Marriage or long-term relationships often seem like the societal norm. However, a growing number of people choose to remain single for life. While singlehood offers independence and freedom, it may also pose challenges, especially in later years.&nbsp;



A new study published in the journal Psychological Science takes a deep look at people who have stayed single their whole lives, revealing important differences in both their life satisfaction and personality traits compared to those in relationships.



The study was led by Dr. Julia Stern, a senior researcher at the University of Bremen in Germany.



Her team analyzed data from over 77,000 Europeans aged 50 and above, making it the first research of its kind to examine lifelong singles across different cultures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-single-life-more-than-just-relationship-status">Single life: More than just relationship status</h2>



The research team didn't just look at who was currently single. They dug deeper, creating different categories: people who never lived with a partner, those who never married, and those who never had any long-term relationship.



This detailed approach revealed something fascinating - people who had never been in a serious relationship showed lower scores in extraversion, openness, and life satisfaction compared to those who were currently single but had previous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-with-power-are-more-likely-to-cheat-on-their-partners/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relationship experience</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultural-context-matters">Cultural context matters</h2>



Your location as a single person can influence your life satisfaction. The study revealed that in countries with higher marriage rates, especially in southern Europe, single individuals tended to feel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-rejection-teaches-us-valuable-lessons-about-relationships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">less satisfied</a> with their lives.



This suggests that societal expectations around marriage might intensify feelings of isolation or inadequacy for singles in these regions. 



Surprisingly, the level of religiosity in a country didn’t significantly impact the life satisfaction of single people. This indicates that cultural norms about relationships play a more prominent role than religious influences in shaping their well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-age-and-gender-of-singles">Age and gender of singles</h2>



Here's a silver lining for older singles - the research found that they tend to be happier with their single status compared to middle-aged singles. 



Women who were single also reported higher life satisfaction than single men. 



Dr. Stern suggests that older singles might find more peace with their status once they're past the age where their peers are actively starting families and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/making-a-partner-jealous-hurts-relationships-much-more-often-than-it-helps/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">getting married</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-personality-differences-in-single-people">Personality differences in single people</h2>



One big question emerges: do certain personality types lead people to stay single, or does being single shape personality? The evidence points to the former. 



"It's more likely you have these selection effects: For example, people who are more extraverted are more likely to enter a relationship," explained Dr. Stern.



However, she emphasizes that these are average effects and don't apply to everyone - you'll find plenty of single extroverts and partnered introverts out there.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-single-people-report-lower-life-satisfaction">Single people report lower life satisfaction</h2>



The study's findings highlight significant health implications. 



Research has shown that life satisfaction and personality traits like extraversion and conscientiousness strongly influence health outcomes and even mortality. Individuals with higher levels of these traits tend to experience better physical and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/self-compassion-enhances-relationship-satisfaction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mental health</a>.



As people age and their reliance on support networks grows, these connections become even more critical. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-needs-of-older-singles">Addressing the needs of older singles</h2>



Lifelong singles, who often score lower on these traits and life satisfaction, may face heightened health risks. This emphasizes the importance of addressing their specific needs to promote healthier aging and overall well-being.



"When there are differences, they might be especially important in elderly people who face more health issues and financial issues," noted Dr. Stern. "They need more help, and the help is usually the partner."



This research highlights the need for better support systems for single people, especially as they age. Dr. Stern advocates for developing new programs that consider personality differences and help older singles connect with like-minded individuals. 



"If they have people who care for them or look out for them regularly, this might help," said Dr. Stern.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supporting-single-people">Supporting single people</h2>



As more people choose to live single lives, society needs to adapt. This research doesn't just highlight differences between singles and partnered individuals - it points to the urgent need for support systems that work for everyone, regardless of relationship status.



The findings call for creative solutions that go beyond the traditional family-centered approach to care and support. 



Whether through community programs, social networks, or healthcare systems, we need to ensure that single individuals have access to the same level of support and care that partnered people often receive through their relationships.



This research from <a href="https://www.uni-bremen.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bremen</a> marks an important step toward understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by lifelong singles. As our society continues to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-does-love-live-in-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evolve</a>, these insights could help shape more inclusive support systems that serve everyone, regardless of their relationship status.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09567976241286865" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Psychological Science</a>.



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Why do some people stay single their whole lives?

Marriage or long-term relationships often seem like the societal norm. However, a growing number of people choose to remain single for life. While singlehood offers independence and freedom, it may also pose challenges, especially in later years.&nbsp; A new study published in the journal Psychological Science takes a deep look at people who have stayed single their whole lives, revealing important differences in both their life satisfaction and personality traits compared to those in relationships. The study was led by Dr. Julia Stern, a senior researcher at...

A study from the <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/">Pew Research Center</a> reveals that most Americans only get science news a few times a month, and even then they stumble upon the information instead of seeking it out. 36 percent of Americans say they get science news more than a few times per week. 30 percent of those individuals report intentionally seeking it out, while only 17 percent of Americans report actively seeking out and consuming science news.

A survey of 4,024 U.S. adults shows that 54 percent of Americans rely on general news outlets for their science news. Despite this fact, Americans admit that specialty sources such as museums, science magazines and websites (like <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>!), and science documentaries are more likely to be accurate. In fact, nearly half of U.S. adults say that specialty sources have reliable science news most of the time, while only 28 percent believe general news sources get the science facts right most of the time.

With science information being increasingly at the center of public and political issues, it is surprising that more Americans are not actively pursuing it. The 17 percent minority of Americans who seek out science news and consume it most often are more engaged with science information in their personal lives and on social media. They are also more likely to have visited a park or museum in the last year and to have a science-related hobby.


The study reveals that only around 26 percent of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-helping-communities-manage-fires/">social media</a> users follow science accounts. 44 percent of individuals who use social media report seeing science news on these outlets that they have not seen elsewhere. 52 percent say that they mostly distrust the accuracy of the science posts, while 26 percent say they mostly trust science posts on social media.

The research also finds that Republicans and Democrats are equally likely to be active science news consumers and show similar levels of interest in science news. There is a notable difference, however, in opinions about how the media covers science. 64 percent of Democrats say that news media outlets do a good job of covering science compared with 50 percent of Republicans.

"Despite wide political divides in views about some science-related issues, such as climate change and energy, U.S. adults from both sides of the aisle are quite similar in their levels of interest, consumption, and tendency to get science news from general news outlets," explains researcher Amy Mitchell.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Poll: Science sites are more accurate than general news outlets

A study from the Pew Research Center reveals that most...

Exhibiting self-control means more than just harnessing your impulsive desires or exercising restraint. It can also refer to the day-to-day decisions you make to be your most productive and efficient self. 

Say you practice self-control all day, working hard, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/best-diet-longer-life/">eating right</a>, staying focused, and by the time you get home and wind down for the evening, you’re spent. Instead of exercising or doing a load of laundry, you decide to watch a few episodes of your favorite show. Is this because you’ve used up your allotted amount of self-control for the day? 

Previously, psychologists and scientists condoned the idea that self-control is limited, and exhibiting self-control throughout the day exhausts those resources.  

Any early studies that tried to conclusively prove that people lose motivation on tasks through the day, though, were unable to do so with sufficient evidence. 

But now, a new study from the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto</a> has found that self-control is not a finite resource, although we may experience fatigue at the end of the day.

The study was led by Daniel Randles and was published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182980">PLOS ONE</a>.

Randles found that self-control doesn’t necessarily diminish throughout the day, but what is mentally taxing is the amount of focus and time spent on a single task. Randles also discovered that time of day does not affect motivation.

For the study, Randles and his team collaborated with Cerego, an online software company that provided online tests to two groups of students over seventeen-week intervals.

The tests were based around language and topic learning, and the researchers recorded how long the students spent per session and what time they performed the tasks.  

The results of the tests showed that time of day had no impact on a student’s completing a test. 

“Time-of-day has no detrimental effect on motivation; rather there is a strong tendency to increase learning time at night,” said Randall.

The researchers found that what did affect performance was the amount of time spent on a single task, noting drops in performance after an hour had been spent on a test. 

The research proves that motivation is dependent on how long we spend focusing on a single task, but that self-control is not limited.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Study: Self-control is not a finite resource

Exhibiting self-control means more than just harnessing your impulsive desires...

Gender expectations are universal for adolescents around the world – not necessarily in their exact specifications, but in their prevalence and the effects they have on young girls and boys.

A novel 15-country study released by the <a href="http://www.geastudy.org/">Global Early Adolescent Study</a> has found that the onset of adolescence triggers a surprisingly common set of rigidly enforced gender expectations that researchers connected to an increase in lifelong risks of everything from HIV to violence and suicide. 

In the most comprehensive study to date, researchers analyzed data from high, low, and middle-income countries encompassing how children entering adolescence perceive growing up as their respective genders. The countries range from China to Bolivia and Scotland to the United States. Public health experts from around the world joined together to assess how a variety of culturally enforced gender stereotypes – all associated with increased risk of mental and physical health problems – become established between the ages of 10 and 14. 

“We found children at a very early age – from the most conservative to the most liberal societies – quickly internalize this myth that girls are vulnerable and boys are strong and independent,” says Robert Blum, director of the Global Early Adolescent Study at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a>. “And this message is being constantly reinforced at almost every turn, by siblings, classmates, teachers, parents, guardians, relatives, clergy and coaches.”

Blum believes that these findings point towards a need to restructure <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teens-longer-grow/">adolescent</a> health interventions in order to focus on much younger age groups, as these interventions usually focus on adolescents 15 years or older.

“Adolescent health risks are shaped by behaviors rooted in gender roles that can be well established in kids by the time they are ten or 11 years old,” explains Kristin Mmari, associate professor and lead researcher for the qualitative research at the Global Early Adolescent Study. “Yet we see billions of dollars around the world invested in adolescent health programs that don’t kick in until they are 15, and by then it’s probably too late to make a big difference.”

Researchers found that, in countries around the world, children are made to believe in gender-based restrictions, some of which are rationalized to “protect” girls yet leave them vulnerable to subservience and physical abuse. In many of the countries studied, these stereotypes leave girls at an increased risk of dropping out of school, being exposed to violence, child marriage, early pregnancy, and HIV. 

Boys were also found to be harmed by stereotypes they learn in early adolescence. Emphasis on physical strength and independence make them more likely to be victims of physical violence as well as homicide, and more likely to use tobacco or similar substances. 

Mmari states that many of the gender stereotypes found in this study come as no surprise. Unfortunately, they are ingrained in children at a young age and are relatively common across cultures and economic status. Helping children beat the issues that come along with imposed stereotypes would need to be a concerted effort across many nations.

“Change can happen, but it requires political will and a variety of interventions,” says Blum. “It also requires the knowledge that children pick up on these gender mythologies at a very young age and they proceed to play out in a variety of ways – often damaging – for the rest of their lives.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rigid gender stereotypes and expectations found across the globe

Gender expectations are universal for adolescents around the world –...

People who believe that facts in the news are shaped by politics are more likely to stand behind false truths, according to a new study. Individuals who rely on their instincts are also more likely to embrace fake news, while people who form fact-based beliefs have a more accurate view of issues in the news.

Kelly Garrett is a professor of Communication at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> and the study's lead author.

"Scientific and political misperceptions are dangerously common in the U.S. today,” said Garrett. “The willingness of large minorities of Americans to embrace falsehoods and conspiracy theories poses a threat to society's ability to make well-informed decisions about pressing matters.”

Garrett teamed up with Brian Weeks of the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> to get a better idea of how people form their beliefs and to determine whether this influences their inclination to accept ideas that have little or no evidence to support them. The team examined data from three nationally representative surveys that included as many as 1,000 participants.

Participants in the surveys had rated statements such as "I trust my gut to tell me what's true and what's not," "Evidence is more important than whether something feels true," and "Facts are dictated by those in power."
The experts analyzed the responses to estimate how much the individuals relied on their intuition, needed concrete evidence, or believed that "truth" is political.

Next, the researchers examined how the participants' approach to deciding what is true was related to their beliefs about controversial subjects. The study included questions about topics such as the connection between human activity and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cost-climate-change/">climate change</a>.

The researchers found that participants who believed that news is molded by politics and power were more likely to stand behind fabrications. On the other hand, those who needed concrete evidence were less likely to believe fabricated news.

"While trusting your gut may be beneficial in some situations, it turns out that putting faith in intuition over evidence leaves us susceptible to misinformation," said Weeks.

Garrett pointed out that it is important to acknowledge that people's beliefs are not based solely upon political predispositions.

"Misperceptions don't always arise because people are blinded by what their party or favorite news outlet is telling them," he said.

Garrett added that, "Making an effort to base your beliefs on evidence is an easy way to help avoid being misled."

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People who rely on instinct are more likely to believe fake news

People who believe that facts in the news are shaped...

New research shows that the country of India has avoided roughly 1 million child deaths for children under the age of five since 2005. This is due to major reductions in mortality from diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea, tetanus, and measles. In India, most deaths occur at home without medical attention.

However, Dr. Prabhat Jha, head of the Centre for Global Health Research of <a href="http://www.stmichaelshospital.com/">St. Michael’s Hospital</a> in Toronto, writes that almost three times that number could have been saved if national progress in child health matched that of some states. 

Jha is the lead investigator of the Million Death Study, which is one of the largest studies of premature deaths in the world. In this survey, hundreds of census staff knocked on doors at over one million homes in India in order to interview household members about deaths. Physicians independently examined these “verbal autopsies” in order to establish the most probable cause of death.

“You get the truth when you knock on doors and talk to parents,” says Dr. Jha. “We knocked on the doors of 100,000 homes where children died. If the health system failed these families, they will tell you all about it. These are far more reliable numbers than models or projections from small studies.”

Results of the study showed a 3.3 percent annual decline in mortality rates of neonates (infants less than one month old) and a 5.4 percent decline for children age on month to 59 months. Further analysis shows that the declines increased starting in 2005, and were fastest in urban areas and richer states. Mortality rates for tetanus, measles, infection, pneumonia, and diarrhea all decreased drastically.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-india-deadly-heat/">India</a> accounts for about a fifth of the child deaths that occur around the world, which number about 6 million in total each year. Between 2000 and 2015, roughly 29 million Indian children died. Although that is certainly terrible, if the mortality rates of 2000 had remained unchanged during that time period, about 10 million more children would have died. 

The authors of the study point towards increased government spending on public health in India and the launch of a program encouraging women to give birth in hospitals, as well as for children to have a second dose of measles vaccine, for the decrease in child deaths.

Scientists from Bangladesh and Tanzania write that the “Million Death Study can be a model for other countries where vital registration systems are still fragmented.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Public health strides helped India avoid 1 million child deaths

New research shows that the country of India has avoided...

Have you ever wondered how your hometown compares to the rest of the country when it comes to quality of life? As part of the Gallup Healthcare <a href="http://www.well-beingindex.com/">State of American Well-Being</a> series, experts ranked communities across the United States based on health and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/happy-music-stimulates-creativity/">happiness</a>. Gallup researchers conducted 354,473 telephone interviews with adults in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The interviews were analyzed by physical, emotional, financial, and social health.

“Where you live can impact your health and well-being. Innovative leaders are transforming their communities to create improvements in how people socialize, work, eat, play and move. These changes are empowering citizens to make healthier choices, be more productive and have better quality of life,” said project manager Michael Acker.

The following are the top ten communities ranked in the <a href="http://www.well-beingindex.com/2016-community-rankings">Community Well-Being Index</a>.

Naples, Florida

Known for its white sandy beaches, it is no big surprise that Naples tops this list for the second year in a row. The community has an abundance of outdoor activities and average temperatures of 77 degrees. With unobstructed views of the Gulf of Mexico, it is easy to imagine how residents here have the lowest stress levels in the country.

Barnstable Town, Massachusetts

The largest community on Cape Cod ranks number 2 on the list of the country's happiest and healthiest places to live. Featuring picture perfect oceanside villages, Barnstable Town is littered with breathtaking historical sites, charming cottages, and old taverns. Some of the most popular activities for tourists are sightseeing and whale-watching tours. 

Santa Cruz, California

The laid-back beach town of Santa Cruz ranks number 3 on the list. Santa Cruz is a popular family vacation destination with incredibly diverse attractions. From The Boardwalk amusement park to the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, there are seemingly unlimited things to do. Perhaps this is why residents here are happier and healthier than most of the country.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Known for Waikiki Beach and Mai Tais, this is undoubtedly one of the most unique areas in the country. Honolulu is the largest city in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. With breathtaking views of stunning landscapes, it is not hard to understand how close to a million Honolulu County residents are ranked high on the list for their general well-being.

North Port - Sarasota - Bradenton, Florida

This tri-city region is also one of the country's happiest communities, which may explain why it is the 10th fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States. Located on the Gulf Coast of Southwest Florida, this region is known for its cultural attractions including museums, free outdoor concerts, and unique restaurants. The natural beauty of Manatee and Sarasota counties draws visitors in and they never want to leave.

Boulder, CO

Flagstaff Mountain, a foothill on the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, is a major hiking destination. Eldorado Canyon State Park is lush with natural attractions and opportunities for outdoor activities. With an arboretum and plenty of museums, it’s no wonder Boulder boasts such a high quality of life.

San Luis Obispo, CA

Residents of this California coastal city enjoy wine tasting, surfing the Pacific Ocean, hiking a multitude of trails along the Coast Range, as well as zip lining and biking. Along with a fabulous night life, which includes fine dining and concerts in the plaza, the city also offers botanical gardens, farmers markets, and Hearst Castle to enjoy in the sunshine. 

Fort Collins, CO

Stand-up paddleboarding, river rafting, and tubing are popular activities in Fort Collins, but not for the faint at heart. The 126 mile long river Cache La Poudre is also frequented for fishing. Spring Canyon Community Park, Reservoir Ridge Natural Area, and City Park all offer tranquil and beautiful locales for walking and sightseeing.

Hilton Head Island, SC

Beaches, kayaking and fishing spots, tennis and golf courses, great schools, kid-friendly communities, and lots of bike paths and parks all make this city one of the highest ranked with regard to happy and healthy lifestyles.

Anchorage, AK

Beautiful lakes, hiking trails, and historical parks provide plenty of outdoor activities for folks in this city. Wildlife conservatories, bird sanctuaries, and sled dog races offer sightseeing opportunities for visitors and animal lovers. Anchorage may be too cold to be considered everybody’s cup of tea, but the residents certainly seem to enjoy healthy and happy lifestyles. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a> and <a href="rarnold@earth.com">Darryl Joseph,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writers

Top 10 U.S. cities with the highest quality of life

Have you ever wondered how your hometown compares to the...

New research shows that transgender youth face a significantly higher risk of developing suicidal thoughts and depression due to societal bias and school-based victimization.

The study was published by researchers from the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Journal of Adolescent Health.

According to the report, transgender youths are more likely than other adolescents to have suicidal thoughts, face depression, and engage in substance abuse due to victimization in school.

Researchers used population-based data to examine these risks because this type of information can be translated to fit the general population as a whole, rather than just one group or community. 

Data was collected from the Biennial California Student Survey of middle and high school students from 2013 to 2015. Researchers used information on more than 25,000 students and included 335 students who identified as transgender. 

“Like all students, transgender youth deserve to be safe and supported at school. We have the first population-based, representative data to document the high risk for suicide and substance abuse among transgender youth,” said Stephen Russell, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. 

Of the students surveyed, 34 percent of transgender adolescents reported having <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/suicide-attempts-young-adults/">suicidal thoughts</a> within a year, and this was nearly double the 19 percent reported by other students. 

The results also showed that transgender adolescents were four times as likely to try alcohol, cigarettes, or illegal drugs. 

Previous studies have shown that transgender youths are far more likely to experience victimization than other non-transgender students. To make matters worse, many policymakers diminish the validity of the transgender youth in schools by taking away safe spaces with bathroom rules.

These recent papers further emphasize the need for working on ways to reduce risks posed to transgender youths. 

"Many studies have shown that transgender youth are among the most vulnerable students in schools, If we can reduce depression and victimization among transgender youth, we could make a dent in suicide and other risks like high substance use among these children." said Russell. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Transgender youth face significantly higher risk of suicide

New research shows that transgender youth face a significantly higher...

Sea lice have become a major problem for salmon farmers, as salmon all over the world have become overwrought with the parasite. Once sea lice attach themselves to the salmon, they can both kill the fish and also make them inedible.

You may have noticed a spike in salmon prices lately, and farmers have cited sea lice as the driving cause. In 2016, the global supply of salmon fell 10 percent, and if measures aren’t taken to hinder sea lice infestations, salmon farmers will continue to suffer major blows.

Sea lice are a kind of crustacean called copepods that have two long antennas that they use to hook into the salmon and feed. 

According to the <a href="http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&amp;articles_id=388">Alaska Department of Fish and Game,</a> salmon farms are a perfect breeding ground for sea lice, and it's the juvenile salmon that is most at risk of infection. 

Because of the high rate of infestation in salmon farms, there is a fear that some fish will escape into the wild and further spread the parasite to wild salmon populations. 

“Wild salmon close to fish farms are 73 times more likely to suffer lethal sea lice than juveniles not adjacent to fish farms. A fish farm can also elevate the rate of sea lice infestation in salmon up to 40 miles from their pens,” said Amy Carroll of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website. 

There are several steps now being explored to control the growing sea lice issue. These management techniques range from using warm water to detach the lice from the fish to introducing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honeybee-hives-weakened-pesticides/">pesticides</a> that could kill the sea lice. Researchers are also working to find ways to make the salmon resistant to sea lice.

There are also risks involved, as these techniques, while effective in combating the sea lice, can also harm the fish. Sea lice can also become resistant to the pesticides over time.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Salmon industry battling major sea lice problem

Sea lice have become a major problem for salmon farmers,...

A study by the <a href="https://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/">Boston University School of Medicine</a> has revealed that children who play American football may suffer from negative health consequences later in life. The analysis of over 200 professional and amateur football players in America indicates that being exposed to the sport before age 12 can cause long-term mood and behavior issues.

The researchers discovered that football players who started playing before age 12 had more than double the risk of frontal lobe impairment compared to players who took up the sport at age 12 or later. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/decisions-two-regions-brain/">frontal lobe</a> plays a major role in executive function, which includes analyzing, organizing, regulating behavior, and apathy. The study also showed that players who had started the sport before age 12 developed more than three times the risk for depression. 


"Overall, our study provides further evidence that playing American football before age 12, and being hit in the head repeatedly through tackle football during a critical time of brain development, is associated with later-life problems with mood and behavior,” said co-author Dr. Robert Stern.

For their evaluation, the researchers accessed an online questionnaire from 214 former American football players who averaged 51 years of age at the time of the study. The individuals had reported information on executive function, behavioral regulation, apathy, and depression. Cognitive testing was performed through telephone interviews, and the players had also taken part in an investigation of the long-term and short-term consequences of exposure to repeated head impacts.

The current study, published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/tp/">Translational Psychiatry</a>, is unprecedented in evaluating relationship between the age of first exposure to football and clinical dysfunction in a sample that includes both professionals and amateurs who did not play past college.

"It is important to note that participation in youth sports can have many benefits, including the development of leadership skills, social skills, and work ethic, not to mention the tremendous health benefits,” said Dr. Stern. “The goal is to make sure that children can take advantage of all of the benefits of sports participation without the risk of long-term brain injury or disease. More research on this topic is needed before any recommendations on policy or rule changes can be made."

Dr. Stern added that repeated head impacts can undoubtedly lead to long-term consequences, “and we should be doing what we can at all levels in all sports to minimize these repeated hits."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Playing football before age 12 linked to long term health risks

A study by the Boston University School of Medicine has...

The longstanding debate of whether kids are growing up faster or slower than they used to may be finally be put to rest. Researchers have found that teens today are less likely to engage in adult activities, and are growing up more slowly than teens of previous decades.

The research team investigated how often that teenagers of recent years participated in adult activities such as drinking alcohol, dating, working for pay, driving, and having sex. Jean M. Twenge is a professor of Psychology at <a href="https://www.sdsu.edu/">San Diego State University</a> and the lead author of the study.

"The developmental trajectory of adolescence has slowed, with teens growing up more slowly than they used to," explained Twenge. "In terms of adult activities, 18-year-olds now look like 15-year-olds once did."

The research team examined massive surveys that included 8.3 million <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teenage-risk-taking-development/">teenagers</a> between 1976 and 2016. The teens reported how they used their time, including their engagement in one or more adult activities. This gave the researchers an opportunity to compare teens in the 2010s to teens in the previous four decades.

The study also analyzed how changes in family size, life expectancy, education, and the economy may have influenced adolescents to take on adult activities.

The study revealed that teenagers in the 2010s are less likely to work for pay, drive, date, drink alcohol, go out without their parents, and have sex than adolescents of years past. The authors pointed out that the decline may be linked to a drastic increase in the amount of time teens spend online. The trend appeared across all demographic groups, indicating a widespread cultural shift.

"Our study suggests that teens today are taking longer to embrace both adult responsibilities and adult pleasures," said co-author Heejung Park. "These trends are neither good nor bad, but reflect the current U.S. cultural climate."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/index.html">Child Development</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

Study confirms that these days, teens take longer to grow up

The longstanding debate of whether kids are growing up faster...

Using genetic evidence as a defense in criminal testimony is becoming more common. However, new research shows that pleading on behalf of your genes doesn’t make you appear any less responsible to the judge and jury.

A defense strategy may employ behavioral genetic evidence that links gene variants or gene DNA to establish a root cause for a crime or any violent tendencies/behaviors that may have motivated a crime.

Research has found links to genetic makeup and criminal behavior, but these relationships are still largely unexplored. This is why the use of behavioral genetics in court in most cases doesn’t aid the defendant.

A new report by Dr. Paula Appelbaum from <a href="http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/">Columbia University Medical Center</a> and Nicholas Scurich from the <a href="https://uci.edu/">University of California, Irvine</a>, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, discusses why juries are likely to be unsympathetic to arguments founded around genetics.

The authors noted that even if a jury is sympathetic to behavioral traits, there still won’t be a ruling in the defendant's favor because of the possibility of future offenses.

“A judge and jury may find defendants are less responsible because of a genetic factor, but also feel that they are more likely to re-offend because they can't control themselves due to the genetic effect,” said Appelbaum.

According to the law, inherited traits are not enough to deter blame for one's actions. In order to plead insanity, for example, or exhibit reduced behavioral control, there has to sufficient proof that the defendant was not in control of their actions.

In order for genetic data to continue to be used as a defense in the criminal courts, more studies will need to be conducted to show plausible links between criminal behavior and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/edit-genes-human-embryos/">genes</a>.

“Until that evidence is forthcoming, the use of behavioral genetic data in the criminal justice system is likely to diminish. For the time being, at least, not relying on genetic evidence in criminal courts may result in fairer outcomes at every level,” said Applebaum.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandett@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Can genetics be used as a defense in criminal court?

Using genetic evidence as a defense in criminal testimony is...

Millions of tons of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-tap-water-contains-plastics/">plastic</a> particles are buried in the oceans every year as a result of human activities. Researchers have determined that the best strategy to eradicate some of this pollution may be to appeal to the public's love of the sea. 

Scientists are exploring ways to slow down the amount of plastic pollution that is accumulating in the ocean. They are searching for strategies to recover the health of our seas, and striving to protect all of the human benefits associated with healthy oceans.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a> and the <a href="https://www.surrey.ac.uk/">University of Surrey</a> looked at the history of how public pressure can lead to policy change. For example, public opposition led to bans on the use of microbeads in cosmetics and helped place restrictions on single-use plastic bags.

The researchers say that these types of public efforts are steps in the right direction, but they are not addressing the underlying issues. Their report, published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/">Nature Human Behaviour</a>, explains that there needs to be a more unified and interdisciplinary approach.

Dr. Sabine Pahl is an associate professor of Psychology and lead author of the report.

"The public's love of the coast is obvious, so it stands to reason that they would play a role in preserving its future,” said Dr. Pahl. “Plastic pollution is a problem for all in society and while there are solutions out there, they must be socially acceptable as well as economically and technically viable. We need to work together across disciplines and sectors to build on the strength of humans to facilitate change."

The authors of the report conducted previous studies which revealed the negative impact of marine litter on coastal environments. As a result of the current study, they compare ocean plastic pollution to other environmental threats like marine litter, where the symptoms occur some distance away from land-based causes.

"From previous research we know that people appreciate and value the importance of the ocean and see marine litter as a global problem,” said co-author Dr. Kayleigh Wyles. “Yet, the challenge is connecting the dots. So many of our behaviors and decisions contribute to this problem, but at those particular points of time, we often don't think of how they can impact the environment.” 

Dr. Wyles added, “Using behavioral sciences to understand drivers of human behavior will therefore help support ongoing initiatives that can look to clean up our environments."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People’s love for the ocean could help reduce plastic pollution

Millions of tons of plastic particles are buried in the...

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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 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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