Imagine your child being able to enjoy the simple pleasure of a peanut butter sandwich without worrying about a potential allergic reaction. For parents of children with peanut allergies, this may no longer be a distant dream, but an attainable reality.



Researchers have found a promising new treatment strategy and the secret ingredient is regular, store-bought <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/midnight-snack-the-best-foods-for-a-good-nights-sleep/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">peanut butter</a>.



The study revealed that, after ingesting peanut butter at incremental doses over an 18-month period, all children with a moderate level of peanut allergy were able to consume three tablespoons of peanut butter without an allergic reaction.



This presents a potential solution for many children with mild to moderate peanut allergies who have a higher tolerance threshold, which equates to tolerating at least half a peanut.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-breakthrough-for-peanut-allergies">A breakthrough for peanut allergies</h2>



"Children with high-threshold peanut allergy couldn't participate in previous food allergy treatment trials, leaving them without opportunities to explore treatment options," noted <a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NIAID</a> Director Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo.



"Today’s report focuses on this population and shows that a very safe and accessible form of therapy could be liberating for many of these children and their families."



While existing FDA-approved food allergy treatments are primarily designed for children with low-threshold peanut allergy, the recent study offers a glimpse of hope for an estimated 800,000 U.S. children who have high-threshold peanut allergy.



Before now, their only management strategy has been peanut avoidance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



The researchers aimed to identify whether a simple, low-cost treatment could help children with high-threshold peanut allergies tolerate an even greater amount of peanut protein.



The mid-stage trial was conducted with a diverse group of 73 children, aged between 4 and 14 years. 



The children were randomly assigned to either implement the new treatment strategy or persist with their peanut avoidance regimen.



Those following the new protocol started with a daily dose of 1/8 teaspoon of peanut butter, which was gradually increased every eight weeks to a maximum of one tablespoon. 



This increase was carefully monitored by medical professionals with minimal reported cases of severe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-500000-americans-are-now-allergic-to-red-meat-because-they-were-bitten-by-a-tick/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">allergic</a> reactions during the treatment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exceptional-success-rate">Exceptional success rate</h2>



After successful completion of the treatment plan, the children participated in an oral food challenge to evaluate how much peanut butter they could consume without an allergic reaction. 



All of the children who completed this challenge successfully tolerated up to 9 grams of peanut protein, which is equivalent to 3 tablespoons of peanut butter.



This was in stark contrast to the avoidance group, where only a fraction of the children could tolerate this amount.



The trial notably took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, with certain essential logistical restrictions.



Nevertheless, using statistical techniques to account for missing results, the study showed an exceptional success rate among the children in the trial who were exposed to increasing amounts of peanut butter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peanut-tolerance-a-lasting-effect">Peanut tolerance: A lasting effect?</h2>



After the initial treatment, the children continued to ingest 2 tablespoons of peanut butter weekly for 16 weeks, then avoided <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/peanuts-have-a-beneficial-impact-on-vascular-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">peanuts</a> entirely for eight weeks.



The children returned to the study site for a final oral food challenge after this period. The sustained success rates were impressive, with over 86% of the treated children continuing to tolerate peanut protein.



Follow-up trials are needed to determine whether the therapy has a long-lasting effect on peanut tolerance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-food-allergy-treatments">Expanding food allergy treatments</h2>



The researchers are now exploring whether similar strategies could be applied to other common allergens, such as tree nuts, eggs, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beef-and-dairy-contain-a-powerful-cancer-fighting-nutrient/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dairy</a>.



If effective, this approach could revolutionize allergy management, reducing the burden of strict food avoidance and offering a more inclusive diet for millions of individuals.



Additionally, experts highlight the importance of accessibility. Unlike existing FDA-approved treatments that rely on pharmaceutical interventions, this method of desensitization uses an affordable, widely available food product. This makes it a practical and scalable solution for families worldwide.



Looking ahead, the experts aim to conduct larger, long-term studies to confirm the durability of peanut tolerance and assess whether sustained exposure is necessary for lifelong immunity.



Ultimately, the research could reshape food allergy treatment and offer renewed hope to families navigating the challenges of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indoor-pets-reduce-the-risk-of-food-allergies-in-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food allergies</a>.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://evidence.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/EVIDoa2400306" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NEJM Evidence</a>.



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New therapy may help reduce peanut allergies in children

Imagine your child being able to enjoy the simple pleasure of a peanut butter sandwich without worrying about a potential allergic reaction. For parents of children with peanut allergies, this may no longer be a distant dream, but an attainable reality. Researchers have found a promising new treatment strategy and the secret ingredient is regular, store-bought peanut butter. The study revealed that, after ingesting peanut butter at incremental doses over an 18-month period, all children with a moderate level of peanut allergy were able to consume three...

An Italian research team has used science to determine how to make better sausage. According to their findings, the researchers say that allowing sausages to ferment spontaneously produces a superior flavor.

Bacteria that originate in sausage are responsible for making spontaneous fermentation happen, but commercial starter cultures are often used as an alternative method of starting this process.

"Usually, initial conditions select 'good microbiota,' which start the fermentation," said study co- author Luca Cocolin of the <a href="https://en.unito.it/">University of Turin</a>. But, she explained, "it is hard to control spontaneous fermentation, because even if the conditions for their development are correct, the bacteria don't always initiate the process."

Furthermore, “more rigorous controls have to be implemented in order to guarantee the product's safety," said Dr. Cocolin. She explained that the combination of all of these factors is why the use of starter cultures makes fermentation much easier.

The researchers developed a study to better understand the underlying microorganisms and biochemical reactions involved in both fermentation processes, natural and induced. They believed that this information could be used to improve the overall quality of the final product.

"My laboratory has been involved in meat fermentation since the '90s, and considering the importance of the fermented sausage in Italy, at gastronomic, traditional, and economic levels, we wanted to investigate better the role of spontaneous biota and inoculated starters in the fermentation process," said Dr. Cocolin.

The team used Next Generation Sequencing techniques to identify the relevant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/couples-together-share-microbes/">microbes</a> and map the metabolic pathways. Additionally, they used a methodology that enabled them to determine and quantify the metabolites produced during fermentation.

The investigators found an increase in the density of lactic acid bacteria and Staphylococcaceae in the inoculated meat samples compared to the meat that fermented spontaneously. Lactobacillus sakei and L. curvatus were the most abundant strains of bacteria present in the meat that fermented spontaneously. 

"The over-activity of the starter culture-inoculated sausages resulted in increased acetic acid and short chain fatty acids," said Dr. Cocolin. These compounds added flavors that were described by Dr. Cocolin as "pungent, vinegar, cheesy, and weedy.” The spontaneously fermented sausages had flavors of "fruity wine, waxy sweet apricot, and banana brandy,"according to study co-author Ilario Ferrocino. He said that “the greater presence of medium and long chain fatty esters enhanced the sensory profile of these sausages.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://aem.asm.org/">Applied and Environmental Microbiology</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Using science to make a better tasting sausage

An Italian research team has used science to determine how...

A new study suggests that people who have personality traits that match their jobs will make more money than employees with attributes which are not suited for the demands of their job positions.

Jaap J. A. Denissen of <a href="https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/">Tilburg University</a> is the study’s lead author.

"Our findings show that looking at the combination of personality traits and job demands is key to predict important outcomes, like income," said Denissen. "This updates the notion that you only have to look at the personality traits of an individual to predict his or her life outcomes. Our results indicate that it's more complex: You also have to take that person's environment into account."

Previous research has identified personality traits which are generally helpful in a work environment. People who are highly conscientious, for example, are associated with hard work, organization, and trustworthiness.

But now, the research team is challenging this idea that there is one ideal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/adopting-pet-fits-personality/">personality</a> type. They theorize that matching an individual’s traits to the demands of the job may be the most important factor for successful employment.

To measure the match between an individual and a job position, the researchers used the Big Five personality traits to first establish which traits are required by particular jobs. Next, the team evaluated existing data on the personality profiles, income, and jobs of 8,458 individuals living in Germany. 

The participants completed surveys on the Big Five traits, rating personality-related statements by how much they identified with them. The statements measured characteristics such open-mindedness and agreeability.

Two psychologists with expertise in occupational issues analyzed each of the jobs reported by participants for its ideal levels of Big Five traits. For example, they established that a bookkeeper required the lowest level of extraversion, while an actor required a very high level of extraversion.

Using a statistical technique called response surface analysis, the research team created a 3D model that identified how each employee's personality traits and the ideal personality traits for each job contributed to employee income.

The study revealed that a good match really does matter, particularly when it comes to extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience. For these three traits, a greater correspondence between personality and job demands was linked with higher income.

The study showed that the level of congruence between character traits and the demands of a job was also significant. There were some employees who were more agreeable, more conscientious, or more open to experiences than their jobs required, causing them to earn less than employees who displayed congruent levels of those traits. In some cases, having too little of a given trait was actually less costly than having too much.

"From a practical perspective, companies should be interested in these results because they imply that it's really important to invest in solid personality assessment," said Denissen. "And individuals should care because our findings suggest that if they manage to find jobs that fit their personalities, they can earn more money."

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/home/pss">Psychological Science</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study: You make more money if your job matches your personality

A new study suggests that people who have personality traits...

Researchers have determined that an underground commute may be harmful to your health. A study from the <a href="https://viterbischool.usc.edu/">USC Viterbi School of Engineering</a> has found that underground transit routes are likely to contain higher levels of carcinogens in the air.

90 percent of the 4.5 million people that make up the workforce in Los Angeles spend an average of one hour each day commuting. The research team set out to examine potential environmental benefits of different modes of transportation in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/watering-lawns-lost-gallons-water/">Los Angeles</a> area.

Using devices with particle sensors, the researchers collected air samples along major commuter routes, including freeways I-110 and I-710, the Metro Red and Gold Lines, as well as Wilshire and Sunset Boulevards. These sites represented a range of traffic and environmental conditions.

Diesel-fueled commercial trucks transporting cargo are frequently traveling on the 710, while the 110 allows only non-commercial vehicles across much of its length. The streets surveyed by the team also have much less commercial traffic. 

In addition, the Gold Line is a light rail that is above ground and the older Red Line travels entirely underground.

The researchers used cancer potency factors obtained from the EPA and California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). They calculated cancer and non-cancerous health risks based on a lifetime of exposure commuting one hour a day, five days a week, for 30 years of employment.

The study revealed that the maximum Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk for the Red Line was ten-times higher than the acceptable threshold of one-in-a-million. This was caused by high levels of hexavalent chromium measured in the air of the train cars. The researchers said this was likely due to a buildup of dust resulting from friction on the steel tracks and also due to the lack of ventilation on the underground line. 

The study authors pointed out that the Red Line is the most used of the six Los Angeles Metro lines, accounting for about 40 percent of total commutes on these rail lines annually.

Although the team found some measurable concentrations of hexavalent chromium along the other routes, including inside personal automobiles, the maximum Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk for these routes was found to be within the safety threshold. Overall, the lowest levels of hexavalent chromium and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were found within the Metro Gold Line.

The design of the Red Line, which does not have open windows and has a ventilation system, actually prevented even higher concentrations of carcinogens inside the train cars.

"What we report is actually the absolute, most protective case scenario for the Red Line," said study author Constantinos Sioutas. "The initial premise of our study was to prove that you are better off not driving and instead taking the subway and the light rail. We proved part of the point with the light rail, but we were completely refuted insofar as the Red Line because of the chromium levels.”

The researchers believe that other underground subway systems are likely to have similar issues. They explained that individuals who spend more time in the subway have a higher health risk.


The research is published in <a href="http://www.aaqr.org/">Aerosol and Air Quality Research</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

An underground commute may pose serious health risks

Researchers have determined that an underground commute may be harmful...

If you’ve been present here on Earth for the last few years, you probably noticed the dramatic increase in the number of extreme weather events and natural disasters around the world. In fact, scientists have determined that in recent decades, there has been a significant increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather climate-related events worldwide. These events are associated with warming temperatures globally, and include occurrences such as monsoons and droughts in India, the destructive hurricane in Puerto Rico, and major flooding in Houston, Texas. 

With <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a> increasing the frequency of these events, it’s important that we better understand how human health can be affected in the long-term by natural disasters. Increased understanding may help to develop more effective approaches for planning and response. This was the goal of a recent study published in the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/uawm20">Journal of the Air &amp; Waste Management Association</a>.

Dr. Jesse Bell of <a href="https://ncics.org/">North Carolina Institute of Climate Studies</a> and colleagues stress that properly preparing for a disaster response should entail understanding the many complex ways in which these events affect human health. Immediate injuries are one obvious factor, but there are other indirect or delayed health effects that are often overlooked, including mental health impacts.

The authors warn that as the climate changes, planning for these disasters based on historical examples alone will be unlikely to provide the complete picture of potential health threats. With climate change becoming more of a factor, historical norms alone aren’t going to be sufficient for linking extreme weather events to long-term health outcomes.

It is suggested that healthcare facilities should work to determine their vulnerabilities in local infrastructure in order to be fully prepared for a natural disaster. Issues such as overcrowding, loss of power, reduction of staff, and problematic location could play a major part in exacerbating short and long-term health problems. 

“Some of the associations between extreme events and health are already understood,” the authors say. “But many opportunities exist for exploring additional linkages and pathways.” Along with further research, there should be an increased effort to coordinate institutional, government, and private sector programs in order to help with recovery after a natural disaster as assist in rebuilding necessary infrastructure, while also supporting the public.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

What are the long-term health effects of natural disasters?

If you’ve been present here on Earth for the last...

The idea of “love at first sight” has been a popular trope for years, but a new study has found that those feelings of instant attraction are not love. 

According to researchers from the <a href="http://www.rug.nl/?lang=en">University of Groningen </a>in the Netherlands, love at first sight, or LAFS, is a commonly used but rarely scientifically studied phenomenon. Ultimately though, those initial feelings are more about <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/romantic-attraction-predicted/">physical attraction</a> and lust. 

LAFS could be the result of several factors including infatuation and biased memory, but for this study, the researchers wanted to take a more scientific approach and examine a person’s reasons for falling in love at first sight. 

For the study, the researchers asked participants to respond to an online survey and take part in three dating events. The events were face-to-face dating, speed dating, and an informal gathering for mingling where the researchers provided food.  

There were 396 volunteers for the study, and the researchers had the participants fill out questionnaires before any of the dating events. 

After analyzing the survey responses, the questionnaires, and the different dates, the results show that a majority of the participants did not mention love at first sight or say they experienced it. 

In fact, LAFS was only brought up 49 times by 32 different individuals. No matter how many times LAFS was reported, the researchers noted that love at first sight in the study was strongly linked to levels of attractiveness. 

For every one unit increase of physical attraction, the probability of love at first sight being mentioned was nine times greater. 

“As hypothesized, those who reported LAFS experienced strong physical attraction toward their dates,” said the study authors. “Physical attraction strongly increased the likelihood of LAFS.”

The research is a major step forward in differentiating emotions of attraction. By taking love at first sight out of romance stories and putting it in a lab setting, it’s easier to deconstruct and identify where those initial knee-jerk feelings of high attraction come from. In this case, it turns out those emotions are more linked to desirability and physical attraction than long-term perspective.

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Love at first sight has little to do with love, study finds

The idea of “love at first sight” has been a...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cold-winter-weather-later/">Winter</a> is coming in the Northern hemisphere, and for many colder places that means the arrival of snow and ice – always a hazard for drivers and pedestrians alike. However, new research published in <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/laps20">Applied Spectroscopy Reviews</a> suggests an improved, safer method for dealing with dangerous icy roads.

Researchers have detected a substance known as hydrohalite that forms on icy roads and can be very problematic for drivers. Because it does not respond to de-icing or road surface salting, hydrohalite usually stays on the road. Although it isn’t visible to the naked eye, this substance presents a major threat to all drivers if left untreated.

In order to test for a solution to removing hydrohalite, Dr. Rolf W. Berg – associate professor in the <a href="http://www.dtu.dk/english">Technical University of Denmark</a>’s Department of Chemistry – and colleagues recreated the conditions under which hydrohalite forms. During their experiments, they found that this substance can be easily detected by using Raman instruments, which are small laser devices that can identify the structure of a molecule and the presence of a substance.

If Raman instruments were installed in salt-spreading trucks and snow plows, either an automated system or the driver would be able to determine where the substance needs to be removed. In doing so, they could switch to a more appropriate de-icer for hydrohalite removal, which would consist of one mixed with sand and gravel.

“Equipping salt-spreading trucks with Raman detectors - essentially small boxes which would sit underneath the vehicles - would be a relatively straightforward solution,” says Berg, “potentially reducing the number of road traffic accidents and even saving lives.”

With millions of car accidents occurring in the U.S. alone each year, finding ways to improve road safety and thus decrease accidents is always a welcome area of study.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New laser technology could help clear up icy roads in the winter

Winter is coming in the Northern hemisphere, and for many...

There’s no denying global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a>... unless of course you specifically try and ignore facts. A new study has found that popular climate change denying websites and blogs do just that, by relying only on other blogs and websites instead of taking facts from scientific studies. 

Unfortunately, no matter how contestable the less than reputable stories are, there are many people who take information as fact, regardless of the source. 

On one side you have science-driven arguments, proving that an increase in greenhouse gas emissions caused by human-driven activities is warming our planet. On the other side, you have climate change deniers, who call the whole thing a hoax.

Researchers from the <a href="https://nioo.knaw.nl/en">Netherlands Institute of Ecology</a> examined climate blogs and found that even though climate deniers had almost no basis in fact, they had a much stronger social media influence than science-based blogs. 

“We found a major gap between the facts from scientific literature and the science-based blogs on the one hand, and the opinions aired in climate-change denying blogs on the other,” said Jeff Harvey, the first author of the study. “It's a very dangerous gap, as these blogs are read by millions.” 

According to the study authors, polar bears are the “poster species” of anthropogenic global warming. Polar bears, melting sea ice, weather extremes, these are all used as evidence of the impacts of global climate change. 

However, blogs devoted to climate change denial often downplay or disregard how climate change is negatively affecting polar bears and cast doubt on climate change arguments.  

For the study, the researcher read through 90 climate blogs and 92 scientific papers. Of those, 45 denier blogs didn’t include peer-reviewed evidence in the scientific papers and instead took their information from other climate denying blogs. 

80 percent of the climate-denying blogs got their facts from one blog that had no original research. 

45 of the science-based blogs did match up with the scientific papers, but there was a major gap between the blogs based in scientific fact and the ones just borrowing information from other similar blogs and websites. 

The researchers say this study is an opportunity to show how science-based blogs and climate change scientists can combat deniers by engaging more with the public on social media platforms. 

“Scientists, climb down from your desk and start to counter the misinformation on social media directly - and via the traditional media as well,” said Harvey. “Engage with the public via the blogosphere or citizen science for example. And very importantly, adjust your focus to what is clear instead of all the uncertain things still to be studied.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Ian Sterling

Fact vs opinion: Battling climate change misinformation online

There’s no denying global climate change... unless of course you...

Although stressful conditions cause infants to have a greater brain response to pain, this experience is not apparent in their behavior. According to new research, stress triggers a disconnect between brain activity and behavior in babies.

"When newborn babies experience a painful procedure, there is a reasonably well coordinated increase in their brain activity and their behavioral responses, such as crying and grimacing,"said study co-author Laura Jones of the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>. "Babies who are stressed have a larger response in the brain following a painful procedure. But, for these babies, this greater brain activity is no longer matched by their behavior."

The research team set out to determine if stress causes more pain in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-intuition/">babies</a>, which is often the case with adults. The researchers examined 56 healthy newborns, measuring their stress levels based on heart rate patterns and the stress hormone cortisol. 

Stress was measured both before and after the babies underwent a minor procedure. Pain response was measured using EEG brain activity and facial expression.

The study showed that babies with higher levels of stress showed a bigger brain reaction to the procedure. This heightened brain activity, however, was not matched by the behavior of the babies.

While the increased brain response to stress did not come as a surprise, the researchers expected that the behavior of the babies would reflect their intensified perception of pain.

According to Laura Jones, the findings of the research reinforce the need to treat and care for babies in ways that minimize both pain and stress. Even though the brain is processing the pain, stressed babies may not appear to be experiencing more pain.

"This means that caregivers may underestimate a baby's pain experience," said Jones.

The researchers plan to explore how previous experiences may also influence the way newborns process and respond to pain. The study is published in <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Stress causes babies pain that they can’t express

Although stressful conditions cause infants to have a greater brain...

An interdisciplinary team of researchers has discovered that the genetic makeup of skin pigmentation is much more elaborate than previously realized. Despite the fact that skin pigmentation is almost entirely inherited, it is far from uncomplicated.

Previous research has suggested that the genetics of human skin color are simple and straightforward. It has been assumed that a small number of genes account for about half of pigment variation. These studies, however, were primarily based only on northern Eurasian populations.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.broadinstitute.org/">Broad Institute</a>, <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>, and <a href="http://www.stonybrook.edu/">Stony Brook University</a> focused an investigation on the KhoeSan, a group of populations native to southern Africa. Over the course of seven years, the research team spent time with the KhoeSan, interviewing individuals and taking measurements of height, age, gender, and skin color. 

Samples for nearly 400 people were individually genotyped and compared to a dataset that included 5,000 representatives of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insecticide-resistance-spreads-africa/">Africa</a>, Asia, and Europe. The study revealed that the genetics of skin pigmentation became progressively complex the closer that populations were to the equator. The number of genes involved in skin color, both known and unknown, also increased in the direction of the equator.

"Africa has the greatest amount of phenotypic variability in skin color, and yet it's been underrepresented in large scale endeavors," said study co-author Alicia Martin. "There are some genes that are known to contribute to skin pigmentation, but by and large there are many more new genes that have not been discovered."

Study co-author Brenna Henn added, "We need to spend more time focusing on these understudied populations in order to gain deeper genetic insights.”

The widely accepted theory has been that "directional selection" moves pigmentation in a single direction, from dark to light in high latitudes and from light to dark in lower latitudes. But now, the findings of this study introduce a system that is much more complex. 

The concept of directional selection seems to hold up in far northern latitudes. As populations move closer to the equator, however, an increasing number of genes begin to influence variability.

"Southern African KhoeSan ancestry appears to neither lighten or darken skin," said Martin. "Rather, it just increases variation. In fact, the KhoeSan are approximately fifty percent lighter than equatorial Africans. Ultimately, in northern latitudes pigmentation is more homogenous, while in lower latitudes, it's more diverse--both genetically and phenotypically."

The study appears in the November 30 issue of <a href="http://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The color of human skin is more complicated than experts thought

An interdisciplinary team of researchers has discovered that the genetic...

New government-backed refrigeration guidance out of the United Kingdom is suggesting that fruit produce such as apples, oranges, and pears should be kept in the fridge in order to keep them fresher longer. What is big government doing in my fridge, you ask? Well, the research was conducted in an effort to cut down food waste as well as simplify labeling on certain foods. 

According to the <a href="http://www.wrap.org.uk/">Waste and Resources Action Programme</a> (WRAP), refrigerating these types of produce could add three days to their shelf life. For perishable foods, the best way to store them for longevity is in the original packaging in a fridge where the temperature is kept below 5°C. 

WRAP has issued new labeling guidance to supermarkets, recommending a blue fridge logo be added to certain food packaging alongside a label saying “store in the fridge below 5°C.” WRAP says, “Only one third of UK fridges are set within the recommended temperature range, below 5°C, and another third operate above 9°C. Ensuring the correct temperatures for household fridges and storing the right foods in the fridge can add an average of three days life to food, and save households £280 million a year.”

They believe that this measure, along with additional simplification of food labels, might cut <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/14-billion-dollars-edible-foods-trashed/">food waste</a> by 350,000 tons per year by 2023, and save consumers £1 billion. Other measures such as reducing the number of date labels on products to reduce confusion and reinstating a snowflake logo on all products suitable for freezing.

Products past their “best before” date can be eaten safely (according to WRAP) and can also be redistributed to food banks and other charities. They say that making this clear would mean the potential to increase food redistribution four-fold by 2025, the equivalent of at least 360 million meals a year.

WRAP says, “to tackle household food waste there needs to be a shift in actions taken at home and we are calling on people to love their labels; stressing that we all need to take the time to note these important guides, understand what they tell us – and act on this advice.” These guides are backed by the government and the Food Standards Agency (FSA)

All food businesses are also encouraged to use WRAP’s guidelines in order to help inform their customers on proper refrigeration and overall safe food consumption. The Chairman of the FSA, Heather Hancock, believes that these new guidelines would reduce food waste without compromising safety.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New guidelines say fruit should be kept in the fridge, not a bowl

New government-backed refrigeration guidance out of the United Kingdom is...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a> have found that excess weight in childhood is a strong predictor of adult obesity. At the current rate of child obesity, over half of the children living in the United States today will be obese at age 35. 

"Adult obesity is linked with increased risk of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer," said study lead author Zachary Ward. "Our findings highlight the importance of prevention efforts for all children as they grow up, and of providing early interventions for children with obesity to minimize their risk of serious illness in the future."

The researchers combined advanced computational methods with a new statistical approach to account for long-term <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-fast-bad-heart/">weight gain</a> trends in the United States. Using height and weight data from five longitudinal studies of 41,567 individuals, they developed 1,000 virtual populations of children.

Each simulated population contained 1 million children up to age 19 to represent the population of the United States in 2016. Next, the researchers predicted height and weight trajectories from childhood to age 35.

The results of the study showed that obesity will be an issue for over 57 percent of children in the United States as they grow older. Out of all of the children projected to have adult obesity, half will develop it as children. 

The authors of the study explained that excess weight gained during childhood can put children on a course that is difficult to change. The research demonstrated that 75 percent of overweight two-year-olds will still have obesity at age 35.

Severe obesity, which currently affects 4.5 million children in the United States, increases the risk of adult obesity even more. For example, severely obese five-year-olds only have a 1 in 10 chance of not having obesity at age 35. 

The study also revealed that children without weight issues still run a high risk of adult obesity. Many of the youths projected to have obesity as adults are not yet dealing with excess weight in childhood. Furthermore, Hispanic and African Americans are more likely than Caucasians to experience obesity between the ages of 2 and 35.

"It is critically important to implement policies and programs to prevent excess weight gain, starting at an early age,” said study senior author Steven Gortmaker. “Plenty of cost-effective strategies have been identified that promote healthy foods, beverages, and physical activity within school and community settings."

The research will be published in the November 30, 2017 issue of the <a href="http://www.nejm.org/">New England Journal of Medicine</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

Over 50 percent of kids in the U.S. will become obese adults

Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health...

A recent Pew Research Center study found that almost half of Americans surveyed (46%) say that they could not live without their smartphones. 

To the average American, this finding likely isn’t very surprising. You don’t have to go far in public to see a wide variety of people with their heads down staring at their phone. However, there has been a growing concern that young people may be spending too much time looking at their phones instead of interacting with those around them. This has led scientists to try to determine the effects this may have on the growing brain.

Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), <a href="http://www.korea.edu/">Korea University</a>’s professor of neuroradiology Dr. Hyung Suk Seo and his colleagues attempted to gain insight into the brains of smartphone- and internet-addicted teenagers.

Their study analyzed the brains of 38 young people with a mean age of 15.5 years. Half of those surveyed had been diagnosed with internet or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smartphones-kids-less-sleep/">smartphone</a> addiction, while the other half were controls. As part of the study, twelve of the addicted participants received nine weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy, modified from a cognitive therapy program for gaming addiction.

The researchers used standardized internet and smartphone addiction tests to measure the severity of internet addiction amongst the subjects. Questions on these tests revolved around the extent to which internet and smartphone use affects daily routines, productivity, social life, sleeping patterns, and feelings. The higher a participant scored on the tests, the more severe their addiction. The results showed that addicted teenagers had significantly higher scores in depression, anxiety, insomnia severity, and impulsivity.

Prior to the behavioral therapy, the researchers performed MRS exams on addicted youth and a single MRS study on the control patients in order to measure levels of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). They also measured levels of glutamate-glutamine (Glx). GABA is a neurotransmitter in the brain that inhibits or slows down brain signals, while Glx is a neurotransmitter that causes neurons to become more electrically excited.

The MRS results revealed that the ratio of GABA to Glx was significantly increased in the anterior cingulate cortex of smartphone- and internet-addicted youth prior to therapy when compared to the healthy controls. According to Dr. Seo, the ratios of GABA to creatine and GABA to glutamate were significantly correlated to clinical scales of internet and smartphone addictions, anxiety, and depression. Having too much GABA is linked to side effects such as drowsiness and anxiety.

More research will need to be done in order to flesh out the clinical implications of this study. However, Dr. Seo believes that the increased GABA in the cingulate gyrus shown in smartphone and internet addicts could be related to the functional loss of integration and regulation of processing in the cognitive and emotional neural network. 

Luckily, the GABA to Glx ratios in addicted youth dropped significantly or returned to normal levels after cognitive behavioral therapy. Dr. Seo believes that understanding the pathophysiology behind why addiction leads to these problems will help us better understand and treat these 21st century addictions.

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Addiction to smartphones causes imbalances in your brain

A recent Pew Research Center study found that almost half...

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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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[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...