Sunburn is painful skin damage that we've all experienced after spending a bit too much time outdoors without protection from UV rays. 



Whether it's from a lazy beach day or an exhilarating hike, the aftermath tells a singular tale - crimson skin and a nagging sting.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Investigating more deeply into the matter was no small task.



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



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zak-alpha-and-sunburn-damage">ZAK-alpha and sunburn damage</h2>



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



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



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



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



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



"So you could say that everything depends on this one response, which monitors all protein translations occurring,” Bekker-Jensen elaborated.



“The cells respond to the RNA damage, realizing that something is wrong, and this is what leads to cell death.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-paradigm-shift">Paradigm shift</h2>



The study's findings question our long-held beliefs about sunburn and how our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/skins-secret-strength-shields-against-puncture-damage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">skin</a> safeguards itself. 



It suggests that RNA damage sparks a quicker, more efficient response, which safeguards the skin from additional harm.



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



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



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



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



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



"This new knowledge turns things upside down. I think most people associate sunburn with DNA damage; it is established knowledge," Professor Simon Bekker-Jensen concluded. 



"But now we need to rewrite the textbooks, and it will affect future research on the effects of UV radiation on the skin."



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



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

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

Protected bike lanes help prevent fatal crashes for everyone on the road. In an unprecedented study of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/walking-biking-work-extend-life/">bicycle</a> and road safety, researchers led by the <a href="http://www.ucdenver.edu/pages/ucdwelcomepage.aspx">University of Colorado Denver</a> have found that the infrastructure developed for cyclists is playing a more important role in reducing accidents than the cyclists themselves. 

"Bicycling seems inherently dangerous on its own," said study co-author Dr. Wesley Marshall. "So it would seem that a city with a lot of bicycling is more dangerous, but the opposite is true. Building safe facilities for cyclists turned out to be one of the biggest factors in road safety for everyone."

The study revealed that bike facilities serve as calming mechanisms on traffic, promoting slower driving that results in fewer fatalities.

The investigation was based on 13 years of data from 12 large cities with high volumes of bike traffic, including Dallas and Denver. Over the study period, there was a 51-percent increase in the number of individuals who cycled to work. In addition,  the number of protected bike lanes doubled each year beginning in 2009.

The researchers analyzed over 17,000 fatalities and 77,000 severe injuries. Initially, the team expected to find that there was "safety in numbers," and that more cyclists on the road would cause drivers to slow down with a heightened awareness of their surroundings.

However, the study showed that the safer cities were not associated with an increased presence of cyclists, but with an increase in separated and protected bike lanes. Bicycling infrastructure was found to be clearly tied to better road-safety outcomes.

Between 1990 and 2010, for example,  Portland's bicycle mode share increased from 1.2 percent to 6 percent. At the same time, fatal crash rates fell by 75 percent.

"The U.S. is killing 40,000 people a year on roads, and we treat it as the cost of doing business," said Dr. Marshall. "A lot of the existing research focuses on bicycle safety; with this study, we're interested in everyone's safety."

"When we believed it was the old safety-in-numbers concept, that meant we had to figure out how to get more people on bicycles to make a city safer," said study co-author Dr. Nicholas Ferenchak. "That's not easy. But this research has boiled it down for city planners: create cycling facilities, and you'll see the impact."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-transport-and-health">Journal of Transport &amp; Health</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: CU Denver

Protected bike lanes help prevent fatal crashes for everyone on the road

Protected bike lanes help prevent fatal crashes for everyone on...

Wildfire smoke is more harmful to children’s health than controlled burns. Controlled burns are an important part of wildfire management as they can clear brush and dead trees that would otherwise help wildfires spread. In California, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-western-united-states/">fire suppression</a> tactics used throughout the early 20th century is thought to be one of the reasons that California’s history of wildfires is so volatile. 

Even though scientists now understand that fires are an essential and healthy part of the forest ecosystem that allow for new growth and returning vital nutrients to the soil, there are reservations about whether prescribed burns should be used to help reduce wildfire risk. 

For residents who live near high-risk areas, a prescribed burn could increase smoke pollution and expose communities dangerous air quality levels. 

But in a new study, researchers from the <a href="http://med.stanford.edu/">Stanford University School of Medicine</a> found that prescribed burns emit less smoke and harmful pollution compared to similar sized wildfires.

The results, published in the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, show that children are exposed to higher air pollution levels during a wildfire compared to a controlled burn. 

“We know that there’s some public opposition to doing prescribed burning,” said Mary Prunicki, the lead author of the study. “It’s our feeling that prescribed burning, because it’s so controlled, may expose people to fewer health effects than wildfires.” 

The study was conducted in Fresno, California, which has high levels of air pollution, and the researchers collected and compared blood samples from three groups of children. 

One group of children had been exposed to smoke from a controlled burn, the second group was exposed to smoke a wildfire, and a control group of children from Seattle had not been exposed to either a controlled fire or wildfire. Wildfire smoke is more harmful to children’s health than controlled burns 

The blood samples were collected within three months of the fires. 

Air pollution levels in Fresno were also recorded from four monitoring stations, and the researchers estimated how much pollution each child in the study had been exposed to based on how far they were from the monitoring stations. 

The wildfire group was exposed to higher levels of pollutants, and blood samples showed lower levels of immune cells. 

“This study suggests that exposure to wildfire smoke is detrimental above and beyond poor air quality,” said Prunicki.” 

One reason wildfires may be more dangerous is that they can burn homes, cars, and business, releasing chemicals and pollutants not found in the forests. 

“Particulate matter from wildfires is different from region to region and depends on what is burning,” said Prunicki. “When a wildfire is going through a town, there are a lot of concerns about what happens to the chemicals in people’s homes and cars when they go up in flames.” 

The study calls for more comprehensive and detailed research to investigate the health impacts of air pollution from wildfires versus controlled burns. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Aarti Kalyani

Wildfire smoke is more harmful to children’s health than controlled burns

Wildfire smoke is more harmful to children’s health than controlled...

The <a href="https://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a> (WHO) has added gaming disorder to the <a href="https://icd.who.int/en/">International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11)</a>, which officially recognizes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/video-games-harm-brain/">gaming addiction</a> as a mental health disorder.

The decision comes after years of concerns and complaints raised by the public that video game addiction is a real problem. The WHO first announced its intentions to add gaming disorder to the ICD last summer and this past weekend, the organization followed through.

According to the ICD-11, gaming disorder is characterized by persistent or recurrent gaming, which interferes with and takes precedence over other activities and daily life. 

Symptoms of gaming disorder include constant gaming, the inability to stop a game, and continuing unhealthy gaming habits despite negative consequences.

In order for an individual to be diagnosed with gaming disorder, the behaviors, whether episodic or recurrent, should be evident for a year or more. 

The language used to define gaming disorder is similar to the ICD-11’s gambling disorder, which can be another healthy addiction that takes over a person’s life. 

Gaming addiction, like a gambling addiction, only applies to those individuals who have little control over their gaming, sometimes even forgoing food or sleep to keep playing a video or computer game. 

“People need to understand this doesn’t mean every child who spends hours in their room playing games is an addict, otherwise medics are going to be flooded with requests for help,” Dr. Joan Harvey, a spokeswoman for the British Psychological Society, told the <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-compulsive-video-game-mental-health-problem-20180618-story.html">Chicago Tribune</a>. 

While many are in favor of the decision, the gaming industry has concerns that the decision is not based on scientific research. 

Several of the world’s top gaming organizations are asking that the decision be reversed and a statement was recently released demanding more evidence that gaming disorder is a real addiction. 

“The WHO is an esteemed organization and its guidance needs to be based on regular, inclusive, and transparent reviews backed by independent experts. ‘Gaming disorder’ is not based on sufficiently robust evidence to justify its inclusion in one of the WHO’s most important norm-setting tools.” the organizations said in a press release.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Gaming addiction has been officially recognized as a mental health disorder

The World Health Organization (WHO) has added gaming disorder to...

Briefly visiting a city with heavy air pollution can cause breathing issues. A new study led by researchers at the <a href="https://med.nyu.edu/">NYU School of Medicine</a> has revealed that even a brief visit to a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/children-develop-asthma-air-pollution/">polluted city</a> can cause breathing issues that take a week or more to recover from. The research is the first to investigate respiratory complications experienced by young international travelers upon returning home.

"We had several reports that tourists were feeling sick when visiting polluted cities, so it became important for us to understand what was really happening to their health," said study senior author Dr. Terry Gordon.

The investigation was focused on six measurements of lung and heart health in 34 men and women traveling abroad from the metropolitan New York City area. Most of the young adults were visiting family in consistently polluted regions of India, Pakistan, and China.

The study showed that being in a polluted city reduced measures of lung function by an average of 6 percent and by as much as 20 percent. Participants who visited the highly polluted cities reported as many as five respiratory symptoms, while those who visited cities with lower pollution levels had fewer symptoms or none. Two individuals had symptoms that were bad enough to seek medical attention.

"What travelers should know is that the potential effects of air pollution on their health are real and that they should take any necessary precautions they can," said study lead author Dr. M.J. Ruzmyn Vilcassim.

Dr. Gordon recommends that those visiting highly polluted cities should consider wearing masks or consulting a doctor prior to travel if they have preexisting respiratory or cardiac health difficulties, and to consider avoiding travel during certain months. 

Next, the researchers plan to study international travelers who are more susceptible to the effects of air pollution, such as older adults and people with asthma or heart conditions.

According to the World Tourism Organization, the number of tourists traveling internationally is expected to grow to 1.8 billion by 2030.

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jtm">Journal of Travel 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: Hung Chung Chih / Shutterstock

Briefly visiting a city with heavy air pollution can cause breathing issues

Briefly visiting a city with heavy air pollution can cause...

New research has revealed that climate change could soon create optimal conditions for diseases like malaria to spread beyond warm, tropical areas. 

Malaria is considered a tropical disease because of the prevalence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genetically-modified-mosquitoes-malaria/">malaria</a> in tropical and subtropical regions. Malaria parasites develop quickly enough in these climates within the mosquito that it can transmit the disease. 

But researchers from <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> and the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> have found that malaria parasites develop faster in mosquitoes in colder temperatures than previously realized. 

The findings of the study were published in the journal Biology Letters.

Even a slight increase in global temperatures could put millions more people at risk of being infected.  

It was previously thought that malaria parasites develop too slow in cold climates for the disease to be transmitted. 

“The rate of malaria transmission to humans is strongly determined by the time it takes for the parasites to develop in the mosquito,” said Matthew Thomas, a member of the research team. “The quicker the parasites develop, the greater the chance that the mosquito will survive long enough for the parasites to complete their development and be transmitted to humans.”

Malaria parasite development in relation to temperature hasn’t been examined since the 1930s, and the researchers wanted to see how climate change might impact parasite development in regions where malaria risk is low. 

The researchers focused on two species of mosquitoes, Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles gambiae, and monitored  malaria-infected specimens from both species in a lab setting. 

The mosquitos were subjected to a variety of temperatures ranging from 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. 

A control group of mosquitoes was exposed to a steady temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the optimal temperature for malaria to spread. 

Past models have found that it takes 56 days for a malaria parasite to develop in cooler temperatures, but the researchers found that at 64 degrees Fahrenheit, a parasite can develop in as little as 31 days. 

Given that the average lifespan of a mosquito is anywhere between 42 and 56 days, this means that an infected mosquito could spread the disease to a host. 

When temperatures varied, the researchers saw parasites developing in 27 days at 64 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Our work shows that even small increases in temperature could dramatically increase malaria infections in humans because the parasites develop much faster at these lower temperatures than has been previously estimated,” said Jessica Waite, a researcher for the study. “Parasite development rate further increases when temperatures fluctuate naturally, from cooler at night to warmer in the day.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Penn State

Climate change could increase the risk of malaria in colder areas

New research has revealed that climate change could soon create...

Overeating can cause neurological changes that can lead to obesity. A new study released by the <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a> shows that overeating effectively “cuts the breaks” on the brain’s ability to reduce food intake, and can therefore cause neurological changes that lead to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/chemicals-everyday-products-obesity/">obesity</a>, a disease that affects more than 500 million adults worldwide.

The study, completed on mice, shows how diet-induced obesity can actually alter the function of a critical neurological feeding suppression system. 

Prior research on how the brain and obesity are linked show that the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), which mediates physiological functions connected to survival, is a crucial component necessary for controlling eating behavior.

Researcher Mark Rossi and his colleagues used a combination of single-cell RNA sequencing and two-photon calcium imaging to identify and analyze obesity-linked alterations in certain cells within the LHA. 

They found a distinct class of cells called glutamatergic neurons that suppress food intake beyond satiation.

But, in mice who ate high-fat, obesogenic diets, Rossi and his team found that the glutamatergic neurons are altered and therefore cannot effectively suppress natural feeding.

These findings, published in <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/364/6447/1233">Science</a>, could potentially help identify therapeutic methods for eating disorders and help quell the obesity epidemic in humans.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Syda Productions

Overeating can cause neurological changes that can lead to obesity

Overeating can cause neurological changes that can lead to obesity....

Morning people may have a lower risk of breast cancer compared to night owls, according to a new study. 

Many studies have shown the importance of not just getting a good night’s sleep, but also <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poor-sleep-male-fertility-problems/">getting to sleep earlier</a> and not sleeping for more than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-heart-disease/">seven to eight hours a night</a>. 

In a new study, researchers from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol </a>examined the links between breast cancer risk and sleep habits and discovered that morning people are less likely to develop breast cancer compared to those who stay up late or sleep more than eight hours a night. 

Breast cancer rates have drastically increased over the years, and now, one in seven women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. 

Disrupted sleep patterns have been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer for people who work overnights, but this study is one of the few to investigate the impacts of sleep habits on breast cancer risk. 

The study was published by the BMJ. 

The researchers reviewed and analyzed data from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> study and the <a href="http://bcac.ccge.medschl.cam.ac.uk/">Breast Cancer Association Consortium</a>.

By using a technique called Mendelian randomization, the researchers were able to analyze genetic variants linked to sleep habits, sleep duration, and insomnia rates. 

Overall, data from both studies showed that being a morning person offered a protective effect, and that morning people are less likely to develop breast cancer. Night owls may want to consider readjusting their schedules to lower breast cancer risk. 

There was no consistent correlation between insomnia and breast cancer risk. 

Because the findings relied on self-reported data and only centered around women with European ancestry, there are some limitations to the study. 

“Further work to uncover these possible mediating processes is required,” the researchers conclude in their study. “Nonetheless, these findings have potential implications for influencing sleep habits of the general population to improve health.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/RawPixel

Morning people may have a lower risk of breast cancer

Morning people may have a lower risk of breast cancer...

The results of a new study focused on 10,000 perfumes and their online ratings suggest that the most popular <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/people-attracted-partners-scent/">scents</a> do not always make the highest-rated fragrances. The researchers pinpointed which scents are the most successful and found some surprising combinations that seem to be the most desirable.

The smell of a perfume is described in terms of notes, such as musk, vanilla, or floral. The combinations of several notes that are commonly used in perfumes are called accords.

Researchers from the Department of Physics at <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> used a complex network analysis to determine the most popular notes and accords. They studied 1,000 notes in thousands of perfumes and looked into their online sales.

The team found that some notes and accords are "over-represented," meaning they appear more often than by chance. These scents, however, are not necessarily racking up the highest ratings.

Some common accords, like lavender and geranium, were often present in the "successful" perfumes, but less common notes and accords appeared to have an even stronger link with perfume popularity. For example, jasmine plus mint and musk plus vetiver and vanilla were a couple of surprising combinations that were tied to higher perfume ratings. 

According to the researchers, this could be a new avenue for perfumers to discover scent combinations that are likely to be successful but are not yet widespread.

"Our work provides insights into factors that play a role in the success of perfumes. It also sets up a framework for a statistical analysis of fragrances based on simple properties and customer reviews," said study co-author Vaiva Vasiliauskaite. "It could be a beneficial tool for systematic ingredient selection and act as an artificial 'nose' - a traditional craft-master of perfumery."

While name brands can influence the popularity of a perfume, the team found no connection between perfume price and success. The smell itself, on the other hand,  greatly correlated with higher sales.

The research 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/Fototocam

The most popular scents do not always make the most successful perfumes

The results of a new study focused on 10,000 perfumes...

In a new study published by the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>, researchers investigated the potential for several types of polyurethane mattresses to emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Under simulated sleeping conditions, the team found levels of gaseous compounds that could pose a health risk to children and infants.

There are hundreds of household items, from electronics to furniture, which release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the surrounding environment. These compounds are known to contain a variety of chemicals that can be extremely dangerous to human health. 

According to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>, short-term effects of VOCs may include eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, or nausea. In the long term, these chemical compounds can cause damage to the liver, kidney, and central nervous system, while some volatile compounds can even cause cancer. 

People are more likely to inhale VOCs during sleep due to poor bedroom ventilation and to the close proximity of their nose and mouth to mattresses and bedding that contain the compounds. 

A team of experts led by Yael Dubowski set out to measure the levels of several VOCs released by eight different infant, toddler, and youth polyurethane mattresses. Next, they compared the levels of these compounds to their known risk levels. 

The researchers also wanted to investigate how the increasing temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentrations associated with lying on a mattress for a few hours may affect VOC emissions.

The team placed pieces of polyurethane mattresses into continuous flow chambers, collected the exiting air, and analyzed the levels of 18 different VOCs using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. 

The study revealed the mattresses released similar amounts of volatile compounds, except for a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hands-help-spread-flame-retardants/">flame retardant</a> compound emitted only by an infant mattress. The researchers also found that mattresses released more VOCs when temperature was elevated to simulate body heat. 

The experts estimated the doses of VOCs inhaled by adults, infants, and children, and found that most were well below the compound levels linked to increased cancer risk. For infants and young children, however, the inhalation of compounds such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde could reach levels of concern. 

As of now, there is no evidence of any adverse health effects among children. The researchers emphasized that further studies are needed to identify the potential health effects of chronic, low-level exposure to VOCs.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</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/Leszek Glasner

Mattresses may release higher levels of volatile organic compounds during sleep

In a new study published by the American Chemical Society,...

A study from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> (MSU) suggests that the secret to having a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tv-happy-relationship/">happy relationship</a> may be as simple as finding a nice person. The researchers also found that, contrary to popular belief, seeking out a partner who shares a similar personality is not necessary for relationship satisfaction.

Bill Chopik is an associate professor of Psychology and the director of MSU's Close Relationships Lab.

"People invest a lot in finding someone who's compatible, but our research says that may not be the end all be all," said Professor Chopik. "Instead, people may want to ask, 'Are they a nice person?' 'Do they have a lot of anxiety?' Those things matter way more than the fact that two people are introverts and end up together."

According to Professor Chopik, the most surprising finding of the study was that having similar personalities had almost no effect on how satisfied people were in their lives and relationships. He pointed out that dating apps which match people based on compatibility may have it all wrong, despite their popularity.

"When you start to get into creating algorithms and psychologically matching people, we actually don't know as much about that as we think we do. We don't know why the heart chooses what it does, but with this research, we can rule out compatibility as the lone factor," said Professor Chopik.

By examining almost every way couples could be happy, the MSU study is the most comprehensive of its kind. The team used data from a long-running survey, the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, to measure the effects of personality traits on well-being among more than 2,500 couples who had been married for around 20 years.

The study revealed that, regardless of having similar personality traits, the highest levels of relationship satisfaction were found in people with a conscientious and nice partner. 

On the other hand, the lowest levels of relationship satisfaction were found among individuals with a partner who was neurotic, and, surprisingly, more extroverted.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-research-in-personality">Journal of Research in Personality</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/G-Stock Studio

Nice guys may win after all with higher levels of relationship satisfaction

A study from Michigan State University (MSU) suggests that the...

Saad Nagi, Centrum för social och affektiv neurovetenskap, CSAN

A team of researchers from Sweden’s <a href="https://liu.se/en">Linköping University</a>, the U.K.’s <a href="https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/">Liverpool John Moores University</a>, and the U.S.’s <a href="https://www.nih.gov/">National Institutes of Health (NIH)</a> have discovered that pain signaling is much more rapid than previously thought, thus challenging our understanding of pain.

"The ability to feel pain is vital to our survival, so why should our pain-signaling system be so much slower than the system used for touch, and so much slower than it could be?" asks Saad Nagi, principal research engineer of the <a href="https://liu.se/en/organisation/liu/ike">Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine</a> and the <a href="https://liu.se/en/organisation/liu/ike/csan">Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN)</a> at Linköping University.

Touch signals are conducted by nerves insulated in a fatty sheath of myelin, which helps these nerves transmit signals faster. Pain signals were thought to be carried by nerves encased in thin layers of myelin, if any at all.

The research team examined nerve cells similar to those that detect touch, but had similar characteristics to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-alternative-pain-medications/">pain</a> receptors, in 100 healthy participants via a technique that allowed them to detect the signals in the nerve fibers from a single nerve cell. These cells are called nociceptors. 

The team saw that 12% of thickly myelinated nerve cells had the same properties as pain receptors, as well as a high conduction speed was as is in touch-sensitive nerve cells.

"When we activated an individual nerve cell, it caused a perception of pain, so we conclude that these nerve cells are connected to pain centers in the brain," said Nagi.

Nagi and the team also investigated patients with various rare neurological conditions. One group of people had acquired nerve damage that led to their thickly myelinated nerve fibers being destroyed, while the small fibers were spared, thus damaging their ability to feel light touch. The scientists thought that the loss of myelinated nerve fibers should also affect the newly-identified rapidly conducting pain system. These people had an impaired ability to experience mechanical pain. 

These results could be significant for further pain research, and for the diagnosis and care of patients with pain. These findings are published in <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

"It's becoming evident that thickly myelinated nerve fibers contribute to the experience of pain when it has a mechanical cause,” Nagi said. “Our results challenge the textbook description of a rapid system for signaling touch and a slower system for signaling pain. We suggest that pain can be signaled just as rapidly as touch.”

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Charlotte Perhammar/LiU

Pain signals travel just as fast as touch signals

A team of researchers from Sweden’s Linköping University, the U.K.’s...

Over 126 million Americans live in coastal areas threatened by sea level rise. When the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/about/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) published its fifth assessment in 2013, the report estimated that sea levels will rise by 52 to 98 centimeters before the end of this century at the current rate of emissions. Even if governments were to "achieve drastic emissions cuts," the experts projected that sea levels will still rise by up to 54 centimeters. 

Since the report was published, however, a growing collection of research suggests that these estimates were too conservative. Based on the increasing instability that has been observed across the West Antarctic and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/greenland-glaciers-melting-faster/">Greenland ice sheets</a>, one study concluded that the effects of climate change could result in a global average of more than two meters of sea level rise by the end of the century.

"For 2100, the ice sheet contribution is very likely in the range of 7 - 178 centimeters but once you add in glaciers and ice caps outside the ice sheets and thermal expansion of the seas, you tip well over two meters," said study lead author Professor Jonathan Bamber from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>.

"To put this into perspective, the Syrian refugee crisis resulted in about a million refugees coming into Europe. That is about 200 times smaller than the number of people who would be displaced in a 2m sea-level rise."Over 126 million Americans live in coastal areas threatened by sea level rise

Thermal expansion, or the swelling of seawater as it warms, is the second largest contributor to sea level rise. This phenomenon occurs as the ocean absorbs the atmospheric heat associated with greenhouse gas emissions. With this in mind, sea levels will continue to rise at accelerated rates.

According to <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">NOAA</a>, eight of the 10 largest cities in the world are near a coastline. In the United States, nearly 40 percent of the population is located in highly-populated coastal areas, where the sea level plays a major role in flooding and shoreline erosion. Because sea level rise is not evenly distributed, the impacts have already become more intense in some areas compared to others. 

A 2018 study from the <a href="https://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a> (WHOI) revealed which regions along the East Coast of the United States have been hit the hardest. Since the beginning of the 20th century, New York City and Miami have experienced about one foot of sea level rise. In the same time frame, coastal communities across the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia have faced a foot and a half of sea level rise. 

By combining sea level measurements and GPS satellite data with complex geophysical models, the WHOI researchers determined that the primary reason for variation in sea level rise across the East Coast is a phenomenon known as post-glacial rebound. Areas of land that were weighed down by ice sheets thousands of years ago were able to rebound as the ice disappeared, causing the surrounding land to sink in a see-saw effect. But the biggest factor at play, the influx of water from melting ice sheets and glaciers, makes it a challenge to project future sea levels on the Atlantic Coast.

"Post-glacial rebound is definitely the most important process causing spatial differences in sea level rise on the U.S. East Coast over the last century. And since that process plays out over millennia, we’re confident projecting its influence centuries into the future," explained study lead author Chris Piecuch. “But regarding the mass redistribution piece of the puzzle, we’re less certain how that’s going to evolve into the future, which makes it much more difficult to predict sea level rise and its impact on coastal communities.”

Experts have determined that a slowing Gulf Stream, fluctuations in a major North Atlantic weather pattern, and the effects of El Niño climate cycles are also leaving cities on the East Coast particularly vulnerable. The unpredictable nature of rising seawater has led to increasing concerns about flooding, which has become much more frequent in the Mid-Atlantic from North Carolina to New Jersey. 

"Climate change is warming sea temperatures and raising sea levels everywhere, but folks in places like North Carolina have a double whammy,” said Piecuch.

Cities including Norfolk, Baltimore, and Charleston are already experiencing rates of tidal flooding, also known as "sunny day flooding," that were not expected to occur for decades. But research suggests that some cities have much more to worry about than tidal flooding on a clear day. Under the worst-case scenario of climate change, cities in low-lying coastal regions could be completely submerged underwater. 

New Orleans, for example, lies up to 15 feet below sea level. A 2016 study by <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> found that some parts of the city are actually sinking at a rate of two inches per year, which means that New Orleans runs a very high risk of being underwater by the end of the century. Atlantic City, Charleston, Boston, and New York City are also at risk of becoming at least partially submerged by 2100.

A report from the <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/">Union of Concerned Scientists</a> revealed that Miami is another city that is severely threatened, with 12,000 homes in Miami Beach in danger of chronic flooding over the next three decades. "Miami as we know it today - there's virtually no scenario under which you can imagine it existing at the end of the century," environmental author Jeff Goodell told the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/">Business Insider</a>. 

The authors of a <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/">special 2018 report</a> from the IPCC said that the good news is that some of the actions that are urgently needed to limit global warming are already underway, but these actions must be accelerated. "The decisions we make today are critical in ensuring a safe and sustainable world for everyone, both now and in the future," said co-author Debra Roberts. “This report gives policymakers and practitioners the information they need to make decisions that tackle climate change while considering local context and people’s needs. The next few years are probably the most important in our history."

--

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: EQRoy / Shutterstock

Over 126 million Americans live in coastal areas threatened by sea level rise

Over 126 million Americans live in coastal areas threatened by...

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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?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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