A recent study reveals that Americans who are 55 years of age and older now face an estimated 42% lifetime risk of developing dementia, surpassing older estimates by more than double.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preventing-dementia-scientists-say-three-factors-matter-most/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dementia</a>, which involves progressive declines in memory, concentration, and judgment, is expected to result in roughly 500,000 new cases in 2025, a figure set to climb to one million cases a year by 2060.&nbsp;



Researchers explain that this rise is closely linked to the aging U.S. population, along with additional risk factors such as genetic predisposition, high rates of hypertension and diabetes, obesity, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and mental health challenges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-previous-estimates-were-lower">Why previous estimates were lower</h2>



Researchers attribute prior underestimations to inconsistent documentation of dementia in health records and death certificates, inadequate monitoring of early-stage cases, and the underreporting of cases among racial minorities, who are disproportionately affected by the condition.



The findings stem from a large collaborative study funded by the <a href="https://www.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Institutes of Health,</a> conducted by <a href="https://nyulangone.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NYU Langone Health</a>, with contributions from <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a> and other institutions.&nbsp;



The research utilized data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS), which has been tracking the vascular and cognitive health of nearly 16,000 participants since 1987. ARIC-NCS is noted for being the longest research effort focusing on cognition and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-environments-and-sidewalks-improve-heart-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heart health</a> in African-Americans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gender-and-racial-disparities">Gender and racial disparities</h2>



The study’s findings, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03340-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Medicine</a>, detail 3,252 dementia diagnoses among participants from 1987 to 2020, translating to a lifetime risk of 42% for middle-aged Americans. 



The results indicate that men face a 35% risk, whereas women face a 48% risk - a difference primarily due to women’s longer average life expectancy. 



The research also pinpoints higher dementia susceptibility among Black adults and among carriers of a particular APOE4 gene variant, recognized as a chief genetic risk factor for late-onset <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-may-not-be-a-brain-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s disease</a>.



"The relative growth in new dementia cases was especially pronounced for Black adults. These results highlight the urgent need for policies that enhance healthy aging, with a focus on health equity," noted the researchers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dramatic-rise-in-dementia-risk">Dramatic rise in dementia risk</h2>



“Our study results forecast a dramatic rise in the burden from dementia in the United States over the coming decades, with one in two Americans expected to experience cognitive difficulties after age 55,” said Josef Coresh, who served as senior investigator on the research and is the founding director of the <a href="https://med.nyu.edu/departments-institutes/optimal-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Optimal Aging Institute</a> at NYU Langone.&nbsp;



Coresh noted that the increase in cases is partly tied to brain function decline starting in middle age, a growing number of Americans over 65, and longer average lifespans among women.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-concerns-linked-to-dementia-risk">Health concerns linked to dementia risk </h2>



The study also reveals that the lifetime risk of dementia surpasses 50% for those reaching age 75. However, previous findings suggest that strategies for preventing heart disease - such as blood pressure control and diabetes prevention - could similarly help reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/recreational-cannabis-use-protects-against-cognitive-decline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cognitive decline</a>.



“The pending population boom in dementia cases poses significant challenges for health policymakers, in particular, who must refocus their efforts on strategies to minimize the severity of dementia cases, as well as plans to provide more health care services for those with dementia,” Coresh said.



Hearing loss is another critical concern tied to dementia risk, yet only about a third of older Americans experiencing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hearing-loss-linked-to-a-greater-risk-of-dementia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hearing loss</a> use hearing aids. Coresh advocates greater monitoring, expanded testing, and more affordable hearing aids to alleviate this issue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-racial-disparities-and-broader-recommendations">Racial disparities and broader recommendations</h2>



According to Coresh, far more resources are needed to address racial inequities in health care, noting that while dementia numbers among Caucasian individuals are expected to double over the next four decades, rates among Black individuals are expected to triple. 



Health policies should heighten efforts in Black communities to improve childhood education and nutrition, which research has shown to be beneficial for delaying cognitive decline later in life.



Ultimately, these findings highlight the daunting challenges posed by dementia as Americans age, but they also suggest paths for intervention - through robust healthcare systems, preventative heart health measures, support for hearing care, and programs targeted at reducing social and racial inequities.



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Risk of dementia is much higher than previously thought

A recent study reveals that Americans who are 55 years of age and older now face an estimated 42% lifetime risk of developing dementia, surpassing older estimates by more than double.&nbsp; Dementia, which involves progressive declines in memory, concentration, and judgment, is expected to result in roughly 500,000 new cases in 2025, a figure set to climb to one million cases a year by 2060.&nbsp; Researchers explain that this rise is closely linked to the aging U.S. population, along with additional risk factors such as genetic predisposition,...

Everyone has what it takes to be a hero given the right set of circumstances, according to a new study. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> and <a href="https://www2.calstate.edu/">California State University</a>, Sacramento found that contrary to previous research, heroism is not determined by personality but by a large set of extenuating circumstances including social setting, religious preferences, and family history. 

The study was published online in the journal Social Forces and examined heroism among the Hutu in <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/fires-in-rwandas-kagera-national-park/">Rwanda</a> who rescued or harbored persecuted Tutsi from genocidal violence in 1994. 

At first, the researchers set out to find links between personality and courage, but after conducting in-depth interviews with the Hutu, they found that heroism is a largely social effort. 

“We started this study thinking we would identify the individual characteristics that motivated rescuers, because that's what most previous research had pointed to,”  said Hollie Nyseth Brehm, a co-author of the study. “But we realized very quickly that most people who rescued weren't doing this alone. It was a form of collective action. The social dynamics and situational context were key factors in determining whether someone decided to rescue.”

The researchers also found that even those who did rescue the Tutsi could not be classified as heroes because there were Hutu who murdered some Tutsi but saved others.

This is why it’s important to understand what factors motivate a person’s actions. 

The researchers conducted one to two interviews with 35 Hutu who said they had saved at least one Tutsi during the genocidal violence of 1994. Data from an earlier survey of 273 rescuers conducted for another study was also used in the research.  

The results showed that three major factors influenced the choice of whether or not to save the Tutsi: biographical availability, socialization, and situational context. 

Biographical availability involves the specific circumstances that allowed a person to rescue a Tutsi. For example, older, wealthier Hutu were more likely to rescue the Tutsi than those who did not have the influence or socioeconomic status of other Rwandans. 

Family history and religious affiliation also influenced heroism. In the interviews some individuals recalled their family members rescuing Tutsi during similar periods of violence earlier on. 

This gave some Hutu the motivation and courage to follow in their family’s footsteps. 

Another factor was whether or not someone had personal ties to the Tutsi as some of the rescuers specifically helped someone they knew.

All in all, the results show that there are certain factors that go into an act of heroism. The context of the situation at hand, the social dynamics at work, family history, and even religious affiliation are all drivers behind heroism. 

“These results suggest that nearly anyone can engage in heroic deeds,” said Brehm. “You may not need a certain personality type, as long as you have the right network of friends and family and a support system that can help you.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

It takes a village and the right circumstances to make a hero

Everyone has what it takes to be a hero given...

Land degradation caused by human activities is pushing the planet towards a sixth mass species extinction, according to a recent report.

It is one of the main causes of species loss and at the current rates of land use, two-fifths of the world’s population is at risk.

Intensifying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a> could force the mass migration of millions of people, creating conflict, food shortages, and habitat loss, according to the report.

The three-year assessment report was conducted by over 100 leading experts from 45 different countries and shows the costly economic and environmental toll of land degradation.

The report was produced by the <a href="https://www.ipbes.net/">Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services</a>, and was a collaborative effort that drew on more than 3,000 scientific, government, indigenous and local knowledge sources.

The conclusions of the assessment show that land restoration should be a priority as worsening land degradation threatens the well being of billions of people.

“Avoiding, reducing and reversing this problem, and restoring degraded land, is an urgent priority to protect the biodiversity and ecosystem services vital to all life on Earth and to ensure human well-being,” said Robert Scholes, a co-chair of the assessment.

A rapid, yet largely unsustainable expansion of croplands and grazing areas is the biggest driver of land degradation worldwide.

According to the report, the threat to food security and biodiversity has reached critical levels in some regions.

The report also notes that humanity’s high-consumption lifestyles in developed economies coupled with rising consumption in developing and emerging economies are major motivators behind land degradation.

As the world’s population increases, the costs of land degradation will only get worse.

“In just over three decades from now, an estimated 4 billion people will live in drylands,” Scholes. “By then it is likely that land degradation, together with the closely related problems of climate change, will have forced 50-700 million people to migrate. Decreasing land productivity also makes societies more vulnerable to social instability -- particularly in dryland areas, where years with extremely low rainfall have been associated with an increase of up to 45% in violent conflict.”

The assessment emphasizes the need for land restoration which will become critical in the coming years. There have been many examples of successful land restoration in every ecosystem and well-tested practices and techniques.

The key then becomes implementing these practices on a wide-scale. The assessment also found that the benefits of restoration are ten times higher than the costs, just further proof that land restoration should be a priority. 

These benefits include more employment opportunities, improved quality of life, and better business spending.

“Fully deploying the toolbox of proven ways to stop and reverse land degradation is not only vital to ensure food security, reduce climate change and protect biodiversity," said Luca Montanarella, the fellow assessment co-chair.  “It's also economically prudent and increasingly urgent.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Blanscape/Shutterstock

Global land degradation could displace millions in the future

Land degradation caused by human activities is pushing the planet...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.nmbu.no/en">Norwegian University of Life Sciences </a>has revealed that human activities have altered the natural behavior of the Scandinavian brown bear. Hunting pressure has not only changed the way a mother cares for her cubs, but has also changed how often she reproduces.

“Generally, the cubs have followed their mother for a year and a half,” said co-author Professor Jon Swenson. “Only rarely have we observed them to follow her for two and a half years.”

Compared to 15 years ago, many more cubs now stay with their mothers for an additional year. “Man is now an evolutionary force in the lives of the bears,” said Professor Swenson.

Norwegian and Swedish researchers have been closely tracking the Scandinavian brown bear since 1984. Professor Swenson has been involved with the research since almost the very beginning.

“The Scandinavian brown bear project is one of the world's two longest research projects on bears,” he explained. “We have followed over five hundred bears, many from birth to death.”

Since the project was launched, the number of bears shot and killed in Sweden has been on a steady rise. Between 2010 and 2014, approximately 300 bears were killed by Swedish <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-alaskan-hunters-advanced/">hunters</a> every year. 

The number of female bears keeping their cubs around for an additional year increased from 7 to 36 percent between 2005 and 2015. 

Most countries that allow bear hunting prohibit the killing of families. By keeping her cubs around her, the mother bear has a better chance of survival.

“A single female in Sweden is four times more likely to be shot as one with a cub,” said Professor Swenson.


On the other hand, females who keep their cubs until they are two and a half reproduce less often.

“In an evolutionary perspective, this would not be beneficial,” said Professor Swenson. “The animals with the most offspring ‘win’ nature's race.”

However, the results of the study revealed that the longer lives of females balanced out a lower birth rate, particularly in areas with high hunting pressure.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications </a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Hunting pressure has changed how bears raise their young

A new study from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences...

Archaeologists from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> have uncovered evidence of thriving communities in regions of the Amazon that were previously believed to have never been inhabited. Hundreds of villages that were developed in the rainforest away from major rivers were home to up to a million people who spoke different languages.

There are vast areas of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-road-biodiversity-hotspot/">Amazon</a> that have not been investigated due to the assumption that ancient people preferred to live close to waterways.

“There is a common misconception that the Amazon is an untouched landscape, home to scattered, nomadic communities. This is not the case,” said study co-author Dr. Jonas Gregorio de Souza. “We have found that some populations away from the major rivers are much larger than previously thought, and these people had an impact on the environment which we can still find today.”

“The Amazon is crucial to regulating the Earth's climate, and knowing more about its history will help everyone make informed decisions about how it should be cared for in the future.”

The archaeologists found the remains of fortified villages in a region which is now the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. They also documented the discovery of earthworks called geoglyphs, which are man-made ditches with mysterious square, circular, or hexagonal shapes. The earthworks may have been used as part of ceremonial rituals.

The analysis of charcoal remains and excavated pottery revealed that an 1,800- kilometer stretch of the southern Amazon was continuously occupied from 1250 until 1500. The experts believe they will ultimately find evidence of up to 1,500 fortified villages, yet only a third of this number has been found so far.


“We are so excited to have found such a wealth of evidence,” said study co-author Professor José Iriarte. “Most of the Amazon hasn't been excavated yet, but studies such as ours mean we are gradually piecing together more and more information about the history of the largest rainforest on the planet.”

“Our research shows we need to re-evaluate the history of the Amazon. It certainly wasn't an area populated only near the banks of large rivers, and the people who lived there did change the landscape. The area we surveyed had a population of at least tens of thousands.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>

Millions lived in parts of the Amazon thought to be uninhabited

Archaeologists from the University of Exeter have uncovered evidence of...

Cognitive neuroscientists have discovered new ways that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-enhances-exercise-performance/">music</a> affects people. The researchers found that soothing songs like lullabies gently calm moms and babies simultaneously, while upbeat songs heighten an infant's level of attention and increase displays of positive emotion toward their mothers.

According to study co-author Laura Cirelli, the behavioral implications of music are vast.

“Infant brains must be able to track auditory events in a predictive manner to make sense of music,” said Cirelli. She explained that there is complex activity occurring in their brains to make that possible.

A better understanding of how humans process music is helping scientists gain insight into perception, multisensory integration, and social coordination over the course of life.

“Music and rhythm are human universals but do not appear to be shared by most other species,” said study co-author Jessica Grahn.

“Rhythm in particular is mysterious: We are sensitive to the 'beat' - that steady, underlying pulse that we tap our foot or bob our head to - from early in life. But, even after decades of trying, 'beat-tracking' algorithms can't approach anything like the automaticity and flexibility that humans show to feel the beat across different speeds, genres, and instruments.”

The researchers monitored mothers and babies to examine their arousal responses as the mothers sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star over and over, switching back and forth between a soothing and a playful version.

“When we are excited or stressed, arousal levels increase,” Cirelli explains. “When we are calm, they decrease.”

In the playful conditions, the arousal levels of the babies remained stable, while their positive emotions and attention toward their mothers increased. Arousal levels among the moms were higher during the playful songs. 

In addition, as the calming songs progressed, the arousal levels gradually decreased in both moms and babies.

“The findings show the physiological and behavioral changes by mom and baby to different song styles.”

The researchers conducted a separate study in which they tracked the brain activity of audience members viewing a live musical performance.

“I was extremely excited to see that across the live audience, brain rhythms were synchronized in exactly the frequency range that corresponds to the 'beat' of the music, so it looks as if the beat is driving audience brain rhythms,” said study co-author Molly Henry. 

“That may seem common sense, but it's really something. These are novel findings in the context of live music listening that are providing insights into the more social side of music listening.”

The researchers have documented links between rhythm and language abilities, attention, development, and social interactions.

“Every sensation we have or action we make on the world unfolds over time, and we are now beginning to understand why humans are sensitive to certain types of patterns in time, but not others,” said Grahn. 

She explained that understanding these patterns can be applied to basic science, but also have great potential for the treatment of patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases.

The research was presented at the 25th Annual Meeting of the <a href="https://www.cogneurosociety.org/">Cognitive Neuroscience Society</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Music influences our social connections to other people

Cognitive neuroscientists have discovered new ways that music affects people....

Waking up in the middle of the night becomes a common problem as we age, and the repeated incidents of disrupted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-newly-learned-information/">sleep</a> can lead to more serious problems.

While changes in sleep are a typical sign of aging, researchers are not sure if periods of disrupted sleep are associated with a need for less sleep or that the brain is no longer able to sustain sufficient sleep. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford </a>set out to answer these questions by comparing the sleep of different aged mice using electroencephalography which records brain activity. 

The study was published in the Journal JNeurosci and shows that neural oscillations during sleep are not affected depending on age, contrary to the findings of previous studies. 

The researchers, led by Vladyslav Vyazovskiy, recorded neural activity within the motor cortex of different aged mice. The mice were either five months, twelve months, or twenty-four months old. Twenty-four months of age in mice corresponds with about 70 years in humans. 

The researchers did not find any major differences in neural activity during sleep across the three age groups. All three age groups showed the same effects of sleep deprivation. 

According to the researchers, the findings show that disrupted sleep is not associated the brain having a lowered ability to generate local neural oscillations.

The researchers say that previous theories and claims surrounding sleep and cortical activity need to be reconsidered, and that in order to understand aging and sleep, activity across the whole brain should be factored into future studies. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why is it harder to stay asleep as we get older?

Waking up in the middle of the night becomes a...

Research examining the environmental impacts of logging are crucial for implementing regulations and conservation measures in order to prevent population loss and habitat degradation. 

The effects of the logging industry on large species such as jaguars can be particularly devastating.

The loss of habitat and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/land-partnerships-protect-biodiversity/">biodiversity</a> is becoming a serious concern among conservationists, which is why some countries have implemented reduced impact logging operations as a means to help protect certain species. 

A new study reviewing these well-managed logging concessions in Peru and Guatemala found that jaguars do well if policies are put in place to strictly regulate logging areas. 

The study was conducted by researchers from <a href="http://www.sandiegozooglobal.org/">San Diego Zoo Global,</a> <a href="https://bronxzoo.com/">The Bronx Zoo Wildlife Conservation Society,</a> and the <a href="https://www.serfor.gob.pe/">Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre</a> in Lima, Peru. 

The results, published in the online journal Biological Conservation, are hopeful and suggest that logging operations and conservation are not mutually exclusive.

“Our findings indicate that certified logging operations can play an important role in maintaining vital habitat for jaguars and other large wildlife species,” said Mathias W. Tobler, the lead author of the study.

For the study, the researchers set up large-scale camera trap surveys that would record and monitor the number of jaguars in certain logging concession areas in Guatemala and Peru. 

The cameras captured 23 jaguars Guatemala's Maya Biosphere Reserve and 43 jaguars in Peru's Madre de Dios region. Jaguars have unique spot patterns, so the researchers were able to accurately calculate the individuals in an area without fear of counting the same jaguar twice. 

The number of individual jaguars in the different areas were then used to create spatial capture-recapture models that calculated the total jaguar densities, or the estimated number of jaguars in the protected regions. 

In Guatemala, the researchers estimated that there 1.5 jaguars per 100 square kilometers and in Peru the density was 4.5 per 100 square kilometers. 

The team also found that strictly controlled logging roads, previously thought a hindrance to certain species, was helpful for the jaguars to move through the area. 

All in the all the results show that well managed logging operations with a goal of protection and conservation are successful in maintaining biodiversity. 

“Controlling access into an area and hunting of prey are paramount considerations for the objectives of preserving biodiversity and ecological function, both of which are selling points for certified lumber products,” said John Polisar, a co-author of the study. “The presence of jaguars in a logging concession is testimony that environmental guidelines are being followed.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Logging and conservation efforts can successfully coexist

Research examining the environmental impacts of logging are crucial for...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> has revealed that nearly 40 percent of childhood asthma cases in Bradford are caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fetal-exposure-air-pollution/">air pollution</a> each year. Traffic-related air pollution, in particular, is responsible for at least 12 percent of asthma cases.

The team used a newly-developed model to investigate the impact of the gases that make up air pollution, or nitrogen oxides, on the development of asthma in children. 

The model combines data on four distinct scenarios of traffic, emissions, atmospheric dispersion, and health assessments to track the pollution all the way from its source to its impact in children.

While the experts estimated that traffic-related pollution contributed to 12 percent of asthma-related illness in children, this estimate had to be adjusted.

Study co-author Professor Mark Nieuwenhuijsen is the Director of the Urban Planning, Environment and Health Initiative at <a href="https://www.isglobal.org/en">ISGlobal</a>.

“We knew our model was underestimating the traffic related fraction of air pollution,” said Professor Nieuwenhuijsen. “When we adjusted our results using actual measurements of air pollutants we saw that up to 24% of the annual cases could be attributable to traffic related air pollution.”


Study lead author Dr. Haneen Khreis said that traffic pollution is a major concern to the community of Bradford.  

“Overall rates of childhood asthma cases in Bradford are higher than the national average as were emergency hospital admissions for asthmatic children under 16 years of age,” said Dr. Khreis.

“Our team's previous research has shown that children exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollution have a higher risk of developing asthma. Quantifying the number of childhood asthma cases that are directly attributable to traffic-related air pollution has not been done in the past and as we show now, a significant portion of cases is largely preventable.”

Dr. Khreis emphasized that, while proposed initiatives such as providing routes with cleaner air for pedestrians are important, traffic pollution mitigation strategies should not be restricted to localized areas.


“New policies aimed at reducing the effects of traffic-related air pollution need to target each link in the full chain of events - from traffic volume and type, to exhaust and non-exhaust emissions, to dispersion to exposure.”

“There is very little research that explores the impact of different exposure assessments,” said Professor Nieuwenhuijsen.

“Cases of childhood asthma have been steadily increasing since the 1950s. Future progress with childhood asthma requires a focus beyond controlling and treating the disease toward asthma prevention starting with reducing traffic related air pollution.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international/">Environment International</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

UK study: 40 percent of child asthma cases due to air pollution

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

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.cnrs.fr/en/home/news/events.php">French National Centre for Scientific Research</a> (CNRS) have determined how we form an impression of other people when we hear them speak for the first time. Our first judgments are made based on the rise and fall of the voice, which is also known as intonation. 

People form mental images that represent the personality of another person according to the qualities of the individual's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/part-brain-remember-voices/">voice</a>. Now, for the first time, experts have developed models to visually express these mental representations.

The researchers created a computer program for voice manipulation called CLEESE. The software can assess the audio recording of a single word and randomly produce thousands of different pronunciations with unique notes.

The team analyzed the responses of study participants to find out which intonations made the word “hello” seem the most sincere and determined. 

The researchers discovered, for example, a French speaker must pronounce bonjour with an emphasis on the second syllable in order to sound determined. On the other hand, the pitch must rise quickly at the end of the word to make the speaker sound sincere.

Using CLEESE, the team was able to visualize the “code” people use to judge others by their voices. The study revealed that the same code applied, regardless of gender.

The team members have already used their system to analyze how words are interpreted by stroke survivors, who often have an altered perception of intonation.

Ultimately, the researchers want to use their method to detect inconsistencies in how people perceive language and hope to use CLEESE as a tool for patient rehabilitation.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Vocal intonations have huge impact on first impressions

Researchers at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)...

In 2016, the UK successfully cut carbon emissions from electricity production by 25 percent with an unprecedented transition from coal to natural gas. This strategy ultimately had the same effect of taking one in three cars off the road.

Researchers at <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> are reporting that global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-emissions-save-lives/">carbon emissions</a> could be cut by 3 percent, or one gigaton, in less than five years if other countries adopted this strategy.

“Switching from coal to gas is not a long-term solution, but it is an important step to start reducing emissions quickly and at minimal cost,” said study co-author Dr. Iain Staffell. “This will give us time to build up the required renewable energy capacity to permanently cut global carbon emissions.”

Government policy has made it cheaper to burn gas than coal in the UK, and burning natural gas produces less than half the carbon dioxide of coal. 

The researchers found that carbon pricing, or charging those who emit carbon dioxide, was the main driver in the UK’s successful switch from coal to gas. Stronger policies have made it more profitable to burn natural gas in power plants.

The strategy used by the UK is easy to implement because it does not rely on building new infrastructure or increasing the capacity of existing facilities.

“Having a longer-term view, it is likely to prove vastly cheaper not to emit a ton of CO2 into the atmosphere over the near-term, rather than to have to take it back out of the atmosphere after 2050,” said co-author Dr. Grant Wilson.

“This is especially the case if the infrastructure has already been built but is underutilized. This report suggests that the option of fuel switching in the power sector deserves greater consideration to reduce emissions.”


The researchers analyzed the 30 largest coal-consuming countries to see if these savings could be replicated. Based on existing underused capacity, they estimated that annual carbon dioxide emissions could be cut by 0.8-1.2 gigatons if natural gas was burned instead of coal.

“To avoid the worst impacts of climate change we cannot afford to build new fossil-fuel power stations. Building high-carbon infrastructure, such as new gas power plants, is at least a 30-year commitment, which will further lock countries into dependence on carbon,” said Dr. Staffell.

“The UK is leading by example. In the last year all new power stations were renewable; powered by the wind and sun. With the cost of these new technologies coming down rapidly, the economic case for eliminating carbon-based electricity is very strong, but there are still difficult political issues to tackle.”

The UK has committed to becoming the world's first country to completely transition away from coal generation by 2025.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nenergy">Nature Energy</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

UK cut carbon emissions from electricity by 25 percent in 2016

In 2016, the UK successfully cut carbon emissions from electricity...

Cannabidiol, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabidiol-sold-online-mislabeled/">CBD</a>, is used for medicinal purposes to treat everything from anxiety to joint pain. Recent research even found that cannabidiol <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/24/health/cannabidiol-epilepsy-study/index.html">reduces</a> the number of convulsive seizures in children with epilepsy. 

Now, a new study has discovered that CBD may one day be an effective alternative treatment option for cocaine addiction and could help prevent relapse. 

CBD is an active compound in the cannabis plant but doesn’t have any of the psychoactive THC, so CBD users don’t get the “high” that comes with taking typical marijuana. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.scripps.edu/">Scripps Research Institute</a> in La Jolla, California conducted a study using rats recovering from cocaine addiction. 

The results, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, show that the rats were less likely to relapse even months after the study was conducted. 

CBD helps treat anxiety, depression, and stress, which is why the researchers think that it effectively works to treat addiction and aid in recovery. Stress, anxiety, mood swings, and increased cravings are all common symptoms during cocaine withdrawal and recovery. 

For the study, rats who were addicted to cocaine or alcohol were given a topical treatment of CBD in the form of a gel every day for a week. 

The gel was applied to the skin and the researchers tested the rats in several stress-inducing scenarios like covered mazes that could trigger claustrophobia. 

Impulsiveness was also measured in the rats as this could determine the likelihood of relapsing. 

After three days of treatment, the rats were less likely to relapse and the benefits lasted months after the CBD was administered. 

“The results provide proof of principle supporting the potential of CBD in relapse prevention along two dimensions: beneficial actions across several vulnerability states and long-lasting effects with only brief treatment,” said Friedbert Weiss, the lead author of the study.

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cannabidiol in marijuana could help treat drug addiction

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is used for medicinal purposes to treat...

Due in large part to a devastating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marijuana-battle-opioid-crisis/">opioid epidemic</a>, drug-related deaths have become a major public health problem in the United States in recent years. More than half a million drug-related deaths occurred in the U.S. between 2006 and 2015 alone. But this epidemic isn’t affecting all regions equally. Certain areas across the country are carrying the majority of the economic, social, and emotional burden brought on by drug overdoses and drug-related deaths. 

The first national study of county-level differences in drug deaths within the U.S. – reported in the <a href="http://www.ajpmonline.org/">American Journal of Preventative Medicine</a> – has determined that addressing economic and social conditions will be our best hope for stemming the rising tide of this public health crisis. 

“The drug epidemic is a pressing concern among policymakers,” says Shannon M. Monnat, and associate professor of sociology at <a href="https://www.syracuse.edu/">Syracuse University</a>. “The media portrayal of the drug overdose epidemic has largely been that it is a national crisis. However, drug deaths are not randomly distributed across the US. My analyses show that some places in the US have much higher drug mortality rates than others.”

Monnat used data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Multiple-Cause of Death Files (2006-2015), US Census Bureau, US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development in order to study the associations between county-level drug-related mortality rates and the economic, social, and health care environments of specific counties. The results showed that the average county-level age-adjusted mortality rate due to drugs was 16.6 deaths per 100,000 people. However, there were significant geographic differences for the range of mortality rates, with some counties having more than 100 drug-related deaths per 100,000 people. 

The highest mortality rates were clustered in Appalachia, Oklahoma, northern California, and parts of the Southwest. The lowest mortality rates were found in Texas, the Great Plains, the Black Belt, and parts of the Northeast. Monnat found that average mortality rates were much higher in counties with more economic and family distress, as well as counties that were dependent on the mining industry. For counties with the highest levels of family distress – like divorce, separation, and single-parent families – their drug mortality rates were eight deaths per 100,000 higher on average than counties with the lowest level.

Other factors associated with lower average mortality rates include larger presence of religious establishments, greater percentage of recent immigrants, and counties with economies that were more reliant on public sector employment. Although there were no differences in average mortality rates between rural and urban counties, some rural counties – particularly those in Appalachia – have the highest mortality rates in the nation.

Monnat believes that social and economic environments are imperative for preventing these deaths, as they play a role in stress reduction, healthcare investment, and citizens’ knowledge about and ability to access services and social support. They also facilitate opportunities for social interaction, creating positive environments and outlets for people in the area. But the most important change we need to make may just be getting honest about the nationwide health crisis.

“We need to get real with ourselves about the US drug problem. We are not going to Narcan our way out of this,” Monnat laments, referring to the widely-used “miracle” drug that revives people after they’ve overdosed. “Opioids are a symptom of much larger social and economic problems. Just as other chronic diseases have underlying social determinants, addiction is also a social disease. ‘Addiction does not discriminate’ is a soundbite that ignores the reality that overdose rates are highest in economically distressed communities, particularly places that have experienced declines in job opportunities for people without a college degree. Addressing economic and social conditions will be key to reversing the rising tide of drug deaths.”

[caption id="attachment_1170890" align="aligncenter" width="771"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Drug-map.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1170890 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Drug-map.jpg" alt="" width="771" height="579" /></a> Image Credit: Shannon M. Monnat[/caption]

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Drug-related deaths hit hardest in these parts of the U.S.

Due in large part to a devastating opioid epidemic, drug-related...

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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