Researchers at the University of Iowa have called for a universal practice of surveying patients about their physical activity levels. The proposal is based on findings that highlight a powerful relationship between regular exercise and a lower risk of chronic diseases. 



The study, led by Lucas Carr, an associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiology, focused on more than 7,000 patients at the <a href="https://uihc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-physical-activity-and-chronic-disease">Physical activity and chronic disease</h2>



The research team compared self-reported <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/any-type-of-physical-activity-can-help-protect-the-brain/">physical activity</a> data with medical records. They found a significant connection between higher levels of physical activity and better health outcomes.&nbsp;



Moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 150 minutes a week was linked to a reduced risk of developing 19 chronic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fasting-helps-the-body-fight-inflammation-and-chronic-diseases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">illnesses</a>. These included cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, and various forms of cancer.



Those who reported doing little or no exercise were more prone to develop these chronic diseases, emphasizing the pressing need to address inactivity among patients. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-physical-activity-surveys-and-exercise-prescriptions-nbsp">Physical activity surveys and exercise prescriptions&nbsp;</h2>



Drawing on these results, the Iowa researchers suggest that health care systems should incorporate physical activity surveys into patient visits and offer relevant health and wellness services to those at greatest risk.



“In our health care environment, there's no easy pathway for a doctor to be reimbursed for helping patients become more physically active,” said Professor Carr. 



“And so, for these patients, many of whom report insufficient activity, we need options to easily connect them with supportive services like exercise prescriptions and/or community health specialists.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lowering-the-risk-of-chronic-diseases-nbsp">Lowering the risk of chronic diseases&nbsp;</h2>



This study originated from a desire to better understand how physical activity might affect overall health outcomes.&nbsp;



Collaborating with Dr. Britt Marcussen, a family medicine physician at UI Health Care, Professor Carr introduced a physical activity questionnaire for patients visiting for annual wellness exams. 



Between November 2017 and December 2022, individuals answered two simple questions: how many days per week they performed moderate to vigorous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-in-a-pill-is-now-closer-to-reality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exercise</a>, and how many minutes in total they exercised at that intensity.



Data from more than 7,000 participants showed a significant gap between people who met the recommended thresholds for weekly exercise and those who were mostly sedentary.&nbsp;



The group of patients who exercised 150 minutes or more per week appeared to be at notably lower risk for the range of chronic illnesses examined. Meanwhile, those reporting limited or no exercise had a higher propensity to develop these diseases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observations-about-the-study-population">Observations about the study population</h2>



In addition to analyzing participants who took the survey, the research team also considered a group of 33,000 patients who did not receive the questionnaire.&nbsp;



The investigators found that those who responded to the survey tended to be younger and healthier than the non-responders, potentially reflecting a tendency for individuals who attend annual wellness exams to be more engaged in healthy behaviors overall.



Still, the central takeaway remains that reported physical activity levels correlated closely with the presence or absence of various chronic diseases, validating the essential role of regular exercise in promoting long-term health and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-environment-day-the-critical-role-of-nature-in-human-well-being/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">well-being</a>.



“We believe this finding is a result of those patients who take the time to come in for annual wellness exams also are taking more time to engage in healthy behaviors, such as being physically active,” Carr said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-promoting-physical-activity-in-medical-settings">Promoting physical activity in medical settings</h2>



Identifying patients who are largely sedentary is just one step, according to the researchers. They also propose that health care systems implement practical methods to help these individuals become more active, such as referrals to exercise programs, community health resources, or professional exercise prescriptions.&nbsp;



The experts point to a lack of structured pathways for physicians to be reimbursed for providing exercise guidance, which hinders widespread adoption of this type of support.



In a related investigation, published in the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39657641/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Physical Activity and Health</a>, Carr’s team discovered that insurance providers reimbursed almost 95 percent of claims for exercise counseling when health care providers billed for it.&nbsp;



“Our findings suggest the recommended physical activity billing codes are reimbursed at a high rate when providers submit them for reimbursement, which reinforces the idea to make physical activity surveys and counseling services available,” explained Professor Carr.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moving-toward-a-healthier-future">Moving toward a healthier future</h2>



This series of studies underscores the value of easily administered questionnaires for identifying patients who may be at elevated risk of chronic diseases, as well as the importance of follow-up measures that connect sedentary individuals with services to help them become more active.&nbsp;



The results are consistent with a broader body of evidence linking regular physical activity with reduced risks of many major health conditions.



By advocating for a simple, rapid, two-question survey, the researchers at the University of Iowa demonstrate how such a tool can fit seamlessly into routine medical appointments without overburdening patients or clinicians.&nbsp;



They believe this approach provides not only valuable data on patient health but also a means to intervene and lessen the impact of chronic conditions.



The authors argue that widespread integration of physical activity questions in clinical settings could bring noticeable public health benefits, particularly if paired with robust exercise counseling and resources for those who need it.&nbsp;



With the knowledge that insurance often reimburses exercise counseling, physicians and hospital administrators may find it easier to build these options into patient care, helping fight the epidemic of chronic disease and fostering healthier lifestyles overall.



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Fitness-focused medicine: Physical activity reduces chronic disease risk

Researchers at the University of Iowa have called for a universal practice of surveying patients about their physical activity levels. The proposal is based on findings that highlight a powerful relationship between regular exercise and a lower risk of chronic diseases.  The study, led by Lucas Carr, an associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiology, focused on more than 7,000 patients at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center.&nbsp; Physical activity and chronic disease The research team compared self-reported physical activity data with...

Fishing on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/commercial-industrial-fishing-oceans/">high seas</a>, which covers 64 percent of the ocean’s surface, is unprofitable if not for government subsidies, according to a new extensive report covering the economics of fishing. 

At its current rate, profits from the high seas fishing industry range between a loss of $364 million and a profit of $1.4 billion USD. 

This is in stark contrast to operating costs ranging from $6.2 billion and $8 billion. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/">National Geographic Society</a>, the <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California, Santa Barbara</a>, the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a>, and the <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/">University of Western Australia</a> set out to examine the profits of high seas fishing, something that previously was difficult to accurately measure. 

A high-level of secrecy around distant water fishing left many estimates open-ended. 

Now, thanks to satellite data and projects like the <a href="http://globalfishingwatch.org/">Global Fishing Watch</a> program and the <a href="http://www.seaaroundus.org/">Sea Around Us</a>, high seas fishing is more transparent which can aid in improving both fishing and ocean conservation. 

The results were published in the journal Science Advances. 

“The reason most fleets continue to operate in the high seas is that they receive government subsidies. Without subsidies and the forced labor, some of them are known for, fishing would be unprofitable in over half of the high seas fishing grounds,” said Enric Sala, the lead author of the study.

For the study, the researchers used Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) and Vessel Monitoring Systems to track 3,620 vessels and collected data on fishing activity, estimated how much fish were harvested and what the average profits were for each vessel. 

Approximately 10 million hours every year are spent fishing 13 million square kilometers of the high seas and around 4.4 million tons of catch are fished annually. 

It’s also possible that fishers are reporting less than they catch in order to keep receiving high subsidies but still turn a profit. 

What keeps many of these fishing operations underway are government subsidies and poor compensation for labor as the researchers found that overall high seas fishing is unprofitable. 

“In many parts of the high seas, subsidies are propping up fishing activity to levels far beyond what would otherwise be economically rational,” said Christopher Costello, a member of the research team. “This implies that through targeted subsidy reforms, we could save taxpayers money, rebuild fish stocks, and eventually lead to higher value, lower volume fisheries.” 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

High seas fishing is unprofitable without government subsidies

Fishing on the high seas, which covers 64 percent of...

The bond between a dog and their owner is a strong one, but how exactly does this connection form so cohesively and how does it impact human brain chemistry? 

Dog expert and author Meg Olmert spoke in-depth about just how exactly dogs affect our brain chemistry, and how a relationship between canines and humans that started 45,000 years ago has become such an integral part of our lives today.

It all boils down to hormones, particularly the pleasure hormones like dopamine and oxytocin.

Olmert told <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/how-having-dog-affects-your-body-brain-pet-oxytocin-animal-baby-2018-5?r=US&amp;IR=T">Business Insider</a> that seeing and petting your dog releases oxytocin in the brain. 

Oxytocin is a central hormone for bonding between mothers and their children and it promotes breast milk production in mammals. 

The fact that oxytocin strengthens mother and child bonds  helps explain why the connection with a pet can be so strong.

Spending time with your pet also alleviates stress as a result of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dog-loves-smile/">mood-boosting hormones released</a> after interacting with your four-legged friend.

“You release oxytocin, the opioids, adrenaline, and serotonin. So, all of these great reward chemicals and anti-stress chemicals can be released in both you and the pet,” Olmert told Business Insider.

Not all dogs produce this response according to Olmert. When people are faced with any dog off the street, or even different breeds, the brain reacts in different ways.

Some breeds that are perceived as more aggressive like pit bulls or rottweilers will increase heart rate and anxiety, even triggering the fight or flight response.

“Dogs perceived as being fierce will trigger a different hormonal profile (increased cortisol, adrenaline, etc). They may not be an actual threat to illicit this defensive response,” Olmert told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5807069/Dogs-trigger-release-dopamine-oxytocin-way-children.html">Daily Mail</a>.

On the other hand, dogs from breeds that are considered more social and loyal like golden retrievers will trigger more of the pleasure response and oxytocin.

Having a pet can be a greatly rewarding experience as studies have shown that owning a dog comes with many health benefits, and Olmert’s work helps explain why the bond between pets and humans are so strong and long-lasting.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How your bond with your dog changes your brain

The bond between a dog and their owner is a...

When the weather gets colder, heart attacks get more lethal. A <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-tea-prevent-heart-attack/">heart attack</a> is one of the most common causes of death in the world, and can seemingly strike at any time. But according to new research, it’s actually more likely to kill you in the winter than in the summer.

Cardiologists at <a href="http://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/patients-visitors/our-hospitals/leeds-general-infirmary/">Leeds General Infirmary</a> analyzed information from over 4,000 people who received treatment for a heart attack across four separate years. The results showed that the most severe heart attacks were at their deadliest in the coldest six months of the year. Although the overall number of heart attacks was about the same in the coldest half of the year compared to the warmest, the risk of dying within 30 days of a severe heart attack was almost 50% higher in the six coldest months.

Not everyone who has a heart attack has cardiac arrest. However, heart attacks can lead to cardiac arrest – when the heart stops pumping blood – and cardiogenic shock, which is when the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. In the United Kingdom, about 30% of the people who go to the hospital for a heart attack end up surviving. Safe to say, in the winter months the chance of survival likely goes down. When the weather gets colder, heart attacks get more lethal

"There is no physical reason why a heart attack, even the most severe, should be more deadly in winter than in summer so we must do further research to find the cause of this difference and remedy it,” says Dr. Arvin Krishnamurthy, the lead researcher from Leeds General Infirmary. “The next step is to find out if this trend is seen nationwide.”

Possibly explanations for this phenomenon could be the longer time to treatment, extended hospitalization and delays to discharge, as well as the increased prevalence of infections in the winter.

“You obviously can’t choose when you have a major heart attack, but it shouldn’t have such an impact on your chances of surviving,” says Metin Avkiran, the Associate Medical Director at the <a href="https://www.bhf.org.uk/">British Heart Foundation</a>. “It’s vital we carry out more research to find out why there are these differences, as well as continuing to do all we can to stop people having heart attacks in the first place. Although we’ve made huge strides in the last 50 years, we must urgently fund more research to continue to drive down the number of heart attacks and ensure more people can live full lives even after a heart attack.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

When the weather gets colder, heart attacks get more lethal

When the weather gets colder, heart attacks get more lethal....

UN report calls for ban on single-use plastics.  Plastic pollution has now even reached protected marine areas <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-galapagos-islands/">as far as the Galapagos Islands</a>, a wildlife reserve which is mostly off limits to humans, and as deep as the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the world’s oceans. 

Finding plastic in these remote corners of the globe shows just how damaging and widespread our plastic problem is. 

The pollution from plastic bags and bottles to microfibers are harmful to habitats as they can be accidentally ingested or become tangled around wildlife. 

Now, the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/">United Nations</a> (UN) released a report that found that less than one-tenth of all the world’s plastic has been recycled and calls for immediate government intervention to ban or tax single-use plastic bags and food packaging. 

The report was published on World Environment Day, and is the most comprehensive review of government action to curb single-use plastics. 

UN researchers discovered that 5 trillion plastic bags are used every year and that a majority of the world’s plastic waste ends up in landfills or the ocean. 

Even though many countries have implemented taxes or banned single-use plastic bags, the UN report shows that many of these policies have not been enforced or if they have, little research exists to show if those efforts have been successful in curbing plastic pollution. 

“The scourge of plastic has reached every corner of the Earth,” Erik Solheim, the head of UN Environment said in the report. “Only nine percent of the nine billion tonnes of plastic the world has ever produced has been recycled.”

Plastic pollution is such a common problem now that the report found in South Africa plastic litter is referred to as the “new national flower.” 

As far as the biggest offenders of plastic production, use, and waste, China is in the lead, but per capita, the United States produces the most plastic pollution. 

The best course of action, as the UN suggests, is to crack down on single-use plastic bags and food containers. 

“Targeted levies and bans - where properly planned and enforced - have been among the most effective strategies to limit overuse of disposable plastic products,” the report said.

Of the more than 60 countries that currently ban or tax plastic, 30 percent found plastic use was reduced a year after restrictions were imposed.

The report not only calls for more countries to restrict single-use-plastics but also for more research to better assess the success of plastic taxes and bans. 

It can’t be denied that more has to be done worldwide to tackle plastic pollution, and the UN calls for improved recycling, incentives for not using plastic, and promoting reusable packaging and products. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

UN report calls for ban on single-use plastics

UN report calls for ban on single-use plastics.  Plastic pollution...

Brain structure determines whether you make healthy food choices.  An old phrase that is now commonly used in reference to adopting a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-air-pollution/">healthier diet</a> or lifestyle is “mind over matter,” which is the theory that willpower can help us to overcome physical obstacles. A new study from the <a href="https://www.sfn.org/">Society for Neuroscience</a> has revealed exactly why this strategy may be more successful for some individuals than others. 

A team of experts led by Liane Schmidt has discovered that differences in the structure of the brain's prefrontal cortex influence the ability to make healthier food choices. The study findings suggest that our anatomy plays a role in critical decisions that have long-term effects on our health and well-being.

In order to maintain a healthy diet, healthy foods must be consistently chosen over more tempting foods. Individuals vary in their ability to exercise control over dietary choices, and disability has been linked to differences in real-time brain activity.

The current investigation was focused on 78 healthy women and 45 healthy men who were given MRI scans, in an effort to determine whether differences in the anatomy of the brain could account for variations in self-control.

The team also analyzed three previous studies that took different approaches to examining the relationship between food choices and self-control. 

In one approach, participants made the dietary choice between appealing or healthy foods, or made food selections based on the way they normally would. In another trial, participants were instructed to stay away from high-calorie foods that they craved.

The researchers discovered that individuals who had greater volume in the dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex demonstrated more self-control and selected healthier foods.

According to the study authors, considering that brain structure and connectivity can change over time in response to lifestyle, the brain regions identified in this research represent key targets for the development of interventions that promote healthy choices. 

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/">Journal of Neuroscience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Brain structure determines whether you make healthy food choices

Brain structure determines whether you make healthy food choices.  An...

Researchers are reporting that the vast majority of Americans believe the United States should take the lead in space exploration. Even as private companies are emerging in the industry, NASA remains an absolutely necessary source of space discovery, according to study participants.

The research is focused on a national survey from the <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/">Pew Research Center</a> of over 2,500 American adults. Around 80 percent of adults in the United States feel that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/international-space-station-work/">International Space Station</a> has been a good investment, and strong public support for NASA is shared across political, generational, and gender groups.

Space exploration has changed drastically in the decades following the first landing on the moon by United States astronauts. Other countries have made major advancements in exploration technologies and private companies are investing more in the observation of outer space as well.


Around 65 percent of Americans believe that NASA's role in space exploration is essential, while 33 percent say that private companies could make sufficient progress without NASA's involvement.


Across nine specific NASA missions, the majority of participants believe the priority should be monitoring key parts of the Earth's climate system or monitoring asteroids and other objects that could hit Earth.

When given the choice of humans or robots in future NASA space expeditions, 58 percent of American adults believe that human astronauts are essential, while 41 percent say that humans are not essential to these types of missions.

Around half of Americans share the opinion that people will travel routinely to space as tourists over the next 50 years. However, 58 percent say they have no interest in taking this trip themselves, stating that the trip would either be “too expensive,” “too scary,” or that their age or health would not allow it.

The full report from the Pew Research Center can be found <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/2018/06/06/majority-of-americans-believe-it-is-essential-that-the-u-s-remain-a-global-leader-in-space">here</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

Most Americans want the US to remain leader in space exploration

Researchers are reporting that the vast majority of Americans believe...

A study led by the <a href="https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/">London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine</a> has found that women are more easily disgusted than men, and that this has evolved as a way to dodge illness or disease. The experts have identified six main types of repulsion, including sexual promiscuity and poor hygiene, which may be a subconscious means of staying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vegetarian-diet-most-affordable/">healthy</a>.

The investigation was focused on 2,500 people who rated their levels of disgust regarding 75 different situations, such as accidentally stepping on a slug. The study revealed that women were consistently more disgusted by the various scenarios compared to men.

“If you see something disgusting you’re probably responding to something that might cause disease,” study lead author Professor Val Curtis told <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/">The Times</a>. “Our ancient ancestors didn’t know about microbes, they just knew they had to stay away from bad smells.”

Professor Curtis also said that disgust is “enormously powerful, so it really can be very practically useful in public health, principally by shaming people who behave unhygienically.”

According to the study, women are the most disgusted by promiscuous sexual behavior. The researchers believe that this particular gender difference may be rooted in the fact that women select their sexual partners more carefully than men because they can only have a limited number of children. 

Men, on the other hand, have the freedom to reproduce much more, and the study finds that this may make them more sexually inclined toward risky behavior.

The researchers report that their work supports the “parasite avoidance theory,” which is the idea that humans have adapted ways of avoiding parasites. In this case, it is disgust that directs our behavior to avoid infectious diseases.

The study authors write, “We conclude that it is legitimate to use the word ‘disgust’ to describe parasite avoidance systems, in the same way that ‘fear' is used to describe animal predator avoidance systems.” 

“Understanding disgust across species offers an excellent system for investigating the strategies, mechanisms and consequences of behavior and could be a vital contribution towards the understanding and conservation of our planet's ecosystems.”


The study is published in the journal<a href="http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/"> Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Women get disgusted far more often than men, study finds

A study led by the London School of Hygiene and...

Insomnia affects 1 in 4 Americans each year.  Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders are a growing public health crisis worldwide. More than 1 in 3 adults don't get enough quality sleep, and recent studies have shown that inadequate sleep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-loss-countrys-economy/">can be as costly to a country’s economy</a> as it can to a person’s health. 

Now, a new study has found that one in four Americans, about 25 percent, suffer from acute insomnia every year. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.med.upenn.edu/">Perelman School of Medicine</a> at the University of Pennsylvania conducted the study which is one of the few to not only assess the prevalence of insomnia, but also how “good sleepers” develop and recover from bouts of acute insomnia. 

The results will be presented in a poster session at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the <a href="http://www.sleepmeeting.org/">Associated Professional Sleep Societies. </a>

Although the study found that 25 percent of Americans suffer from acute insomnia, 75 percent of these individuals recovered without developing persistent sleep problems. Insomnia affects 1 in 4 Americans each year

Acute insomnia is defined as difficulty falling or staying asleep for three nights per week up to two consecutive weeks per three months. Chronic insomnia, on the other hand, occurs at least three nights a week for more than three months. 

“Whether caused by stress, illness, medications, or other factors, poor sleep is very common,” said Michael Perlis, the study’s senior author. “These findings reveal new insights about the paths that acute insomnia takes and can inform interventions that target poor sleep and help people recover sustained sufficient sleep.”

The researchers examined how “good sleepers,” people without insomnia who take less than 15 minutes to fall asleep and spends fewer than 15 minutes awake during the night, develop acute insomnia or persistent poor sleep.

For the study, 1,435 US adults who were verified as good sleepers were tracked for one year. The participants kept a sleep diary and were given regular assessments of daytime function, stress and life events, and medical and mental health.

During the year the participants were monitored, 25 percent experienced acute insomnia but 75 percent of those recovered within 12 months. 21 percent of those who experienced insomnia didn't recover, and six percent developed chronic insomnia. 

The study sheds insight into how acute insomnia can transform into a chronic problem and could help with future research examining what factors influence sleep recovery. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Insomnia affects 1 in 4 Americans each year

Insomnia affects 1 in 4 Americans each year.  Sleep deprivation...

Study reveals that people can be blind to smells when distracted. A team of psychologists led by the <a href="http://www.sussex.ac.uk/">University of Sussex</a> had found that when people are distracted or busy they tend to lose their sense of smell in a phenomenon known as “inattentional smell blindness.” 

“We have discovered that people are less likely to notice a smell if they are busily engaged in a task,” said study co-author Dr. Sophie Forster. “Many of us have experienced this: we've been working in a room when a new person has entered and said that the room smells of something such as someone's lunch, but that those already in the room had failed to notice it.”

The experts have demonstrated that we can completely miss smells in the same way that visual cues are often missed when we are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/older-people-easily-distracted/">heavily engrossed</a> in activities. 

Unlike a visual prompt, however, a smell can go completely unnoticed. Dr. Forster explained that habituation to smells is much stronger than that of our other senses, and if we adjust to the smell during a period of distraction we may never even notice it.

“Previous research has told us that, unique to the sense of smell, there is only a window of approximately 20 minutes before the brain is no longer able to detect it - a phenomenon known as olfactory habituation.”


For their investigation, the researchers hid coffee beans in a room to give it a very distinctive smell. The participants spent time in the room performing visual tasks, with one group of individuals performing a test which was designed to demand much more attention than the other.


After leaving the room, participants who were involved in the more demanding task were over 42 percent less likely to recall the smell of coffee while describing the room. These individuals were typically very surprised at the strong scent of coffee upon re-entering the room.


In a follow-up experiment, participants were asked to describe the room while they were still in it after a distracting activity. The study revealed that most of the individuals had acclimated to the smell, and 65 percent of them could not detect the scent of coffee even when they tried.


The results of the research provide support for the “perceptual load hypothesis,” which is the idea that people can only perceive sensory information until their capacity is full.

According to Dr. Forster, the findings of the study could have a range of implications.


“For example, if you are busy focusing on a task you may be less likely to be tempted by food smells. Or if you don't want your friend to guess you are baking them a birthday cake in the other room, you could distract them with a puzzle for about 20 minutes.”


Dr. Forster said that while this analysis was focused on the smell of coffee, future research could focus on “threat smells,” such as smoke and gas.


“Could it be, for example, that drivers who are concentrating on a busy motorway and perhaps are also engaged in a conversation, might may fail to notice a burning smell which should act as a warning sign? Or perhaps the same is true of engineers who work busily in situations which place them at risk of a gas leak.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/home/pss">Psychological Science</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

Study reveals that people can be blind to smells when distracted

Study reveals that people can be blind to smells when...

&nbsp;

  Both humans and animals use language tactic of turn-taking. Language is a distinct trait that separates humans from the rest of the pack, even if we don’t all speak the same language. It is a trait characterized by cooperative turn-taking, where we exchange information by taking short and flexible turns as we speak with each other. Turn-taking is used universally across languages and cultures, and some signs of it can be found in all clades of the primate lineage. Because of this, turn-taking has been suggested as an ancient mechanism of the language system that bridges the gap between us humans and our inarticulate primate cousins. 

Since language is a major area of study for evolutionary theory, researchers from the <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/index.html">Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology</a> wanted to determine what nonhuman primates and other animal taxa may exhibit for similar behavior.

The researchers assessed previous literature by reviewing turn-taking phenomena in birds, mammals, insects, and anurans. 

“Direct comparisons of turn-taking skills of nonhuman animals in relation to language origins are highly constrained by lack of data, the application of different terms, methodological designs, and study environments,” says Simone Pika, first author of the study from Department of Primatology at the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology.

Pika also points out that studies have been biased toward birds and vocal interactions, and are mostly focused on just one key element of full-blown human turn-taking, known as the time window. The time window is the gap between an initiating turn and the response turn, and varies in human conversation from 0-500 milliseconds and across nonhuman animal taxa from less than 50 milliseconds to 5,000 milliseconds.

“Research studies on other turn-taking systems – for example gestural interactions of bonobos and chimpanzees – are currently relatively rare, but represent, due to the application of key elements characterizing human full-blown turn-taking, the most promising avenue to tackle the question whether turn-taking played a key role in language evolution,” says Pika.

To improve research efforts, the researchers propose a new framework, which looks to enable comparative research through focusing on four key elements that characterize human conversations. These four elements are flexibility of turn-taking organization, which individual is taking the next turn, when the response turns occur, and what the next turn does. The study’s authors suggest applying this framework to precisely chosen representatives of over 50 genera of primates, and using it to characterize the current turn-taking phenotypes.

The researchers also believe that more attention should be paid to related phenomena due to convergent evolution. Past studies on language competence and cognitive skills of parrots and corvids have put into question the previously assumed simple inverse correlation between language-readiness and genetic distance from humans. The new field of comparative turn-taking could help solve one of the most difficult problems in science through testing whether turn-taking had significant downstream effects on human culture and cooperation, and determine whether it may have laid the foundation for the evolution of language. Also Both humans and animals use language tactic of turn-taking shown in the images with show.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Simone Pika

Both humans and animals use language tactic of turn-taking

&nbsp;   Both humans and animals use language tactic of...

Long term memory starts at age 2, study finds. A new study has found that the earliest childhood memories a person can have begin at age two, which is earlier than what previous research had indicated.

The study sheds further light on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/regular-exercise-improve-memory-thinking/">memory</a> formation and could improve early diagnosis of disorders like autism or dyslexia. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://mindbrain.ucdavis.edu/">Center for Mind and Brain at the University of California, Davis</a> conducted the study which is the first of its kind to scan the brains of toddlers while they slept. 

The results were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Twenty-two participants, aged 2, took part in the study which included brain scans using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine. 

First, the researchers gave the children toys to play with while they listened to a lullaby. 

The purpose of this activity was to test how well the children remembered what was happening when they had heard the new song. 

Then each child went to sleep inside an MRI scanner, and their brain was scanned while they slept. The researchers focused on the hippocampus, which is located deep in the brain and a crucial part of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/memory-developed-teenage-years/">memory formation</a>. 

While the children slept, the lullaby they had recently learned was played back to them as well as an unfamiliar song. 

MRI scans are a common way to measure brain activity. However, for young children, who must be still for a long time, it can be difficult to get accurate results. 

This is why the researchers had the children go to sleep in the machine, so that they would be still and the scan would be uninterrupted. 

Both the lullaby and songs the children wouldn’t recognize were played during the brain scans and the researchers found that the hippocampus was more active during the familiar song. 

Later, when the children woke up, the researchers asked them if they remembered what room they had heard the song in and what toy they played with at the time. 

The results show that memories can be recalled much earlier than previously thought and that the hippocampus can be activated even before a child learns to talk. 

“One of the most fascinating questions in psychology and neuroscience pertains to how young children gain the capacity to remember their past,” Simona Ghetti, leader of the research, told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5803831/Our-earliest-childhood-memories-begin-age-two-claim-scientists.html">Daily Mail</a>. “Early hippocampal processes have been implicated in this ability - but a lack of viable methods has hindered assessments of their contribution in early human development. Our results provide direct evidence of a connection between hippocampal function and early memory ability.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Long term memory starts at age 2, study finds

Long term memory starts at age 2, study finds. A...

Why binge drinking causes you to build up alcohol tolerance. A new study has identified how binge drinking changes the way the brain responds to alcohol and causes people to build up a tolerance.

Developing a tolerance, or needing larger and quantities of something to elicit the same result, is a major precursor to addiction. Not only that, but alcohol tolerance does more damage to a person’s liver and body because of how much more is being consumed.

Researchers from the<a href="https://www.olemiss.edu/"> University of Mississippi</a> found that this increased consumption from binge drinking causes long-lasting changes in the brain and increases alcohol tolerance.

The study was published in the journal eNeuro.

Over 25 percent of Americans reported binge drinking recently and an estimated six people die every day from alcohol poisoning, which can be driven by binge drinking.

Binge drinking, consuming four or more alcoholic drinks within two hours, is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/college-binge-drinking-brain-activity/">dangerous risk to a person’s health</a> as research has found. High levels of alcohol in the system affect cognitive function, drastically lower heart rate and body temperature, damage the liver and increase the risk of liver disease.

Now, the University of Mississippi study shows how binge drinking raises tolerance and affects the brain.

The researchers used fruit flies to examine how increased alcohol consumption affected the brain’s synapses.

A group of fruit flies was genetically modified so that a gene that produces proteins that regulate the release of neurotransmitters between neurons in the brain were suppressed.

The researchers had previously discovered that alcohol interferes with this gene and decreases proteins which, in turn, can inhibit communication within the brain.

During the study, the fruit flies were given ethanol, and those that had been modified consumed more alcohol than the control group of fruit flies. The modified files also took longer to show any effects of the alcohol consumption.

The researchers also discovered that as the modified fruit flies binged on the ethanol, it affected the release of a chemical called diacylglycerol which also disrupted the brain’s neurotransmitters.

These changes in the fruit flies suggest that binging actively builds up a tolerance by changing the way the brain responds and communicates. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why binge drinking causes you to build up alcohol tolerance

Why binge drinking causes you to build up alcohol tolerance....

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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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...