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...

Scientists have developed tests for sleep impairment by tracking eye movements. A new report published by <a href="https://www.physoc.org/">The Physiological Society</a> describes the development of simple testing for sleep-related impairment based on a range of movement in the eyes. 

At NASA's Ames Research Center, a team of experts has identified eye-movement measures that can be easily and reliably tested to detect small neural deficits.

When humans operate on a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/poor-sleep-male-fertility-problems/">lack of sleep</a>, they are often unaware that they are dangerously affected, yet sleep deprivation is believed to play a role in up to 30 percent of all motor vehicle crashes. Lack of sleep has also been implicated in many catastrophic accidents, including the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

“There are significant safety ramifications for workers who may be performing tasks that require precise visual coordination of one’s actions when sleep deprived or during night shifts,” said study senior author Lee Stone.

“By looking at a wide variety of components of human eye movements, we could not only detect sleepiness but also distinguish it from other factors, such as alcohol use or brain injury, that we have previously shown cause subtly different deficits in eye movements.”

For two weeks, study participants were instructed to sleep 8.5 hours each night on a consistent schedule and to abstain from any alcohol, drugs, or caffeine so that the individuals started the trial completely rested with no sleep deficit.

Next, the participants spent up to 28 hours awake in the Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory at NASA Ames, as researchers tested their eye-movement performance periodically to track how it changed throughout the day and night.

By using advanced eye movement scanning techniques, the team pinpointed consistent effects that represented increasing impairment throughout the night for components of motion perception. When participants were asked to track stimuli with unpredictable direction, speed, or starting location, their eye movements were dramatically impaired.

According to the researchers, the findings have important implications for individuals who work in jobs that require vigilant monitoring and precise motor action, such as military personnel, surgeons, and truck drivers. The eye-movement measures could be used to gauge whether individuals are impaired when starting off the work day with a lack of sleep or before working a night shift.

The study is published in the <a href="https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14697793">Journal of Physiology</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/Sam Wordley

Scientists have developed tests for sleep impairment by tracking eye movements

Scientists have developed tests for sleep impairment by tracking eye...

New study finds the ‘Nemo effect’ to be inaccurate. After Finding Nemo became a worldwide hit, reports of skyrocketing clownfish sales soon followed. The film’s sequel, Finding Dory, prompted fears that the royal blue tang, another popular character in the movie, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/05/18/finding-nemo-wasnt-so-entertaining-for-real-clownfish-now-conservationists-worry-about-finding-dory/">would suffer a similar fate</a>. 

The rise in clownfish purchases spurred by Finding Nemo became known as “the Nemo effect.” However, a new study has found that warnings about consumers influenced by animal movies are unsubstantiated. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> investigated “the Nemo Effect” to find the source of the reports about clownfish sales and to see if animal movies influence consumers. 

“We think these narratives are so compelling because they are based on a clear causal link that is plausible, relating to events that are high profile - Finding Dory was one of the highest grossing animated movies in history,” said Diogo Veríssimo, the lead researcher of the study. 

While animal movies can impact viewers, the researchers found that people are not driven to buy pets but rather seek out information. Animal films even have the power to increase <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hollywood-boost-conservation-efforts/">conservation efforts</a>. 

For the study, the researchers reviewed data from the Google Trends platform to identify search trends, fish purchase data from a major ornamental fish importer and data from 20 aquariums across the US. 

Finding Nemo was far from the first movie to spur a “Nemo Effect” after the fact. Reports of increased demand in certain animals after the Harry Potter films and even Jurassic Park have all alleged that the films prompted consumers to buy certain animals. 

The researchers found no evidence proving this to be the case. 

“Our results suggest that the impact of movies is limited when it comes to the large-scale buying of animals,” said Veríssimo. “There is, however, a clear effect in terms of information-seeking which means that the media does play an important role in making wildlife and nature conservation more salient.”

The research was published in the journal Ambio. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Aleksey Stemmer

New study finds the ‘Nemo effect’ to be inaccurate

New study finds the ‘Nemo effect’ to be inaccurate. After...

New research confirms that racial biases impact investment decisions. With nearly $69.1 trillion of global financial assets wrapped up in hedge funds, real estate, and private equity, it’s no wonder that asset allocation acts as the base of our capital system. 

A recent study has confirmed that racial biases do influence investment decisions. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.illumencapital.com/">Illumen Capital</a>, a private investment firm, in collaboration with <a href="https://sparq.stanford.edu/">Stanford Sparq</a>, investigated the role of racial disparities in investing. 

Asset allocation involves the divvying up of resources into multiple investment areas like stocks, bonds, and real estate. An asset allocator finds ways to maximize returns for their investors and searches for smart investment opportunities. 

Since 1990, asset allocation has remained mostly white and male. Women make up eight percent of investors, but Hispanics make up just two percent of venture capitalists, and even fewer are black. 

“I’ve observed investors leaving money on the table because they underestimate the value of funds managed by people of color and women,” said Daryn Dodson, the founder and managing director of Illumen Capital, “But many of these investors did not seem to harbor conscious prejudices or even notice their biased behavior. This leads me to believe that the problem can be addressed, but we must first clearly define why these issues exist.”

To help get to the root of the issue, the researchers designed an experiment to see if there is a bias against racially diverse fund owners. An online test was set up to see how asset allocators evaluate funds owned by black men when race was left out of the details.

Funds led by a racially diverse team faced more bias at higher performance levels. White-led funds were judged more competent, and for lower performing teams, asset allocators judged black-led funds more favorably but did not actually invest.

The biases present in asset allocation are similar to biases experienced by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hispanic-americans-air-pollution/">marginalized communities and people of color</a> in education, employment, and just everyday life, the researchers found.  

“This study highlights the tangible business value represented by diverse teams, which, when left unrecognized, leaves profit and opportunity on the table,” said Lata Reddy, senior vice president of <a href="https://www.prudential.com/">Prudential Financial’s</a> Diversity, Inclusion &amp; Impact team, and the report’s lead sponsor. 

“Black and Latino Americans wield almost $3 trillion in combined purchasing power today, and that’s projected to grow. As this study shows, investing in those groups that have been historically marginalized can strengthen not only the talent pipeline, but the advancement of people of color in their careers and their communities.”

The report was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/ASDF_MEDIA

New research confirms that racial biases impact investment decisions

New research confirms that racial biases impact investment decisions. With...

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wind-energy-facilities-birds/">Wind energy</a> continues to displace more expensive and polluting sources of energy by claiming larger shares of the electricity market. In a new study published by the <a href="https://www.aip.org/">American Institute of Physics</a>, German researchers have investigated the potential for this renewable energy source to maintain its increasing popularity.

The use of wind turbines for electricity has grown substantially over the last four decades. By 2018, the use of wind energy in the United States alone had expanded enough to power more than <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/history-us-wind-energy">28 million homes</a>.

According to the current study, wind energy growth has been primarily driven by dramatic improvements in the technology behind it. Experts have not only adapted the technology for cold climates and offshore use, but have also developed more accurate methods to forecast wind speed and power.

Additionally, the wind turbines used today can generate at least 100 times more power compared to turbines produced in the 1970s. Large turbines now have the capacity to generate roughly 5 megawatts, while the market expectations for future turbine capacity are as high as 15 megawatts. 

"The size of a state-of-the-art turbine is extremely impressive. The swept area of the rotor of a standard turbine is now twice the size of a football field," said study co-author Berthold Hahn. "In parallel to the development in size, the technology has also become mature, meaning cost-effective and reliable."

Over the last 40 years, the cost to produce electricity from wind has dropped from $500 to $50 per megawatt-hour.

[caption id="attachment_1876456" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/wind-energy.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1876456" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/wind-energy.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="366" /></a> The growth in wind energy solutions over the decades.Image Credit: Fraunhofer IWES[/caption]

"The technical developments, like floating offshore turbines enabling the harvest of wind energy in very deep waters, integrated control strategies considering the needs of the grid, and artificial intelligence permanently assessing the performance of the turbines, have contributed to the impressive cost reductions," explained Hahn.

Despite this, the wind power industry still faces pressure to reduce costs. While investigating more economical ways to maintain the turbines, the study authors noted that turbine failures could be detected earlier by combining historical maintenance data and real-time measurements.

Hahn predicts that, once improvements are made in power storage, wind technology will play a critical role in managing electricity supply and demand volatility. 

"In many countries, wind energy has started to take over tasks of stabilizing the grid from large conventional plants, meaning that the energy systems are now eventually changing from a mainly centralized structure to a decentralized one."

Stefan Gsänger, who was not involved in the research, is the Secretary General of the <a href="https://wwindea.org/">World Wind Energy Association</a> and one of the creators of the International Renewable Energy Alliance. 

"The global transformation of the energy system towards renewable energy is on its way, and wind power is a major force in this development, having become a major pillar of power supply throughout the world," said Gsänger. "Some countries are making very good progress in accelerating wind power deployment rates." 

"Such acceleration is imperative not only to achieve the objectives of the Paris Climate Change agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, but also for every country to participate in the full socio-economic advantages of renewable energy."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://aip.scitation.org/journal/are">Applied Physics Reviews</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>

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/Mimadeo

Advancing technology is driving the increased use of wind energy

Wind energy continues to displace more expensive and polluting sources...

Air pollution is on the rise due to the effects of climate change – and ozone air pollution in particular is responsible for accelerating the progression of emphysema of the lung. A new study from the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a>, <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a>, and the <a href="http://www.buffalo.edu/">University at Buffalo</a> details the consequences that our changing climate has on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-asthma-cases-europe/">air pollution</a> and lung disease.

Although past studies have shown the link between air pollutants and lung disease – as well as heart disease – this new study published in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/">JAMA</a> has found a connection between long term exposure to all major air pollutants (especially ozone) and an increase in emphysema seen on lung scans. Emphysema is a condition characterized by the destruction of lung tissue, which results in shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and an increased risk of death.

“We were surprised to see how strong air pollution’s impact was on the progression of emphysema on lung scans, in the same league as the effects of cigarette smoking, which is by far the best-known cause of emphysema,” says study senior co-author Dr. Joel Kaufman, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and epidemiology in the School of Public Health at the University of Washington. 

“Rates of chronic lung disease in this country are going up and increasingly it is recognized that this disease occurs in nonsmokers. We really need to understand what’s causing chronic lung disease, and it appears that air pollution exposures that are common and hard to avoid might be a major contributor.”

Researchers found that if the ambient ozone level was just 3 parts per billion higher where a person lived compared to another location over 10 years, there was an associated increased risk of emphysema equivalent to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day for 29 years. Disturbingly, the study also determined that ozone levels in some major U.S. cities are increasing by that amount, potentially as a result of climate change. 

The study involved the implementation of novel and accurate exposure assessment methods for air pollution levels at the homes of study participants. Researchers collected detailed measurements of exposures over multiple years in metropolitan regions and in the homes of many of the participants. 

“This is a big study with state-of-the-art analysis of more than 15,000 CT scans repeated on thousands of people over as long as 18 years,” says Dr. R. Graham Barr, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Columbia University and a senior author on the paper. “These findings matter since ground-level ozone levels are rising, and the amount of emphysema on CT scans predicts hospitalization from and deaths due to chronic lung disease.”

There is now a high volume of evidence linking air pollution and emphysema, leading scientists to worry about public health as climate change creeps forward and the consequences become more dire. If we don’t begin to reverse the climate change process now, it won’t just be our environment that will feel the effects.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/trekandshoot

Air pollution can be as harsh on the lungs as a daily pack of cigarettes

Air pollution is on the rise due to the effects...

Droughts are projected to become more frequent in the coming years, which could have a devastating impact on future food availability, especially in the areas most vulnerable to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/war-urbanization-global-malnutrition/">malnutrition</a>. 

Researchers from the<a href="http://www.iiasa.ac.at/"> International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis</a> (IIASA) conducted a study to identify and map out the areas most at risk of being severely impacted by droughts. 

One in nine people worldwide are under-nourished, and almost half the deaths in children under five are due to poor nutrition. Developing countries in Africa and South Asia are most affected by poor nutrition and drought. 

Poor nutrition can lead to stunted growth and development in children, a widespread and common problem that can lead to lifelong health problems and hinders economic growth.

As droughts and poor nutrition can increase the likelihood of stunting, the researchers wanted to investigate which populations are most vulnerable to the impacts of drought.  

The researchers also wanted to see what factors increase susceptibility to the devastating impacts of drought and other climate extremes. 

580,000 observations of children from 53 countries were combined into a malnutrition dataset, and the researchers focused on rainfall extremes and their effect on nutrition outcomes since 1990. 

Both rainfall extremes and drought are linked to poor nutrition in children. However, the researchers found that several factors can aggravate or mitigate the impacts of drought on food availability. 

The areas most vulnerable to drought and poor nutrition are dry regions in poorly governed nations like Sudan, Chad, and Somalia. 

“We found that a number of factors can make children resilient to droughts, such as good governance, nutritionally diverse crops, higher levels of imports per capita, overall crop production, and irrigation,” said Matthew Cooper, the lead author of the study. “By assessing all of these factors quantitatively, we were able to identify the places that were the most vulnerable to drought.” 

The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

--

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/Alohaflaminggo

How droughts impact vulnerable communities

Droughts are projected to become more frequent in the coming...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.rsna.org/">Radiological Society of North America</a> has revealed that drugs used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sleep-helps-teenagers-adhd/">ADHD</a>) may affect brain development in children. Methylphenidate (MPH), sold under names such as Ritalin and Concerta, was found to influence the growth of white matter in the deep tissues of the brain. 

MPH is a commonly prescribed treatment for ADHD that is effective in up to 80 percent of patients. However, little is known about how the drug may affect the evolution of the brain's structure.

A team of Dutch researchers set out to examine the potential impact of MPH on white matter, which is important for communication between the brain’s functional networks. 

The study was focused on 50 boys and 49 young adult men who were diagnosed with ADHD, yet had never taken methylphenidate.

"Previous studies all have tried to statistically control for the effects of ADHD medications," said study senior author Dr. Liesbeth Reneman. "But we are the first to study medication-naïve patients in this context, which, of course, is crucial if you want to know how ADHD medications affect the developing brain."

The patients received either MPH or a placebo for 16 weeks. Before and after treatment, the participants underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a technique that helps assess white matter.

Diffusion tensor imaging provides experts with a measure called fractional anisotropy (FA), which represents important aspects of white matter such as size and nerve fiber density. FA also reflects a process that insulates nerve fibers for more effective signal transmission called myelination. 

In boys with ADHD, four months of MPH treatment was associated with significant changes in white matter. The effects were not observed in the young adults who were also treated with MPH.

"The results show that ADHD medications can have different effects on the development of brain structure in children versus adults," said Dr. Reneman. "In adult men with ADHD, and both boys and adult men receiving placebo, changes in FA measures were not present, suggesting that the effects of methylphenidate on brain white matter are modulated by age."

Dr. Reneman and his team are studying the long-term implications of their findings on ADHD behavior. In the meantime, the researchers want to see stricter regulations for ADHD medications, which are being prescribed to increasing numbers of children at younger ages.

"What our data already underscore is that the use of ADHD medications in children must be carefully considered until more is known about the long-term consequences of prescribing methylphenidate at a young age," said Dr. Reneman. "The drug should only be prescribed to children who actually have ADHD and are significantly affected by it."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.rsna.org/journal/radiology">Radiology</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/Suzanne Tucker

Ritalin and other ADHD medications may affect brain development in children

A new study from the Radiological Society of North America...

Thanks to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/attachment-style-social-media-behavior/">social media platforms</a> like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, it has never been easier to connect with people all over the world. As we associate with people in our social circle who share the same values, sometimes we’re surprised to learn that someone we feel connected to has vastly different opinions.

For example, the surprise that many felt surrounding the 2016 election results can be traced back to perception bias, which refers to the false assumption that people around us think like we do. 

In a new study, researchers from the <a href="https://www.unc.edu/">University of North Carolina,</a> the <a href="https://www.santafe.edu/">Santa Fe Institute</a>, and the <a href="https://www.gesis.org/en/institute">GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences</a> in Germany investigated social perception bias in the hopes of understanding why people form conclusions about their social networks. 

The answer may lie in the social network itself, according to the results published in the journal Nature Human Behavior. 

“There’s a fundamental question about how people perceive their environment in an unequal society,” said Eun Lee, a co-author of the study. “[These perception biases] show up [in a devastating way] around contentious issues like gun control and abortion, race, and the distribution of wealth.”

Lee traveled to South Korea to see social perception bias play out in real-time during a period of political turmoil. During her visit, she observed people gravitating towards others who had similar opinions. 

Next, the researchers applied a network model to a society with a majority and minority groups. The groups were divided based on characteristics like smoking or nonsmoking. 

An individual’s certain biases would depend on where that individual was in the network, which group they belonged to, how they interacted with others, and what the difference in group sizes was. 

After developing the framework, the researchers surveyed 300 participants to test if the model’s projections were accurate. 

When the majority and minority groups were more disproportionate in size, the researchers found that perception bias was bigger. Perception bias was also influenced by how well a group was interconnected, in which case individuals could easily overestimate their own group and overlook the other. 

To take a step back and help counter perception bias, the researchers recommend interacting with people from different groups and expanding your social network.  

“Whatever group you are in, it certainly helps to be more aware of the outer environment,” said Mirta Galesic, a co-author of the study. “In a global, interconnected world, we all depend on each other and all changes will eventually come to us.”

---

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/ra2studio

Where does social perception bias come from?

Thanks to social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram,...

A child’s skin microbiome is affected by the mode of delivery at birth. A team of scientists in China has discovered that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/puberty-bone-fractures/">children</a> have a skin microbial community that is largely inherited from their mothers. The research also suggests that the bacterial population found in children's skin is influenced by whether they were born through a vaginal delivery or a Cesarean section.

The progression of bacterial skin communities during childhood is important to skin health and also to the development of the immune system in the long term, yet few studies have analyzed the microbiota in young children.

"To date, research into the maternal influence on her child's skin microbiome has been mostly limited to a narrow postpartum window in children younger than one year old and fewer studies have explored the maternal relationship with the child's microflora after infancy," said study lead author Professor Zhe-Xue Quan. 

"Therefore, we expanded the scope of our analysis to include sampling from different body sites and direct comparison to the mother of the child in order to provide novel insights."

The skin, which contains more than ten billion bacterial cells per 1.8 square meters, is the body's first line of defense and plays a critical role in health and disease. These bacteria interact with the immune system through numerous pathways, serving as either beneficial microbes or opportunistic pathogens.

For the current study, the researchers analyzed relationships between the microbiota composition of 158 children and their biological mothers. A child’s skin microbiome is affected by the mode of delivery at birth

The study revealed that sample location and age were the primary factors determining a child's skin bacterial composition, which varied significantly among three skin sites that were tested. The abundance of most bacterial varieties in children were more similar to those of their own mothers than those of unrelated women. 

The researchers also found that the facial bacterial composition of 10-year-old children was strongly associated with whether they were born by Caesarian section or vaginal delivery.

"By analyzing the microbial community structure at three very different skin sites of children, we demonstrated that the skin microbiome is strongly impacted by the surrounding microenvironment and that the alpha diversity of the skin microbiome increases during childhood," noted Professor Quan. 

"Our results suggest that the bacterial population on a child's skin is to a large extent similar to that of their mothers and is affected in the long term by the way they were delivered at birth. One possible explanation is that the developing skin microbiome interacts with the immune system, which may be educated by exposure to microbes during a critical window early in life. It means that microbial colonization runs in parallel with immune system development."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-investigative-dermatology">Journal of Investigative Dermatology</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/Bricolage

A child’s skin microbiome is affected by the mode of delivery at birth

A child’s skin microbiome is affected by the mode of...

Gut-brain connection sheds light on how overeating causes obesity. According to a new study from researchers at <a href="https://www.bcm.edu/">Baylor College of Medicine</a>, a previously unknown connection between the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/organic-apples-best-bacteria/">gut</a> and the brain helps explain why overeating leads to weight gain. 

"We have uncovered a new piece of the complex puzzle of how the body manages energy balance and affects weight," said corresponding author Dr. Makoto Fukuda, assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor and the <a href="https://www.bcm.edu/departments/pediatrics/sections-divisions-centers/childrens-nutrition-research-center">USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor</a> and Texas Children's Hospital.

The study looked at mice consuming a high-fat diet, which increased their levels of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), a gut hormone involved in managing the body’s energy balance. The researchers found that excess GIP travels through the blood and into the brain, thus inhibiting the action of leptin, a satiety hormone that triggers the sensation of being full within the brain. Therefore, the mice continued to eat and gain weight.

Blocking the link between GIP and the brain restored the leptin’s ability to subdue appetite and led to eventual weight loss.

"We didn't know how a high-fat diet or overeating leads to leptin resistance," Fukuda said. "My colleagues and I started looking for what causes leptin resistance in the brain when we eat fatty foods. Using cultured brain slices in petri dishes we screened blood circulating factors for their ability to stop leptin actions. After several years of efforts, we discovered a connection between the gut hormone GIP and leptin."

The first task the researchers had to complete was to figure out if GIP was involved in leptin malfunctioning. They did so by confirming that the GIP receptor, the binding molecule on cells that grabs hold of GIP and balances its effects, is expressed in the brain. They then experimented with blocking GIP receptors via a monoclonal antibody infusion within the brain. This experiment reduced body weight of obese mice. Gut-brain connection sheds light on how overeating causes obesity

"The animals ate less and also reduced their fat mass and blood glucose levels," Fukuda said. "In contrast, normal chow-fed lean mice treated with the monoclonal antibody that blocks GIP-GIP receptor interaction neither reduced their food intake nor lost body weight or fat mass, indicating that the effects are specific to diet-induced obesity."

"In summary, when eating a balanced diet, GIP levels do not increase and leptin works as expected, triggering in the brain the feeling of being full when the animal has eaten enough and the mice stop eating," Fukuda continued. "But, when the animals eat a high-fat diet and become obese, the levels of blood GIP increase. GIP flows into the hypothalamus where it inhibits leptin's action. Consequently, the animals do not feel full, overeat and gain weight. Blocking the interaction of GIP with the hypothalamus of obese mice restores leptin's ability to inhibit appetite and reduces body weight."

These findings show that GIP and its receptor in the brain’s hypothalamus, the area that regulates appetite, are needed and sufficient to evoke leptin resistance. More research is needed, however, researchers believe that these findings could be used to develop weight-loss strategies in the near future.

The research is published in the <a href="https://www.jci.org/">Journal of Clinical Investigation</a>.

&nbsp;

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Anatomy Insider

Gut-brain connection sheds light on how overeating causes obesity

Gut-brain connection sheds light on how overeating causes obesity. According...

The Perseid meteor shower, one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year, is set to peak on August on 12th and 13th. 

While a full moon and cloudy skies will make it difficult to see the shower, lucky stargazers can still expect to see a few <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lyrid-meteor-shower-returns/">streaking meteors</a> make their way across the night sky. 

According to the<a href="https://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar/#Perseids"> American Meteor Society,</a> the Perseids are active from July 17th through August 24th, but during the evening and early hours of Monday and Tuesday, the shower will reach its peak. 

What makes the Perseids so popular are the number of meteors visible during the peak. 

“Up to 100 meteors per hour will occur during the peak night,” said Dave Samuhel, an Astronomy expert for <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/tonight-perseid-meteor-shower-to-peak-with-dozens-of-shooting-stars-per-hour/70009021">AccuWeather.</a> “Perseids are not only numerous, they are beautiful. Most of the meteors leave a glittering trail as they pass.” 

The Perseids meteor shower seems to originate from the constellation Perseus, which is where the shower gets its name. The meteors themselves are the debris left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle, according to the <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/tag/perseids-meteor-shower/">National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).</a> 

If you live in the western United States and the southern plains you may be lucky enough to see the shower. For the best chance to see the Perseids, look to the darkest parts of the sky, keeping the moon out of sight. 

The Northeast and Canada will have mostly cloudy skies, making meteor spotting difficult, according to AccuWeather. 

If cloudy conditions obstruct your view or you live in a densely populated city, NASA will be <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NasaMeteorWatch/">broadcasting coverage</a> of the shower starting tonight at nine p.m. Eastern time. 

“The Perseids are most active after midnight through daybreak. However, there are so many meteors during this shower, don’t hesitate to view during the evening,” said Samuhel.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Muskoka Stock Photos

Perseid Meteor Shower to peak tonight and tomorrow

The Perseid meteor shower, one of the most spectacular meteor...

Companies are now being told to remove any warning language from labels on products that contain the pesticide glyphosate. 

The <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) sent out a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-08/documents/glyphosate_registrant_letter_-_8-7-19_-_signed.pdf">letter</a> to businesses asking that any Proposition 65 warning language be taken off labels under the grounds that is misleading and contradicts the EPA’s findings on glyphosate. 

In 2017, the state of California listed glyphosate as a substance under Proposition 65, meaning that the chemical is likely to be carcinogenic. 

Under California law, products that contain glyphosate need a warning label listing the product as potentially cancer-causing due to the <a href="https://www.iarc.fr/">International Agency for Research on Cancer</a> listing the chemical as “probably carcinogenic.” 

Now, the Trump Administration is pushing back against those regulations despite the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jury-orders-bayer-to-pay-80-million-in-roundup-cancer-lawsuit/">thousands of lawsuits</a> being mounted against Bayer, the company that bought Monsanto which makes the controversial product Roundup. 

Andrew Wheeler, the EPA Administrator, said in a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-takes-action-provide-accurate-risk-information-consumers-stop-false-labeling">statement</a> that the warning labels are “inaccurate.” 

“We will not allow California’s flawed program to dictate federal policy,” said Wheeler. “It is critical that federal regulatory agencies like EPA relay to consumers accurate, scientific based information about risks that pesticides may pose to them. EPA’s notification to glyphosate registrants is an important step to ensuring the information shared with the public on a federal pesticide label is correct and not misleading.”

The EPA says that glyphosate is not a carcinogen and as long as the product is used as directed, there is no threat posed to human health. An EPA review of the product in April confirmed these findings. 

An injunction against the state of California issued by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California bars the state from enforcing the warning labels. 

A lawsuit filed by Monsanto against California is ongoing. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Pixavril

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Trump’s EPA will no longer approve cancer warning labels on glyphosate products

Companies are now being told to remove any warning language...

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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

[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



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"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[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...