse aging and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shutting-down-genes-slow-aging/">genetic research</a> into the aging process.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acel.13028">Aging Cell</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Could drug cocktail reverse the aging process?

A year-long study of nine men hints at an intriguing...

It turns out that young people who avoid teen romance may not be socially immature at all. Instead, they just might be better adjusted and happier than their peers.

The new study from the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a> shows that adults should promote being single as a better option for high schoolers, researchers said. 

"In the end, school health educators, mental health professionals, and teachers should affirm social norms that support adolescents' individual freedom to decide whether to date or not, indicating that both are acceptable and healthy options," lead author Brooke Douglas, a doctoral candidate, told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>.

The scientists worked with nearly 600 high school sophomores to reach their conclusions about teen romance.

The team split students into four groups, based on their reported dating activity starting in the sixth grade. The groups were “low,” “increasing,” “high middle school” and “frequent.” Using ratings from their teachers and questionnaires filled out by the students themselves, the researchers compared the four groups.

They found that the students who avoided teen romance – those who didn’t date or become entangled in romantic relationships – had good social skills and low rates of depression. In fact, they often were better off in those departments than their peers.

"This high frequency has led some researchers to suggest that dating during teenage years is a normative behavior. That is, adolescents who have a romantic relationship are therefore considered 'on time' in their psychological development,” Douglas said in a press release.

The study turns that notion on its head.

It also means that educators, school administrators and other adults have a lot of work ahead to destroy the myth that dating is a vital part of the teen experience – especially given the significantly lower depression rates among teens who didn’t date.

"While the study refutes the notion of non-daters as social misfits, it also calls for health promotion interventions at schools and elsewhere to include non-dating as an option for normal, healthy development," Douglas said.

The study has been published in the <a href="http://www.ashaweb.org/resources/journal-of-school-health/">Journal of School Health</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Youngsters who avoid teen romance are happier, study says

It turns out that young people who avoid teen romance...

If you’re left-handed, you’re part of an exclusive club. Just 10% of the human population favors their left hand over their right.

That minority status has led to trouble for lefties throughout history. 

“In the Middle Ages, for instance, the left-hander lived in danger of being accused of practicing witchcraft,” <a href="https://time.com/3978951/lefties-history/">Time</a> magazine wrote in 1969. “The Devil himself was considered a southpaw, and he and other evil spirits were always conjured up by left-handed gestures.”

While lefties in most places face uncomfortable scissors, notebooks and other inconveniences rather than persecution today, that history of bias against left-handed people meant that few people would choose to be a leftie – even if it does give an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/left-handed-advantage-sports/">advantage in sports</a>.

Now, researchers have found the genes connected to left-handedness. They used the UK Biobank, a collection of data – including genetic information – from more than 500,000 people. By studying the genomes, the team of researchers from the University of Oxford were able to pinpoint four specific loci on the human genome that play a role in handedness. The team studied the genomes of 400,000 people – including nearly 40,000 lefties – to reach their conclusions.

And it turns out, those loci might indicate hidden skills among lefties. For example, they might have better verbal skills than the other 90% of the human population.

"This raises the intriguing possibility for future research that left-handers might have an advantage when it comes to performing verbal tasks, but it must be remembered that these differences were only seen as averages over very large numbers of people and not all left-handers will be similar," co-author Dr. Akira Wiberg said in a press release.

Researchers also found a correlation between schizophrenia and left-handedness, though they said more research is needed to determine whether that’s more than just coincidence.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awz257">Brain</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Researchers find gene that makes people left-handed

If you’re left-handed, you’re part of an exclusive club. Just...

Hula dancing, the famous traditional dance that originated in the Pacific Islands, has been shown to help Native Hawaiians <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hot-yoga-lower-blood-pressure/">lower their blood pressure</a>, according to a new study. 

Hawaiians who danced the hula as part of a blood-pressure-lowering program saw successful results, even more than people who were educated about diet and participated in regular exercise. 

Native Hawaiians face a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, and rates of heart disease are four times higher for Native Hawaiians than non-Hispanic white people, according to Keawe’aimoku Kaholokula, the lead author of the study. 

Past research has shown that Native Hawaiians are less likely to participate in regular lifestyle interventions and programs to lower blood pressure. 

Expanding on these findings, Kaholokula and a team of researchers from the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">University of Hawaii at Manoa</a> designed a new program. 

“We found that Native Hawaiians want group-based and culturally relevant lifestyle interventions that resonate with their cultural values and perspectives,” Kaholokula said. “We created an intervention based on hula, the traditional dance of Native Hawaiians, which can be performed at different levels of intensity by men and women of all ages and is practiced as a form of cultural and creative expression.”

More than 250 Native Hawaiians with high blood pressure or diabetes participated in the study, which included hypertension education and a hula program. 

The participants were given information on diet, exercise, and medication that helps aid in controlling blood pressure before being assigned to either a control group or a hula program consisting of one-hour classes twice a week for three months. 

After the three months, the participants cut back to one lesson a month for three months but participated in group activities meant to promote a heart-healthy lifestyle. 

Participants in the control group did not take part in any interventions or have any more education on managing blood pressure. 

After the six-month study period, the hula group had lowered blood pressure to below 130/80 mmHg and significantly lowered their systolic blood pressure.

The hula group was also more likely to keep their blood pressure in check six months after the hula classes ended. 

“The participants said the hula was fun and helped meet their spiritual and cultural needs,” said Kaholokula. “More than 80% stayed with the program for six months, and 77% were still at it 12 months in, which reflects high interest in a culturally grounded program like this.”

The study has many positive implications, and even though the hula intervention program was specifically designed for Native Hawaiians, incorporating culturally relevant and traditional activities into group interventions could be more effective in promoting lifestyle changes. 

“This study is a great example of how interventions can be more effective when tailored for cultural relevance to participants,” said Eduardo Sanchez, the American Heart Association’s Chief Medical Officer for Prevention. “Not only are people achieving health-promoting levels of physical activity, they are also having fun, engaging in a valued cultural practice, and connecting with their community in the group classes -- all important for well-being.”

The researchers presented their findings at the <a href="https://professional.heart.org/professional/EducationMeetings/MeetingsLiveCME/Hypertension/UCM_316905_Hypertension-Scientific-Sessions.jsp">American Heart Association’s Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Boykov

Hula dancing helped native Hawaiians lower their blood pressure

Hula dancing, the famous traditional dance that originated in the...

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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

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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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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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"

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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...