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,...

New research from <a href="https://www.fsu.edu/">Florida State University</a> has revealed that our instincts are actually working to protect us from making mistakes. The team found that signals traveling from the gut to the brain guide our behavior to help us avoid getting into bad situations.

Gut-to-brain signals bounce back and forth along a nerve that wanders throughout our organs called the vagus nerve. This nerve monitors a range of activities in our bodies including hormonal response, heart rate, and digestion.

Neuroscientist Linda Rinaman teamed up with James Maniscalco from the University of Illinois to examine published studies on the link between the vagus nerve and behavior.

“The neuroscience of gut feelings has come a long way in my lifetime,” said Rinaman. “And we are learning more valuable lessons every day.”

The team found that our gut instincts have a major influence on our emotional state and behavior, particularly when we are in a troublesome situation or feel threatened. 

The vagus nerve is part of a complex protective system that guides our decisions, prompting us to re-evaluate a situation or avoid it altogether.

Previous research has provided evidence that an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salt-hidden-bread/">unhealthy diet</a> can obstruct this protective process, leading to altered mood and behavior. 

Rinaman explained that the bacterial content of the gut is shaped by our diet and these bacteria have a significant influence on our emotional and cognitive state.

“Evidence shows that modifying the diet, perhaps by consuming probiotics, can impact your mood and behavioral state,” says Rinaman.

“But how does that work? Does it involve the microbiome that you feed in your gut and how those bacteria send signals back to the brain through the vagus nerve? That area of research has exploded in the last few years and, currently, there are many more questions than answers.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14697793">Physiology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists reveal why you should always trust your instincts

New research from Florida State University has revealed that our...

Social scientists at the <a href="https://med.nyu.edu/">NYU School of Medicine</a> are warning that most of the food and beverage products advertised by sponsors of major sports organizations are unhealthy. These endorsements are likely worsening the issue of child and adolescent obesity in the United States

The researchers found that the 10 most-watched sports organizations, including the NFL and NASCAR, promote <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salt-dangerous-healthy-diet/">food products</a> that have little nutritional value. They based this information on the guidelines of the Nutrient Profile Model (NPM), which is used in in the United Kingdom and Australia.

The NPM system assigns a score to all foods, which are categorized by a point scale called the Nutrient Profile Index (NPI). Products that receive an NPI score of 64 or higher are considered to be nutritious.

The experts discovered that over 75 percent of the foods most widely promoted by sports organizations had an average NPI score of around 38.

The investigation was focused on sports sponsorship agreements between 2006 and 2016 across the ten sports with the most youth viewers.

The NFL led all organizations with 10 food and beverage sponsors, followed by the NHL with seven. Little League Baseball was found to have six sponsorships, which was both surprising and concerning to the researchers.


The NFL was also found to project by far the largest number of impressions through advertising among viewers between the ages of 2 and 17. A total of over 224 million television impressions and more than 93 million YouTube impressions were generated by the NFL to youths.

Marie Bragg is an assistant professor of Population Health and the study's lead author.

“The U.S. is in the throes of a child and adolescent obesity epidemic, and these findings suggest that sports organizations and many of their sponsors are contributing, directly and indirectly, to it,” said Bragg.

“Sports organizations need to develop more health-conscious marketing strategies that are aligned with recommendations from national medical associations.”

The study did not account for certain impressions made on young sports viewers, such as in-stadium advertising and sponsorship appearances during games.

“Unhealthy food and beverage promotion through organized sports is pervasive,” said Bragg. “These organizations must put forth a better effort to protect their youngest and most impressionable fans.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/">Pediatrics</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Major sports leagues promote unhealthy products, study finds

Social scientists at the NYU School of Medicine are warning...

Your parent's income may have a determining factor in how much control you feel over your life later on, according to a new study. 

Dara Shifrer, a sociology professor at <a href="https://www.pdx.edu/">Portland State University</a>, conducted the research and found that the higher a family’s income, the greater a child’s internal locus of control was. 

Her findings were recently published in the journal Society and Mental Health. 

Locus of control is the degree to which people feel control or agency over their lives. For example, someone with a low locus of control may constantly feel at the mercy of fate or other people. Those who do feel control over their lives understand that their future is mostly their own making. 

Shifrer’s research explains the role that wealth plays in internal control as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kids-view-scientists-female/">children</a> from higher income families typically have a higher education, better access to healthcare, and more successful careers. 

For her research, Shifrer collected data from the <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/nels88/">National Education Longitudinal Study</a> from 1988 through 1990.

Survey responses from 16,450 eighth graders in the United States were reviewed for the study, and Shifrer focused on different measures of socioeconomic status to better understand which had the greatest influence on locus of control. 

Some of the measurements of socioeconomic status included family income, parent’s occupation, parents race, and education.

Having a higher family income was linked to an internal locus of control for the children because there were more opportunities afforded them. 

According to Shifrer, parents with higher income discussed school more with their children, there were more resources and books in the home, the children typically got better grades and felt safer at school compared to families with low socioeconomic status. 

“We know income shapes the way people parent, shapes the peers that kids have, shapes the schools they attend,” said Shifrer. “It's not just kids' perception -- their lives are a little bit more out of control when they're poor.” 

What’s unfortunate is that the children who most need to feel control over their lives lack a crucial foundation to do so. 

The research could aid in future studies that examine the influencing factors behind child development.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Rich kids feel more control over their lives, study finds

Your parent's income may have a determining factor in how...

A few houseplants can turn a bare, sterile space into one that’s much more inviting. They can help relieve stress and improve concentration. They even <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-air-quality-home/">clean the air</a>, filtering out toxins and releasing fresh oxygen. But what happens when you want to add some growing greenery to a  windowless room or office? Luckily, some low-light houseplants can survive and even thrive in dim areas.

As long as you have plenty of artificial light – and maybe a small, full-spectrum desktop growing light – the following plants can bring a little cheerful nature to a gloomy space.
<h3>Pothos</h3>
Pothos is a versatile plant. There are varieties that send out trailing vines, and varieties that remain bushy and compact. Some have lovely variegated leaves. They tolerate low light well, making them great for bathrooms or other badly lit spaces. One downside: pothos plants are toxic, so keep them away from children and pets.
<h3>Spider plant</h3>
When kept on a desk, spider plants can help remove pollutants from the air, according to the <a href="https://www.almanac.com/plant/spider-plants">Old Farmer’s Almanac</a>. They tolerate low light, but do better with moderate, indirect light. A couple hours a day with a growing light can help them thrive. Spider plants are also non-toxic, making them a good choice for homes with pets – although like catnip, their leaves have a chemical that can turn cats into addicts. Determined cats can turn almost any room into a hostile environment for a spider plant!
<h3>Ferns</h3>
Several types of ferns tolerate low light well – after all, many ferns grow on forest floors, where light is filtered through layers of tree leaves and needles, making them ideal low-light houseplants. Try a bird’s nest, button, maidenhair or autumn fern for a low-light area. Many ferns are pet-safe, but some are not, so check the <a href="https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants">ASPCA Poisonous Plants</a> page to be safe.
<h3>Calathea</h3>
These tropical plants have brightly patterned leaves, often with touches of pink. Too much light, and the leaves lose their beauty, but they do need a little light each day, even if it’s artificial. These plants are picky when it comes to water – keep their soil moist, but not soggy!
<h3>Peace lily</h3>
Despite their name, peace lilies are not really lilies; they’re part of the Araceae family, not Liliaceae. Their white, yellow and green “flowers” are actually modified leaves. They like moist soil with good drainage and temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and do well without a lot of light. 
<h3>Sansevieria</h3>
Also known as snake plant and mother-in-law’s tongue, the spiky, upright leaves of sansevieria make a striking addition in a cubicle or to a side table. A snake plant would do well in an office with artificial lighting that is on for much of the day, but not so well in a room that’s often dark. They don’t require much water. Like pothos, sansevieria is toxic to people and pets when ingested.
<h3>Parlor palm</h3>
Also known as Chamaedorea elegans or the neanthe bella palm, parlor palms are slow-growing, low maintenance plants that are native to rainforest climates. As low-light houseplants, parlor palms thrive – in fact, they seem to prefer low light to bright or direct light. Water sparingly.
<h3>Cast-iron plant</h3>
Cast-iron plants are well-named, because they can do just fine in conditions many houseplants wouldn’t survive – low light, unreliable watering and general neglect. They’re not quite as flashy as some other plants, but their bright green leaves add a touch of color and life to dim areas.
<h3>Chinese evergreen</h3>
Another easy plant for beginners is the Chinese evergreen. The hardy tropical plant can thrive despite dry air, low light and dry soil. They do best in low to medium light. The attractive, variegated leaves make them great low-light houseplants to add to a plain space.
<h3>Swedish ivy</h3>
While it doesn’t look much like its English counterpart, Swedish ivy can also be planted in a hanging pot, allowing trailing fronds to decorate a bare corner. This is another plant that will benefit from a small growing lamp to make up for a lack of natural light. It’s considered an easy plant for beginners, according to the <a href="http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/houseplants/swedish-ivy.html">University of Florida’s Gardening Solutions</a> website.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

10 low-light houseplants for dim rooms or offices

A few houseplants can turn a bare, sterile space into...

A study led by the <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a> has revealed that some symptoms of aging could be reversed by replenishing two molecules that occur naturally in the body. The discovery could help improve physical performance in older adults.

The two molecules can be boosted to reverse an age-related decline of blood flow to tissues and organs. This restoration process successfully increased exercise capacity and physical endurance in mice.

The research has demonstrated, for the first time, that the body's capacity for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/regular-exercise-slows-aging/">exercise</a> decreases as levels of the metabolite NAD+ decline. 

When mice were treated with the NAD+ booster NMN and increasing levels of hydrogen sulphide (H2S), physical endurance was improved by over 60 percent in both young and old mice.

The study revealed that endothelial cells, the cells that line the blood vessels, are the primary driver of aging and are most likely the reason that older people feel like they have less energy.

“We become weaker and less fit after 50, and eventually succumb to diseases of aging,” said senior author Dr. David Sinclair. “Remarkably, by feeding mice NMN and H2S it restores NAD+ levels in endothelial cells and makes them believe they are young and exercised.”

“With exercise, the effect is even more dramatic. We saw 32-month-old mice, roughly equivalent to a 90-year-old human - receiving the combination of molecules for four weeks ran, on average, twice as far as untreated mice. Mice treated only with NMN alone ran 1.6 times further than untreated mice.”

The researchers found that the protein SIRT1 was stimulated in the mice, which led to the restoration of capillary formation in muscle.

“Age plays a critical role in the links between blood vessels and muscle, and points to a loss of NAD+ and SIRT1 as the reason people lose the capacity to exercise as they age,” said lead author Dr. Abhirup Das.

“It has significant impact on frailty because one of the main reasons for frailty is reduced blood flow that affects every part of our body. And reduced muscle function makes us weak. Our bodies already make NAD+ in our cells, but after 50 its levels drop dramatically.” 

“Exercise is a way to prevent decline in blood flow but these findings show that by restoring the levels of NAD+ in mice equivalent to 60 year old humans, we can get the same benefits of exercise.”

Dr. Sinclair and Dr. Lindsay Wu have been working for five years to make NAD+ boosters into therapeutic agents. The ultimate goal is the development of NMN-based drugs that replicate the benefits of exercise by increasing blood flow and oxygenation of muscles.

“This new study adds to the body of work showing that the restoration of NAD in mammals can delay and reverse many of the effects of aging. NAD+ boosters, particularly when combined with H2S, are some of the most promising molecules in medical research today,” said Dr. Sinclair.

The research could ultimately lead to improved mobility in older adults, better athletic ability, and could help to reduce the risk of age-related diseases like dementia, liver failure, and stroke.

“If these findings translate from mouse to human, we could have a revolutionary impact on the quality of life of older people,and not to mention the benefits of avoiding diseases of aging,” said Dr. Wu.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Some aging systems can be reversed to improve quality of life

A study led by the University of New South Wales...

A new study led by <a href="http://www.rice.edu/">Rice University</a> demonstrates how people who live abroad gain a better sense of who they are and what they value in life. The perception of oneself becomes more clearly defined and stable with age, and the researchers found that living abroad can accelerate the process of self-discovery.

The experts conducted six studies involving 1,874 participants, including some individuals who had never lived outside of their home country.

The study revealed that, while living abroad, people reflect on the differences in cultural values at home compared to their host country. This reflection allows individuals to distinguish between the values which define them and the cultural norms that were merely a part of where they were raised.  

“In a world where living-abroad experiences are increasingly common and technological advances make cross-cultural travel and communication ever easier, it is critical that research keeps pace with these developments and seeks to understand how they affect people,” wrote the study authors.

The researchers also found that the length of time an individual lives abroad has more of an influence on self-awareness than the number of foreign countries the person has lived in.

The experts explained that the longer people live abroad, the more self-discerning reflections they experience. As a result, they are likely to develop a stronger understanding of themselves and ultimately make better decisions such as career choices.

Previous research has shown that going through a major life transition such as a divorce or the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hitting-rock-bottom-opportunities/">loss of a job</a> can take away from a person's self-understanding. According to the study, traveling abroad has the opposite effect and increases the extent to which self-beliefs are clearly and confidently defined.

“Our studies demonstrate that living abroad affects the fundamental structure of the self-concept by enhancing its clarity. The German philosopher Hermann von Keyserling wrote in the epigraph to his 1919 book ‘The Travel Diary of a Philosopher,’ ‘The shortest path to oneself leads around the world.’ Almost 100 years later, our research provides empirical evidence in support of this idea,” wrote the researchers.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/organizational-behavior-and-human-decision-processes/">Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Living abroad found to improve sense of self and decision-making

A new study led by Rice University demonstrates how people...

I’ve always been fascinated by ethnobotany, although as a kid, I didn’t know it by that name.  In Boy Scouts, I took great pride in learning that rose hips were edible, and despite being far from the most appetizing snack, I’ll still occasionally eat one on the trail.  I remember in literature class in high school reading a translation of a Native American poem about Yucca, it’s sacred nature and many uses. Yucca is a beautiful plant and it happens that I’ve lived almost all my life within the range of one species of Yucca or other.  Yucca is a plant resembling an agave or an aloe vera but with thinner, pointed leaves giving it another common name: Spanish Bayonet. Long flower stalks form on yucca in the fall, decorated with large waxy, white blossoms that attract nocturnal yucca moths to help in pollination.  Separate yucca species sometimes have separate species of yucca moth adapted to visit them.

The root of yucca can be cut up very fine and mixed with a little water to create suds, it’s said to be a wonderful shampoo that some swear will give you luscious locks of shiny hair.  I’ve also learned to make cordage from yucca leaves, although this is a bit harder, requiring some experience in twisting ropes. The green flesh is cleaned off leaves by boiling and pounding or less thoroughly with a knife.  The fibers can be then twisted to make almost any length or diameter of rope. There are pieces of yucca rope left by Anasazi people and still relatively intact in cliff dwellings after hundreds of years. 

Closer to home the roots of dandelions, the yellow flowers many consider yard pests, are actually useful.  Dry dandelion roots make delicious tea. The leaves and flowers of dandelions are also delicious and can make a salad a little bit prettier.  A pet turtle I had once loved eating dandelions I picked in the yard or let her find herself on her wanders. 

Prickly pears are edible and have been eaten in the southwestern United States and Mexico for time out of mind.  You can by nopales (diced prickly pear) in many grocery stores in the US. If you want to be adventurous, don’t eat an entire plant, leave enough for it to continue to grow and be careful.  Cactus pads are perilous foods and it’s easy to get a needle in the mouth. Fruits are even more delicious but also covered in fine glochids (tiny hair-like needles) that are even easier to miss.  Other animals seem to have little problems eating cacti. 

On hikes in the Sonoran desert, it’s easy to see bites taken from prickly pear pads by javelina and tortoises.  There are also plenty of bites taken by insects. The cactus that seemed to be one of the more important in the southwestern US is also perhaps the most famous.  <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cacti-birds-sonoran-desert/">Saguaro cactus</a> was the center of the Tohono O’odham traditional calendar. The season for Saguaro cactus fruit was a time of celebration, a time to make wine and syrup a time of feasting in a land that was often a place of harsh famine.  In the southwest, you can still find cactus seasoning everything from syrup to margaritas. 

A handy trick to know on the trail is how to use aspen trees.  Aspen trees are beautiful, their leaves flutter and dance and throw light and shadow in a way uniquely theirs.  Aspen trees are also useful. The fine, white powder covering an aspen tree bark can be applied to exposed skin as an emergency sunblock.  It’s not rated by SPF but if you have nothing else, run yourself thoroughly on an aspen tree to prevent sunburn.

Willow bark tastes horrible.  Actually willow bark tastes like aspirin, which if you allow it to linger on your tongue, you’ll agree tastes horrible.  The same active ingredient is in aspirin and willow bark. You can chew a small amount of willow bark to relieve a headache but it’s hard to gauge dosages in the same way you would with a controlled substance like aspirin tablets.  

Plants have long been used by humans for food, medicine, shelter, clothing, tools and anything else you can think of.  Interacting with plants directly for your needs or wants is a way to connect to the planet, to other species and your species history.  What’s especially great is how omnipresent plants are. You can have a small herb garden in your window sill, or collect flowers from a city park.  The woods, deserts, farms, orchards and even empty lots are full of plants. There are edible plant walks in New York City’s Central Park and botany classes in local community colleges.  There are books and websites and videos to help anyone learn about plants. With a little bit of caution and care, anyone can identify a few edible or useful plants. There are so many more useful plants all over the world than those I discussed.  There are plants better for starting fires, there are leaves useful for weaving hats, there are botanical sunburn ointments. Maybe someday, using wild plants will again become common place in North America. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Practical ethnobotany: the many uses of local plants

I’ve always been fascinated by ethnobotany, although as a kid,...

Experts are reporting that reflecting on failures in your past can actually be quite beneficial. Researchers have found that insights from previous setbacks can help to boost future performance.

When individuals write critically about disappointments in their past, levels of the stress hormone cortisol are lowered. These individuals make better choices when taking on the next challenging task and show improved performance as a result.

Brynne DiMenichi, a doctoral candidate from <a href="https://www.newark.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University-Newark</a>, teamed up with experts from the University of Pennsylvania and Duke University to investigate why focusing on negative feelings or events can have positive outcomes.

For the study, the team examined this effect in two groups of participants. One group was instructed to write about past <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hitting-rock-bottom-opportunities/">failures</a>, while a control group was asked to write about a random topic.

Saliva tests conducted before the study showed comparable levels of cortisol across all of the volunteers. When presented with a task to perform after the writing exercise, however,  the test group showed much lower levels of cortisol than the control group.

“We didn't find that writing itself had a direct relationship on the body's stress responses,” said DiMenichi. “Instead, our results suggest that, in a future stressful situation, having previously written about a past failure causes the body's stress response to look more similar to someone who isn't exposed to stress at all.”

The researchers also found that the study participants who had written about a past failure made more careful choices on a new task and performed better overall.

“Together, these findings indicate that writing and thinking critically about a past failure can prepare an individual both physiologically and cognitively for new challenges,” said DiMenichi.

The study provides insight into how negative experiences can be used to boost future performance.

“It provides anyone who wants to utilize this technique in an educational, sports, or even therapeutic setting with clear-cut evidence of expressive writing's effectiveness,” said DiMenichi. 

“However, it is difficult to compare laboratory measures of cognitive performance to performance on say, the Olympic track. Future research can examine the effect of writing manipulation on actual athletic performance.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/behavioral-neuroscience">Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Reflecting on failure can reduce stress and boost performance

Experts are reporting that reflecting on failures in your past...

One the of the biggest threats of climate change is the rise in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-level-rise-displace/">sea level</a> due to melting ice sheets and climate variations in the Earth’s oceans. Sea level rise will impact coastal cities and important ecosystems, and the economic and environmental toll would be catastrophic.

Now, a new study has measured the impact that reducing greenhouse gas emissions would have on specific coastal cities around the world.

Researchers are adamantly working to pose solutions and model scenarios in order to project likely sea level rise outcomes so islands, cities, and nations can be better prepared.

“Mitigating greenhouse gases will reduce sea level rise later this century, with some regions seeing especially significant benefits,” said Aixue Hu, the lead author of the study. “As city officials prepare for sea level rise, they can factor in the compounding effect of local conditions, which are due to the winds and currents that cause internal variability in the oceans.”

Researchers from the <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> created a powerful computer model that estimated the impact two different emissions scenarios would have on winds, currents, and sea level rise.

The results, published in the journal Nature Communications, highlight the need for a speedy reduction of carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses as sea level rise would be significantly less rather than waiting to curb emissions later on.

The research found that cities on the coast of the Atlantic and Indian oceans would benefit the most from emission reduction policies.

The model does not factor in the impact of runoff from melting ice sheets on sea-level rise, so the study does not show a complete picture. The researchers instead focused on climate and the changes in currents and wind patterns that would cause sea level rise.

The team used two sets of computer simulations based on either a business-as-usual emissions scenario or a reduced emissions scenario.

Even if emissions were reduced, it would not mitigate sea level rise for the next two decades. However, from 2061 to 2080 the benefits of reducing emissions would be felt around the world.

In the reduced emissions scenario, the model predicted a reduced sea level rise of 25 percent, lowering the projected rise of seven inches in a business-as-usual scenario to 5.2 inches.

Some of the biggest factors influencing projected sea level rise in the study are winds and currents.

Climate change would cause certain currents like the Gulf Stream to weaken, which would increase sea level rise in the North Atlantic. However, currents in much of the Pacific Ocean seem much less sensitive to climate changes.

This is why some cities like New York City, Boston, and London would see greater benefits if emissions were reduced immediately.  

Even though this new research excluded the impact of melting ice sheet runoff on sea level rise, the results show how sea level rise is affected by climate change and the increased risk that certain coastal cities face unless emissions are reduced.

[caption id="attachment_1166691" align="aligncenter" width="812"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/165976.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1166691 size-large" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/165976-812x1024.jpg" alt="" width="812" height="1024" /></a> Sea level rise for major cities worldwide will vary depending on whether society continues to increase emissions of greenhouse gases at the current rate (a scenario known as RCP 8.5) or begins to reduce them (RCP 4.5). Some cities like New York and London will see significant benefits if emissions are reduced. Image Credit: Simmi Sinha, UCAR[/caption]

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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

U.S. east coast cities would benefit most from reduced emissions

One the of the biggest threats of climate change is...

A groundbreaking new study from <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/">Cancer Research UK</a> has revealed that at least 135,500 cases of cancer diagnosed in the UK each year could be prevented through simple lifestyle changes. This is the equivalent of more than 37 percent of all cancer cases diagnosed in the United Kingdom.

The study, which was based on data from 2015, has found that smoking remains the biggest preventable cause of cancer. According to research in the British Journal of Cancer, tobacco smoke was the cause of cancer in around 32,000 men and 22,000 women.

The second biggest preventable cause of cancer is excess weight. An estimated 22,800 cases of cancer result from obesity and excess weight every year in the UK. There are 13 types of cancer caused by obesity, including bowel and breast cancer.

According to the research, at least one out of every 20 cases of cancer could be prevented by weight loss.

Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation is the third biggest preventable cause of cancer, resulting in 13,600 cases of melanoma every year.

Drinking alcohol, exposure to outdoor air pollution, and a lack of fiber are also primary causes of cancer that could be prevented. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-crime-behavior/">Air pollution</a> causes 3,600 cases of lung cancer annually, which is still far less than what is caused by tobacco smoking.

“These new figures show that the battle to conquer smoking-related cancer is far from over. But the declining numbers of smokers show that prevention strategies are working,” said Cancer Research UK's prevention expert Linda Bauld.

“Obesity is a huge health threat right now, and it will only get worse if nothing is done. The UK Government must build on the successes of smoking prevention to reduce the number of weight-related cancers. Banning junk food TV adverts before the 9pm watershed is an important part of the comprehensive approach needed.”

Sir Harpal Kumar is the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK.

“Leading a healthy life doesn't guarantee that a person won't get cancer, but it can stack the odds in your favor,” said Kumar. “These figures show that we each can take positive steps to help reduce our individual risk of the disease.” 

“This research clearly demonstrates the impact of smoking and obesity on cancer risk. Prevention is the most cost-effective way of beating cancer and the UK Government could do much more to help people by making a healthy choice the easy choice.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/bjc">British Journal of Cancer</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

37 percent of cancer cases could be prevented, study finds

A groundbreaking new study from Cancer Research UK has revealed...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.surrey.ac.uk/">University of Surrey</a> have revealed how widespread drugs have become in our environment. More than one-tenth of individuals they observed in a study had traces of drugs they had never used on their fingerprints.

As a result of their investigation, the experts developed a method of determining the difference between people who have used <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-susceptible-cocaine-use/">cocaine</a> or heroin and those who have simply been exposed to the drugs somewhere in their surroundings. The technique works even if individuals have washed their hands.

The research team tested the fingerprints of 50 drug-free individuals and 15 participants who had used either cocaine or heroin in the previous 24 hours.


Even though they had no history of drug use, cocaine was found on 13 percent of the drug-free individuals and heroine was detected on one percent.

“Believe it or not, cocaine is a very common environmental contaminant - it is well known that it is present on many bank notes. Even so, we were surprised that it was detected in so many of our fingerprint samples,” said study co-author Dr. Melanie Bailey.

The researchers found that cocaine and heroin can be transferred through a handshake. This experiment enabled the experts to identify a cut-off level that can be used to accurately distinguish between drug use and secondary transfer.

“By establishing a threshold for significance on a fingerprint test, we can give those tested the piece-of-mind of knowing that whatever the result of the test may be, it was not affected by their everyday activities or shaking hands with someone that had taken drugs,” said Dr. Bailey.

“It's clear that fingerprint testing is the future of drug-testing,” said lead author Mahado Ismail. “There are many factors that set fingerprint testing apart - it's non-invasive, easy to collect and you have the ability to identify the donor by using the sample. Our study will help to add another robust layer to fingerprint drug testing.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://clinchem.aaccjnls.org/">Clinical Chemistry</a>.

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By <a href="http://caexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Heroin and cocaine commonly found on fingerprints of non-users

Researchers from the University of Surrey have revealed how widespread...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.city.ac.uk/">City University London</a> have discovered that approximately 20 percent of people have the ability to hear sounds associated with silent light flashes and inaudible movements.

Synaesthesia is a mysterious condition in which sensations that are typically experienced separately occur at the same time. For example, the most common type of synaesthesia called vEAR causes people to hear sounds when they see motion or flashing lights.

“The survival of this association may explain links between sound and vision, such as why we like to listen to music synchronized with flashing lights or dance,” said the study authors.

“The effect also provides a good way to learn about what's happening in the brain in people with synaesthesia, with vEAR's high prevalence making it easier to investigate the mechanisms behind such cross-sensory perception.”

The research team conducted an online survey with over 4,000 participants. More than 20 percent of the individuals reported that they had experienced vEAR prior to the study.

The participants were instructed to watch video clips that featured people engaging in different types of movement, ranging from slow and smooth to fast and sudden.

The researchers found that meaningless visual stimuli often caused the subjects to hear sounds.

“It was seen that correspondents who had answered ‘yes’ to experiencing vEAR were specifically sensitive to the pure motion energy present in videos such as swirling or patterns that were not predictive of sounds.” 

An association was also noted between vEAR and musical imagery, suggesting that the effect may be a natural physiological response that occurs when certain areas of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childhood-memories-lost-brain/">brain</a> are stimulated.

“Some people hear what they see. Car indicator lights, flashing neon shop signs and people's movements as they walk may all trigger an auditory sensation,” said study co-author Dr. Elliot Freeman.

“Ours is the first large-scale survey of this ability. We found that as many as 21 percent of people may experience forms of this phenomenon, which makes it considerably more prevalent than other synaesthesias.”

According to the researchers, the cross-sensory phenomena may also be caused by a “leakage” of information from visual regions of the brain into areas that regulate hearing.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/cortex">Cortex</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

Some people can detect silent sounds through visual stimulation

Researchers at City University London have discovered that approximately 20...

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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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

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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

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