Tiny plastic fragments have turned up inside human beings, and it has rattled more than a few nerves. Nobody expects to find plastic in their blood or buried in important tissues, but recent <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993624005971?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> has done exactly that.



These miniscule particles, often smaller than a grain of sand, have appeared in places once thought safe from contamination.



This poses some uncomfortable questions about the implications for long-term health and whether anyone has been paying attention to this hidden hazard that has been present in the environment for decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-is-now-infiltrating-human-tissues">Plastic is now infiltrating human tissues</h2>



Scientists have identified <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001258" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">micro- and nanoplastics</a> (MNPs) in human lungs, gut, reproductive organs, and skin, where they can stick around for far longer than most people would imagine.



Their presence has now been detected in blood, too, making it clear that these tiny, synthetic particles move through our bodies in surprising ways. They do not simply pass through and exit without causing harm, as was once thought. 



Instead, they take up residence. They linger, and they may be associated with some serious health issues.



This research, led by <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=bVDTB_gAAAAJ&amp;hl=zh-CN" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Yating Luo</a> at the School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, and a team of specialists, has revealed an unsettling new source of environmental exposure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-links-to-diseases">Potential links to diseases</h2>



Other researchers have begun piecing together how MNPs might be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993624003182" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">involved in a range of health problems</a>.



Studies have linked them to heart and blood vessel conditions, like atherosclerosis and thrombosis, as well as to intestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease.



Some work even connects them to changes in reproductive systems and the risk of conditions like cervical cancer. Nobody wants to consider <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-carry-toxic-chemicals-that-are-easily-absorbed-by-skin/">plastic dust</a> as a potential player in such serious illnesses, but the evidence is mounting.



Dr. Luo, lead author of the study, which was published in Environment International, highlighted that the research strongly indicates MNPs are more than environmental contaminants -- they are entering human tissues and may pose significant health risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-these-particles-break-through-barriers">How these particles break through barriers</h2>



Laboratory tests have <a href="https://particleandfibretoxicology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12989-020-00358-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shown</a> that these particles can cross protective hurdles, including the body’s natural filters. 



For example, the blood-brain barrier has long been thought of as a sturdy shield, but these tiny plastic pieces may pass through it.



This could set the stage for neurological issues. Researchers suspect that if these minute fragments of plastic move along the gut-brain axis, they may influence how nerve cells work. 



Early evidence suggests they might play a role in some degenerative conditions that affect the brain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wider-implications-for-public-health">Wider implications for public health</h2>



Plastic pollution is not something that stays outside in the ocean or piled up at landfills. Studies show that even remote corners of the planet have tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surging-plastic-levels-found-in-the-north-pacific-garbage-patch/">plastic fragments</a> floating in the air. 



People breathe them in, ingest them through food and water, and may even absorb them through the skin.



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28812686/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Tamara Galloway</a>, a leading expert on microplastics from the University of Exeter, emphasized that this study further supports the increasing evidence of microplastics being widespread in human tissues.



It is not just a problem for one region or for certain groups. It is a global phenomenon that affects everyone, everywhere. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-people-should-pay-attention">Why people should pay attention</h2>



Plastics have found their way into everyday life in a multitude of forms - containers, packaging, clothing, personal care products. 



As these items break down, tiny plastic fibers and fragments spread through land, water, and air. They turn up in fish and shellfish, which then end up <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b01517" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on dinner plates</a>.



Waste management <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34492918/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">practices</a> in some places, such as open burning, add more plastic particles to the environment and harm people who live nearby.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-humans-and-the-environment">Plastic, humans, and the environment</h2>



There is growing pressure on governments to enforce stricter rules around plastic manufacturing, recycling, and disposal. 



A shift to responsible materials and less reliance on single-use plastics could help slow the spread of these particles in future.



Public health agencies may need to update guidelines to consider tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-plastic-pollution-lurks-beneath-the-surface-of-rivers/">plastic fragments as contaminants</a>. If MNPs are linked to certain diseases, official policies may need to reflect that. 



Health professionals might soon discuss plastic exposure as they do other known factors like poor air quality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



Scientists need to measure the full extent of the problem. More long-term <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34492918/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> could show exactly how much plastic accumulates in human tissues and pinpoint how these particles alter cells and organs at a microscopic level.



Researchers are developing new technology to track these fragments and understand how they behave inside the body. 



Improved tools might help uncover the chemical reactions triggered by plastic fragments. With that information, they could figure out why certain tissues are more at risk than others.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-plastic-danger-to-humans">Reducing plastic danger to humans</h2>



None of this is a reason to give up the fight against plastic pollution. People can reduce their own exposure by avoiding products that shed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-able-to-travel-thousands-of-miles-because-of-their-shape/">plastic fibers</a>, pushing for cleaner water sources, and supporting brands that move away from plastic use.



Communities that suffer from poor waste management can advocate for better facilities, cleaner streets, and safer disposal methods.



Officials can encourage companies to design products with health and the environment in mind. Better filters and barriers could help keep these particles out of water supplies and the foods people rely on every day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stay-informed">Stay informed</h2>



Nobody likes to think about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-migrate-from-the-gut-to-other-organs/">foreign particles</a> building up in their body. For many, this may spark frustration or fear. 



The good news is that awareness can help drive action. If people know that these small bits of plastic may affect their health, they might push for meaningful changes.



More funding, better research, and stricter oversight may keep these hidden threats in check. As scientists learn more, the public can stay informed and join conversations that shape future policies.



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Tiny plastic bits are now found hiding deep inside the human body

Tiny plastic fragments have turned up inside human beings, and it has rattled more than a few nerves. Nobody expects to find plastic in their blood or buried in important tissues, but recent research has done exactly that. These miniscule particles, often smaller than a grain of sand, have appeared in places once thought safe from contamination. This poses some uncomfortable questions about the implications for long-term health and whether anyone has been paying attention to this hidden hazard that has been present in the environment for...

The <a href="https://www.rand.org/">RAND Corporation</a> is reporting that an increasing amount of disagreement over facts in America has led to political paralysis and a lack of civil engagements to discuss and better resolve issues. The experts say that this phenomenon, known as “Truth Decay,” is characterized by the blurring of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/battling-climate-change-misinformation/">opinions</a> and facts and by the declining trust in formerly respected sources of factual information.

While this type of shift may have occurred previously in the history of the United States, the Truth Decay over the last two decades is intensified by the ways in which Americans now consume information, such as through cable news and social media. The researchers pointed out that political, economic, and social polarization may also be responsible for worsening the conditions of Truth Decay today.

Michael D. Rich is the president and CEO of the nonprofit RAND Corporation and co-author of the study.

“Although we see some evidence that previous eras also experienced a decline in trust in institutions, this trend seems to be more pronounced now than in the past,” said Rich. “Today we see that lack of trust across many more pillars of society - in government, media and financial institutions - and a far lower absolute level of trust in these institutions than before.”

The study has revealed that Truth Decay has many damaging consequences, such as political paralysis and uncertainty in national policy, which also lead to economic costs. For example, the government shutdown of 2013 lasted 16 days and resulted in a $20 billion loss to the United States economy, according to the researchers.

The research team analyzed past eras in American history when similar periods of Truth Decay took place, focusing on events such as the rapid industrialization and economic inequality during the 1880s and 1890s. The experts found that government transparency backed by policy changes and the renewal of responsible journalism were capable of ending most of these tumultuous times.

The RAND researchers will continue to monitor three trends which are related to Truth Decay, including the shifting balance of opinion and objective reporting in journalism, the decline of public trust in major institutions, and initiatives to improve media literacy in light of “fake news.”

"We urge individuals and organizations to join with us in promoting the need for facts, data and analysis in civic and political discourse - and in American public life,” said Rich. “The challenge posed by Truth Decay is great, but the stakes are too high to permit inaction.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The blurring of fact and opinion in America has big consequences

The RAND Corporation is reporting that an increasing amount of...

Life expectancy and mortality rates are improving in the United States, thanks largely in part to decreases in smoking.

However, new research has found that mortality rates are also heavily impacted by a rise in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/national-junk-food-tax/">obesity</a> over the past several decades, resulting in a reduced rate of improvement in American mortality.

The study was conducted by a trio of researchers from the <a href="https://www.sas.upenn.edu/">University of Pennsylvania</a> and <a href="https://www.bu.edu/">Boston University</a>.

The study examined mortality rates in conjunction with body mass index (BMI) over a person’s lifetime. BMI is a standard measurement of obesity and defines a healthy mass based on both height and weight. 

The researchers found that looking at a person’s lifetime maximum BMI instead of just using a baseline BMI garnered far more accurate results in predicting mortality. 

Data was gathered from the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm">National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey</a> from the years 1998 through 1994 and 1999 through 2010, and any mortality files that were linked to the survey. The last survey year used for the study had a group of 25,269 adults ages 40 to 79. 

Results of the analysis showed that mortality was not declining at a fast enough rate to reflect a major shift to non-smoking in the population and this was directly linked to a rise in obesity. 

“We estimated that the impact of rising obesity was about twice as important for mortality trends as the impact of declining smoking,” said Samuel Preston, a member of the research team. “Smoking is such an important variable in mortality analysis, and U.S. mortality is improving faster than it otherwise would because of reductions in smoking, but it's not improving fast enough to offset the effect of obesity."

The results also showed that if obesity rates hadn’t risen, there would be a half percentage point decrease in mortality, and that rising BMI reduced life expectancy by .9 years at age 40. 

Preston and his fellow researchers note that the study highlights the importance of understanding just how mortality rates are impacted by a rise in obesity, and how reversing the rising trend is vital for raising life expectancy in today’s society. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The rise in obesity is holding back U.S. mortality rates

Life expectancy and mortality rates are improving in the United...

Often when we sneeze – especially in public situations – we do our best to contain the sneeze as much as possible. While some of the more common choreography is to direct the sneeze into your upper arm or elbow, sometimes people will attempt to pinch their nose shut while sneezing with their mouth closed. Now, doctors say that the latter strategy could put you in the hospital. 

In the journal <a href="http://casereports.bmj.com/">BMJ Case Reports</a>, doctors describe the case study of a 34-year-old man who ruptured the back of his throat while using this sneezing technique. Spontaneous rupture of the back of the throat is a rare injury, and is usually caused by trauma, vomiting, retching, or heavy coughing. The doctors were surprised to see a sneeze cause this condition, which left the young <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heavy-drinking-affects-men/">man</a> in significant pain and barely able to speak or swallow.

After he tried to contain a forceful sneeze by pinching his nose and clamping his mouth shut, the patient found that he had developed a popping sensation in his neck. Shortly after, he found it very painful to swallow and lost his voice. “Halting sneezing via blocking [the] nostrils and mouth is a dangerous maneuver, and should be avoided,” caution the authors.

Upon examination, the doctors hear popping and crackling sounds – known as crepitus – extending from his neck all the way down to his ribcage. This is a sign that air bubbles had found their way into the deep tissue and muscles of the chest. This theory was confirmed using a computed tomography scan.

Due to the risk of serious complications, the patient was admitted to a hospital, where he was fed through a tube and given IV antibiotics until the swelling and pain had subsided. Seven days later, his condition had improved enough to be discharged.

The next time you feel a sneeze coming on, be sure to leave your nose un-pinched, since keeping this force inside could result in perforating your eardrum or even rupture of a cerebral aneurysm – none of which are worth being overly polite with your sneeze.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Holding your nose while sneezing may put you in the hospital

Often when we sneeze – especially in public situations –...

The public outcry that followed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-trump-tweets/">President Trump’s</a> “Muslim Ban” made headlines as thousands protested the ruling in airports across the country.

The order was soon struck down by the federal court, but the flood of information and emotion in opposition to the ban created a shift in public opinion, according to a new study. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.ucr.edu/">University of California, Riverside</a>,<a href="https://msu.edu/"> Michigan State University,</a> and the <a href="http://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a> found that the rhetoric calling the ruling “un-American” on social media and news coverage after the executive order was signed actually increased opposition to the ban. 

The researchers describe the shift as caused by "an influx of information portraying the ban as being at odds with egalitarian principles of American identity and religious liberty.” 

According to the study, in this rare instance public opinion on a major issue was influenced by the institution of American values like liberty and freedom of religion that many consider central to their identity.  

The study was published in the journal Political Behavior and the results were based on two surveys of the same group of people. 

311 people were surveyed both before and after the ban was announced and put into effect. The second survey, two weeks after the order was signed, showed more than 30 percent of responders changed their minds and opposed the order. 

Those whose opinions most drastically shifted considered American values a core part of their identity and were influenced by the anti-American nature of the ban that the media portrayed. 

Several news anchors, commentators, public figures, and journalists came out in open opposition to the ban, which only helped the movement gain traction especially when American ideals were called into question. 

The researchers tested their results against other major issues such as the Keystone Pipeline and the border wall and found that opposition did little to sway public opinion on these counts. 

With the Muslim ban, the fact that public opinion was swayed by American values shows that American identity is a strong motivator and could be used to change minds on important issues. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Study: Trump’s Muslim ban shifted public opinion against policy

The public outcry that followed President Trump’s “Muslim Ban” made...

Experts are now developing technology that may be able to translate some of the mysterious vocalizations of animals into English. This would not only help humans and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/easiest-pets-care/">animals</a> to communicate better, but may also enable humans to better care for animals.

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence systems are beginning to make animal language translation a reality. One new program, in particular, can interpret the calls of marmosets and report what the monkeys are saying.

Dr. Con Slobodchikoff of <a href="https://nau.edu/">Northern Arizona University</a> has studied prairie dogs for more than 30 years and has determined that they have “a sophisticated communication system that has all the aspects of language.” 

According to <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news">CBC News</a>, Dr. Slobodchikoff <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/technology/prairie-dogs-language-decoded-by-scientists-1.1322230">explained</a>: “They're able to describe the color of clothes the humans are wearing, they're able to describe the size and shape of humans, even, amazingly, whether a human once appeared with a gun.”

The Biology professor teamed up with a computer scientist to design an algorithm that will be able to turn prairie dog vocalizations into English. He has also created a company called Zoolingua, a team that is dedicated to developing a tool which will help humans to understand the verbal and non-verbal language of other animals as well. 

Dr. Slobodchikoff told CBC News, “We could potentially have something maybe the size of a cellphone in five to 10 years where a dog would say, ‘Woof’ and the device would say, ‘I want to eat chicken tonight,’ or a cat could say, ‘Meow’ and the device would say, ‘My litter box is filthy, please clean it.’" 

In a book entitled, “Chasing Doctor Dolittle: Learning the Language of Animals,” Dr. Slobodchikoff presents evidence of what he considers to be animal language according to his own research and also based on other scientific studies.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New translator technology could help us understand our pets

Experts are now developing technology that may be able to...

Just how bad are energy drinks for your health? For young people, the answer isn’t good. A new study has found that more than half of Canadian youths who have consumed energy drinks have experienced negative health effects.

Drinking the sugary, caffeine-laden beverages could be even riskier for young people than consuming coffee, the researchers found.

"Most risk assessments to date have used coffee as a reference for estimating the health effects of energy drinks; however, it is clear [energy drinks] pose a greater health risk," said Dr. David Hammond of the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/">University of Waterloo</a> in a press release about the study. "The health effects from energy [drinks] could be due to the different ingredients than coffee, or the ways in which they [are] consumed, including with alcohol or during physical activity; regardless, the findings suggest a need to increase surveillance of health effects from these products."

The study surveyed 2,055 young Canadians from the ages of 12 to 24. More than half of those who said they’d consumed energy drinks in the past reported that they’d also experienced negative health events they associated with the beverages, the researchers found.

Among the findings:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">24.7 percent reported experiencing a fast heartbeat</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">24.1 percent reported difficulty sleeping</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">18.3 percent reported experiencing headaches</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">5.1 percent reported nausea, vomiting or diarrhea</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">5 percent sought medical attention</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">3.6 percent reported experiencing chest pains</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">0.2 percent reported having a seizure</li>
</ul>
"The number of health effects observed in our study suggests that more should be done to restrict consumption among children and youths," Hammond said in the press release. "At the moment, there are no restrictions on children purchasing energy drinks, and they are marketed at the point-of-sale in grocery stores, as well as advertising that targets children."

The researchers believe the study supports regulations that would ban caffeinated energy drink makers from marketing the drinks to children and teens, as well as recommendations that people not drink them during athletic activities.

The study has been published in the <a href="http://cmajopen.ca/">Canadian Medical Association Journal Open</a>. 

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Are caffeinated energy drinks bad for young people's health?

Just how bad are energy drinks for your health? For...

A psychologist at the <a href="http://www.uclan.ac.uk/">University of Central Lancashire</a> is reporting that adversity gives our lives more meaning. Dr. Lowri Dowthwaite says that going through difficult times can make people more resilient and help them appreciate the good times more. 

Dr. Dowthwaite revealed her argument in an <a href="https://theconversation.com/true-happiness-isnt-about-being-happy-all-the-time-88600">article</a> for <a href="http://theconversation.com/au">The Conversation</a>. She wrote: “Recent research indicates that psychological flexibility is the key to greater happiness and well-being. For example, being open to emotional experiences and the ability to tolerate periods of discomfort can allow us to move towards a richer, more meaningful existence.”

The article highlights the ideas of Dr. Martin Seligman, who is a leading authority in the growing field of positive psychology. He believes that a life of meaning and engagement in both good and bad times can lead to higher life satisfaction. “Learned optimism" is Dr. Seligman's concept that pleasure and happiness can be learned and cultivated.

“Importantly, happiness experts have argued that happiness is not a stable, unchangeable trait but something flexible that we can work on and ultimately strive towards,” wrote Dr. Dowthwaite. She suggested that Dr. Seligman’s concept of life satisfaction simply requires a positive mindset and an optimistic outlook for the future.

Dr. Dowthwaite explained that living a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marriage-increased-happiness-later/">happy</a> life is not about avoiding hard times, but rather about “being able to respond to adversity in a way that allows you to grow from the experience.” She pointed out that unpleasant experiences can actually lead to deeper levels of joy.

“Research shows that experiencing adversity can actually be good for us, depending on how we respond to it,” said Dr. Dowthwaite. “Tolerating distress can make us more resilient and lead us to take action in our lives, such as changing jobs or overcoming hardship.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why difficult times can actually be important to our happiness

A psychologist at the University of Central Lancashire is reporting...

Ten years after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, researchers led by <a href="https://www.ethz.ch/en.html">ETH Zurich</a> set out to examine the long-term outcomes of rebuilding efforts in the Indonesian city of Banda Aceh and to evaluate how residents were affected. 

The experts analyzed the socioeconomic characteristics of residential areas and interviewed hundreds of people, including tsunami survivors, newcomers, community leaders, and government officials.

When the devastating tsunami struck, nearly half of the Aceh province was completely leveled and approximately 160,000 people were killed in this region alone. Although aid was provided to rebuild, many tsunami survivors did not return to the coast and chose to move further inland.

The study revealed that reconstruction in the coastal zone inadvertently caused socioeconomic segregation in the province, as many lower-income residents moved into rebuilt homes close to the coast where higher-income tsunami survivors no longer wished to live. The result is that lower-income residents are now disproportionately exposed to coastal hazards. 


“The reconstruction of Banda Aceh had a goal to ‘build back better,’" said study first author Jamie McCaughey. “While there were many successes, the reconstruction efforts did not always pan out as intended.”

When the study was conducted in 2014, the researchers found that nearly all of the rebuilt homes were inhabited. However, only half of the inhabitants were tsunami survivors. Around 40 percent of the people living in the new houses were lower-income renters from other regions who had not witnessed the tsunami.

Many tsunami survivors either never returned to live in the aid houses provided on their plots, or returned and soon left. “And some tsunami survivors who returned and ended up staying would like to move farther from the coast but cannot afford to do so,” added McCaughey.

This has ultimately caused a great divide in the urban population between poor residents who cannot afford to leave the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-first-tsunami-victim/">tsunami-prone</a> region and affluent residents who have moved inland. 

“Before the tsunami, people did not know about tsunami risk, so there was no socioeconomic segregation of tsunami-prone areas ,” explained McCaughey. “But now wealthier households tend to live further inland, while poorer households tend to live near the coast.”

The researchers pointed out that one way to avoid this type of segregation after future disasters is to give survivors a choice where they want to rebuild. 9 out of 10 survivors interviewed for the study said that they were not given a choice, and aid was provided to rebuild on the same plots that their homes previously stood on.

“Enabling people to choose where they rebuild would help those who truly wish to return to the coast to do so; at the same time, this may avoid the problems that arise from rebuilding more houses than wanted in hazard-exposed areas,” said McCaughey.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain">Nature Sustainability</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Reconstruction after tsunami resulted in Indonesia social divide

Ten years after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, researchers led...

A new survey from the marketing research company <a href="http://www.onepoll.com/">OnePoll</a> has revealed that many Americans have never left the country, and some have never even traveled out of their home state. 

Out of 2,000 American respondents, 792 have never ventured out of the United States. The researchers also found that 11 percent of people who were surveyed have never left the state they were born in.

More than half of Americans said that they have never owned a passport, while over 50 percent of people in the United States also reported that they have only visited ten states or less.

The majority of participants expressed a strong desire to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strong-feelings-knowledge-bed-bugs/">travel</a> more than they have in the past, and most of them reported being held back by financial issues or by not feeling prepared to travel. 63 percent of study participants said that a trip out of the country would not fit into their budgets.

Another 25 percent of respondents said they do not have enough time to travel, even though 85 percent of those polled said they like to experience new things and 60 percent have a list of places they hope to visit.

The survey was sponsored by the luggage and travel gear company Victorinox. 

“The results show that the vast majority of people have the desire to travel more but just haven't quite been able to make the leap yet,” said a representative of Victorinox. “There is so much to see and explore, not just internationally but domestically as well, and it's remarkable to see that so many people feel unprepared or don't have the travel luggage that enables them to pack up and set off.”

The researchers found that 13 percent of the participants did not own any luggage, while 30 percent have not purchased travel gear in at least six years.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

More than half of Americans have never owned a passport

A new survey from the marketing research company OnePoll has...

The newly unveiled “<a href="https://map.ox.ac.uk/accessibility_to_cities_news/">global map of accessibility</a>” illustrates how long it would take to get to a major city from anywhere on the planet.

The map was created for the organization the <a href="https://map.ox.ac.uk/">Malaria Atlas Project (MAP)</a> to help show how some regions of the world are at risk of not having access to health care. It is part of MAP’s mission to assess malaria risks worldwide and implement the best intervention methods against the mosquito-borne disease.

According to the <a href="http://www.who.int/malaria/en/">World Health Organisation</a> (WHO), in 2016 there were 216 million recorded cases of malaria worldwide. 

According to MAP, the organization aims to “work together to assemble global databases on malaria risk and intervention coverage and develop innovative analysis methods that use those data to address critical questions.” 

The map was created by researchers at the <a href="https://www.bdi.ox.ac.uk/">Big Data Institute</a> at the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> and could help save lives. 

Data was collected from Open Street Maps and Google in order to capture representations of transportations networks across the globe. 

These networks were fed into engines that produced color-coded maps that showed how long it would take for a person anywhere in the world to travel to a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-life-sunrise-sunset/">city</a> with a population of at least 50,000. 

The map highlights the gaps where access to healthcare is difficult, which is critical for implementing changes to improve quality of healthcare and living for those isolated from city services. 

“Cities concentrate activities that promote and sustain human wellbeing including banking, education, employment, and healthcare services,” says the MAPS team “Identifying populations that have poor access to urban centers provides an important data source for enacting and assessing progress on the Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nations.”

The research team also notes the accessibility map will help mitigate the possibility of habitat degradation with infrastructure and economic changes made to improve healthcare access in rural areas. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Image Credit: 2018 OpenStreetMap contributors, creative commons attribution 4.0

Map shows how long it takes to get to a major city from anywhere

The newly unveiled “global map of accessibility” illustrates how long...

For many busy people of all ages, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scent-reduce-stress/">stress</a> is often thought of as an inescapable part of life. But in many cases, stress can actually make you physically sick.

Besides affecting emotions and behavior, stress symptoms can cause headaches, muscle tension, and stomach issues.

Now, a new study reveals the science behind how stress can aggravate certain cells and cause allergic reactions or even disease. 

The study was conducted Adam Moeser, a researcher from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a>, who specializes in stress-induced diseases. 

Moeser’s work illustrates how the stress receptor CRF1 interacts with immune cells called mast cells and can control the cells’ defense response to allergens. 

For example, when exposed to a severe allergy or high-level stress, histamine can cause a major allergic reaction. Histamine is a chemical substance in the body that helps get rid of irritants and allergens, and stress can amplify the histamine’s normal response. 

“Mast cells become highly activated in response to stressful situations the body may be experiencing,” said Moeser. “When this happens, CRF1 tells these cells to release chemical substances that can lead to inflammatory and allergic diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, life-threatening food allergies and autoimmune disorders such as lupus.” 

Moeser conducted several lab experiments with mice, studying how the mice were impacted by either allergic or physiological stress. 

One group of mice had normal CRF1 receptors on the mast cells, while a second group had the CRF1 receptors removed from their cells. 

The CRF1 deficient mice showed decreased levels of disease regardless of the type of stress they were exposed to. Allergic stress exposures resulted in a 54 percent reduction in disease and the physiological stress correlated with a 63 percent decrease in disease. 

“While the 'normal' mice exposed to stress exhibited high histamine levels and disease, the mice without CRF1 had low histamine levels, less disease and were protected against both types of stress,” said Moeser. “This tells us that CRF1 is critically involved in some diseases initiated by these stressors.” 

The research could help create new treatments for stress-induced diseases like asthma and irritable bowel syndrome, and serves as a reminder to monitor stress levels in the interest of your own health.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

How stress can make you sick and induce allergies

For many busy people of all ages, stress is often...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC) compared the differences in sexual activity between women who live in the country and women who live  in the city. The statistics show that women in rural areas generally have sex earlier than women in urban areas. Females who grow up in the country also tend to have more children, according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db297.htm">study findings</a>.

The CDC conducted the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) for their investigation, which involved 10,000 women in the United States between the ages of 18 and 44. 

People living in rural America are perceived as being more religious, so the fact that rural females have <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/christmas-sex-september-births/">sex</a> before urban females comes as a surprise. The study revealed that women in urban areas become sexually active at 16.6 years of age on average, while women in the city start having sex around 17.4 years old.

In addition, the survey showed that a higher percentage of women in the country have three or more children compared to women in the city. 41.6 percent of urban women do not have any children, while only 30.3 percent of rural women are childless.

More women living in rural areas were also found to use the most effective methods of contraception, such as contraceptive sterilization or intrauterine device, in the past year compared with women in urban areas.

Furthermore, there was little difference in the percentages of women who reported being currently married or living with a partner, yet a higher percentage of women living in rural areas reported being formerly married and not currently cohabiting.

The NSFG collects data on fertility, cohabitation, marriage, use of contraception, and reproductive health. More information can be found on the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg/index.htm">NSFG website</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

Women in rural areas start having sex at a younger age

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" 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.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

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" 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.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

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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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

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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