A new study suggests that children who consumed the least seafood at age seven exhibited lower prosocial behavior at both seven and nine years old. Prosocial behavior - such as friendliness, sharing, and altruism - appeared to be positively linked to fish consumption.



Seafood provides key nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, iodine, vitamin D, and choline. These nutrients contribute to a balanced diet and support brain development. 



Experts recommend children eat at least two servings of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/boosting-seafood-production-while-protecting-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a> weekly, with one serving from oily fish like salmon or mackerel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seafood-consumption-and-child-behavior">Seafood consumption and child behavior</h2>



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk">University of Bristol</a> analyzed data from 5,969 participants in the Children of the 90s study. This long-term research received £5.2 million ($6.6 million) in new funding. The study adjusted data for social and demographic factors, ensuring accurate results.



Previous research was primarily focused on fish consumption during pregnancy. The effects were examined on babies rather than children’s ongoing development. 



However, the current study highlights the importance of research on fish intake during childhood.



The findings showed that children who did not eat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrimp-crisis-alarming-virus-threatens-global-seafood-supplies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seafood</a> had a 35% higher risk of developing lower prosocial behavior at age seven and a 43% higher risk at age nine.



Those who consumed between 1-190g of seafood per week still had a 25-30% higher risk compared to those who met the NHS recommendation of at least 190g per week.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-concerns-about-seafood-consumption">Concerns about seafood consumption</h2>



Many children in the study ate less seafood than NHS recommendations. One reason may be concerns about pollutants like mercury. 



Parents often receive mixed messages about seafood safety, making dietary choices difficult. However, experts note that the benefits of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-eating-farmed-fish-may-be-safer-than-eating-fish-caught-in-the-wild/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a> consumption outweigh potential risks when intake follows guidelines.



Prosocial behavior develops between ages one and two. It becomes more complex as children grow. Encouraging these behaviors early supports social development and overall well-being. Good nutrition plays a vital role in this process.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-essential-nutrients-in-brain-development">Essential nutrients in brain development</h2>



Seafood is a primary source of omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA, which support brain function and emotional well-being. While the body can produce small amounts of DHA from other sources, dietary intake is necessary to maintain optimal levels.



Iodine and selenium also contribute to neurodevelopment. Iodine plays a crucial role in thyroid hormone production, which regulates brain growth. 



Selenium supports antioxidant functions and helps with thyroid hormone metabolism. Choline aids in neurotransmitter production, which impacts memory and cognitive function. Vitamin D supports calcium absorption and immune function, contributing to overall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-widespread-in-the-seafood-we-eat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health</a>.



The study measured prosocial behavior using questionnaires. Parents reported their child’s social interactions at ages seven and nine. The results showed that children who ate more seafood displayed better social behavior.



The researchers also investigated a possible link between seafood intake and IQ. However, they found no significant connection between fish consumption and intelligence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seafood-and-child-development">Seafood and child development</h2>



"When there’s conflicting advice, it can be difficult to know what the best course of action is. Our previous studies have shown that eating fish during pregnancy in the UK can have a positive effect on child development," noted Dr. Caroline Taylor, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Bristol.



"This has also been found in countries where fish intakes are higher than they are here, so encouraging fish consumption is likely to have a positive effect on child development."



Dr. Taylor said the evidence to link fish consumption in children with the best behavioral development is clear, and that her team strongly recommends for parents to provide at least two portions of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-particles-found-in-99-of-tested-seafood-samples/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a> a week in accordance with NHS guidelines. 



"We hope these research findings empower parents with the knowledge to give their children the best start in life.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-health-considerations">Public health considerations</h2>



The <a href="https://www.nhs.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NHS</a> advises that children should consume two portions of seafood per week, including one portion of oily fish. However, girls should have no more than two portions of oily fish per week due to concerns about dioxins and PCBs, which can accumulate in the body over time.



The FAO/WHO has acknowledged the benefits of seafood at all life stages. However, they also stress the need for region-specific guidelines based on local fish contamination levels, nutrient content, and dietary patterns.



Data from the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey</a> show that children consume less than the recommended amount of seafood. Many factors contribute to this, including concerns about mercury, taste preferences, cost, and limited availability. 



Addressing these barriers through public health campaigns could help improve childhood nutrition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-study-continues-nbsp">Long-term study continues&nbsp;</h2>



<a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Children of the 90s</a> study has played a major role in health research for over three decades. Founded by Professor Jean Golding in the early 1990s, the study has contributed to more than 3,000 research papers.



With the recent £5.2 million funding boost, the study will continue its research. The focus will now extend to the third generation of participants. These efforts will provide valuable insights into child health and development for years to come.



The study is published in the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-025-03636-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Journal of Nutrition</a>.



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Eating seafood helps children develop better social behaviors

A new study suggests that children who consumed the least seafood at age seven exhibited lower prosocial behavior at both seven and nine years old. Prosocial behavior - such as friendliness, sharing, and altruism - appeared to be positively linked to fish consumption. Seafood provides key nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, iodine, vitamin D, and choline. These nutrients contribute to a balanced diet and support brain development. Experts recommend children eat at least two servings of fish weekly, with one serving from oily fish like salmon...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> (NYU) have found that people are willing to pay more for unhealthy foods when they are craving them. They also discovered that people will pay a disproportionately higher price for larger portions of the foods that they crave.

Study lead author Anna Konova is a postdoctoral researcher in the Center for Neural Science at NYU.

“Our results indicate that even if people strive to eat healthier, craving could overshadow the importance of health by boosting the value of tempting, unhealthy foods relative to healthier options,” said Konova.

“Craving, which is pervasive in daily life, may nudge our choices in very specific ways that help us acquire those things that made us feel good in the past--even if those things may not be consistent with our current health goals.”


Scientists are interested in understanding how our psychological and physiological states affect our behavior as consumers. Food cravings have been found to represent a state of mind that contributes to addiction, eating disorders, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/body-temperature-obesity/">obesity</a>.

The research team set out to understand the impact of craving on our choices and consumer behavior. They conducted a series of experiments in which participants reported how much they were willing to pay for a certain snack food either before or after they had been exposed to the food item.

The study revealed that individuals were willing to pay more for the exact same food item after they had been exposed to it and asked to recall what it tasted like.

The researchers also found evidence that craving and hunger are distinctively different experiences.

“In other words, craving Snickers does not make you hungrier; it makes you desire Snickers specifically," explained study co-author Kenway Louie.

When the food product was relatively less healthy, such as high in sugar or high in fat content, the willingness to pay for the desired item was even stronger. In addition, the participants were willing to pay disproportionately higher prices for increased portions of the snack foods they craved.

“It appears that craving boosts or multiplies the economic value of the craved food,” said Konova.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, Earth.com Staff Writer

Study: People willing to pay more for unhealthy foods they crave

Researchers at New York University (NYU) have found that people...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limit-global-warming/">Global warming</a> is threatening the Arctic region with ice-free summers, and a new study has revealed that a global mean temperature rise of merely one degree Fahrenheit will make all of the difference for summer sea ice in the Arctic.

The researchers found that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius would lead to a 30 percent chance of an ice-free Arctic summer by the year 2100. However, warming by 2 degrees Celsius would make at least one ice-free Arctic summer inevitable.

Study author Alexandra Jahn is an assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a>.

“I didn't expect to find that half a degree Celsius would make a big difference, but it really does,” said Jahn “At 1.5 degrees Celsius, half of the time we stay within our current summer sea ice regime whereas if we reach 2 degrees of warming, the summer sea ice area will always be below what we have experienced in recent decades.”

The team used simulations from the Community Earth System Model (CESM) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to evaluate warming scenarios ranging from 1.5 degrees Celsius to 4 degrees Celsius. The analysis demonstrated how drastically different the outcome of the each scenario would be for Arctic summer sea ice.

“This dataset allows us to predict how soon we're likely to see ice free conditions as well as how often,” said Jahn. 

“Under the 4-degree Celsius scenario, we would have a high probability of a three-month ice free period in the summer months by 2050. By the end of century, that could jump to five months a year without ice. And even for half that warming, ice-free conditions of up to 2 month a year are possible by the late 21st century.”


Jahn pointed out that, if warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the probability of ice-free summers would drop by 70 percent and could likely be avoided altogether or at least delayed. 

The experts hope that the findings of this study may motivate countries to work harder at achieving the warming target that was set forth at the Paris Climate Agreement of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“The good news is that sea ice has quick response times and could theoretically recover if we brought down global temperatures at any point in the future,” said Jahn. “In the meantime, though, other ecosystems could see permanent negative impacts from the ice loss, and those can't necessarily bounce back.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Arctic could experience ice-free summer by 2100

Global warming is threatening the Arctic region with ice-free summers,...

A new survey has found that the majority of people have forgotten how to relax. 

The constant stimulation of modern life leaves little time for true rest. People are now always “plugged in,” leaving them more fatigued than ever. 

The new research conducted by psychologist Megan Arrol found that even after long weekends, holidays, or vacations, people today feel less rested and some don’t even know how to fully unwind anymore. 

The survey, originally published in the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5559899/Have-forgotten-relax.html">Daily Mail</a>, examined over 2,000 adults who were asked about how often they relaxed, if they felt stressed or worried during the day, and what they did to relax. 

The findings showed that almost 75 percent of those surveyed said they experienced days with no downtime or relaxation. 

The most common reasons for having a hard time relaxing were a hectic job, dealing with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-money-old-age/">anxiety</a>, having too many things to do, and feeling relied upon. 

46 percent of those surveyed stated that they had trouble relaxing during specific times dedicated to rest, like a vacation or the weekend. 

The survey results are a major cause for concern because rest and relaxation are crucial for our general health and wellbeing. 

“Relaxing, winding down and unplugging from our busy lives is important as it gives our bodies and minds a chance to recalibrate,” Arroll told <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5559899/Have-forgotten-relax.html">Daily Mail</a>. “Just as sleep restores us, so does rest, relaxation and downtime. Also, more than half of the people in the survey stated that not being able to relax had impacted on their sleep, caused further anxiety and even lead to feelings of depression.”

Taking time to relax and unwind can help increase energy, lower your blood pressure and heart rate and reduce stress. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Modern life makes it increasingly difficult to relax, study finds

A new survey has found that the majority of people...

The weekends are often a time for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-new-information-brain/">sleeping in</a>, but studies have shown that overcompensating and trying to catch up on sleep only causes more problems and results in a condition called social jet lag. 

Social jet lag is when your body’s natural circadian rhythm conflicts with your daily routine. 

Now, a <a href="http://news.berkeley.edu/2018/03/29/social-jetlag/">new study</a> has found that students with conflicting biological clocks and class schedules suffered poor academic performance. 

The study, one of the largest of its kind, was conducted by researchers from the<a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/"> University of California Berkeley </a>and <a href="https://www.neiu.edu/">Northeastern Illinois University </a>and recently published in the journal Scientific Reports. 

Over the course of two years, researchers tracked and analyzed the profiles of 14,894 students and their daily online activities. The student participants were monitored as they logged in and out of campus servers. 

The students were then split into three categories depending on when they spent the most time online and what their schedules were like outside of class. 

The researchers found that students with schedules that were out of “sync” suffered social jet lag, and this even resulted in poor grades and an increase in smoking and drinking. 

Forty percent of the students had an internal clock that matched their social schedule and 60 percent of the participants had social jet lag to some degree. 

One of the examples given by the research team was a night owl who had mostly morning classes.

On the reverse side, the results also showed that students with consistent schedules, meaning they didn’t sleep in too much on the weekends and class days and non-class days, were similar were less prone to social jet lag.

“We found that the majority of students were being jet-lagged by their class times, which correlated very strongly with decreased academic performance,” said Benjamin Smarr, the study’s co-lead author. 

The researchers say the findings call for individualized education as the students weren’t simply suffering from sleep deprivation. 

“Rather than admonish late students to go to bed earlier, in conflict with their biological rhythms, we should work to individualize education so that learning and classes are structured to take advantage of knowing what time of day a given student will be most capable of learning,” said Smarr. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Simply getting more sleep won’t fix social jet lag

The weekends are often a time for sleeping in, but...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">Climate change</a> is the instigator behind many international issues currently being discussed, and will only have a hand in even more global problems in the future. One of these problems – according to new research led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> – could be increased risk of food shortages in numerous countries. 

For the study – published in the journal <a href="http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A</a> – the researchers assessed how climate change may affect the vulnerability of different nations in regards to food insecurity, which occurs when the public is unable to access a sufficient quantity of nutritious, affordable food.

The researchers looked at 122 developing and least-developed countries, mainly in Asia, Africa, and South America. They analyzed the difference between global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C – compared to pre-industrial levels – and found that the effects would be worst for most countries at 2°C. However, food vulnerability would increase in both scenarios. 

“Climate change is expected to lead to more extremes of both heavy rainfall and drought, with different effects in different parts of the world,” says Richard Betts, Chair in Climate Impacts at the University of Exeter. “Such weather extremes can increase vulnerability to food insecurity. Some change is already unavoidable, but if global warming is limited to 1.5°C, this vulnerability is projected to remain smaller than at 2°C in approximately 76% of developing countries.”

On average, warming attributed to climate change is expected to result in wetter conditions, which means an increased risk of flooding. But in some areas, agriculture could also be affected by more frequent and sustained droughts. Wet conditions are expected to have the greatest impact in South and East Asia, with the most extreme projections predicting that the flow of the River Ganges could more than double at a 2°C temperature increase. For droughts, the areas expected to be significantly affected are southern Africa and South America – where the flow of the Amazon is projected to decline by as much as 25 percent.

Clearly, the path of climate change seems to be leading to more extreme weather, which could spell disaster for areas already vulnerable to droughts or flooding. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Food insecurity risks increase with climate change

Climate change is the instigator behind many international issues currently...

Can what you eat affect how you age? A series of six new studies found correlations between the popular Mediterranean diet and healthy aging. But to fully reap the benefits, foodies must do more than swap butter for olive oil.

The studies looked at six different areas related to the Mediterranean diet:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">What requirements and underlying mechanisms actually define the diet</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Connections between the diet and physical and mental health</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">How the diet interacts with genetics to modify inflammatory responses</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it can be linked to impaired physical function among older adults</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">How a coenzyme Q10 supplement changes the diet’s effects</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Whether the Mediterranean diet can be linked to longer, healthier lives</li>
</ul>
The studies showed generally positive results for those who follow the Mediterranean diet – as long as they properly define it and then stick to it.

"Greater clarity on how this diet is defined, in both interventions and observational studies, will be critical in the aim of achieving a consensus on how to optimally apply this dietary pattern towards maximizing healthy aging," Dr. Michelle A. Mendez and Dr. Anne B. Newman wrote in an editorial introducing the series of papers. Newman is the editor-in-chief of the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/issue/73/3">Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences</a>, which published the series in Issue 73.

The diet focuses on whole grains and legumes – with as little processing as possible – as its staple foods, supplemented by several diverse servings of fresh vegetables and fruits each day. Cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds provide fat, along with moderate servings of fish. Dairy products and red meat are eaten only in very small amounts as a rare treat. 

The researchers used several different measures with study participants to see how well they stuck to their diets.

While the researchers still aren’t sure how and why the Mediterranean diet works so well, they were able to observe a few effects that lead to better health. One of the articles, by researchers at <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University in St. Louis</a>, found that the diet was correlated with lower lipid levels, protection against inflammation and genetic changes that can encourage cancer growth, antioxidant properties, and other positive effects on health.

The benefits may not be restricted to the Mediterranean diet, either. Other diets that follow the same patterns – and emphasis on fresh vegetables, grains and fruits with minimal processing – may also promote good health.

“Recent evidence suggests that the patterns of diet that may be most healthful are plant-based food patterns, where vegetables, whole grains and legumes are the dietary staples, with less meat – but not less total fat – than is typically consumed in developed countries,” Mendez and Newman <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/73/3/315/4917619">wrote in their editorial</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey,<a href="http://www.earth.com"> Earth.com</a> staff writer

Can a Mediterranean diet lead to a healthier, longer life?

Can what you eat affect how you age? A series...

Major cities must devote a great deal of space to accommodate parking lots, which ultimately increases their carbon footprint and environmental impact. 

But now, researchers from the<a href="http://www.engineering.utoronto.ca/"> University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering </a>have found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/self-driving-electric-taxis/">self-driving cars</a>, or autonomous vehicles (AVs), could significantly reduce the amount of space needed for parking. 

After dropping off their passengers at their destination, AVs would then be able to head to a designated parking space.

According to the new study published in the journal Transportation Research Part B, self-driving cars would be able to make much more efficient use out of less space than traditional parking lots today. 

“In a parking lot full of AVs, you don't need to open the doors, so they can park with very little space in between,” said Matthew Roorda, the senior author. “You also don't need to leave space for each car to drive out, because you can signal the surrounding AVs to move out of the way.”

Parking lots are designed specifically so cars can pull in out of each spot, no car is boxed in and unable to get out. 

But with an AVs parking lot, cars could easily be packed together and move aside to let cars get in and out. 

The researchers wanted to find the optimal size parking lot grids for AVs in order to maximize storage and still make sure that it wouldn’t take too long for any one car to get out. A computer model and algorithm was used to find the best design. 

The results showed with a certain number of cars, an optimal parking lot could fit 62 percent more cars than current parking areas today. The algorithm even showed that square-shaped grids could fit 87 percent more cars. 

Less space devoted to parking lots means a much smaller environmental impact for cities.

“Right now, our downtown cores have giant municipal parking lots next to major attractions,” said Roorda. “AVs could allow us to both shrink and relocate these parking lots, opening up valuable space in cities.”

The new design concepts could also have some unintended negative consequences, such as parking lots far away from major attractions, meaning it would take longer to retrieve your car when you needed it. 

The researchers say that AVs parking lots as a reality are a long way off, but if and when they become commonplace, the researchers have a potentially efficient, eco-friendly, and time-saving solution for parking. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Self-driving cars to alleviate parking headaches in major cities

Major cities must devote a great deal of space to...

Researchers in Montreal have found that children who live in more walkable neighborhoods generally have healthier body weights and smaller waist lines. According to the study, which was led by <a href="http://www.inrs.ca/">INRS</a> professor Tracie A. Barnett, urban design plays a significant role in the development of childhood obesity.

The study was focused on children in Montreal who had a family history of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/body-temperature-obesity/">obesity</a> and who lived at the same address up until the investigation was completed. The team compared and analyzed data that had been collected over the course of two years.

The researchers discovered that infrastructure which had been designed to accommodate pedestrians and promote walking was associated with lower childhood obesity rates. In denser neighborhoods, resources built for pedestrians such as wider sidewalks and pedestrian crossing lights were found to have the biggest impact.

These types of amenities not only encourage children to walk more often, but also promote bike riding and other outdoor activities that burn energy and fat.

The experts were surprised to find that, overall, children had healthier weights in neighborhoods with convenience stores. For this reason, the research will need to be refined to take into account various new factors, such as the types of food sold in convenience stores and fast food restaurants.


The current study corresponds with research that was published in 2016. The previous study demonstrated that, when children had access to high quality food at low prices within 875 yards of their home, they had a reduced risk of obesity.

Ongoing studies are also documenting the transformations of residential neighborhoods to see how major changes over the last 10 years may have affected obesity rates.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/preventive-medicine/">Preventive Medicine</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, Earth.com Staff Writer

Kids who live in walkable neighborhoods tend to be healthier

Researchers in Montreal have found that children who live in...

The source of the sound that is created by knuckle cracking has been the subject of debate since the early 1900s. A team of experts may be close to settling this debate after developing a mathematical model to represent the origin of the sound.

Chemical engineering student Vineeth Chandran Suja, who is now a doctoral candidate at Stanford University, teamed up with Professor Abdul Barakat of the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a> to try and solve the mystery.

One of the many theories that has emerged over the years is that the knuckle cracking noise comes from the collapse or formation of bubbles as articular surfaces are separated in the synovial joint.

Researchers previously determined that the cracking sound is created as bubbles form inside of the joint, but Suja suspected that the noise is too intense to be produced by the formation of bubbles. 

For the current study, the team developed a mathematical model to represent the activities leading up to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/detect-silent-sound/">sound</a>.

“We model the sounds accompanying knuckle cracking by resolving the acoustic signature of cavitation bubbles inside the joint during articular release,” wrote the study authors. 

The researchers ultimately identified cavitation bubble collapse as the source of the cracking sound, and not the formation of the bubbles. 

“When we crack our knuckles we're actually pulling apart our joints. And when we do that the pressure goes down,” explained Suja. “Bubbles appear in the fluid, which is lubricating the joint - the synovial fluid.”

“During the process of knuckle cracking there are pressure variations in the joint which causes the size of the bubbles to fluctuate extremely fast, and this leads to sound, which we associate with knuckle cracking.”

The model also revealed that only a partial collapse of the bubble is needed to replicate the sound, which means that the bubbles may persist after the cracking noise is generated.

Suja said that improved models may be developed in the future based on this research that could identify the origin of the knuckle cracking sound beyond any doubt.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why do knuckles make that sound you when you crack them?

The source of the sound that is created by knuckle...

A new report from China's environment ministry has revealed that nationwide pollution sources have skyrocketed in the last 8 years, growing from 5.9 million in 2010 to an estimated 9 million sources today. 

Earlier this month, the environment ministry was delegated the responsibility of analyzing damage caused by pollution in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollution-chinas-solar-energy/">China</a> over the last few decades. 

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), as the new and improved environmental agency is now called, is currently conducting a nationwide census to identify all sources of pollution across China. 

The survey, which will be completed in 2019, is being directed by the office of Hong Yaxiong. 

“The goal for the census is to do thorough data collection so that it can reflect the extent of the pollution,” Yaxiong told reporters.

According to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/">Reuters</a>, preliminary results of the census have placed the number of pollution sources at 9 million, which is up by over 3 million since 2010, and includes 7.4 million sources of pollution identified in the industrial sector alone.

As one of the countries most responsible for global carbon emissions pursues a cleaner future, the MEE will reportedly broaden its search to include more pollution sources in the current survey.

A recent <a href="https://news.uchicago.edu/article/2018/03/14/chinas-war-against-pollution-shows-promising-results-study-finds">investigation</a> revealed that China's aggressive strategies to combat air pollution, in particular, seem to be working. In the country’s most populated cities such as Beijing, air pollution levels were found to have dropped by as much as 39 percent.

Michael Greenstone, the director of the Energy Policy Institute at the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/">University of Chicago</a>, conducted the study.

“The data is in - China is winning its war against pollution,” said Professor Greenstone. “By winning this war, China is due to see dramatic improvements in the overall health of its people, including longer lifespans, if these improvements are sustained.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pollution sources in China have risen dramatically this decade

A new report from China's environment ministry has revealed that...

A new study has revealed that our brain’s structure may have a significant influence on our political preferences. A certain shape of the brain was found to be a strong predictor that individuals would find the current social system desirable and legitimate.

The research team used neuroimaging to observe which study participants were more likely to accept things the way they are and which participants were more likely to have <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/political-split-climate-change/">political opinions</a> that strongly oppose the order of society.

The study showed that individuals who had a larger volume of the amygdala, a region of the brain that is responsible for fear and other emotions, were found to be less likely to challenge the current social system or engage in political movements.

This type of “system justification” is strongly linked to conservatives.

“A system-justifying psychological orientation favors the social, economic, and political status quo, and may promote vigilance to social hierarchy and a preference for ideologies that characterize extant inequality as legitimate and necessary,” wrote the researchers.

Study co-author Jay Van Bavel is an associate professor of Psychology and Neural Science at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a>. He explained that brain structure likely influences what political movement or parties we find appealing.

Van Bavel said that it is also likely that, as our political views change, there is a corresponding change in the brain's structure. “Virtually any change in behavior is mirrored by a change in brain structure,” said Van Bavel.

The research also corroborates the theory that political preferences are substantially influenced by genetics. “It seems quite likely that these biological predispositions are manifested in brain structure,” explained Van Bavel.

The study authors concluded: “The findings suggest that the amygdala may provide a neural substrate for maintaining the societal status quo, and opens up avenues for further investigation into the association between system justification and other neuroanatomical regions.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/">Nature Human Behavior</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Brain structure may be related to political opinions

A new study has revealed that our brain’s structure may...

The <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) may soon announce a new plan to rollback automobile fuel economy and emissions standards.

According to a new report by the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/29/climate/epa-cafe-auto-pollution-rollback.html?smid=fb-nytimes&amp;smtyp=cur">New York Times</a>, the plan not only sets the precedent for an increase in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/capture-conversion-carbon-emissions/">carbon emissions</a> in the United States, but could create a chain reaction of undoing emission and fuel policies worldwide. 

The plan also directly conflicts with an allowance in California that lets the state make their own decisions about fuel and emissions, with several states typically following suit including New York. 

California can require automakers to adhere to stricter standards and with the new EPA decision, there is a chance the state could end up fighting in court for the right to continue the practice.

“We’re going to defend first and foremost existing federal greenhouse gas standards,” Xavier Becerra, the Attorney General of California, told the New York Times. “We’re defending them because they’re good for the entire nation. No one should think it’s easy to undo something that’s been not just good for the country, but good for the planet.”

The new EPA plan directly contradicts policies put in place by the Obama Administration.

Dubbed Obama’s “climate change legacy,” the previous Administration's efforts included a plan to reduce tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions that would have drastically cut down on CO2 pollution and fuel consumption. 

The shift would have pushed the automotive industry towards making fuel-efficient cars, but after Trump’s inauguration, auto company executives argued that the new standards were unreasonable. 

Now, with the help of Scott Pruitt, now head of the EPA, the new plan will create fewer restrictions in the hopes of making cars more affordable. 

However, in doing so, carbon emissions and fuel consumption will increase and put the United States further behind in the battle against climate change. 

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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

EPA set to rollback fuel and emissions standards for cars

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may soon announce a new...

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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



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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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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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