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,...

Monitoring your exposure to UV radiation is important for a number of reasons beyond just <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sunscreen-protectio/">avoiding getting sunburned. </a>

For some people, Vitamin D deficiency can weaken the immune system and cause depression, so monitoring sun exposure can help balance Vitamin D levels.

For other people, just limiting sun exposure isn’t enough to combat harmful UV radiation, because not all UV wavelengths impact the skin equally, and current sensors don’t differentiate between the three types of UV radiation, UVA, UVB, and UVC. 

Excessive UV radiation/sun exposure can also lead to skin cancer, blindness, sunburn and causes the skin to age prematurely. 

This is what inspired Vipul Bansal, a professor at <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/">RMIT University </a>in Melbourne, Australia to develop a wearable, color changing sensor that tracks vitamin absorption and UV radiation exposure to the skin.  

What’s more, the sensors come in six variations to meet the needs of different skin types from fair to dark. 

The sensors can provide people with an accurate measure of how much UV their skin has been exposed to throughout the day. 

Monitoring UV exposure is no small feat because everyone’s personal needs are so different and what’s healthy for one skin type may not be enough for another. 

Bansal's sensor measures UV exposure for the six skin types from Type 1 (fair skin) to Type VI (dark skin).

This aspect is crucial because Type 1 can only tolerate one-fifth of the UV exposure that Type VI can before incurring skin damage.  The sensors will be able to tell an individual when they’ve had too much UV exposure or if they need more sun to help with Vitamin D levels. 

“We are excited that our UV sensor technology allows the production of personalized sensors that can be matched to the specific needs of a particular individual,” said Bansal. “The low cost and child-friendly design of these UV sensors will facilitate their use as educational materials to increase awareness around sun safety. We can print our ink on any paper-like surface to produce cheap wearable sensors in the form of wristbands, headbands or stickers for example.” 

Bansal and his research team also note that the sensors can be used for other purposes besides monitoring skin exposure such as helping improve the lifetime of industrial and consumer products that wear down in the sun. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: RMIT University

Wearable UV sensors could help reduce sun damage to the skin

Monitoring your exposure to UV radiation is important for a...

A new study has found that planting trees outside low-achieving and disadvantaged schools may help improve academic performance for the students. 

Access to green spaces has been found to have many benefits for both physical and mental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neighborhood-greenspace-may-reduce-adolescent-aggressive-behavior/">health and wellbeing</a>. As we reported recently, nearby green areas have been shown to improve children’s <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/green-spaces-childrens-respiratory/">respiratory health</a> and drastically <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quality-life-megacities-trees/">improve quality of life</a> in large cities.

Researchers from the <a href="https://aces.illinois.edu/">University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences</a> conducted a study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology to examine any potential links between greenness and academic achievement for schools with predominantly low income students. 318 public elementary schools in Chicago were included in the study. 

“The goal was to see if the greenness-academic achievement relationship holds for poor, urban schools because that's where it matters,” said Ming Kuo, the leader of the research. “That's where educators and policymakers are desperately trying to find ways to help kids reach their potential.”

High-resolution aerial imagery was used to quantify tree and grass cover for each school. The researchers then compared greenness to the academic performance for the schools using standardized test scores for math and reading. 

The researchers found that tree cover was a reliable predictor of academic performance, both for reading and math. If there were more trees, the better the standardized test scores were. 

Other factors like the number of students in each classroom, gender ratios, and the number of bilingual students had no impact on test scores or academic performance.

The results showed that having trees outside of a school impacted academic performance and the schools considered the most disadvantaged had half the number of trees as the least disadvantaged schools. 

While the study does not prove any cause and effect between tree cover and academic performance, it does suggest that simply planting more trees in schoolyards across disadvantaged districts,may improve academic performance. 

“Early math skills are one of the best predictors of later success, not just in math, but in school in general,” said Kuo. “So what we have here is a very exciting clue that maybe simply greening--planting trees in schoolyards--could potentially have a significant impact in math achievement and school success down the line for these kids. And you don't have to plaster the schoolyard with trees - just bringing schools up to average looks like it could have a substantial effect.”

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Melissa Oquendo

Planting trees at disadvantaged schools can improve performance

A new study has found that planting trees outside low-achieving...

This year marked a historic first that many in the west haven’t taken much notice of.  On August 10, 2018, Hanifa Yousoufi became the first Afghani woman to climb Noshaq, Afghanistan’s highest peak at an elevation of 24,580 feet above sea level.  

71 years ago on June 1947, Barbara Washburn became the first woman to summit Mt. Denali, which at 20,310 feet elevation is the highest in North America.  Ironically, in a long career of exploration, science and geography, Barbara didn’t even realize she was the first woman to climb Denali. Barbara went on to have quite an adventurous life of climbing mountains in Alaska with her husband, who she met at the New England Museum of Natural History that he directed.  It wasn’t lost on Barbara how her life defied the expectations for women of the day, she told <a href="http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web14f/wfeature-barbara-washburn-obituary">Alpinist</a>:

“Like most women of my generation, I'd been raised to believe that my place was in the home…Yet in the end, the places where I would make that home wouldn't always be in warm Massachusetts suburban houses, surrounded by the bright voices of our children. Sometimes that home would be in an igloo, at 12,000 feet, sharing Tang-flavored fig pudding with my husband; or as the lightest climber going first to test the cornices on a narrow exposed ridge; or staring out at summit views that no one else had seen.” 

Afghanistan is a world away from Alaska.  Mt. Noshaq is incredibly lonely compared to Denali, replete with veritable tent cities on its popular routes.  Between 2007 and 2010, there were only four people to summit, Noshaq, the second highest mountain in the Hindu Kush range.  For reference, there were 768 climbers to summit Denali in 2017 and 421 international climbers, according to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/ams2017.htm">National Park Service annual report</a>.  When considering the instability, violence and infrastructure in Afghanistan, it’s not hard to understand why so few climbers attempt Noshaq at all.        

Mountaineering in Afghanistan also has hazards for women rare elsewhere.  Mt Everest, the world’s highest mountain located on the boundary between Tibet and Nepal, was first climbed in 1975 by Phanthog, a Tibetan woman, and in 1993 by Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepalese woman.  In Afghanistan compared to Tibet or Nepal even, women have far less opportunity to participate in male dominated arenas like mountaineering. Money and other support are much harder to come by for women climbers in Afghanistan.  

In Afghanistan, people go to the mountains for something hard to explain, for a ragged and hard reality, for a freedom no one can give but must be taken.  Mountaineering can represent freedom in that it requires individual strength of a level that requires training and lots of experience to do well. It’s hard to imagine a greater contrast than between the daily realities of oppression endured by Afghani women and the icy, clear freedom experienced by a few in the mountains.  Afghanistan, a country long known for its mountains, a nexus between the east and west has long been a destination for climbers and mountaineers. 

An article in <a href="http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web18s/wfeature-a61-dreaming-of-afghan-mountains">Alpinist</a> highlights the hardships of women in Afghanistan in recent years, as 2,640 civilians were killed in armed conflicts in the first ¾ of 2017, 5,379 were injured in that same time period.  The first six months of 2016 had 3,700 cases of violence against women recorded by the Afghan Judiciary. Strict and stifling interpretations of Muslim law have become the norm in many areas.  Climbing is dangerous enough but in Afghanistan, climbing for a woman can also mean threats of violence and death against her person.

<a href="https://www.ascendathletics.org/">Ascend Athletics</a>, a non-profit founded by American mountaineer Marina LeGree in 2014, was the support behind Hanifa and other women in her mountaineering team.  Since 2015, Ascend Athletics has been training women in Afghanistan to climb mountains. Hanifa Yousoufi trained with Ascend for two years at the start of which Ascend’s press release said, she couldn’t even do sit ups.  Ascend Athletics goes beyond mountaineering skills and grueling physical training. The endeavor behind the group is to create female leaders in Afghanistan and hopefully create lasting, positive social change. Classroom and team building work is a part of the holistic approach taken by Ascend Athletics.       

<a href="http://www.cpr.org/news/story/with-sights-on-afghanistans-highest-peak-ridgway-mountaineer-continues-teaching-afghan">Colorado Public Radio</a> reported in 2017 that Ascend Athletics was already making history.  Two years earlier, a team of women in Afghanistan were the first to summit an un-named peak reaching almost 17,000 feet in elevation.  Even then, there were plans to climb Mt. Noshaq, plans that were temporarily delayed because of threats from the Taliban.                     

Because of a long history of violence and Taliban rule, Mt. Noshaq itself was closed to climbing for almost three decades, only opening up again in 2009.  Only three Afghans have summited before Hanifa, making her the fourth Afghan to climb the mountain and the only Afghan woman. The first ascent made by Afghan men of Noshaq wasn’t until 2009 and itself was the theme of an empowering <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/afghanistan-mountain-expedition-film-doesn-t-tell-all-1.709179">documentary</a>.  The documentary tried to capture the beauty and resilience of a place, a culture, a nation that is more than just violence.  The first screening of the documentary in Kabul came two days after a suicide bomber killed the head of a peace council reaching out to insurgents.  

Violence continues to be a part of life in <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/heavy-cloud-of-dust-across-afghanistan/">Afghanistan</a>.  The Ascend Athletics climb was almost cancelled itself when fighting in a neighboring district shut down the air strip.  In the end the climb was pulled off, and a statement of empowerment for women in Afghanistan as well people everywhere was made that can’t easily be silenced.  

Led by Emily Drinkwater, an accomplished American climber and IFMGA-certified mountain guide, and cheered on by the other women in her team at base camp, Hanifa Yousoufi did something she knew she could, made history and finally stood on the top of her country’s highest mountain.  In a press release Yousoufi said, “I did this for every single girl…The girls of Afghanistan are strong and will continue to be strong.”

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Image Credit: Louis Meunier - Creative Commons

History is made with the first Afghan woman to summit Noshaq

This year marked a historic first that many in the...

A new study published by the <a href="https://www.sfn.org/">Society for Neuroscience</a> has demonstrated that some of the patterns generated by the brain's electrical activity during <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sleep-increases-car-crash-risk/">sleep</a> are driven by genetics, while others are shaped by our environment.

Identifying how an individual's biology or personal experience contributes to sleep neurophysiology could ultimately be used to develop new therapies for psychiatric disorders which notably alter the brain's activity while the body is at rest.

The study was designed to allow the researchers to distinguish between the influence of genetic and environmental factors during the most crucial phases of sleep. 

A research team led by Leila Tarokh used electroencephalography (EEG) to measure the brain activity of 11- to 14-year-old pairs of identical and fraternal twins throughout two consecutive nights of sleep at home. 

During stage 2 of light sleep, sudden bursts of brain activity occur that are referred to as sleep spindles because of how they look when printed out on an EEG reading. Stage 2 sleep, which usually lasts about 20 minutes, is characterized by a decrease in heart rate and in temperature as the body prepares itself for deep sleep.

The next phase of sleep is known as slow-wave sleep (SWS), the deepest phase of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Phase 3 sleep is considered to be important for memory consolidation, and is characterized by delta waves on an EEG reading. 

The experts discovered that both hereditary and environmental factors influenced slow waves and spindles among the study participants. The extent of the impact of genes or the environment on electrical activity depended on the brain region being monitored. Frontal regions were found to be under strong environmental influence, while regions toward the back of the brain were strongly influenced by genetics. 

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/">Journal of Neuroscience</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

Brain activity during sleep is affected by experiences, genetics

A new study published by the Society for Neuroscience has...

A new study has demonstrated a link between sedentary behavior and major cardiovascular events. According to the research, which is part of a series of papers that will focus on different risk factors for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wood-coal-cooking-cardiovascular/">cardiovascular disease</a>, physical activity is critically important to help control the growing global issue of heart disease and stroke.

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the leading preventable risk factors for heart disease, in addition to high cholesterol and smoking status. A previous study revealed that physical inactivity is responsible for nine percent of premature deaths worldwide. Sedentary behavior was found to significantly contribute to the incidence of coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and breast and colon cancer.

For the current investigation, the authors analyzed data from 25 published studies which were focused on the personal and environmental variables related to physical activity or inactivity. The goal was to determine how health care professionals can empower patients to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle.


Study lead author Dr. Gerald Fletcher is a professor of Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease at <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide/florida">Mayo Clinic Florida</a>.“Proper physical activity should be a lifelong commitment," said Dr. Fletcher.  “The benefits of being physically active exist regardless of sex, ethnicity or age. The most active individuals have an approximate 40 percent lower risk of developing heart disease than those who do not exercise at all.”

The experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise every week. Aerobic exercise can significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure among hypertensive patients and can reduce the risk of stroke.

The average person engages in sedentary behavior, such as sitting in front of a computer or a television screen, for about eight hours a day. According to the researchers, replacing just one hour of inactivity with an equal amount of activity can effectively lower all-cause mortality.


The researchers suggest that individuals should incorporate more physical activities into their daily routine, such as yard work, household chores, or walking to and from work. Using stand-up desks or taking the stairs instead of an elevator can also help to promote a more active lifestyle. 

“Just like medication, the right form of physical activity has to be specialized for each patient. Physical activity is no different from smoking cessation or eating a heart-healthy diet,” said Dr. Fletcher. “It is up to health care professionals to set an example for their patients in all aspects of life.”

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.onlinejacc.org/">Journal of the American College of Cardiology</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

Sedentary behavior linked to major cardiovascular trouble

A new study has demonstrated a link between sedentary behavior...

Most fossil fuel economic research has focused on how higher income countries generally benefit from use of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/carbon-bubble-fossil-fuels/">fossil fuels</a> while developing countries bear the brunt of the negative environmental impacts.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ucsd.edu/">University of California San Diego</a>, the <a href="http://eiee.eu/en/home/">European Institute on Economics and the Environment (EIEE)</a> and the <a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/">Carnegie Institution for Science</a> created the first quantifiable data set on the social cost of carbon (SCC) for most of the countries on Earth. 

The research is the first of its kind to measure the economic harm from carbon emissions for different countries, and results show that the most affluent countries on Earth will suffer the greatest economic impact from CO2 emissions. 

The United States, Saudi Arabia, and India make up the top three countries that could incur the greatest losses from C02 emissions. 

A study, detailing the data set and the researchers’ findings, was published in the journal Nature Climate Change. 

“We all know carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels affects people and ecosystems around the world, today and in the future; however these impacts are not included in market prices, creating an environmental externality whereby consumers of fossil fuel energy do not pay for and are unaware of the true costs of their consumption," said Kate Ricke, the lead author of the study. 

Currently, the most-trusted estimates of the SCC come from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)</a>, according to the study. 

The EPA’s latest SCC calculations say that carbon emissions could cost the globe $12 to $62 per metric ton of CO2 by 2020. 

However, the new University of California San Diego study found that this is a major underestimate. 

The researchers combined data from climate and carbon cycle modeling experiments to estimate country-level contributions to SCC. 

This allowed the researchers to measure SCC under different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios factoring in the carbon cycle and the environmental impact of CO2 emissions. 

What the researchers discovered was that the SCC could be anywhere between $180 and $800 per metric ton of carbon emissions. 

The SCC for the US is around $50 per ton more than what previous EPA estimates have calculated, and according to the researchers, annual CO2 emissions are costing the US economy 250 billion dollars. 

“Our analysis demonstrates that the argument that the primary beneficiaries of reductions in carbon dioxide emissions would be other countries is a total myth,” said Ricke. “We consistently find, through hundreds of uncertainty scenarios, that the U.S. always has one of the highest country-level SCCs.”

The study could help better inform climate policy where information is lacking in countries that have yet to recognize the risks of climate change, and the researchers say that the results call for more action on behalf of the US and other high-income countries. 

--

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="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a>

CO2 emissions could cost US economy billions of dollars

Most fossil fuel economic research has focused on how higher...

An international team of neuroscientists led by the <a href="https://www.dpz.eu/en/home.html">German Primate Center</a> has conducted studies on epilepsy patients to determine where and how the brain stores a memory that keeps everything from going dark when we blink our eyes. The experts have identified a region of the brain that is very important for the process of perceptual memory. 

Somehow, we manage to maintain a stable, uninterrupted picture of our environment throughout the process of blinking or moving our head and eyes. 

The researchers theorized that a specific <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/brain-lazy-conserve-energy/">brain</a> region known as the medial prefrontal cortex, which plays an important role in short-term memory and decision-making, may be critical to our visual perception. 

The investigation was focused on this region of the brain in patients with epilepsy. The neural activity in the prefrontal cortex was recorded as the participants observed two separate dot lattices on a screen and were asked to indicate their perception of the orientation of each, such as horizontal or vertical. 

If both orientations were reported as being the same, this was an indication that the subjects used the information from the first round to perceive the second round of dots. A section of the superior frontal gyrus had been previously removed due to illness in one of the participants, and the team discovered that she was unable to store the visual information.

“Our research shows that the medial prefrontal cortex calibrates current visual information with previously obtained information and thus enables us to perceive the world with more stability, even when we briefly close our eyes to blink,” explained study first author Caspar Schwiedrzik.

“Even when we see a facial expression, this information influences the perception of the expression on the next face that we look at.”


Schwiedrzik said that the research demonstrates the important role of the prefrontal cortex in perception and in context-dependent behavior. Next, the researchers want to investigate the role that confidence in one's own perception plays in perceptual memory.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</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 blinking doesn’t interrupt the stability of our vision

An international team of neuroscientists led by the German Primate...

Researchers at the <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/">Stanford University School of Medicine</a> have found a connection between height and varicose veins. After the genetic analysis of more than 400,000 people, the experts determined that taller people are more likely to develop varicose veins.

Study senior author Dr. Nicholas Leeper is an associate professor of Surgery and of Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford.

“Genes that predict a person's height may be at the root of this link between height and varicose veins and may provide clues for treating the condition,” said Dr. Leeper.

More than 30 million people in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-western-united-states/">United States</a> have varicose veins, which are swollen veins that are visible just below the surface of the skin. The experts identified 30 genes linked to this condition, which also had a strong genetic correlation with deep vein thrombosis. 

While the complications are often only cosmetic, varicose veins can cause moderate pain. The disorder has also been linked to the more serious side effects of deep vein thrombosis, which occurs when a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body.

“The condition is incredibly prevalent but shockingly little is known about the biology,” said study co-lead author Alyssa Flores. “There are no medical therapies that can prevent it or reverse it once it's there.” 

Treatment is usually limited to surgical procedures such as laser treatment or vein stripping. 

“We're hoping that with this new information, we can create new therapies, as our study highlights several genes that may represent new translational targets,” said Flores.

The association between varicose veins and height came as a surprise to the researchers, who also linked the condition to other risk factors such as surgery on the legs, family history, lack of movement, smoking, and hormone therapy.

“Our results strongly suggest height is a cause, not just a correlated factor, but an underlying mechanism leading to varicose veins,” said senior author Dr. Erik Ingelsson.

“By conducting the largest genetic study ever performed for varicose vein disease, we now have a much better understanding of the biology that is altered in people at risk for the disease.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/circ">Circulation</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Taller people are more likely to develop varicose veins

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found...

Kids with moms who use marijuana may try it at a younger age. A new study from the <a href="http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a> has found that children will start using marijuana an average of two years earlier when they have mothers who use marijuana.

Natasha Sokol led the study as a doctoral student at Harvard Chan School, and is now a postdoctoral research fellow at the Brown University School of Public Health's Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies.

“Beginning marijuana use at a young age has been linked with negative cognitive and behavioral consequences,” said Sokol. “In a shifting regulatory environment in the U.S. in which the visibility and acceptability of adult marijuana use is expected to increase, it's important to better understand how these changes may impact children's early marijuana use so that we can better identify at-risk youth and implement effective prevention strategies.”

According to the study authors, prohibiting <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/medical-marijuana-chronic-nerve-pain/">marijuana</a> may be inconsistent with public health goals. For example, over half of all arrests in the United States are marijuana-related and these arrests are a major contributor to racial imbalances among those arrested and incarcerated. Furthermore, marijuana has recognized therapeutic benefits for a number of conditions, and could serve as a much safer alternative to opioids.Kids with moms who use marijuana may try it at a younger age 

On the other hand, research has identified many potential negative consequences for children who begin using marijuana at a young age. Impaired decision-making, increased impulsivity, and reductions in IQ have all been linked to marijuana use among young people. The younger the individual is, the more severe the effects, which means delaying the use of marijuana is important. 

The researchers used data from a national survey to assess the timing and extent of marijuana use and initiation among 4,440 children and 2,586 mothers.

The study revealed that 67.2 percent of the children and 35.3 percent of the mothers self-identified as marijuana users. Children with mothers that used marijuana had an increased risk for starting marijuana use prior to age 17, and began using pot at an average age of 16. The average age for initiation among young people whose mothers did not use marijuana was 18.

“Although more research is needed, physicians who prescribe marijuana might consider educating parents who use the drug about the potential dangers of early marijuana use among their children, and provide information and preventive strategies to delay such use,” said study co-author Vaughan Rees.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.ajpmonline.org/">American Journal of Preventive Medicine</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Kids with moms who use marijuana may try it at a younger age

Kids with moms who use marijuana may try it at...

Social media trolls and hackers know that spreading online propaganda is as easy as creating a fake profile. But how do fake accounts collect enough friends to pass for real?

It turns out they’re catfishing, and most of us are falling for it hook, line and sinker.

Over six months, <a href="http://www.facebook.com">Facebook</a> found and suspended about 1.3 billion fake accounts – though another 66 million or more remain, and more are created every day. Anywhere from 9 to 15 percent of <a href="http://www.twitter.com">Twitter</a> accounts may also have been created for the purpose of spreading online propaganda or trolling legitimate users.

In some cases, this goes beyond an annoyance to something truly sinister.

“In December 2017, German intelligence officials warned that Chinese agents using fake <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a> profiles were targeting more than 10,000 German government employees,” Arun Vishwanath wrote in <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-so-many-people-fall-for-fake-profiles-online-102754">The Conversation</a>. 

Israei military officials also accused Hamas operatives of creating fake accounts and luring IDF soldiers to download malware, he said.

Vishwanath set out to discover why fake accounts are so effective at spreading online propaganda and worse.

“The problem isn’t actually that people – and algorithms – create fake proiles online,” he wrote. “What’s really wrong is that other people fall for them.”

To see how big the problem was, he created fake accounts on Facebook and sent friend requests to 141 college students. He originally wanted to see if a certain type of fake account was more successful at snaring friends than others.

Instead, he discovered that only 30 percent of users outright rejected a fake friend request.

“When surveyed two weeks later, 52 percent of users were still considering approving the request. Nearly one in five – 18 percent – had accepted the request right away,” he wrote.

Of those who accepted the request, several shared personal information such as their home address and student ID number with their new “friend.”

The reason, Vishwanath found when he interviewed the friend-accepters, is that they trusted that each profile represented a real person.

“People told me they had thought the profile belonged to someone they knew, or possibly someone a friend knew. Not one person ever suspected the profile was a complete fabrication, expressly created to deceive them,” he wrote.

And that’s a big part of the problem. People who trust that profiles represent real humans – and not bots or intelligence agents playing a made-up persona – give that profile legitimacy. And once a profile has a few dozen “friends,” it looks more legitimate when it attempts to gain (and hack) more, or spread online propaganda through comments on public pages.

Users also trust social media platforms to weed out fake profiles, but they’ve failed to successfully catch them all.

“Furthermore, users who carelessly accept requests assuming their privacy controls protect them imperil other connections who haven’t set their controls as high,” Vishwanath wrote.

One way social media companies could help stem the spread of fake profiles and online propaganda is to institute new tools showing people the weak links in their social media networks: profiles who have gained an unusual number of new followers, sent or accepted an unusual number of friend requests, or been inactive for some time. 

It’s not all up to the social media companies, though.

“Adults should learn – and teach children – how to examine connection requests carefully in order to protect their devices, profiles and posts from prying eyes, and themselves from being maliciously manipulated,” he wrote. “That includes reviewing connection requests during distraction-free periods of the day and using a computer rather than a smartphone to check out potential connections.”

Why most people fall for fake profiles and online propaganda

Social media trolls and hackers know that spreading online propaganda...

Unfortunately, most people find about their genetic predispositions towards certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wealthier-countries-higher-cancer/">cancers</a> only after a family member has been diagnosed. 

A new study conducted by researchers from <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> shows just how prevalent genetic risk factors for cancers are, and the results call for more effective DNA screening for everyone. 

The study was published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

“As a colleague said, it usually takes a tragedy for people to get tested,” said Michael Murray, the senior author of the study. “Our reliance on a documented personal or family history as a trigger to offer testing is not working. Hopefully, one day we can change that with effective DNA-based screening for everyone.”

Data on more than 50,000 people who had undergone genetic screening showed that over 80 percent of the people screened carried a cancer-associated gene variant in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. This variance increases the risk of breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers. 

The average age of the people in the study was 60, and 267 out of the test group were diagnosed with a BRCA-associated cancer. 

Very few of the study participants both with and without a BRCA association cancer knew they possessed a genetic risk factor. 

Understanding your risk for certain cancers is important because it can lead to early diagnosis and better treatment and prevention methods compared to someone who is diagnosed with a later stage of cancer. 

“Once risk is identified, we can apply proven tools for early diagnosis and prevention, and we believe that the 31% difference in cancer incidence in these two groups is a window into an opportunity to decrease cancer and cancer deaths through genomic screening approaches,” said Murray. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

80 percent of people with genetic cancer risk don’t know it

Unfortunately, most people find about their genetic predispositions towards certain...

Migratory birds often travel incredibly long distances.  At one extreme is the Arctic Tern, which according to <a href="https://www.audubon.org/news/9-awesome-facts-about-bird-migration">Audubon.org</a> is the bird with the longest migration, traveling an impressive 49,700 miles.  I’ve seen these terns flying along the coast of the Sea of Cortez in Mexico, diving headfirst into the water like winged torpedoes.  It’s amazing to think of the same terns I saw in Mexico winging around the Arctic and the Antarctic as well. <a href="http://earthsky.org/earth/which-bird-migrates-the-farthest">Earthsky.org</a> notes that over a tern’s 25 year life span, the distance the bird will travel is about 3 times the distance from the Earth to the moon.  

Other birds have <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/birds-arrive-fall-migration/">migration</a> distances nearly as impressive as the Arctic Tern.  The Wandering Albatross sometimes covers 18,000 miles in a year. Sandhill Cranes sometimes travel as far as Siberia from Cuba, New Mexico or Florida for migrations.  The <a href="http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&amp;articles_id=478">Alaska Fish and Game</a> website tells the story of a typical rufous hummingbird that was banded in Florida and then recaptured 3,530 miles away in Alaska.  It total, the hummingbird might fly as far as 8,840 total miles every year. 

All these distances covered by birds powered only by muscle, feather and wind requires an enormous amount of calories.  Once all the calories needed for these impressive migratory flights were supplied by wild food sources: fish or flowers or seeds.  Humans have continued to encroach on habitats, increasingly making wild places into human dominated landscapes to best serve their own interests.  

It’s not often that someone thinks of Nebraska when talking of beautiful landscapes or wildlife spectacle, but if you are ever lucky enough to visit Kearney Nebraska when Sandhill Cranes visit, you won’t be disappointed.  A couple years ago my fiancé, Erin, and I were living in South Dakota, as close to the migration pathway of sandhill cranes as we might ever be and so we decided to visit. 

One of the first things you notice driving just outside of the city of Kearney in the Platte River Valley is how Cranes really like visiting corn fields.  By the time the cranes visit in the spring, corn has been harvested the previous year and the fields are mostly barren looking but are secretly littered with leftover corn.  The cranes flock to these agricultural leavings, according to <a href="http://outdoornebraska.gov/sandhillcrane/">Nebraska Game &amp; Parks</a>, 90% of migrating crane’s diet is corn.  Only 10% of what cranes visiting Nebraska’s Platte River valley is insects and other invertebrates.  Cranes will also eat frogs, mice and other small vertebrates if they can. Corn is absolutely important for the cranes though, calories are needed for birds that are flying across the whole of the North American continent, on their way to their summering grounds in Siberia from Mexico or the southern US.  It’s estimated that cranes consume 1,600 tons of leftover corn while visiting Nebraska. 

According to <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/500000-cranes-are-headed-nebraska-one-earths-greatest-migrations-180949816/?page=1">Smithsonian Magazine</a>, cranes arriving from the south must add 20% of their body weight before continuing north from Nebraska.  It’s not just Sandhill Cranes that fatten up on corn during migrations either. In the mix are the easy to miss Whooping Cranes as well.  30% of Northern Pintail (ducks) also visit, along with 90% of white-fronted geese and numerous other species.

Before agriculture existed in Nebraska, great migrations still occurred, the Platte River Valley was still abundant with life.  Before it was corn it was plant and animal life fostered in a rich river valley ecosystem that drew the birds. It is still vastly important that instead of some forms of development, corn started being planted in Nebraska.  Human development often spells doom for other animals, migrating birds included. Agriculture isn’t always friendly towards wildlife either. According to <a href="http://migratorysoaringbirds.undp.birdlife.org/en/sectors/agriculture">Birdlife International</a> that habitat conversion or loss is a threat to almost 80% of all threatened or near-threatened bird species worldwide.  This includes habitats now used for agriculture, especially in areas dependent on agriculture like Africa or America’s midwest.  

For now, agriculture in places like Kearney Nebraska is helping or at least allowing cranes to continue their ancient migrations.  Much of how beneficial farmland is to wildlife is dependent on the <a href="http://sustainableagriculture.net/our-work/campaigns/fbcampaign/what-is-the-farm-bill/">Farm Bill</a>.  The Farm Bill is a set of federal laws passed about every five years.  The bill covers a range of topics on farming, which is important for the environment as the specific type of farming practiced can either be in relative harmony with the surrounding environment or detrimental to it.  The first Farm Bill was part of FDR’s New Deal Legislation, confronting some of the problems of the dust bowl and its connection with the Great Depression. Although new farm bills have come and gone, the main purposes of each remain roughly the same as FDR’s original bill, to protect natural resources, keep food prices fair and prevent a catastrophe such as the dust bowl.  

One thing that the current Farm Bill, first passed in 2014 and reauthorized this year, does is give money to farmers to leave easements of land alone, unfarmed for wildlife, including birds.  Leaving land unused can also benefit farmers in the long run; by rotating fallow fields, it prolongs the usefulness of land for agriculture. The bill also encourages and assists farmers and ranchers in activities that promote clean water and air, which is obviously beneficial to wildlife.  For agriculture and animals like the Sandhill Crane to coexist relatively peacefully, there needs to be careful and diligent work.

<a href="https://www.kqed.org/science/10452/farming-for-cranes-can-agriculture-save-an-ancient-migration">KQED</a> tells the story of Greater Sandhill Cranes being listed as threatened in California in 1983.  At one time farmers in California would burn their fields in the fall, to remove unwanted agricultural waste and kill pests.  Obviously the practice of burning left no food for hungry migratory birds and it increased air pollution. Burning was banned in California in 1991 and farmers decided to flood fields instead, to promote decomposition of left over agriculture waste and kill insect pests.  Flooding turned out to benefit cranes by providing wetland habitat for the birds. The Nature Conservancy now owns an island where they show the agricultural benefits of flooding fields and how it also helps birds. 

Other birds can be hurt or helped by agriculture as well.  Hummingbirds can be hurt more easily than larger birds by <a href="https://www.thespruce.com/threats-to-hummingbirds-386488">pesticides</a>.  Hummingbirds are also important in that they play a unique role in agriculture, they can be beneficial pollinators as well.  Not only birds but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bat-friendly-tequila-species-recovery/">bats</a> can help pollinate crops, if the farming techniques are in their favor.  Many other birds can help agriculture by controlling natural pests. Once the system of natural predation breaks down, humans must do the work themselves, much to their detriment.  Almost as important as agricultural products is the deep psychological benefits we all get from sharing the globe with other creatures. 

Sandhill Cranes are possibly one of the oldest birds alive.  The oldest known Sandhill Crane <a href="http://rowe.audubon.org/crane-facts">fossil</a> is the 2.5 million year old remains found in Florida.  Cranes have been living and migrating through North America and other parts of the world for a long time.  The Sandhill Cranes that visit Nebraska every spring, are the largest global population of cranes left. Standing near the Platte River or even on a bridge spanning it and listening for cranes in the morning or evening hours, it’s hard not to feel witness to something ancient.  The birds have an eerie trilling call that’s hard to describe which floats through the cool air. Hundreds, thousands of cranes pass over head or land in groups on sandbars in the water. For a few fleeting months, part of Nebraska is taken over by something not human, something ancient.  An animal that travels under its own muscle power to places as far away as Siberia, with a life we’ll never fully understand passes through. We can but watch and wonder at a creature so comforting and so different; I am grateful birds still share our planet. Whether the beauty of such migrations continues depends on us and how we get our food.             

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Agriculture can both help and hurt annual bird migrations

Migratory birds often travel incredibly long distances.  At one extreme...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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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

[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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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



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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



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



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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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