From childhood spats to shared memories and cherished traditions, there's a unique bond that ties siblings together. But there's one topic that's a perennial cause for discussion: who's the favorite child?



Alex Jensen, a professor from BYU School of Family Life, shed some valuable insights on this playful contest in his recent research, which examines the subtle displays of parental favoritism influenced by birth order, personality, and gender.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-younger-siblings-vs-older-siblings">Younger siblings vs. older siblings</h2>



According to Professor Jensen, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parent-children-relationships-are-key-to-lifelong-well-being/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">parents</a> generally treat their children differently based on birth order, often having a favorite.



Younger siblings often receive more attention, warmth, and support from parents. This could be because parents have more experience raising children by the time the younger ones arrive, making them more relaxed and affectionate.



On the other hand, older siblings tend to gain more independence as they grow up. Parents are usually stricter with their firstborns but gradually become less controlling over time. 



Since older siblings are the first to experience different stages of life, parents may place higher expectations on them to be responsible and self-sufficient.



In short, younger siblings may get more emotional support, while older ones receive more freedom. This difference in treatment can shape sibling relationships and influence how children perceive fairness in their families.



“It is helpful to take the findings from this study and be aware of the patterns that could be happening in your family,” Jensen said. “When parents are aware, they can make small adjustments that benefit everyone.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-parents-favor-daughters">Do parents favor daughters?</h2>



The researchers found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-who-use-humor-have-better-relationships-with-their-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">parents</a> tend to favor daughters slightly more than sons, often seeing them as the favorite child.



This preference appears in different ways, such as how parents interact with their children and how they distribute resources like money, time, and attention. Interestingly, while parents are aware of this bias, children themselves do not seem to notice it.



The researchers analyzed data from 19,469 participants. The results showed that both mothers and fathers are more likely to treat daughters with warmth, engage in more positive interactions with them, and provide them with more resources compared to sons.



This could be due to cultural expectations, emotional closeness, or the perception that daughters require more protection and support.



Even though this favoritism is subtle, it can still influence how children perceive their relationships with their parents and siblings. Understanding these tendencies can help parents ensure fairness and strengthen family bonds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-personality-of-favorite-child-matters">Personality of favorite child matters</h2>



It’s not just birth order or gender that matters - personality also influences favoritism. The study revealed that children who are more conscientious and agreeable receive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/many-parents-use-threats-to-discipline-children-but-its-not-effective-in-the-long-run/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">better treatment</a>, regardless of whether they are the eldest or youngest.



“Most parents probably connect more easily with one child over another, whether that be due to personality, birth order, gender or other things like shared interests,” Jensen said. 



“Watch for those patterns within yourself. Pay attention to how your children react to things that could be perceived as favoritism.”



One surprising finding? Extraversion didn’t seem to impact favoritism. “Americans seem to particularly value extraverted people, but within families it may matter less,” Jensen noted.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-being-the-favorite-child-matters">Why being the favorite child matters</h2>



Favoritism in families goes beyond small privileges like getting the biggest slice of cake - it can have serious emotional and psychological effects on children.



When a child feels less favored by their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-often-feel-lonely-burnt-out-parenting-demands/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">parents</a>, they may struggle with low self-esteem, anxiety, or feelings of rejection. This emotional distress can lead to changes in their behavior, such as acting out, withdrawing socially, or experiencing difficulty in school.



Research suggests that children who perceive themselves as less favored are more likely to develop mental health challenges, including depression and behavioral issues. 



They may seek attention through rebellious actions or disengage from family interactions altogether. This dynamic can also create resentment toward siblings, weakening family relationships over time.



Parents may not always be aware of these effects, but favoritism can leave a lasting impact. 



“Keep an eye out for things that seem unfair. Your children will let you know if they think something is unfair,” Jensen said. “Either they are missing perspective and understanding, or you need to make some changes in your parenting. Make sure you are open to the latter.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-can-parents-do">What can parents do?</h2>



Parents don’t need to feel guilty, but they should be mindful of these patterns. Jensen emphasizes that favoritism isn’t always intentional - it often happens naturally based on personality and circumstances.



“Sometimes parents get so concerned about treating their kids the same that they may overlook individual needs,” he said. 



“We’re not suggesting parents feel guilty; instead, parents can look at this research and use it as encouragement to look at places where they can improve, without going to extremes.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strengthening-family-bonds">Strengthening family bonds</h2>



Favoritism can impact sibling relationships, but awareness can help parents make positive changes. The study from <a href="https://familylife.byu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BYU School of Family Life</a> encourages families to focus on connection rather than comparison.



“The simple answers are perhaps the best. Be patient with yourself and with your children,” Jensen said. 



“Spend time together. Do things together that you like to do. Do things together that your children like to do. Work together, serve others together, worship together. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-spend-the-most-time-on-devices-but-nature-offers-a-solution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Relationships</a> take time and time together doing a variety of things will have many positive benefits.”



So, if you’re wondering whether your sibling really is the “golden child,” the answer might not be so simple. It’s not just about being the oldest, the youngest, or even the most charming - it’s about personality, responsibility, and sometimes, just how easy you are to deal with.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/bul-bul0000458.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Psychological Bulletin</a>.



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Parents treat their children differently - but do they have a favorite?

From childhood spats to shared memories and cherished traditions, there's a unique bond that ties siblings together. But there's one topic that's a perennial cause for discussion: who's the favorite child? Alex Jensen, a professor from BYU School of Family Life, shed some valuable insights on this playful contest in his recent research, which examines the subtle displays of parental favoritism influenced by birth order, personality, and gender. Younger siblings vs. older siblings According to Professor Jensen, parents generally treat their children differently based on birth order,...

Deaths from suicide, alcohol, and drug-induced causes reached record highs in 2017, according to a new <a href="http://wellbeingtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/FINAL-WBT-TFAH-2019-PainNationUpdateBrief-.pdf">analysis</a> of data from the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC). 

Although deaths from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/us-drug-overdose-death-rates/">overdoses </a>and alcohol increased at a lower rate compared to 2016 and 2015, over 150,000 Americans died from causes related to drugs, alcohol, and suicide in 2017. 

The analysis was conducted by the <a href="https://www.tfah.org/">Trust for America’s Health</a> and the <a href="http://wellbeingtrust.org/">Well Being Trust</a> and researchers reviewed mortality data from the CDC to provide a clearer picture of mortality rates in connection to the rising opioid epidemic and the reported increases in suicide. 

Overall in 2017, there were more than twice as many deaths related to alcohol, drugs, and suicide compared to 1999. Deaths due to alcohol, drugs, and suicide increased by six percent in 2017 from 2016. 

The analyses made a note of some worrying trends and higher-risk regions and age-groups. 

People ages 35-54, men, and residents of West Virginia and New Mexico were more likely to have died from alcohol, drugs or suicide in 2017 compared to other age groups or states. 

77 New Mexico residents per 100,000 died from the above-stated causes and in West Virginia that number was 91. 

Mississippi and Texas had the lowest number of resident deaths in relation to drugs, suicide or alcohol per 100,000 in 2017. 

Suicide rates have increased by 22 percent since 2008, and the rising death tolls from both suicide and synthetic opioids were one of the biggest takeaways of the report. 

In 1999, fentanyl and synthetic opioid deaths accounted for four percent of deaths in the US, in 2017 that number skyrocketed to 38 percent. 

The report discussed policies and interventions already in place to help people with addiction, treating drug and alcohol abuse, and limiting the supply of opioids. 

However, while these intervention methods are important, the report authors say that unless more is done to target the root cause of addiction and the focus shifted to early prevention, intervention and drug policies will only go so far. 

“These new data reinforce the need for a multi-faceted, multi-sector response, including the healthcare, mental health, public health, education, economic development, criminal justice, family service, and other sectors," the researchers conclude in the report. 

If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 which provides free and confidential support 24/7. You can also visit the<a href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/about/"> National Suicide Prevention Lifeline </a>website for resources to help.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Deaths from suicide, drugs, and alcohol reach historic highs

Deaths from suicide, alcohol, and drug-induced causes reached record highs...

This week, the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/">Food and Drug Administration</a> (FDA) approved a nasal spray prescription to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psychedelic-mushrooms-treat-depression/">treat depression</a>, and it’s one of the first new drugs for depression to hit the market in decades.  

The new nasal spray uses the anesthetic ketamine, and it’s a fast-acting treatment is said to relieve depression symptoms in a matter of hours. 

Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. developed the spray called esketamine, but will be sold under the brand name Spravato, and the drug could potentially provide a lifeline to the millions of people that suffer from treatment-resistant depression. 

The drug will only be available to patients who have tried two or more antidepressants with little or no success, and patients will only be able to get the spray under supervision at a treatment center. 

Ketamine as a treatment for depression is not new, and the anesthetic has been shown to help alleviate symptoms.

Although the generic version of ketamine was previously only available as an anesthetic, doctors have prescribed it to patients with depression, according to <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/04/700014137/fda-expected-to-approve-esketamine-nasal-spray-for-depression">NPR</a>.

Esketamine is similar to ketamine which is a mind-altering drug that has become a popular party drug and can sometimes cause out of body experiences and hallucinations. 

There is potential that users could abuse esketamine, so the makers and distributors of the drug are working to ensure that patients only take the right dose. 

One extremely promising effect of the nasal spray is its reported ability to quell suicidal thoughts. It’s also been to shown to treat anxiety as well. 

“What seems remarkable is that the drug also seems to help domains other than depression, like anxiety, suicidal thinking, and anhedonia,” Dr. Carlos Zarate Jr., chief of the <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/labs-at-nimh/research-areas/clinics-and-labs/etpb/index.shtml">N.I.M.H. </a>experimental therapeutics and pathophysiology branch, told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/05/health/depression-treatment-ketamine-fda.html">New York Times</a>. “It seems to have more broad effects, on many areas of mood.”

--

By <a href="http://mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

FDA approves new nasal spray to treat depression

This week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.mpi.nl/">Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics</a> have previously shown that disfluencies most often occur before “hard-to-name” low-frequency words. In a new study, the team set out to examine whether listeners track the use of “uh,” even when it precedes commonly used words. 

Interruptions in fluent speech, such as pauses or saying “uh,” are not unusual in casual <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/singing-mice-reveal-brain-conversation/">conversation</a>. On average, people use six disfluencies in every 100 words.

A research team led by Hans Rutger Bosker used eye-tracking to identify which of two objects participants would look at on a screen as they were read instructions that were both fluent and disfluent.

One group heard a typical scenario in which the speaker used “uh” before “hard-to-name” low-frequency words. The other group of participants listened as a speaker used “uh” before “easy-to-name” high-frequency words.

The team wanted to determine whether people in the second group would accurately track the unexpected occurrences of “uh” and learn to look at the “easy-to-name” object. The researchers found that these participants did, in fact, adjust to the atypical scenario. After hearing the “uh” prompt, the individuals began looking toward the more common of two objects before the word for it was spoken.

According to the study authors, this research provides the first evidence of distributional learning in disfluency processing. 

“We've known about disfluencies triggering prediction for more than 10 years now, but we demonstrate that these predictive strategies are malleable,” said Bosker. “People actively track when particular talkers say 'uh' on a moment by moment basis, adjusting their predictions about what will come next.” 

For the past few years, distributional learning has been a much more highly explored topic in psycholinguistics.

“We extend this field with evidence for distributional learning of metalinguistic performance cues, namely disfluencies - highlighting the wide scope of distributional learning in language processing.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-memory-and-language">Journal of Memory and Language</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People adjust to interruptions in speech to predict what comes next

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics have previously...

Compared to thirty and forty years ago, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/screen-time-doubled-children/">children</a> have become more likely to stay indoors rather than taking to the streets for playtime. This has caused a huge decline in kids’ physical activity levels and has contributed to a more antisocial lifestyle. One U.K. organization called “Playing Out” is fighting to change this and urging kids to get outside and play outside like they used to.

“I grew up in the city, and a lot of time was spent just playing out with friends, on my own street and around the neighbourhood,” said Playing Out co-founder Alice Ferguson wrote in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcah20">Cities &amp; Health</a>. “This was the norm for most children in the 1970s. At the time, it was just about getting out of the house and having fun, but without realising it we were also getting a lot of physical activity, developing resilience and social skills, getting to know our local 'patch' and gaining independence.”

Ferguson and a group of fellow parents felt they wanted to bring that sense of freedom and belonging to their own children. So, they decided to take action to normalize outdoor play once again.

In 2009, Ferguson and her grassroots group set up a temporary “play street” for the neighborhood kids to use. The road was formally closed via council procedure for a few hours each day after school. Their “play street” morphed into six “play streets” in nearby neighborhoods. Local politicians hopped on board and the council developed the 'Temporary Play Street Order' (TPSO), allowing residents to apply for a whole year's worth of scheduled closures in one fell swoop.

In the 10 years that Playing Out has been active, 59 other U.K. councils have taken their lead, helping 800 communities to organize playing out opportunities, thus helping about 24,000 kids get outside.

Researchers from Bristol University have found that, because of Playing Out’s initiative and action, children are three to five more times more active while playing out than when sitting indoors after school. They also found that Playing Out has built up a community aspect, reduced social isolation, and helped neighbors come together and get involved.

And perhaps the largest outcome of Playing Out’s actions is that kids playing outside has become normalized. However, Ferguson realizes that safer spaces are needed to really give kids the freedom to head out without hovering parental supervision.

“We only ever intended this model as an interim, emergency measure,” she continued. “Being able to play out on your own street once a week or once a month, closely supervised by adults, is a poor replacement for 'real' playing out; the freedom to just go out your front door, meet up with your mates, have an adventure and come home when dinner is ready. Our long-term vision is for all children to have the freedom to play out where they live, every day."

Ferguson says policy must be put in place to help their initiative work and be effective without posing risk to kids’ safety. 

"We must tackle the root causes of the problem,” she said. “Amongst other things, this will inevitably involve reducing the dominance of cars in our streets and cities, something politicians have been reluctant to do — but we are starting to see a shift in the right direction.”

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A new movement is working to get kids to play outside again

Compared to thirty and forty years ago, children have become...

Sleep deprivation is a growing problem in our fast-paced society, and it’s estimated that around <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/">50 to 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders</a> and don’t get sufficient sleep. In fact, not getting enough sleep has been named a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-public-health-crisis/">public health crisis</a>. 

Many studies have shown that sleep deprivation negatively impacts health, wellbeing, cognition memory, work performance, and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-damages-dna-cancer/">some cancers</a>. 

On top of the negative health impacts of sleep deprivation, researchers from <a href="https://www.byu.edu/">Brigham Young University</a> also found that not getting enough sleep makes people less prosocial. 

Prosocial behaviors include giving to charity, volunteering, and voting as part of someone’s civic duty. 

The researchers say that these prosocial acts are an important part of our social framework, and chronic lack of sleep may make people less socially responsible and more likely to behave selfishly. 

The team conducted a series of analyses and experiments for the study, which was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-019-0543-4.epdf?referrer_access_token=GMn--p6vvDz2oc51-M0wx9RgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0MrxNrVCw6sA9TY6r3VYw6CjUNraq-DJCHwOlJypi_OiqXpLfCTqiOcA88HyN5ugVKbaiB4YXzAGnSrMstqIb6oQoVUsL1P4Ipht8y4ZNSVXv8QpQlTuFQg-EFWCFLvs3wqgh6ief9yi05gTFljEPfyTCi1dafdo36uMoDJSeaMUUPfvkauuyfNe8lD_6d9rNzdC451vC7UOhMBiFTun4-kcaYUEkUPXpAEcW0adaOmQkqWuE4qoj81z3ypvbckPlg%3D&amp;tracking_referrer=www.dailymail.co.uk">Nature Human Behavior</a>. 

First, the researchers analyzed data from Germany and the United States <a href="https://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth">National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health</a>, which showed that people who were tired were five to 14 percent less likely to vote. 

Next, the researchers surveyed 1,117 individuals either in the morning or afternoon about the importance of voting and donating to the Red Cross. 

The participants were asked to fill out questionnaires, and some were woken up between 3 and 5 in the morning. 

The participants who got less sleep said they were 5.5 percent less likely to donate money to the Red Cross and four percent less likely to vote in the next election, even though they agreed voting was important. 

The sleep-deprived individuals were also six percent less likely to sign a recycling petition. 

“This suggests that missing out on sleep has broader consequences than just affecting someone's work or mood,” said John Holbein, the leader of the study. “It could make them prioritize themselves over doing acts that are good for society. Sleepiness has been found to reduce people's social skills and productivity, but researchers wanted to see how it affected the behaviors that 'hold the fabric of society together.”

The study results suggest that sleep deprivation may make people less inclined to look outward and behave in unselfish ways in order to positively contribute to society. 

--

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>

Sleep deprivation makes people less likely to give to charity or vote

Sleep deprivation is a growing problem in our fast-paced society,...

Brain-to-computer interfaces and intelligence boosting chips implanted in the brain could soon make their way out of the realms of science fiction and into reality.

Already, some of the biggest tech giants in the industry like Elon Musk and Facebook are working to create brain-computer interfaces.

<a href="https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/03/04/northwestern-neuroscientist-researching-brain-chips-to-make-people-superintelligent/">CBS Chicago</a> recently spoke to Dr. Moran Cerf, a neuroscientist at <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a>, who is currently developing a non-invasive computer chip that when implanted in the brain could give an individual super intelligence.

The average <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/embryo-screening-iq-possible/">IQ</a> is around 100. A high IQ is anything above 140, and a genius IQ is 160 or more, but with a smart brain chip, people could pay to have IQs of 200 or more.

It’s a concept that takes the idea of “brain power” to a whole new level.

“Make it so that it has an internet connection, and goes to Wikipedia, and when I think this particular thought, it gives me the answer,” Cerf told CBS.

A super smart brain chip could be available to the masses within the next five years, and Cerf is working with top Silicon Valley personnel to make it a reality.

A key part of the research is finding a non-invasive way to get the computer chip to the brain without drilling a hole in the skull.

Regardless of how the chip gets there, with an IQ of 200 or more at your fingertips, the neuroscientist says the advantages go far beyond just being a little smarter than everyone else.

People with smart chips will be healthier, wealthier, and able to take advantage of smart investments and weigh pros and cons in a way that is unattainable to the average IQ.

However, with that kind of intelligence, Cerf warns that it could create an intelligence gap and a social problem of inequality.

“Are they going to say, ‘Look at this cute human, Stephen Hawking. He can do differential equations in his mind, just like a little baby with 160 IQ points. Isn’t it amazing? So cute. Now let’s put it back in a cage and give it bananas,’” Cerf told CBS.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Brain chips could soon give people superintelligence

Brain-to-computer interfaces and intelligence boosting chips implanted in the brain...

For years, we have been told how important it is to stretch before and after <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-improve-thinking-skills/">exercise</a> to reduce muscle soreness and prevent injury. Even though stretching before a workout has never actually been proven to be effective, most people do not question it. But now, in a piece for <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a>, renowned osteopath and back pain specialist Garry Trainer explains that stretching “is pretty much pointless.”

“For decades, we have followed the mantra that omitting to stretch before or after a workout significantly increases the risk of us picking up an injury,” writes Trainer. “But there is mounting evidence that not all stretching is equal, and that some of those exercises we were told do at school may actually do more harm than good.”


Elastin is a protein in connective tissue that is highly elastic and allows tissues in the body to resume their shape after stretching. Trainer points out that individuals who have more elastin in their bodies are naturally better at stretching than others and have a greater range of movement.

“This explains why some people can just walk into a yoga class, perform all the poses without any effort and, in the process, annoy others who have struggled for years and still can’t perfect them,” says Trainer. “For the latter group, stretching can actually cause tears in the tissues that support their joints. These tears then create scar tissue that leaves tissues even more unstable than before.”

The most common form of stretching is static stretching, which generally involves holding a stretch for up to a minute. A recent study found that holding a pose for up to 45 seconds did have any positive or negative impact on performance.

“However, holding a stretch for longer than 60 seconds actually weakened muscles, so doing it before or during exercise is probably counterproductive.” While static stretching may not improve performance, Trainer explains that this practice can be good for increasing flexibility, if done correctly.

“In my experience, a good deep-tissue massage or using a foam roller - one of those hard tubes of plastic that you see in gyms - does a better job than stretching post-exercise. Moving a foam roller back and forth over a muscle massages the immediate area, such as the hamstring or calf. And it can be done before a workout, too.”

According to Trainer, some sports medicine doctors recommend to simply perform your chosen activity at half speed and then gradually build up to full speed.

“Warm muscles both contract more forcefully and relax more quickly, reducing the risk of overstretching and causing injury,” says Trainer. “Warming up will also increase the overall body temperature, which can improve muscle elasticity, potentially increasing speed and strength.”

“So forget standing still and pulling your limbs this way and that - get moving gradually and warm everything up before tackling your workout.”
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Is stretching before exercise doing more harm than good?

For years, we have been told how important it is...

The reason why humans and other animals <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/make-up-lost-sleep/">sleep</a> is considered to be one of the most important unanswered questions in life sciences. A new study from <a href="https://www1.biu.ac.il/indexE.php">Bar-Ilan University</a> in Israel has proposed an unexpected function of sleep that may explain why deprivation has such a strong impact on cognitive performance and aging.


The research, which was focused on zebrafish, was conducted using 3D time-lapse imaging technology. For the first time, the researchers showed that individual neurons require sleep in order to perform nuclear maintenance.

DNA damage can be caused by many processes such as radiation, oxidative stress, and neuronal activity, and each cell contains repair systems that correct this damage. The current study demonstrates that DNA damage consistently accumulates and can reach unsafe levels during wakefulness, when chromosome dynamics are low.

According to the experts, the role of sleep is to increase chromosome dynamics and to return DNA to normal in each individual neuron. This suggests that a period of reduced brain input is required to repair DNA damage.

“It's like potholes in the road,” said study lead author Professor Lior Appelbaum. “Roads accumulate wear and tear, especially during daytime rush hours, and it is most convenient and efficient to fix them at night, when there is light traffic.”

The discovery may not have been possible without the unique characteristics of zebrafish, who have absolute transparency and a brain very similar to humans. The movement of DNA and nuclear proteins within cells inside the fish can be observed using a high resolution microscope.

The researchers did not expect to find that chromosomes are more active at night when the body rests. This increased activity is what enables the body to efficiently repair DNA damage.

“We've found a causal link between sleep, chromosome dynamics, neuronal activity, and DNA damage and repair with direct physiological relevance to the entire organism,” said Professor Appelbaum. “Sleep gives an opportunity to reduce DNA damage accumulated in the brain during wakefulness.”'

“Despite the risk of reduced awareness to the environment, animals - ranging from jellyfish to zebrafish to humans - have to sleep to allow their neurons to perform efficient DNA maintenance, and this is possibly the reason why sleep has evolved and is so conserved in the animal kingdom.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists may have finally solved the mystery of why we need sleep

The reason why humans and other animals sleep is considered...

The oldest horse fossils we can find are from North America.  When Europeans arrived in the Americas, horses had already moved across the Bering land bridge and made a home in Europe and Asia. Europeans of course brought their horses with them.

Camels appear to have first evolved in North America as well.  The lineage of camels split, with some migrating south, through Central America and into the Andes where they evolved into llamas.  Other camels crossed the land bridge and ended up as two species that can still be found in Africa and Asia. These stories of movement and evolution are common.  

Many animals and plants have deep evolutionary roots far from where they are found today.  Some biological lineages, such as birds, have simply spread across the world, evolving different forms and strategies to accommodate different environments.  Given enough time, the movement of organisms is one across the entire planet that shifts with the slow movement of continents themselves. 

You can see related and similar plants and animals mirroring each other in Africa and South America.  There’s a reason that hornbills and toucans look similar even though they live so far apart today. Movements from one place to another continue today just at a pace that’s hard to appreciate from the point of view of a short human life span.  Obviously, even our own species has moved across the globe, colonizing almost every livable spit of land. It’s only relatively recently with strict political borders that migrations human and otherwise have been put under so much pressure to halt.  

I previously <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/us-mexico-border-wildlife/">reported</a> on the fluidity of movement across the US-Mexico border by animals and parks that align with each other on both the Mexico and the US side of the border.  <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> has reported many times on the consequences that Trump’s proposed border wall would have on wildlife.  In August 2017, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/us-mexico-border-wall-threaten-100-endangered-species/">we reported</a> that 100 endangered species would be threatened by the building of a border wall between the US and Mexico.  The problem goes even deeper than that, though. Barriers can shape evolution. Rivers, mountains, canyons, even deserts all act as natural barriers and have created the formation of different species.  To survive and thrive, lineages of organisms must travel and spread their genes across broad areas.

<a href="https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/magazine/focal-point/00000163-0889-d820-a1e3-7aedafd20000?source=relatedvideo">National Geographic</a> reports that birds have 247 families and 10,731 species, the largest diversity in vertebrates besides fish, of which there are more than 33,000 species of fish globally, according to <a href="https://www.fishbase.de/home.htm">Fishbase</a>.  Why birds and fish are so diverse and found globally isn’t completely understood.  It does seem like diversity and widespread distribution go hand in hand to a certain degree.  Fish and birds have one thing in common besides a backbone – the ability to move long distances, through the oceans and skies respectively.  It seems likely that the ability of these animals to transport themselves long distances is related in some ways to their diversity. 

Bats, like birds, can disperse over long distances and are the second most species rich mammal order.  Whales are also part of one of the six most species rich orders within mammalia. Of course, the picture is a bit complicated.  Rodents don’t seem to have any special ability to spread across the world and there are more species of rodents than bats. Other groups of mammals are so diverse because they’re isolated.  Tenrecs in Madagascar are diverse because they arrived on an island with few species and were able to adapt to many wide open niches until there were 29 species of tenrec, most of them on Madagascar.  Over the long term, barriers like mountains, canyons, or walls affect diversity, evolution and ecology.  The ability to move often constitutes survival.

When habitat conditions such as prey availability or climate are changed, many animals have no other choice but to move to habitat with better conditions.  Jaguars have slowly been seen moving north into the United States. It’s unclear why exactly, but it could be that conditions are slowly becoming less favorable to the big cats south of the border and moving north is a means of survival.   

To pretend like a barrier, especially one that cuts off most of North America from Central America, won’t affect the entirety of the mainland Americas is simply incorrect.  On the other side of the issue, it’s unlikely the border wall will last more than a metaphorical blink of an eye in geologic time, and it seems unlikely it will really have any lasting effect on evolution.  It isn’t impossible though. 

A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12634804">study</a> from 2003 suggests that the Great Wall of China actually had an effect on evolution.  The study looked at gene flow between five plant species that live on each side of the wall.  The researchers found that there was a greater difference in diversity between populations divided by the wall than control populations divided by a simple mountain path.  Essentially, the wall is a barrier to gene flow. Gene flow is important to evolution. A small population without new genes can wither and die from inbreeding. Two large populations with slightly different genetic makeup can evolve into separate species if isolated from one another long enough.  Both of these outcomes are possible from the wall Trump is now trying to build under an emergency declaration.

Even if the wall is built but only lasts for a short time, it may have long lasting effects.  The <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27129727">BBC</a> reported in 2014, 25 years after the iron curtain fell, the deer still avoid the border of Germany and the Czech Republic.  Most deer stick to their side of the border, despite the once electrified barrier fence being removed. Researchers tracked 300 deer with radio collars to conclude that mainly, the deer don’t cross the border.  Even an imaginary barrier such as this one could shape the evolution of an organism. If the deer don’t commingle, they might as well be separated by a wall or fence.

The truth is – we don’t fully understand the full consequences of a border wall between the US and Mexico – which should be enough to make us take a step back and think long and hard.               

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer                   

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Human-made borders can have lasting effects on the natural world

The oldest horse fossils we can find are from North...

In the Spanish language, “niño” and “niña” are the words for boy and girl, respectively. But when talking about weather and climate, the words “El Niño” and “La Niña” carry a much more significant burden. El Niño and La Niña are part of a recurring shift in climate that happens when warm water moves from one side of the Pacific to the other around the equator. They influence weather conditions around the world, and experts now believe that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/el-nino-la-nina-weather/">El Niño</a> in 2015-2016, the strongest ever on record, is to blame for a worldwide increase in occurrences of killer viruses.

According to scientists from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>, the 2015-2016 event resulted in precipitation levels and vegetation that created the perfect conditions for dengue fever, cholera, and the plague to spread. This resulted in a spike in infections in Colorado, New Mexico, Tanzania, Brazil, and Southeast Asia. “The impact on weather and therefore diseases in these regions was especially pronounced,” says Assaf Anyamba, lead author of the study and a research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

For this study, the researchers used many climate datasets and public health records to quantify the relationship between El Niño and the disease outbreak. A spike in cases of the plague and hantavirus – a family of viruses spread mainly by rodents through urine and feces – was shown to be the result of an increase in rainfall and milder temperatures over the American Southwest. The rainfall led to more vegetative growth, which provided more food for rodents that carry the hantavirus and are host to plague-carrying fleas. 

Increased rainfall in East Africa during El Niño also caused sewage to contaminate local water sources, which could have led to the increase in cholera infections in East Africa’s Tanzania. “Cholera doesn’t flush out of the system quickly,” Anyamba explains “So even though it was amplified in 2015-2016, it actually continued into 2017 and 2018. We’re talking about a long-tailed, lasting peak.”

The researchers also suspect that El Niño produced higher than normal land surface temperatures in Brazil and Southeast Asia, which resulted in drier habitats and thus pushed mosquitoes into populated, urban areas to lay eggs. When the air began. To warm, mosquitoes became hungrier and reached sexual maturity more quickly, leading to increased mosquito bites and more cases of dengue fever than normal for both regions.

This research is believed to be the first study by NASA to assess the public health impacts of the major climate event on a global scale and could be a useful tool to build on existing models that predict outbreaks – therefore saving lives through the ability to produce earlier warnings for the public to take necessary preventative measures and precautions. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Is El Niño to blame for the recent spike in cases of deadly viruses?

In the Spanish language, “niño” and “niña” are the words...

Cooperation among humans is critical for maintaining productive and cohesive groups, but exactly what drives generous and cooperative behavior is not fully understood. A new study led by <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> doctoral student Olivia Chu has investigated how population structure may affect cooperative behavior. 

People tend to form groups that are centered around important aspects of their lives such as religion, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/political-divide-global-warming/">politics</a>, family, and business. Group memberships greatly influence whether or not we choose to cooperate.

“Group memberships affect the structure of social interactions, determining to a large extent who meets with whom. They also set the context and frequency under which those interactions take place,” explained Chu. 

Working with her advisor, Corina Tarnita, Chu expanded upon the “evolutionary set theory.” This modeling framework, which was introduced by Tarnita and colleagues in 2009, assumes that people belong to groups and interact only with others who are in the same groups.

The study was focused on a “donation game” in which players can offer benefits to other players at a personal cost. A “cooperator” will choose this option, but a “defector” will choose not to offer benefits to another player. 

“From these local, group-level pairwise interactions, can we see the emergence of cooperation on a large scale across the population?” said Chu. According to Tarnita’s previous research, the answer is yes.

For the current model, Chu and Tarnita incorporated a new barrier to group entry that is determined by group size: the larger the group, the less likely it is to accept new members. 

When the researchers investigated whether the additional barrier changed the level of cooperation among group members, they found that cooperation was more likely to take place when they allowed for the existence of “loners” in the population. Due to barriers, loners are temporarily not members of any group.

Loners are essential, explained Chu, “because they keep group sizes lower than they would have been without barriers to group entry.”

Ultimately, the study demonstrates that smaller groups allow cooperation to thrive, and also make the system as a whole more resilient by limiting the destructive influence of a defector. The new model shows that there is a good chance that cooperation can be maintained in modern society.

The research will be presented this week at the <a href="https://www.aps.org/">American Physical Society</a> March Meeting in Boston.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How does population structure affect cooperation among humans?

Cooperation among humans is critical for maintaining productive and cohesive...

Spending time outside in green areas has been shown to improve wellbeing, decrease the risk of certain diseases and help guard against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-spaces-decline-dementia/">mental decline among older adults</a>. 

While studies have proven that the great outdoors has many potential health benefits, researchers from the <a href="https://www.uab.edu/home/">University of Alabama at Birmingham</a> conducted a study to see if engaging in physical activity in parks and green spaces was required for unlocking those benefits. 

For the study, the researchers collected data from 94 participants who visited one of three urban parks in Mountain Brook, Alabama over a period of six months. The parks were specifically chosen because of their high foot traffic and number of daily visitors. 

Surprisingly, the researchers found that spending just 20 minutes in the park was enough to improve mood and boost happiness whether or not participants engaged in physical activity in the parks. 

The study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research. 

“Overall, we found park visitors reported an improvement in emotional well-being after the park visit,” said Hon K. Yuen of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the principal investigator of the study. “However, we did not find levels of physical activity are related to improved emotional well-being. Instead, we found time spent in the park is related to improved emotional well-being.”

There were several limitations to the study including the short study period and the fact that only three parks were surveyed, but the results are promising as not everyone has the ability to engage in and benefit from physical activity.

As populations increase, city planners are working to expand urban development, and part of that includes reducing urban green space, but this research further proves that urban green space provides important health benefits and should be a core part if city planning. 

“There is increasing pressure on green space within urban settings,” said Gavin R. Jenkins, a co-author of the study. “Planners and developers look to replace green space with residential and commercial property. The challenge facing cities is that there is an increasing evidence about the value of city parks but we continue to see the demise of thee spaces.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Just 20 minutes in a park improves mood and boosts happiness

Spending time outside in green areas has been shown to...

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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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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