Different,Types,Of,Non-dairy,Milk

Vegans who replace cow's milk with soy, almond, or other plant-based alternatives may face a higher chance of mental issues like depression and anxiety than individuals who drink cow’s milk regularly.



This finding emerged from a recent investigation of lifestyle patterns and mental health outcomes among hundreds of thousands of adults in the United Kingdom.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mental-well-being-of-milk-drinkers">Mental well-being of milk drinkers</h2>



Scientists explored how different milk types might be linked to mental and emotional well-being over more than a decade. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-gmo-plants-make-baby-formula-healthy-as-breast-milk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milk</a> is consumed by <a href="https://www.fao.org/dairy-production-products/products/milk-and-milk-products/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">billions of people</a> worldwide, making it a major part of daily diets.&nbsp;After reviewing participants’ intake habits, researchers noted intriguing contrasts in mental health. 



One group that stood out was semi-skimmed milk drinkers. According to data, they had lower rates of both anxiety and depression when compared to those who either consumed full-fat or plant-based alternatives. 



This observation piqued the interest of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chunyan-Wu-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Chunying Wu</a> from <a href="https://portal.smu.edu.cn/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Medical University</a>, who authored the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-to-non-dairy-beverages">Shifting to non-dairy beverages</h2>



In recent years, many individuals have turned to non-dairy beverages. They cite environmental, health, or ethical concerns in their decision to avoid traditional cow’s milk. 



Yet <a href="https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/Trade-General/Trade-Market-reports/Milk-alternatives-popularity-growing-in-the-US-February-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> suggests some of these milk alternatives may not provide the same mental health benefits. One explanation involves nutritional content.&nbsp;



“Milk is a rich source of nutrients such as lactose, lipids, protein, and minerals, which are essential for maintaining human health,” wrote the scientists from Southern Medical University. 



Plant-based options, on the other hand, often differ in protein levels and might include added ingredients that influence mood.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-calcium-and-serotonin">Calcium and serotonin</h2>



Researchers found that cow’s milk <a href="https://www.adsa.org/About-ADSA/Media/Serotonin-found-to-be-an-important-factor-in-calcium-homeostasis-in-dairy-cows-November-16-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">delivers calcium</a> in a form that supports pathways involved in serotonin production. Serotonin, sometimes called the body’s “feel-good” molecule, helps regulate mood and stress responses.&nbsp;



“Serotonin is a chemical that plays a role in the brain with respect to mood and mental health. The most popular group of antidepressant medications promotes the absorption of serotonin,” the authors explained.&nbsp;



As a result, consistent calcium intake can potentially improve these natural coping mechanisms. Some plant-based milks also offer calcium, but the level and bioavailability may vary.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saturated-versus-unsaturated-fats">Saturated versus unsaturated fats</h2>



Milk is rich in saturated fats. Semi-skimmed milk reduces the proportion of these fats but still retains valuable fatty acids that might help protect the <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11211382/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain</a>. 



Compared to the full-fat version, semi-skimmed appears to occupy a middle ground of moderate fat content without the potential drawbacks of excess saturated fat.&nbsp;



Meanwhile, plant-based milk alternatives can sometimes include added sugars or other compounds that may have unexpected effects on mental well-being. 



These additives, while often enhancing taste or texture, may inadvertently interfere with the body's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breast-milk-lowers-asthma-risk-in-babies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural hormone regulation</a>, potentially impacting emotional stability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-impact-on-dopamine">Potential impact on dopamine</h2>



In addition to serotonin, <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dopamine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dopamine</a> plays a key part in focus and reward-related behavior. <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4850606/#:~:text=Recent%20research%20has%20shown%20that,to%20be%20vulnerable%20to%20dysregulation." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Studies</a> have suggested that high levels of certain saturated fats can alter dopamine signaling, which may contribute to mood disorders.&nbsp;



Semi-skimmed milk, with its reduced saturated fat, may avoid some of these mental effects and maintain a healthier balance of essential nutrients. 



Scientists suggest this balance could hold the key to the lower rates of depression and anxiety seen among semi-skimmed milk consumers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-varied-mental-health-benefits-of-milk">Varied mental health benefits of milk</h2>



While findings point to fewer mood challenges for people who choose semi-skimmed over other varieties, each individual’s mental health picture depends on much more than beverage choice. 



Genetics, life stressors, sleep, and socioeconomic circumstances all contribute.&nbsp;



Researchers emphasize that food-related decisions are just one facet of psychological well-being. They recommend that people remain mindful of their overall habits and consult healthcare professionals when making major dietary shifts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-considerations">Practical considerations</h2>



Experts often promote a balanced diet that combines fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and moderate dairy. Semi-skimmed milk could fit neatly into many people’s meal plans.&nbsp;



Individuals who prefer plant-based options may benefit from checking labels for calcium and protein levels, as well as added substances. 



Though no single approach will suit everyone, looking at subtle dietary factors might pay off for those hoping to support a healthy outlook.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-milk-s-mental-benefits">Future research on milk's mental benefits</h2>



Additional research may help clarify whether semi-skimmed milk truly provides extra mental health benefits.



Controlled clinical trials could investigate how this option affects depression or anxiety in different subgroups, such as older adults or those with pre-existing conditions.&nbsp;



Researchers also <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7178197/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">note</a> that genetics can make some people more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/raw-milk-could-carry-deadly-flu-viruses-for-days/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vulnerable</a> to certain dietary impacts. A closer look at these details might inform tailored recommendations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-ahead">Looking ahead</h2>



Many are interested in how small tweaks to daily meals might lift or lower spirits. 



This study urges people to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-raw-milk-health-hazard-pasteurization-important/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pay attention to milk</a> choice, especially if they already feel down or tense. Substituting semi-skimmed for full-fat or plant-based beverages could make a subtle difference for some.&nbsp;



Experts look forward to future work that explores how simple changes in milk type and eating patterns might support better mental well-being. Further investigation of these connections may help people shape diets that support mental balance.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1435435/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Nutrition</a>.



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Some types of plant-based milk are linked to mental disorders like depression

Vegans who replace cow's milk with soy, almond, or other plant-based alternatives may face a higher chance of mental issues like depression and anxiety than individuals who drink cow’s milk regularly. This finding emerged from a recent investigation of lifestyle patterns and mental health outcomes among hundreds of thousands of adults in the United Kingdom.&nbsp; Mental well-being of milk drinkers Scientists explored how different milk types might be linked to mental and emotional well-being over more than a decade. Milk is consumed by billions of people worldwide,...

Ahead of Halloween, wildlife officials are urging people to take precautions to protect wildlife. While fake cobwebs are meant to be a fun part of the festivities surrounding the holiday, they pose a risk to wild animals who can become entangled in the fabric.

Fake cobwebs can catch a number of species who live in close proximity to humans such as deer, squirrels, raccoons and insects. <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wind-turbines-harm-birds-100-miles-away/">Birds</a> are likely at the greatest risk of entanglement, especially when cobwebs are hung off the ground and obstruct a bird’s flight path. Since the cobwebs are lightweight, they can also blow away and enter animals’ habitats.

Even if wild animals normally keep their distance from humans, they may be attracted to the area by other Halloween decorations. Pumpkins left outside are a tempting treat and may entice wild animals to a front yard where they can encounter the cobwebs. The Arizona Game and Fish Department even warned residents ahead of Halloween this year that they could be fined up to $300 if wild animals eat their Halloween decorations, according to<a href="https://kvoa.com/news/local-news/2018/10/24/residents-could-be-fined-for-wildlife-eating-halloween-decorations/"> News 4 Tucson</a>.

In one instance, an owl in California became entangled in a fake cobweb on Halloween night. When the owl tried to escape, he panicked and only became more ensnared. Thankfully, the Marin Humane Society responded to the scene and rescued him. He was then taken to WildCare in San Rafael for treatment and was returned to the wild. The family took down their cobwebs after the incident and decided to stop using the decorations permanently.

It’s not just Halloween that threatens wildlife. WildCare has seen animals clash with decorations throughout the year.

"It's a lot more common than people realize," said WildCare Director Melanie Piazza told<a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Real-Owl-Caught-in-Fake-Halloween-Spider-Web-132831773.html"> NBC Bay Area</a>. "We've had squirrels come in with Fourth of July banners wrapped around their tails and deer that have been stuck in Christmas lights."

Fireworks can also cause harm to wild animal through loud noises, toxins and direct obstructions. One Arkansas neighborhood famously brought in the New Year in 2011 with<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/us/04beebe.html"> thousands of dead birds falling from the sky</a>. Wildlife officials believe the fireworks caused the birds to become disorientated. The birds began flying at lower heights to avoid the fireworks and collided into homes and trees, resulting in their death.

People who want to enjoy their holidays do not need to forgo all decorations. For Halloween, people can hang fake cobwebs up from inside their windows or use other decorations such as jack-o’-lanterns with fake candles. This way the only ones who are spooked are the trick-or-treaters.

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By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Fake cobwebs can cause more than just a spook to wildlife

Ahead of Halloween, wildlife officials are urging people to take...

Last year in the United States, 900,000 people were hospitalized and an estimated 80,000 people died from the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/an-outbreak-like-the-1918-flu-pandemic-could-kill-147-million-today/">flu</a> and its complications.

According to Kristen Nordlund, a spokeswoman for the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>, it was the deadliest flu season in more than four decades.

In an article for <a href="http://theconversation.com/au">The Conversation</a>, Michelle Sconce Massaquoi of the University of Oregon explains why washing your hands is so important during flu season. Massaquoi says there are two main strategies in hand washing.


“The first is to decrease the overall biomass of microbes - that is, decrease the amount of bacteria, viruses and other types of microorganisms,” she writes. “We do this by lathering with soap and rinsing with water. Soap’s chemistry helps remove microorganisms from our hands by accentuating the slippery properties of our own skin.”

The second strategy, says Massaquoi, is to kill the bacteria. By using antibacterial soap, we can reduce some bacteria much more effectively compared to using plain soap.

“However, there’s a problem. Some bacterial cells on our hands may have genes that enable them to be resistant to a given antibacterial agent. This means that after the antibacterial agent kills some bacteria, the resistant strains remaining on the hands can flourish.”

“Further, the genes that allowed the bacteria to be resistant could pass along to other bacteria, causing more resistant strains. Together, the ‘take-over’ of resistant strains would render the use of the antibacterial agent essentially ineffective.”

“With this in mind, you may want to stick with plain old soap and water.”

The CDC recommends that we wet our hands with clean water, apply soap and lather for 20-30 seconds, and rinse well with clean running water.

“I was shocked to read a study that indicated that 93.2 percent of 2,800 survey respondents did not wash their hands after coughing or sneezing,” Massaquoi writes in The Conversation. “Also, one study showed that across a college-town environment with observations of 3,749 people, the average hand-washing time was approximately six seconds.”

Another option is an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent ethanol. However, these sanitizers may not eliminate all classes of germs.

According to the CDC, “The best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated every year.” The CDC has a site dedicated to answering questions about the flu vaccine, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/index.html">https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/index.html</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why washing your hands is so important during flu season

Last year in the United States, 900,000 people were hospitalized...

Kicking alcohol addiction is hard. Part of the difficulty might be because alcohol hijacks a neural pathway that forms memories, triggering your brain to remember the good times and ignore the bad.

A single alcoholic drink can alter that pathway for a time, a new study suggests – which may be why you remember the fun and forget about any embarrassing moments or the side effects that follow.

"All drugs of abuse – alcohol, opiates, cocaine, methamphetamine – have adverse side effects. They make people nauseous or they give people hangovers, so why do we find them so rewarding? Why do we remember the good things about them and not the bad?” Dr. Karla Kaun of <a href="https://www.brown.edu/">Brown University</a> said in a press release. 

Although alcohol addiction and substance abuse can ruin lives, it’s difficult to fight the addiction. Kaun and her team wanted to see what role memories played in keeping addicts from kicking their habits.

The researchers used fruit flies to study how alcohol affects memory, since the molecular signals that trigger rewarding memories and avoidance are similar to the signals in human brains. Fruit flies have about 100,000 neurons compared to humans’ more than 100 billion, making them a sort of scale model. And scientists have already developed genetic tools that allow them to manipulate and observe fruit flies’ neural pathways.

The team trained fruit flies to seek out alcohol, then observed which proteins were activated by the activity. The study uncovered a specific gene, dopamine-2-like receptor, that appeared to play a role in the fruit flies’ alcohol addiction.

"The dopamine-2-like receptor is known to be involved in encoding whether a memory is pleasing or aversive," said Dr. Emily Petruccelli, who led the research. 

They found that alcohol changed the version of the protein the gene produced. The single tiny change seemed to trigger the brain to encode memories as pleasant, or ignore them. That, in turn, seems to trigger cravings.

The way alcoholic drinks affect the D2-like receptor could help explain why alcohol addiction is so difficult to conquer despite its negative consequences.

"If this works the same way in humans, one glass of wine is enough to activate the pathway, but it returns to normal within an hour," Kaun said. "After three glasses, with an hour break in between, the pathway doesn't return to normal after 24 hours. We think this persistence is likely what is changing the gene expression in memory circuits.”

The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/neuron/home">Neuron</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Alcohol addiction tied to 'hijacking' of memory pathway

Kicking alcohol addiction is hard. Part of the difficulty might...

Rising sea levels could force England to sacrifice about 90 miles of its coast – 1.5 million coastal properties – by the year 2080, a new study warns.

“There's already a very significant risk of flooding and coastal erosion,” Dr. Jim Hall of the UK’s <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/">Committee on Climate Change</a> told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a>. “That could get a lot worse – about a million-and-a-half properties in future at risk from flooding, 100,000 properties at risk from coastal erosion.”

The committee estimates that the sea around England will rise as much as 3 feet by 2080 due to rising atmospheric temperatures around the world. Depending on the coastal elevation, this could cause England to lose anywhere from 0.1 to 25 meters of coastal land.

The rising sea levels won’t just cause flooding, the researchers said. The shift will allow for more devastating storm surges and cause issues with erosion.

Large swaths of the Lancashire coastline could be lost, along with south Devon, north Somerset and parts of Essex and Norfolk. Some areas may be saved, but financial impact mean others will not.

And as many as 55 landfills could be swamped, spilling hazardous materials into the ocean waters.

The UK study isn’t the first to warn people of the rising sea levels. 

One recent study found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-sea-levels-inland/">13.1 million people in the United States</a> alone could be displaced by coastal flooding. The <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> has released a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/maps-potential-sea-level-rise/">set of maps</a> predicting which areas might be hardest hit.

A global study found that even a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-level-rise-tsunami-flooding/">12-inch rise</a> could lead to flooding and more devastating tsunamis.

The UK government needs to sit down with small coastal communities and begin considering their options before the rising sea levels cause problems, Hall told the Mail.

“We are talking about abandoning houses and people being exposed to intolerable levels of coastal flood risk,” he said.

At least one member of the Committee on Climate Change agreed with him.

“Our current approach to protecting the coastline is really not fit for [this] purpose,” Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge and deputy chairwoman of the committee, told the Mail. “This is a wake-up call.”

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By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Rising sea levels could cost England 90 miles of coastland

Rising sea levels could force England to sacrifice about 90...

As we <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aquarium-fish-caught-cyanide/">reported recently</a>, the destructive practice of poisoning fish with cyanide to capture them for the aquarium trade is sadly quite common.  Not only are some of the fish accidentally killed with the cyanide used, other species are poisoned and sometimes hiding fish are pried from broken reefs after being poisoned.  An estimated 14 million fish are killed before they can be sold as aquarium pets due to unsafe wild capture techniques. 

Interestingly, different fish poisons have been used for much longer periods with less devastating effects.  Cyanide in many ways is just a poor adaptation of ancient techniques to the modern world via chemistry and global economics.    

Different plants have been used to poison fish to catch as food the world over.  Yellow cheesewood, (Nauclea orientalis) is a tree native to Australia, Papua New Guinea and Southeast Asia.  Yellow cheesewood has a bark that was traditionally used in Australia as a poison added to slow moving water to stun fish making them easier to catch.  <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/4256362">One study</a> of Indigenous people in Guyana found that at least 11 species of plants were used by Amerindians for fish poison.  The practice of using toxins to catch fish is a global one, having been used independently in Africa, North America and Europe as well.

The practice of fishing with poison is ancient.  <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_toxins">King Frederick II</a> of Germany outlawed certain fish poisons in 1212 and other European countries followed suit a few centuries later.  Poison fishing has been practiced the world over much longer than that, with much of it probably predating any written record by centuries.        

Another type of fishing similar in some ways to the practice of using poison for fishing is dynamite fishing, or blast fishing.  Blast fishing is similar to fishing with poison superficially in that the explosion doesn’t always immediately kill fish. Instead, shock waves from an explosion stun fish that then float to the water’s surface to be captured.  This type of fishing began to spread across the world from contact between locals and European militaries. Soldiers sometimes used grenades to stun fish for quick meals during World War I, sometimes locals learned the technique this way and adapted it to dynamite.

Fishing with explosives is illegal in most of the world but it doesn’t stop people from trying anyway.  <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-peru-earthquake-fishing-idUSN0532212720080806">Reuters</a> quotes a Peruvian fisherman saying that the illegal practice of fishing with dynamite allows some to catch as many as 100 or 200 kilos of fish with ease.  <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/world/asia/philippines-dynamite-fishing-coral.html">The New York Times</a> reported earlier this year on the devastation fishing with bombs is causing in the Philippines.  The World Bank reported in 2015 that $8 in dynamite can capture about 400 fish in Tanzania. 

The thing that is interesting about these practices is that they aren’t carried out by large, highly commercial fishing vessels.  The New York Times article describes a man in an outrigger canoe fishing this way.  The Reuters article gives the impression that the people in Peru are largely small scale fishermen just supporting their families.  But $8 isn’t a largescale commercial investment. Another thing to note about dynamite fishing: it takes place in fresh water streams, rivers and lakes as well as in the ocean.

The Philippines are in the midst of the oceanic biodiversity of coral reefs.  With climate change, reefs are already threatened with bleaching. Overfishing is a continuous global problem hurting the Philippines as well.  Practices like blast fishing can exasperate threats already facing the local environment. Not only do blasts kill or stun fish indiscriminately, they kill other smaller organisms unused by fishermen and even blow apart the reef systems where fish live.  According to the New York Times, 90% of Philippine reefs surveyed from 2015 to 2017 were found to be poor or fair in condition, none found to be excellent.  

An unfortunate effect of fishing with explosives (or cyanide for that matter) as opposed to organic toxins is that it often kills fish, even if they aren’t eaten.  Some of the organic fish toxins used by many indigenous groups didn’t actually kill fish. The poisons only stunned fish long enough for them to be caught. Fish not picked out of the water to be eaten often survived the encounter, swimming away when the toxins wore off.  This isn’t always the case. Toxins vary widely by region but one thing is true: organic toxins eventually break down and they don’t harm the physical environment with explosions. 

Blast fishing is more dangerous, and in places like the Amazon Rainforest, the practice comes from contact with outsiders.  Fishing and hunting practices in many indigenous groups have changed from contact with outsiders less familiar with the region.  

<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130213094115.htm">Science Daily</a> reported on research from Stanford in 2013 finding that contact from missionaries has changed taboos related to meat consumption in the Amazon region.  The change in consumption habits has in turn affected the biodiversity of the world’s largest tropical rainforest. One of the researchers, Jose Fragoso, told Science Daily:

“Based on field observations, I think that the removal of shamans has translated into more killing of animals… Our perception is that they are killing more animals that are not taboo, such as pigs, and also that they are making kills in the holy areas, which were previously off-limits.”

Along with the change in food taboos, technology has changed as well.  Hunting now may be done in the Amazon with a shotgun instead of arrows or blow gun darts.  Fishing may now be done with gunpowder instead of tree bark poison. Certain taboos and technical limitations are part of what made the lives of many indigenous peoples the world over sustainable.  These factors are certainly part of fishing. 

The Philippines, so hurt by blast fishing, is reported by the <a href="https://asiasociety.org/education/religion-philippines">Asia Society</a> to be the only Christian nation in Asia.  86% of the country is said to be Roman Catholic with another 8% belonging to other Christian sects.  Religion also plays a role in places like Fiji, <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2014/11/reeling-in-religious-messages-how-faith-impacts-fisheries-in-fiji/">Mongabay</a> reports, a nation where both Christianity and fishing play important roles in daily life.  

To a degree, limiting the dangers of technology like dynamite and other explosives may depend on new laws but also the restrictions of new taboos.  In a world where traditional taboos limiting hunting, gathering and fishing have been eroded, it is important that new taboos based on sustainability and ethics are developed.  Despite blast fishing being illegal in the Philippines, it continues and ideas that fish are doing well despite marked declines are popular. Ideas of environmental health often seem to be driven by belief systems more than direct evidence.       

Mongabay reported in 2014 that the belief that abundance of fish is directly controlled by God was a commonly held one in Fiji.  Mongabay also reported on efforts to promote a different philosophy of humans being held responsible as stewards of nature, including fisheries.  Sometimes ideas like these hold more weight than scientific ones of sustainable harvest. Religion, unlike law, is a choice and may help turn people away from blast fishing in the end as well as promote the idea that protected areas are sacred.                                                                                 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

From organic poison to blast fishing, technique has an impact

As we reported recently, the destructive practice of poisoning fish...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a> (UNSW) have investigated how fruit fly populations are affected by different diets. The researchers found that a common mitochondrial DNA mutation plays a role in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/genetic-risk-childhood-obesity/">obesity</a> and other health issues associated with a diet high in carbohydrates.

The study was focused on two sets of Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies who were fed alternate diets of passion fruit, which is high in protein, or bananas, which are high in carbohydrates.

Fruit fly larvae with a specific mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutation showed a substantial increase in development when they were fed the high-carbohydrate banana diet. However, development was slowed in these fruit flies when they were fed a protein diet.


Conversely, fruit fly larvae without the mtDNA mutation thrived on the high protein diet, but dropped off in development while eating the carbohydrate diet.

Study lead author Bill Ballard is a professor at the UNSW School of Biotechnology &amp; Biomolecular Sciences. He said that the research is a rare demonstration of positive selection in evolution at work.

“What is unique about this study is we've identified one mutation in the mitochondrial genome, that when fed a specific diet is advantageous and causes the frequency of flies in a population cage to increase,” said Professor Ballard.

“Then when you swap the diet back to a high protein diet, the flies with the mutation go down in numbers and the other flies without the mutation go up.”

The research contradicts the neutral theory of molecular evolution, which states that changes in species at the molecular level are random, are not caused by natural selection, and provide no advantage or disadvantage for the species.

Study first author and PhD student Sam Towarnicki explained why the team’s observation was more than just a random mutation with no benefit to fruit flies.

“The selective advantage is this: the larvae possessing the mutation fed on high carbohydrate diet grow up nice and early and become adults before the others on the protein diet (also with a mutation),” said Towarnicki.

“And we found a 10 percent difference in the development just in one generation between those two groups, which is huge. And because we followed 25 generations, those increases compound over time which delivers much bigger numbers and a huge selective advantage.”

Humans share 75 percent of the same genes as fruit flies, and have the same mtDNA genes, which means it is possible that the same mutation in human mtDNA metabolizes carbohydrates in a similar way.

Professor Ballard said that understanding a person's “mitotype” could help explain why a high-carbohydrate diet promotes obesity and diabetes in some people, but not in others.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/">PLOS Genetics</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

DNA mutation makes some more prone to obesity from carb-heavy diet

Scientists at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have...

To say that Juliana vs. the U.S. is one of the more unusual lawsuits to arise in the United States court system is an understatement.

But what makes this case so unique are the plaintiffs, the unchartered territory that it represents, and what it could mean for future climate change legislation in this country.

Juliana vs. the U.S. (also known as the Children’s Climate Lawsuit) is a landmark constitutional climate lawsuit that was filed in 2015 against the federal government by 21 people who are now ages 10 through 21, according to the <a href="https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/us/federal-lawsuit">Children’s Trust website</a>. 

The lawsuit states that the U.S. government's “affirmative actions” have violated the constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property of the youngest generation and failed to protect public trust resources. 

In short, the plaintiffs say that the government has robbed future generations and caused harm by allowing global warming to continue unchecked and creating an energy system that caused <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a>.

The case is not an environmental one, it's a civil rights case, and the legal team for the Children’s Trust is cautious in its wording.

For fifty years, it’s argued, the defendant (the U.S. government) knew that CO2 emissions caused irreversible damage to the earth's climate but chose to implement policies that would directly aggravate the situation and ignore the realities of climate science. 

In its most recent development, Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary stay for the case and trial. The plaintiffs were given until Wednesday, October 24th to respond but issued their response early Monday morning requesting that the trial proceed as scheduled. 

This is the second time in three months, according to an <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/571d109b04426270152febe0/t/5bce195ce2c48363bc5d152a/1540233565765/18.10.22+Press+Release+on+Response.pdf">Our Children’s Trust press release</a>, that the Department of Justice has filed for a stay. 

The Children’s Trust is an organization dedicated to advocating for the right to a stable climate for future generations. 

The fact that the Chief Justice stepped in at this point is out of character for the highest court, and at this point, there are more questions than answers as to what exactly the stay means and when or if Juliana will see it’s day in court. 

“The Supreme Court has never before stopped a trial for the reasons argued by the defendants and I’m confident our brief will assure the Chief Justice that there is no intrusion into the ability of the executive branch to do its job while the Department of Justice defends this case at trial,” said Julia Olson, the executive director and chief legal counsel of Our Children’s Trust, <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/571d109b04426270152febe0/t/5bce195ce2c48363bc5d152a/1540233565765/18.10.22+Press+Release+on+Response.pdf">in a press release</a>. “The Supreme Court and our constitutional democracy will be better served if the Supreme Court reviews this case after a final judgment, as it does in every other matter where review is granted.”

From it’s beginning, Juliana vs. the U.S. came up against many roadblocks but time and time again kept pushing forward.  

At first, the fossil fuel industry stepped in as defendants for the case and along with the U.S. government, tried to have the case dismissed, but the motion was denied by Judge Thomas Coffin, a U.S Magistrate in April of 2016. 

Later the defendants sought an appeal which was again denied in the summer of 2017. At this point, the fossil fuel industry was released from the case, and a trial date was set. 

In July of 2017, the government filed a petition for a “writ of mandamus,” just one of the more unusual aspects of this case. According to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2018/10/22/the-us-supreme-court-slows-childrens-climate-lawsuit-for-now/#f99cbe7297e4">Forbes</a>, a mandamus is a court order to correct prior actions. However, this petition was again denied in 2018. 

A few months later another motion to stay the lawsuit was denied, and despite every effort by the Trump Administration to have the lawsuit dismissed citing that it was too costly, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the lawsuit, and a new trial date was set for October 29th. 

This brings us to the most recent motion to stay and the unknown future of Juliana vs. the U.S. 

The stay was granted on Friday, October 19th and all eyes are on the Supreme Court waiting to see if Juliana’s Court date will be allowed to proceed. 

The lawyers representing Juliana have been careful in the way they present their case against the government, which is why the plaintiffs are leaning so heavily on the idea of “affirmative action” and that it’s a civil rights issue. 

Atmospheric trust litigation peaked the interest of Mary Wood, a professor at <a href="https://law.uoregon.edu/">University of Oregon’s Law School</a>, and she wrote up a proposal in the book <a href="https://law.uoregon.edu/images/uploads/entries/atmo.pdf">Climate Change, a Reader</a> defining what the legal duties of government should be based on the public trust doctrine and protecting climate. 

James Conca, a writer for Forbes, explained the public trust best <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2018/10/22/the-us-supreme-court-slows-childrens-climate-lawsuit-for-now/#41c2bed8297e">when he said:</a>

“As is often stated in political discourse lately, ‘We are a Nation of Laws.’ And since the founding of this nation, courts have affirmed that the government is a trustee of the natural resources that we depend on, a doctrine long-known as public trust.”

Wood’s legal framework, which is evidenced in the arguments of Juliana vs. U.S., states that the atmosphere is an environmental resource and the government has a duty to ensure that the public is allowed access to a safe atmosphere as much as it is owed safe drinking water or soil free of toxic waste. 

“The public trust doctrine imposes a fundamental limitation on the power of government over natural resources,” Wood Writes. “Government holds crucial natural resources in trust for its citizens and bears the fiduciary obligation to protect such resources for present and future generations.” 

Everything about this case is new and treads on new, never before considered territory. As such, the implications for future litigation are monumental. 

If allowed to proceed, it could open the floodgates for environmental and climate lawsuits against the government, EPA, fossil fuel industry, and energy and transportation companies. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Juliana vs. the U.S.: Will climate change see its day in court?

To say that Juliana vs. the U.S. is one of...

According to new study from the <a href="https://www.med.unc.edu/">UNC School of Medicine</a> and the <a href="https://sph.unc.edu/">UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health</a>, the effects of wood smoke on the respiratory immune systems of men and women can differ. What’s more is that these contrasting effects may be overlooked when men and women are merged together within the same set of data.

These findings, published on October 26th in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, show that when men are exposed to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/deaths-wildfire-smoke-exposure-double/">wood smoke</a>, they exhibit higher markers of an inflammatory response within the cells that line their nasal passages in contrast to men exposed to filtered air. However, when women are exposed to wood smoke, those inflammatory response markers were actually lower.

Researchers carried out this experiment by exposing both male and female volunteers to wood smoke or filtered air. They then injected the volunteers with a dose of the live-attenuated influenza virus vaccine, thus causing a natural immune reaction within the nasal passages.

“The upshot is that we really need to consider sex-specific effects when studying wood smoke and other environmental pollutants that threaten public health," Ilona Jaspers, PhD, professor of pediatrics in the UNC School of Medicine, director of UNC-Chapel Hill's Curriculum in Toxicology &amp; Environmental Medicine, and senior author of the study said.

It’s unclear why the sexes have different immune responses to wood smoke, but one theory suggests that evolution may be to blame. Over the thousands of years men and women have evolved together, they took different evolutionary steps based on daily life. Women were often chronically exposed to wood smoke from cooking fires compared to their male counterparts, and therefore, may have evolved to react to smoke differently.

Jaspers continued, “We wonder if a greater wood smoke exposure has led to evolutionary pressure on women to have a more blunted inflammatory response, which would probably result in less damage to the airway during respiratory virus infection.”

The main takeaway from this study is that future research on environmental exposures should take the sexes into consideration. Doing so could greatly improve the way we medically treat men and women in regards to sickness brought on by environmental factors.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wood smoke affects men and women’s respiratory systems differently

According to new study from the UNC School of Medicine...

Microdosing, the concept of taking a small amount of a psychedelic, has been growing in popularity and garnering a great deal of interest in the scientific community. 

In Silicon Valley, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/sep/01/first-ever-trials-on-the-effects-of-microdosing-lsd-set-to-begin">LSD microdosing</a> is the latest trend in productivity, and the habit is said to help sharpen thinking skills and boost creativity at work. 

More and more researchers are studying the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microdosing-lsd-study/">impacts of microdosing</a>, especially because of the reported effects that psychedelics have on depression and anxiety. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en">Leiden University</a> in the Netherlands recently conducted a study, the first of its kind, to better understand how microdosing mushrooms helps with problem-solving skills. 

The results showed that taking a small amount of magic mushrooms helped study participants come up with more original ideas and tackle solutions more effectively. 

36 participants took part in the study, and the researchers gave them a microdose, 0.37 grams, of dried truffles. 

The participants were asked to complete three tasks designed to assess problem-solving and fluid intelligence before and after taking the truffles. 

Specifically, the researchers measured the participants’ convergent and divergent thinking skills which involves finding either one or several solutions to a problem, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6316307/Tiny-doses-magic-mushrooms-improve-problem-solving-skills-study-claims.html">Daily Mail. 
</a>

The participants were better at coming up with many different solutions and were more creative in their solutions after taking the microdose. 

“Taken together, our results suggest that consuming a microdose of truffles allowed participants to create more out-of-the-box alternative solutions for a problem, thus providing preliminary support for the assumption that microdosing improves divergent thinking,” Luisa Prochazkova, the leader of the study, told the Daily Mail. 

The results are limited due to the small number of participants, but the study is yet another in a growing field investigating the impacts of microdosing psychedelics and the benefits for cognition, focus, creativity, and as a treatment for some forms of mental health disorders. 

“Apart from its benefits as a potential cognitive enhancement technique, microdosing could be further investigated for its therapeutic efficacy to help individuals who suffer from rigid thought patterns or behavior such as individuals with depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder,” said Prochazkova. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study: Microdosing mushrooms boosts problem-solving and creativity

Microdosing, the concept of taking a small amount of a...

A new type of camera developed by volcanologists at the <a href="http://www.manchester.ac.uk/">University of Manchester</a> can be used to measure the flow and speed of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-quality-kilauea-volcano/">ash</a> falling out of a volcanic plume. This method could help reduce the dangers, health risks, and travel impacts of ash plumes during a volcanic eruption.

“Models of ash dispersion are key to forecasting the concentrations of ash during an eruption, which ultimately determine which airspace is closed,” said study co-author Professor Mike Burton. “Our research helps to measure the dynamics of ash fallout during an eruption. This gives us new insights into volcanic ash dynamics, providing an important step towards improved models of ash dispersion.”

While ash is often considered to be a secondary danger when compared to volcano hazards such as lava and pyroclastic flow, ash can have a major impact on human lives and infrastructure. Heavy ash fall can cause buildings to collapse, and also poses a serious threat to electrical, water, and transportation networks, particularly air travel.

Professor Burton explained, “Volcanic ash is a primary product of an explosive volcanic eruption which generally poses a threat to human health and infrastructure.”

“The Icelandic eruption in 2010 highlighted to the whole world that ash-rich volcanic eruptions can have a major impact on the global economy through airspace closures designed to minimize the risk of jet engine failure due to ash clogging.”

At the Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala, the team used the camera to measure a series of explosions in the Santiaguito Lava Dome. The “AshCam,” which is the first camera of its kind in the world, enabled the researchers to measure how ash particles interact with sunlight and how they change the polarization of sunlight.

Study co-author and PhD Researcher Benjamin Esse explained, “AshCam is small, lightweight and relatively cheap, making it ideal for use in volcanic environments where larger, more expensive equipment is unable to be deployed.”

“This is an exciting development as it offers volcanologists a tool that allows them to easily measure the dynamics of ash plumes using only sunlight. The results from these measurements can be used to inform ash dispersal models, potentially improving their accuracy and effectiveness in mitigating the risks posed by ash plumes.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/scientificreports">Scientific Reports</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: Benjamin Esse, The University of Manchester

New method helps reduce the impact of volcanic ash on air travel

A new type of camera developed by volcanologists at the...

The hormone cortisol is produced by our adrenal glands as a response to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/women-work-life-stress-pregnant/">stress</a>. It can help reduce inflammation, control blood sugar and blood pressure, and help with immune response – along with regulating metabolism. Safe to say, cortisol is a busy hormone. But are there any other effects that it can have on our wellbeing?

New research published in the journal <a href="http://www.neurology.org/">Neurology</a> reports that middle-aged people with high levels of cortisol in their blood have impaired memory, compared to those who have average cortisol levels. It’s well known that these increased levels can be caused by stress, medical conditions, or certain medications.

“Cortisol affects many different functions so it is important to fully investigate how high levels of the hormone may affect the brain,” says study author Justin B. Echouffo-Tcheugui, MD, PhD, of <a href="https://hms.harvard.edu/">Harvard Medical School</a>. 

In their study, the researchers analyzed over 2,200 individuals with an average age of 49 who were free of dementia. Each participant received a psychological exam and assessments for memory and thinking skills. They then waited an average of eight years to have their memory and thinking skills tested again. Furthermore, each participant provided a blood sample – which was used to measure their cortisol levels – and just over 2,000 of the participants had an MRI brain scan to measure their brain volume.

When the results were adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and body mass index, the researchers determined that individuals with high levels of cortisol had lower scores on memory tests and thinking skills than those with normal cortisol levels. They also found that participants with high cortisol had significantly lower brain volume.

“Our research detected memory loss and brain shrinkage in middle-aged people before symptoms started to show, so it’s important for people to find ways to reduce stress, such as getting enough sleep, engaging in moderate exercise, incorporating relaxation techniques into their daily lives, or asking their doctor about their cortisol levels and taking a cortisol-reducing medication if needed,” says Echouffo-Tcheugui. “It’s important for physicians to counsel all people with higher cortisol levels.”

While the study can be improved upon – as cortisol levels in the blood were only measured once and most participants were middle-aged with European ancestry – this study is a good indicator that high cortisol levels can be harmful to long-term health. So if you’re feeling stressed out, do yourself a favor and take a nice, long walk or a bubble bath – your memory will thank you.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Stress may be affecting your memory

The hormone cortisol is produced by our adrenal glands as...

A new study has revealed that people will pay more for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/red-wine-lung-cancer-prevention/">wine</a> based on where it comes from rather than how it tastes. An international team of researchers conducted a blind taste test in Hong Kong and found that factors unrelated to taste had more influence on how much the consumers were willing to spend.

The investigation involved experts from Hong Kong, Korea, <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> (WSU), and the University Minnesota. 

The trial was organized into three phases, and a total of three red wines and three white wines with similar retail prices were served in each phase. The wine originated from six different regions including Western Cape, South Africa; Iowa, USA; Rheingau, Germany; Rioja, Spain; Wisconsin, USA; and Argentina.

The first phase was a completely blind taste test, during which the participants were given no information about the wine. For the second stage of tasting, the participants were provided with the wine’s country of origin. In the third phase, the individuals were given a complete background of the wine, such as grape variety, region, and winery of origin.

During each wine tasting, participants rated the wine according to selected attributes and assigned a value that they would be willing to pay for it.

Study co-author Byron Marlowe is a clinical assistant professor in Hospitality Business Management at WSU Tri-Cities.

“Most of the wines did fairly well in the first treatment, when all of the individuals were completely blind to the wine details,” said Professor Marlowe. “But they do worse when revealed that the wines are from regions that they are not as familiar with or with varietals that they aren’t familiar with.”

The researchers found that revealing the origin of the wines from Iowa and Wisconsin had a negative influence on how much participants were willing to pay for them. The testers indicated that they would pay an average of $2.70 to $4.80 less per bottle than the retail price of the wines.

Professor Marlowe explained that this outcome is likely due to the fact that these regions are not widely known for growing grapes or for wine production.

“All of a sudden, when participants know they’re drinking a wine from the Midwest, where cold and hardy varietals are grown, their immediate response is to rate it lower than wine from a more well-known region,” said Professor Marlowe.


The study also revealed that less-experienced wine drinkers relied primarily on the country of origin information for their evaluations, while those who drank wine on a regular basis relied more on sensory quality or taste.

“Teachers, wine scientists and marketers can use these details when marketing wines for Asian countries, as well as in educating individuals in those areas about wine origins and attributes,” said Professor Marlowe. “A wine produced in the Midwest in the United States may be a premium wine, but if there is a perception that it is less than, we need to overcome those factors through marketing and business tactics to help promote those wines.”

The study is published in the fall issue of the <a href="https://www.emeraldinsight.com/journal/bfj">British Food Journal</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People pay more for wine based on where it’s from, not its taste

A new study has revealed that people will pay more...

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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

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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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 



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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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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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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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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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



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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



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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



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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

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