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,...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.europeanlung.org/">European Lung Foundation</a> has revealed that children who live close to green spaces have fewer respiratory problems such as asthma in adulthood. On the other hand, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/chinese-children-obesity-risk-air-pollution/">children</a> exposed to air pollution are more prone to respiratory issues later in life. 
A large international study known as <a href="https://helse-bergen.no/fag-og-forsking/forsking/rhinessa/rhinessa-english">RHINESSA</a> has been investigating lung health in children and adults in seven European countries, focusing on exposure to residential green spaces and air pollution from the time of birth into adulthood. 

Dr. Ingrid Nordeide Kuiper of <a href="https://helse-bergen.no/en">Haukeland University Hospital</a> and colleagues analyzed RHINESSA greenness data that involved 5,415 participants between the ages of 18 and 52 and air pollution data that involved 4,414 participants in the same age group. 

The team looked at how many individuals suffered from more than three respiratory symptoms, such as chest wheezing or whistling, breathlessness when wheezing, wheezing or whistling without a cold, a tight chest when waking, or an asthma attack. 


The researchers calculated the average annual exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which was estimated from birth until age 18. The experts also calculated annual average exposure to “greenness” in a 100-meter zone around the home address during the same time frame. 

“These are preliminary results, but we found that exposure to greenness during childhood was associated with fewer respiratory symptoms in adulthood, while exposure to air pollutants in childhood was associated with more respiratory symptoms in adulthood and with late onset asthma,” said Dr. Kuiper.


The results varied across the different countries examined in the RHINESSA study. In Bergen, for example, exposure to PM2.5 and NO2 increased the likelihood of late onset asthma by up to 22 percent, while exposure to PM10 increased the likelihood of respiratory symptoms by 21 percent in Uppsala and by 23 percent in Bergen.

In Tartu, living close to a green space before the age of ten was associated with a 71-percent lower probability of wheeze. Living close to a green space between the ages of 11 and 18 was associated with a 29-percent lower probability of respiratory symptoms and a 39-percent lower probability of wheeze.


“We need to analyze these findings further before drawing any definite conclusions. However, it is likely that our findings will substantially expand our knowledge on the long-term effects of air pollution and greenness, enabling physicians, scientists and policy-makers to see the importance of exposure to pollution and access to green spaces, and helping to improve public health,” said Dr. Kuiper. 

“We will be conducting further analyses that include more centers that are taking part in the RHINESSA study, and we also want to expand analyses to look at the effects of exposure to air pollution and greenness across generations.”

“We believe that our results, seen together with previous results, will be of particular value for city planners and policy-makers; with increasing population density in the years to come it will be vital to include a decrease in air pollution exposures and an increase in access to green spaces in future city plans and societal regulations.”

The research was presented at the <a href="https://erscongress.org/">European Respiratory Society International Congress 2018</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nearby green spaces improve children’s respiratory health

A new study from the European Lung Foundation has revealed...

Scientists at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> (NYU) have found that using verbs to encourage certain actions in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cleaning-products-gain-weight/">children</a> leads to more follow-through compared to the use of nouns. For example, asking a child to “help" or to “read" results in more persistence than assigning them names such as “helper" or “reader.”

The results of the study contradict those of research conducted in 2014 which demonstrated that asking children to “be helpers” instead of “to help” subsequently led them to help more.

The difference between the two studies is that the more recent analysis investigated the outcome when children experienced setbacks while assisting with tasks. The study findings highlight the link between language and perseverance among children.

Marjorie Rhodes is an associate professor in NYU's Department of Psychology and the study's senior author.

“The new research shows how subtle features of language can shape child behavior in ways not previously understood,” explained Professor Rhodes.

“In particular, using verbs to talk to children about behavior - such as ‘you can help’ - can lead to more determination following setbacks than using nouns to talk about identities - for instance, ‘you can be a helper.’”

The research team found that asking children between the ages of four and five to “be helpers” rather than “to help” led them to assist with more tasks, such as picking up crayons that had fallen on the floor or helping to open a box. This effect, however, backfired after children experienced difficulty while trying to be helpful.

In a series of experiments, the children were given the opportunity to help the experimenter clean up some toys after being asked either to “be helpers” or “to help.” 

The conditions were designed so that the children would experience difficulties, which represented those that young children deal with in everyday life, as they were trying to help. For example, when children picked up a box to move it to a shelf, the contents spilled all over the floor because the box fell apart.

The study revealed that children who had originally been asked “to help” were more persistent after any setbacks compared to those who were asked to “be helpers.”

After the setbacks, children asked “to help” were just as likely to assist with challenging situations that benefited only the experimenter as they were to participate in easy situations that also benefited themselves. Children asked “to be helpers,” however, rarely ever helped in the challenging situations that benefited only the experimenter after dealing with difficulties.

“This research shows how talking to children about actions they can take - in this case, that they can do helpful things -can encourage more persistence following setbacks than talking to children about identities that they can take on,” said lead author Emily Foster-Hanson.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678624">Child Development</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

Action verbs encourage children to be more persistent

Scientists at New York University (NYU) have found that using...

Yogurt has long been branded as a healthy food option that can help maintain weight and proper digestion. Eaten for everything from breakfast to dessert, yogurt contains healthy bacteria and is a good source of nutrition. 

However, a number of yogurt products, especially those marketed to children, often contain high sugar and fat contents despite the national dietary guidelines that recommend low-fat and low-sugar dairy products.

The average consumer shopping at the local supermarket isn’t always aware of the fat and sugar contents of their food and simply buy what the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supermarkets-eat-fewer-calories/">grocery store keeps in stock</a>. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://physicalsciences.leeds.ac.uk/info/5/school_of_food_science_and_nutrition">School of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds</a> in the UK conducted a study that compared yogurt products with the national dietary guidelines to see how much more sugar and fat was included.

The study was published in the journal BMJ Open. 

900 yogurts and yogurt products were analyzed for the study, all of which were available from five major UK online supermarket chains. 

The researchers divided the products into eight categories: children's, dairy alternatives, desserts, drinks, flavored, fruit, natural/Greek, and organic.

A product’s sugar and fat content were classified depending on European Union regulations. If a yogurt product had a fat content of 3 grams/100 grams or less and five or fewer grams of total sugar/100 grams, it was considered low fat and sugar. 

Besides the greek yogurts, most of the other yogurts were above the low sugar threshold. 

The products meant for children had the least amount of low sugar items which is a cause for concern because obesity rates among children are climbing both in the US and UK. 

Sugar levels in the yogurt products ranged from 16.4g/100 g to 10.8 g/100 g. Fat content varied and was either above or below the recommended threshold. 

The study confirms that supermarkets carry foods that contain much higher levels of sugar and fat than is recommended, and not just in yogurts.

“While yogurt may be less of a concern than soft drinks and fruit juices, the chief sources of free sugars in both children and adults' diets, what is worrisome is that yogurt, as a perceived 'healthy food,' may be an unrecognized source of free/added sugars in the diet,” the researchers wrote of their study. “Not all yogurts are as healthy as perhaps consumers perceive them, and reformulation for the reduction of free sugars is warranted.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandettte@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Most yogurt products contain more sugar than is recommended

Yogurt has long been branded as a healthy food option...

Lately, drug overdoses have been in the frequently, as the opioid crisis continues to wreak havoc on many communities, and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/rivers-polluted-cocaine-eels/">cocaine</a> use seems to once again be back in vogue. At this point, any sort of treatment for drug abuse or accidental overdoses would be welcome. Luckily, a new gene therapy for drug addiction from the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/">University of Chicago</a> – reported in <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a> – has shown promise at reducing cravings for cocaine and protecting against overdoses in mice.

The enzyme butyrylcholinesterase, or BChE, has been known for decades to destroy cocaine in the bloodstream by breaking it down into its harmless byproducts. However, this enzyme does not act fast enough or stay in the bloodstream long enough to help individuals addicted to the drug. But in making this new treatment, the researchers rewrote DNA in mouse skin stem cells to make them produce a modified form of BChE that is over 4,000 times more potent than the natural enzyme.

Laboratory tests showed that mice fitted with implants containing clumps of these engineered cells lost their appetite for cocaine and were able to survive massive overdoses of the drug, which killed 100% of mice without implants. 

“Compared to other gene therapies, our approach is minimally invasive, long term, low maintenance and affordable. It’s very promising,” says lead researcher Ming Xu, a professor of anesthesia and critical care at the University of Chicago.

Xu believes that this new therapy has the potential to become the first intervention approved for treating cocaine addiction. Further studies suggest that human-size implants would be able to release BChE for 20 to 30 years, protecting addicts for decades. Xu also reports that there have been no obvious side effects observed thus far.

&nbsp;

While more research needs to be done before this therapy can be tested in human trials, the results so far are promising. Xu’s research team is also working on similarly engineered cells to treat alcohol and nicotine addiction, and are expected to begin research on therapy for opioid addiction as well. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New breakthrough may lead to cure for cocaine addiction

Lately, drug overdoses have been in the frequently, as the...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/">World Economic Forum</a> (WEF) has revealed that robots will take over 52 percent of the current workforce by 2025. This means that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/robots-respect-personal-space/">machines</a> will be performing in almost twice as many positions over the next eight years. 

According to the WEF’s research, accelerated changes in computers and their processes “could create 133 million new roles in place of 75 million that will be displaced between now and 2022.”

“As technological breakthroughs rapidly shift the frontier between the work tasks performed by humans and those performed by machines and algorithms, global labor markets are undergoing major transformations,” the WEF report states. 

“These transformations, if managed wisely, could lead to a new age of good work, good jobs and improved quality of life for all, but if managed poorly, pose the risk of widening skills gaps, greater inequality and broader polarization.”

While the increasing number of machines in the labor force is expected to create new roles for humans, existing and potential workers will need to upgrade various skills to keep up with the pace of the technological shift.

The researchers explain, “By 2022, no less than 54% of all employees will require significant re- and upskilling. Of these, about 35% are expected to require additional training of up to six months, 9% will require reskilling lasting six to 12 months, while 10% will require additional skills training of more than a year.”

“Skills continuing to grow in prominence by 2022 include analytical thinking and innovation, as well as active learning and learning strategies.”

The experts predict that robots will rapidly replace humans across some fields including client management, accounting, industrial, postal, and secretarial positions. On the other hand,  jobs that require human skills will show an increased demand, such as social media, marketing, and customer service.

“As the Fourth Industrial Revolution unfolds, companies are seeking to harness new and emerging technologies to reach higher levels of efficiency of production and consumption, expand into new markets, and compete on new products for a global consumer base composed increasingly of digital natives,” write the researchers.

“Yet in order to harness the transformative potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, business leaders across all industries and regions will 
increasingly be called upon to formulate a comprehensive workforce strategy ready to meet the challenges of this new era of accelerating change and innovation.”

The report by the WEF, <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2018.pdf">The Future of Jobs 2018</a>, details the anticipated technological shift and its impact on the workforce across specific industries and individual countries.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Robots will replace half the current workforce by 2025, WEF says

A new study from the World Economic Forum (WEF) has...

A new study has found that air and noise pollution increase the risk of dementia as well as respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

The link between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/manchester-air-pollution-health/">air pollution and heart disease</a> has been studied extensively but its association with dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases has not been well understood. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://london.ac.uk/">University of London</a> conducted a study to explore air pollution’s impact on neurological and cognitive decline in older adults.

The results of the study were published in the journal BMJ Open. 

First, the researchers estimated air and noise pollution levels across the greater London area to assess links between higher levels of air pollutants and new cases of dementia. 

The researchers then reviewed a little under 131,000 health records that had been made anonymous for patients that were aged 50 to 79 in 2004. 

Yearly exposure to air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter, and ozone, as well as proximity to heavy traffic and road noise, was calculated using modeling methods. 

The researchers tracked the health records starting in 2004 until a patient was diagnosed with dementia or died, and this occurred on average in the next seven years of the patient’s life. 

2,181 patients were diagnosed with dementia within the monitoring period, and the researchers found that those patients who were exposed to higher levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter were more likely to be diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease. 

People who lived in the top fifth of areas in London with high nitrogen dioxide levels were 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with dementia. 

While the research doesn’t show the long-term risks of exposure to air pollution and its link to dementia, the study provides more insight into how air pollution can contribute to increases in dementia diagnoses.  

The researchers suggest that limiting exposure to pollution may delay the progression of dementia and that many people could reduce their risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease. 

--

 By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air and noise pollution exposure increase the risk of dementia

A new study has found that air and noise pollution...

Driving while sleep-deprived has been found to be just as dangerous a driving drunk, with one traffic safety report finding that driving on less than five hours of sleep is the same as driving with a blood alcohol content <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/sleep-deprived-drivers-have-plenty-in-common-with-drunk-drivers/2016/12/06/2f83d166-bbcb-11e6-91ee-1adddfe36cbe_story.html?utm_term=.5e7e537b363a">above the legal limit</a>. 

Fatigued and drowsy drivers are not as alert, and in the U.S. around 16 percent of fatal car crashes involve sleep deprived or drowsy drivers. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="http://aaafoundation.org/">AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety</a> shows just how much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-impacts-performance/">sleep deprivation</a> increases the risk of being involved in or responsible for a crash. 

The study, published in the journal Sleep, is the first peer-reviewed study of its kind to clarify how sleeping less than 7 hours increases car crash risk. 

Sleeping less than 7 hours a night (less than the minimum recommended amount) correlated with a much higher chance of a driver being responsible for a crash. 

The researchers collected data from a previous study conducted by the <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/">U.S. Department of Transportation </a>which involved in-depth investigations of 5,470 crashes. The data also included interviews with the drivers involved in the accidents. 

If a driver reported sleeping less than 4 hours in the in the preceding 24 hour period, the researchers found that it increased the risk of being responsible for car crashes by 15.1 times. 

Driving less than 4 hours of sleep also increased the risk of single-vehicle crashes which the researchers say is more likely to result in injury or death. 

Drivers who slept less than 6, 5, and 4 hours of sleep were 1.3, 1.9, and 2.9 times more likely to be responsible for a crash respectively. 

The researchers also found that it wasn't just sleep deprivation that impacted driver alertness, as there was also an increased risk of being involved in a crash for drivers that had changed their schedule or driven for long periods without a break. 

“Being awake isn't the same as being alert. Falling asleep isn't the only risk,” said Brian Tefft, the author of the study. “Even if they manage to stay awake, sleep-deprived drivers are still at increased risk of making mistakes -- like failing to notice something important, or misjudging a gap in traffic -- which can have tragic consequences.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fewer than 7 hours of sleep increases car crash risk

Driving while sleep-deprived has been found to be just as...

Rock climbing is gaining increasing popularity and attention, which is partially due to the fact that the sport has been approved to be part of the 2020 Olympic Games. However, reports of near-death falls and serious injuries are still dominating news about the sport, which has prompted an international team of researchers to investigate whether rock climbers are going out of their way to seek risks. 


The study was conducted by Lea Nicita and Giovanni Signorello from the <a href="https://www.unict.it/en">University of Catania</a> and W. Douglass Shaw from <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/">Texas A&amp;M University</a>. The team used a method known as the Kuhn-Tucker approach to measure various aspects of rock climbing, including the demand for the sport in Sicily, Italy; the recreational value of various sites; and how much a reduction in injury risks may benefit climbers. 


The experts evaluated 32 rock climbing sites located throughout Sicily using a survey that was distributed to 90 members of various Sicilian climbing groups. The participants reported on their place of residence, climbing ability, and the number of trips taken to each of the 32 sites.

The individuals also answered questions about their preference for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sports-leagues-unhealthy-products/">sport</a> or traditional climbing, level of experience and training, and whether they are members of a club. 

The researchers used data on the climbing bolts and rope run-outs at each site to determine if a route was low, moderate, or high risk. The results of the study indicated that the climbers preferred lower risk routes.

The team also estimated welfare values for each site and found that risk reductions at nearly every site can be achieved by improving the bolting of existing routes. 

“The study has broader implications for assessing other risky activities (e.g., undertaking risky sports and forms of transportation such as biking, risky diets and behaviors) and the value of risk reductions for those,” explained Nicita.

Overall, the team concluded that the most desirable rock climbing sites are those with more routes and better scenic views. Most importantly, they concluded that climbers are more likely to choose less risky sites. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.sra.org/aggregator/sources/1">Risk Analysis</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Are rock climbers intentionally going after high-risk climbs?

Rock climbing is gaining increasing popularity and attention, which is...

According to a new study, nearly half of resident physicians in the United States are suffering from burnout - an epidemic that threatens patient care as well as the health of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/doctors-work-cut-fake-news-online-misinformation/">doctors</a> themselves. Exhaustion is one of the leading symptoms of physician burnout, which can lead to serious mistakes in healthcare administration. 

The researchers found that 45 percent of the physicians involved in the analysis experienced at least one major symptom of burnout. The study revealed that doctors in urology, neurology, emergency medicine, and general surgery are at the highest risk of burnout. 

The experts also determined that high levels of anxiety and low levels of empathy during medical school are strong predictors of burnout during residency, regardless of the specific practice.

“Our data show wide variability in the prevalence of burnout by clinical specialty, and that anxiety, social support and empathy during medical school relate to the risk of burnout during residency,” said study first author Dr. Liselotte Dyrbye.

Residents with burnout were three times more likely to report that they regret the decision to become a physician. When asked if they would still become a physician if they could change this decision, those in pathology and anesthesiology were the most likely to respond “definitely not” or “probably not.” Furthermore, the higher the level of anxiety reported during medical school, the greater the chance that the individuals regretted becoming a physician.

On the other hand, the majority of residents reported that they are satisfied with both their career choice and specialty. In particular, participants who reported high empathy scores during medical school appeared to be more resilient to burnout during residency. 

The findings of this research contradict the common assumption that physicians need a “thick skin” or an emotional indifference to perform well. 

Across approximately 50 medical schools, high empathy scores were associated with the willingness to choose the same specialty again. In addition, participants who reported higher emotional social support during medical school were usually more satisfied with their career choices.

The study is published in the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama">Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)</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

Almost half of physicians in the U.S. suffer from burnout

According to a new study, nearly half of resident physicians...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide</a> has revealed that middle-aged moderate drinkers have little or no concern about the potential health impacts of alcohol. The investigation was focused on 13 studies that examined the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-2-million-deaths/">drinking</a> patterns of individuals between 30 and 65 years old who were not classified as problem drinkers. 

Factors such as respectability, gender, and socializing were all found to have an influence on the drinking behavior of middle-aged moderate drinkers. The researchers also found that health concerns had no significant influence.

“It is surprising that health does not strongly factor in the way that this group thinks about their drinking,” said study co-author Emma Muhlack. “When they do think about health they use their own experiences as a benchmark (e.g. what it feels like when you drink too much) rather than the guidelines handed down by health organizations.”

According to the study, middle-aged drinkers find it most acceptable to drink in a manner that is appropriate to their stage of life and which allows them to uphold their responsibilities without any obvious signs of drunkenness. 

Gender was also found to be important to this group of moderate drinkers, who deemed certain drinks more appropriate for women and others for men. In addition, consuming alcohol at home was associated with women, while drinking in public was associated with men.

“We knew very little about the decision-making processes that go into the alcohol consumption of middle age drinkers,” said Muhlack. “The results from this review help us to better understand how drinking alcohol fits into their everyday lives and which factors may need to be taken into consideration when attempting to reduce alcohol consumption in this group.”

The findings suggest that public health campaigns aimed at personal health outcomes may be less successful in discouraging alcohol consumption among middle-aged moderate drinkers. These campaigns would be more effective if they focused on the risks of what may be considered unacceptable drinking behaviors, such as not meeting responsibilities or the possibility of losing the respect of others.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Public Health</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

Middle-aged drinkers are rarely concerned by effects of alcohol

A new study from the University of Adelaide has revealed...

Individuals who have experienced significant <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/activity-brain-recover-trauma/">trauma</a> in their life may be more at risk for psychological and mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These health consequences are well-known, but can trauma have an effect on more than just the person who experienced it? Specifically, what kind of effect does trauma have on the infants of pregnant women who have a history of experiencing trauma?

In the first study of its kind, a report from the <a href="https://icahn.mssm.edu/">Icahn School of Medicine</a> at Mount Sinai has found that male infants born to women who have been exposed to trauma and secreted higher levels of cortisol (a hormone related to stress) were born at significantly lower birth weights. 

Using data from the Programming of Intergenerational Stress Mechanisms (PRISM) study, researchers assessed information from 314 pregnant women and their children. The women provided their medical history, as well as information about exposure to traumatic and stressful events, using the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised (LSC-R). This is a commonly used tool to assess lifetime exposure to stressful events specific to women. At delivery, the women also provided hair samples, which were used to measure cortisol levels. 

The results showed that women who had both a history of trauma and higher levels of cortisol secretion had infants born at lower birth weights, so trauma alone was not the determining factor. The researchers also only found this association in male babies, which is consistent with other data that shows male fetuses are more sensitive to the effects of maternal stress on intrauterine growth. 

Although researchers are not able to pinpoint the mechanisms of this phenomenon, it is known that trauma-related stress can have lasting effects on regulatory systems involved with a woman’s response to stress – including processes related to cortisol production. 

“Our study highlights that experiences prior to pregnancy can shape the health of subsequent generations through altered fetal development and pregnancy outcomes,” says Rosalind Wright, MD, MPH, Dean for Translational Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and senior author of the study. “Given the disproportionate exposure to stressors among racial minorities and women of lower socioeconomic status, there are important implications for understanding intergenerational perpetuation of health disparities and for understanding how to intervene.”

An infant’s size at birth is directly linked to their health, ability to function, and risk of disease as they grow.

“Identifying a prior history of trauma and providing interventions, for example treatment for associated mood disturbances, could lead to improved perinatal outcomes that have lifelong implications for health of mother and baby,” says Julie Flom, MD, MPH, fellow in the Department of Allergy and Immunology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the study’s first author.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Women who have experienced trauma give birth to smaller male babies

Individuals who have experienced significant trauma in their life may...

A new study has revealed that thinking about something bigger than yourself could reduce defensiveness and increase receptiveness to healthier lifestyle choices.

Oftentimes, when a person sees a public health message that tells them they need to<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diet-exercise-blood-pressure-medicine/"> change their lifestyle</a> or risk serious health problems, it triggers a natural defensiveness and unwillingness to make any changes. 

Even if the messages are important, the ensuing backlash can render any potential for implementing change moot. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.upenn.edu/">University of Pennsylvania</a> conducted a new study that found it’s possible to counter these natural defenses by asking people to think about something other than themselves before viewing the health messages. 

The results were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

“One of the things that gets in the way of people changing their behavior is defensiveness,” said Emily Falk, a senior author of the paper. “When people are reminded that it's better to park the car further away and get in a few more steps, or to get up and move around at work to lower their risk for heart disease, they often come up with reasons why these suggestions might be relevant for somebody else, but not for them.”

220 sedentary adults who were either overweight or obese participated in the study and the researchers asked some of the participants to try a self-transcendence task where individuals had to think about values or people that they cared about. 

Another task involved participants making well-wishes for both people they knew and strangers. A third group didn’t participate in any transcendent tasks and made up the control group. 

The participants thought about these values or wishes while in a functional magnetic resonance imaging machine that allowed the researchers to monitor brain activity. 

After taking part in the self-transcendence activity, the participants had to view health messages that targeted their sedentary lifestyle. 

In the next month, participants read daily text messages that asked them to think about something bigger than themselves followed by health messages. 

Fitness trackers worn by the participants were used to monitor physical activity and the researchers found that self-transcendent thinking made the participants more active throughout the month. 

The results show that self-transcendence is a useful tool for helping people to be more receptive to making healthy lifestyle changes. 

“If you let people first 'zoom out' and think about the things and people that matter most to them, then they see that their self-concept and self-worth aren't tied to this particular behavior -- in this case, their lack of physical activity,” said Falk. People are capable of doing things for their loved ones that they'd probably never do for themselves. The idea of self-transcendence -- caring for others beyond one's own self-interest -- is a potentially powerful source of change.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Thinking beyond yourself can help you make healthier decisions

A new study has revealed that thinking about something bigger...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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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 



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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 rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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