Songs, both taught and self-made, undoubtedly shape our auditory landscape during childhood. At this time, we often sing our hearts out, carefree and uninhibited by the responses of others. 



A recent study by Analía Capponi-Savolainen, a doctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Helsinki</a>, has investigated how singing experiences shape the lives of today's children in a culturally diverse school in Southern Finland. The research focused on six- and seven-year-old students.



Rather than viewing such experiences solely as performances, Capponi-Savolainen reveals the depth of children's connection with singing and how they utilize it to shape their everyday lives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bringing-children-s-voices-to-life">Bringing children's voices to life </h2>



The study involved 44 children, half of which shared their experiences through in-depth interviews. The students explained what singing means to them in their everyday lives. Capponi-Savolainen selected seven of these narratives in her doctoral dissertation to illustrate the children's responses.



"Children use singing to create their own spaces of trust and freedom for their personal purposes: to cope with everyday struggles, to create new ways of acting and participating, and to exercise their political voice," Capponi-Savolainen explained. 



"For example, in these spaces, they can choose to sing or not sing, or to sing and dance simultaneously. They can choose their own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-triggers-unique-prediction-zones-in-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">music</a>."



She noted that these self-created soundspaces can be as public or private as the child desires - from singing and dancing with friends in the neighborhood to quietly humming in secluded spaces at school.



Capponi-Savolainen found that children formed important relationships through singing. Some of the children reported that they sang loudly, with full vocal potential, when singing with friends, but that they sang softly when alone. Private singing was also very important to the children. 



Interestingly, the study found the children's singing experiences at school, especially those that were adult-led, were quite different from their personal singing experiences. 



Some children enthusiastically shared songs from their home <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-causes-similar-emotional-experiences-and-sensations-in-all-cultures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cultures</a> while others chose to keep their personal song realms tucked away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-perspective-on-childhood-songs">A new perspective on childhood songs</h2>



Childhood singing experiences have traditionally been examined through lenses of vocal development, pedagogical methods, and song repertoires.



However, this study urges a shift in perspective. It emphasizes the importance of considering how children perceive their singing experience, especially in diverse educational environments.



Capponi-Savolainen's study does not treat singing as just a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natural-disasters-student-performance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">performance</a> or a skill to be measured in educational settings. 



Instead, it paints a picture of singing as an ecological occurrence, a means of existing, communicating, and connecting with the world. It can be likened to a bridge that links the personal and academic realms of a child's daily life.



This research, guided by global and national policies such as the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child and Finland’s Child Strategy, calls for greater consideration to be given to the children's perspectives in decision-making that affects their lives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tuning-into-children-s-unique-experiences">Tuning into children's unique experiences</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-how-students-learn-is-key-to-helping-them-succeed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Teaching methods</a> must take into consideration the unique experiences, voices, and cultural backgrounds of every child.



Capponi-Savolainen urges educators to navigate away from the traditional methods of teaching songs and instead tune into the unique experiences and perspectives of children.



"We are constantly asked to find new ways to listen to our children, but the question is how to listen and how to respect what is heard," she noted.



"To see the ‘real child’ in front of us, awareness is needed, but in order to make a difference, we need action. Learning from children about what singing means to them and creating a curriculum of care through singing is a way to do this."



The idea is not to focus on measuring a child's singing skill but to enable singing as a vibrant activity that bridges home and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/school-field-trips-linked-to-better-student-performance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">school experiences</a>. Central to this approach is creating an environment that cares for each child as a unique individual and as part of society.



The study has opened an unexplored path in the field of children's singing experiences. The research has also established the significance of singing in a child's communication, self-expression, identity, and social connection.



Details of this research are available in a University of Helsinki <a href="https://www.uniarts.fi/en/events/analia-capponi-savolainen-childrens-singing-ecologies-in-culturally-diverse-societies/">press release.</a>



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Finding their voice: How singing empowers children

Songs, both taught and self-made, undoubtedly shape our auditory landscape during childhood. At this time, we often sing our hearts out, carefree and uninhibited by the responses of others. A recent study by Analía Capponi-Savolainen, a doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, has investigated how singing experiences shape the lives of today's children in a culturally diverse school in Southern Finland. The research focused on six- and seven-year-old students. Rather than viewing such experiences solely as performances, Capponi-Savolainen reveals the depth of children's connection with singing...

Data from the <a href="http://www.who.int/en/">World Health Organization</a> (WHO) shows that 361,000 children die every year from diarrheal disease that occurs as a result of poor access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. In fact, according to WHO, 1 in 4 deaths of children under 5 years old are attributed to unhealthy environments.

What these stats show is that access to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-tap-water-contains-plastics/">clean drinking water</a> is of the utmost importance to the lives and overall health of children across the world. Knowing this, researchers are constantly looking to find what factors lead to unhealthy drinking water and how this can be better managed.

A study from the <a href="http://www.uvm.edu/">University of Vermont</a> of 300,000 children in 35 countries recently found that kids whose watersheds have more tree cover are less likely to get diarrheal disease – which is the second leading cause of death for children under five. This study is the first to quantify the connection between watershed quality and the individual health outcomes of children on a global scale.

“Looking at all of these diverse households in all these different countries, we find the healthier your watershed upstream, the less likely your kids are to get this potentially fatal disease,” says Taylor Ricketts of the <a href="http://www.uvm.edu/">University of Vermont</a> (UVM).

The research team believes that a 30 percent increase in upstream tree cover in rural watersheds could have a comparable effect to improved water sanitations, such as the addition of indoor plumbing or toilets.

“We are not saying trees are more important than toilets and indoor plumbing,” says Diego Herrera, lead author of the paper and a former UVM postdoctoral researcher. “But these findings clearly show that forests and other natural systems can complement traditional water sanitation systems, and help compensate for a lack of infrastructure.”

This study shows that protecting trees and watersheds can also double as a public health investment, as well as an investment in protecting our environment. The researchers hope that governments and development agencies will use these findings to improve the health and environment of children around the world. 

-

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The importance of trees in improving water quality

Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that 361,000...

Experts say if you have bad news to tell someone, it is best to do so directly without tiptoeing around the point. A new study reveals that people prefer to receive unwelcome news directly and candidly, without a lot of polite restraint.

Alan Manning is a Linguistics professor at <a href="https://www.byu.edu/">Brigham Young University</a>. He teamed up with Nicole Amare of the <a href="http://www.southalabama.edu/">University of South Alabama</a> for the research. 145 study participants were given hypothetical situations in which they received bad news visually, verbally, and in writing. For each scenario, they were given two potential deliveries.

Next, the volunteers ranked how clear, considerate, direct, efficient, honest, specific, and reasonable they found each message to be. They also reported which characteristics meant the most to them personally. Clarity and directness were found to be valued the most out of all characteristics.

While it may seem that a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/divorce-genetic/">breakup</a> scenario requires a lengthy conversation about why the split is taking place, the researchers discovered that extra time and effort leading into bad news is unwanted and unnecessary.


"An immediate 'I'm breaking up with you' might be too direct," said Manning. "But all you need is a 'we need to talk' buffer -- just a couple of seconds for the other person to process that bad news is coming."

The delivery of other negative facts are also appreciated most when passed along directly without a lot of explanation.

"If we're negating physical facts, then there's no buffer required or desired," said Manning. "If your house is on fire, you just want to know that and get out. Or if you have cancer, you'd just like to know that. You don't want the doctor to talk around it."

On the other hand, Manning said there are times when a buffer or a strategic buildup is needed, like when aiming to persuade someone to change a firmly held opinion.

"People's belief systems are where they're the most touchy," said Manning. "So any message that affects their belief system, their ego identity, that's what you've got to buffer."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Just say it! Study says best way to give bad news is to be direct

Experts say if you have bad news to tell someone,...

It is a well known fact that automobiles are a major source of air pollution, yet traffic management plans have not been implemented in many urban areas. While cleaner fuel and green cars are great strategies for reducing car pollution, a new analysis finds that road pricing is the most effective way of lessening harmful vehicle emissions.

Alexander Bigazzi is a professor of Civil Engineering at the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a>. He reviewed hundreds of published papers on traffic management strategies, which reported on 65 studies of real-world tactics such as road and congestion pricing, speed enforcement programs, and incentives for carpooling.

The evaluation revealed that the most promising strategies for air quality improvements are road and congestion pricing and the establishment of low-emission zones. Bigazzi says that the other practices have potential, but evidence of their benefits is not as apparent.

Bigazzi explains that it is important to understand the impact of traffic management strategies because of the serious health risks associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diesel-vehicles-deaths-europe/">vehicle pollution</a>. He finds that road pricing and low-emission zones work better in improving air quality simply because they reduce the amount of traffic. By lessening the number of cars on the road, these strategies reduce emission rates. 

“Low-emission zones also encourage the purchase and use of cleaner motor vehicles,” says Bigazzi. He points out that these tactics will be most effective when they are adopted on a large scale.

“Hundreds of cities in Europe have congestion pricing or low-emission zones in their city centres and are enjoying improved traffic flow and air quality,” says Bigazzi. “These strategies haven't been embraced in North America in the same way for a variety of reasons, but there are great potential benefits for cities here ready to embrace innovation.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Road pricing proven to reduce car emissions

It is a well known fact that automobiles are a...

A large majority of the honey produced worldwide contains pesticides, with some at dangerously high levels, according to a new study. 

Researchers from the UK and Switzerland tested 198 samples of honey from all over and found that three-quarters contained at least one neonicotinoid chemical, which can both harm humans and bees.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honeybee-hives-weakened-pesticides/">Neonicotinoids</a> are a type of insecticide derived from nicotine, which can also damage the bee’s ability to reproduce. 

A <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/neonicotinoid-pesticides-slowly-killing-bees/">PBS</a> report showed two recent studies documenting the effects of neonicotinoids on bees, finding that bees exposed to the harmful chemicals in a lab environment lived shorter lives. Their hives were also infected and sickly, and often even lost their queens. 

“The tainted hives tended to lose their queen and then struggled to find a new one. A queen sustains the colony, so without her, there are no eggs or future bees,” writes Roni Dengler, author of the PBS article. “Neonicotinoid pesticides are slowly killing bees.” 

While researchers can document the effect of the pesticides on bees with relative ease, there’s almost no way to document how levels of neonicotinoids will affect humans over time. This is why the discovery of the pesticide in honey is so alarming.

“What we don’t know is whether there are long-term, chronic effects from lifetime exposure to a cocktail of these and other pesticides in our honey and most other foods,” said Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology at the<a href="http://www.sussex.ac.uk/"> University of Sussex</a>. 

The researchers gathered honey samples from all over the world and tested them for trace amounts of five different known neonicotinoids. 

Many of samples showed evidence of the pesticides, but below the safe levels recommended by the <a href="https://europa.eu/european-union/index_en">European Union</a>. However several samples had higher-than-safe levels, including those from Germany and Poland. 

The researchers are advocating for tighter regulations, including the possibility of a widespread ban on the use of neonicotinoids.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

75 percent of the world’s honey contains dangerous pesticides

A large majority of the honey produced worldwide contains pesticides,...

While it is common knowledge that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hour-exercise-prevent-depression/">exercise</a> leads to invaluable health benefits for the body, researchers have discovered that physical activity leads to mental health benefits as well. A breakthrough study by the <a href="https://www.nih.gov/">National Institutes of Health</a> (NIH) has revealed that running once a day can quickly transform cognitive health.

The research team explored the influence of running on the brains of mice. They split mice up into two groups, an active group and a sedentary group, and monitored changes in the brain tissue of both groups over the course of a week.

In this short amount of time, the researchers found notable changes. The active group of mice, which had been running on a wheel each day for a week, had developed far more new neurons than mice in the sedentary group. These enhanced brain connections resulted in sharper reactions and improved memory.

The experts also discovered that the newly developed neurons found in the active group of mice were unique. They were larger and displayed more and longer dendrites than similar neurons found in the inactive group of mice. In other words, the fresh neurons in the brains of the active mice appeared to be more mature after just one week of exercise than the brain cells of the sedentary mice.

Senior author Dr. Henriette van Praag told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/">New York Times</a> that “brain cells produced under running conditions are not just quantitatively but qualitatively different" than other cells. 

The authors say the findings of this study, which is published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>, should encourage sedentary individuals to start working out. 

“I think it is a very good idea for the sake of the brain to be moving and active,” said Dr. van Praag.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Running can transform and strengthen brain capacity in one week

While it is common knowledge that exercise leads to invaluable...

While previous studies have established that children of divorced parents are more likely to get divorced themselves, emerging research has determined that this is not the case for adopted children. The new study identifies genetic factors that may be to blame for divorce.

Researchers at <a href="http://www.vcu.edu/">Virginia Commonwealth University</a> and <a href="http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/">Lund University</a> established that adopted children resemble their biological parents instead of their adoptive parents when it comes to divorce.

“We were trying to answer the basic question: Why does divorce run in families?” said first author Dr. Jessica Salvatore. “Across a series of designs using Swedish national registry data, we found consistent evidence that genetic factors primarily explained the intergenerational transmission of divorce.”

The findings of the study are significant in that they do not support popular, published beliefs that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bilingual-children-learn-faster/">children</a> of divorced parents are more prone to divorce from being exposed to marital conflict and lack of commitment. The majority of literature that exists on this subject conveys the message that divorce is passed along from generation to generation psychologically. 

“Our results contradict that, suggesting that genetic factors are more important,” said Dr. Salvatore. She says that by acknowledging that divorce is transmitted genetically, therapists can better develop strategies for counseling couples. 

Dr. Salvatore also points out that previous studies neglected to control for genetic factors that may play into the transmission of divorce from parents to children.

“Our study is, at present, the largest to do this,” said Dr Salvatore. “And what we find is strong, consistent evidence that genetic factors account for the intergenerational transmission of divorce.”

“For this reason, focusing on increasing commitment or strengthening interpersonal skills may not be a particularly good use of time for a therapist working with a distressed couple,” explained Dr. Salvatore.


The research, which will be published in an upcoming issue <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/home/pss">Journal Psychological Science</a>, indicates that it would be more effective for therapists to target some of the more basic personality traits which are genetically linked to divorce. 

“For example, other research shows that people who are highly neurotic tend to perceive their partners as behaving more negatively than they objectively are,” said Dr. Salvatore. “So, addressing these underlying, personality-driven cognitive distortions through cognitive-behavioral approaches may be a better strategy than trying to foster commitment.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Divorce can be genetic, according to new study

While previous studies have established that children of divorced parents...

A sobering study from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> has revealed that scarce resources drive racial discrimination, even if the scarcity isn’t real.

The study was led by psychologist and assistant professor Amy Krosch following her observations during the Great Recession, people of color seemed to be getting a much harder time than white people. 

Krosch wondered if this was perhaps because the scarcity of economic resources aggravated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/islamophobia-racism-intolerance/">racial tension</a> and bias. 

The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and the results show that even the perception of scarcity can influence judgments based on race.

The researchers conducted a series of tests asking students to weigh in on how much of a $100,000 university grant should be awarded to hypothetical applicants based solely on merit. 

The students also ranked questions revolving around their personal feelings about prejudice so the researchers could measure how egalitarian or biased each student was. 

If the resources were described by the researchers as “abundant,” students gave the same amounts to black and white recipients. But if the resources were “scarce,” prejudiced students gave about $10,300 less to black recipients than non-prejudiced students. 

“Just the mention of scarcity can lead people with little egalitarian motivation to discriminate,” said Krosch. 

The results also found that the choice to discriminate was deliberate, when given an ample amount of time, prejudiced students consciously gave less to black recipients. Conversely, when the students were asked to make decisions quickly, the money was distributed equally by all students. 

The results show that that in times of scarcity, resources will be allocated unevenly not so much to “help white people,” but to continue preexisting systemic racial bias against black people.

“This isn't about being pro-white; it's really about being anti-black when resources are scarce. The scarcity doesn't even have to be real,” said Krosch. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Economic hardship motivates racial discrimination

A sobering study from Cornell University has revealed that scarce...

Hearing loss, especially in older adults and senior citizens, can wreak havoc on personal well-being and relationships.

Around 300 million people in the world live with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brains-track-sound/">hearing</a> loss. While the condition can be challenging enough for the individual, it can also impact family and friends, especially when they are left out of the picture when it comes to treatment options.

A new study from the <a href="http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a> and published in the journal Trends in Hearing, shows just how important it can be to factor in friends and family are when looking at therapy options for hearing loss or deafness. 

Vanessa Vas, a Ph.D. student at Nottingham, led the research and focused on "communication partners," or those individuals who are closest to the patient diagnosed with hearing loss. 

Communication partners can offer insight to create a more detailed picture of an individual's hearing loss and impairment. 

For the study, the researchers looked at over 70 previous studies covering complaints from people with hearing loss and those closest to them and found common frustrations and concerns on both sides. 

Some of the major complaints for people with hearing problems included difficulty hearing the phone ringing, needing to raise the volume of the radio and TV, and not being able to converse as well in louder environments or social situations.

Conversely, communication partners had major difficulties with always answering the phone, trying to speak over raised volumes, attending more events alone because of the communication difficulties with their partners, and feelings of guilt and stress in reaction to the hearing loss of a loved one. 

“Hearing loss is a chronic condition that affects the whole family. Yet, to our knowledge, our work represents the first attempt to piece together a picture of the effect of hearing loss from the perspectives of people with hearing loss and their partners,” said Miss Vas. 

Miss Vas’s study shows the importance of including communication partners and family members during clinical consultations and decision making.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Hearing loss can be challenging for the whole family

Hearing loss, especially in older adults and senior citizens, can...

When Neanderthals and humans came together thousands of years ago, the two species began to interbreed. And even though the Neanderthal population eventually went extinct, their DNA can still be found in roughly two percent of the DNA of non-African people living today. In fact, recent studies have found that some of these genes that came from Neanderthals have contributed to both human immunity and modern diseases.

In a new study from Janet Kelso and her team at <a href="http://www.eva.mpg.de/index.html">the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a> in Germany, the researchers found that Neanderthal genes have contributed to other human characteristics as well – such as skin tone, hair color, sleep patterns, mood, and even whether or not a person smokes. In embarking on this study, Kelso wanted to find the “influence Neanderthal DNA might be having on ordinary variation in people today.”

By using data representing more than 112,000 people from the UK Biobank pilot study, the researchers were able to have a large data set to find these relatively rare alleles. This data set included genetic data along with information on traits related to physical appearance, behavior, disease, diet, and sun exposure. 

Although earlier studies have hinted that human genes involved in skin and hair biology were partially a result of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-population-larger/">Neanderthal</a> DNA, it hadn’t been made clear how this occurred. Kelso and her team analyzed Neanderthal alleles related to skin and hair tones, finding that some Neanderthal alleles are associated with lighter skin tones, and others with darker skin tones. This was also consistent for hair color.

“These findings suggest that Neanderthals might have differed in their hair and skin tones, much as people now do,” explains Michael Dannemann, first author of the study.

Interestingly, the authors note that the traits linked to Neandertal DNA – mood, sleep patterns, skin and hair DNA – are all linked to sunlight exposure. They state that when modern humans arrived in Eurasia about 100,000 years ago, Neanderthals had already lived there for thousands of years. Because of this, they were likely better adapted to lower and more variables levels of ultraviolet radiation from the sun than the humans arriving from Africa were used to.

“Skin and hair color, circadian rhythms and mood are all influenced by light exposure,” the authors wrote. “We speculate that their identification in our analysis suggests that sun exposure may have shaped Neanderthal phenotypes and that gene flow into modern humans continues to contribute to variation in these traits today.”

The researchers plan on continuing to analyze the Neanderthals’ influence on our human traits as more data is presented.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Neanderthal DNA linked to modern day human traits

When Neanderthals and humans came together thousands of years ago,...

An unprecedented study demonstrates that potassium-packed foods such as bananas and avocados may help to prevent hardening of the arteries, or pathogenic vascular calcification. Researchers at the <a href="http://www.uab.edu/">University of Alabama at Birmingham</a> have shown that a diet lacking in potassium promotes elevated arterial stiffness, while a diet with increased potassium levels can actually lessen arterial stiffness.

Vascular calcification is linked to an increased risk of fatal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breakfast-prevent-cardiovascular-disease/">heart disease</a> and other cardiovascular events. The research team set out to examine the underlying mechanisms of this vascular condition in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice, which are prone to cardiovascular disease. The mice were fed either high, low, or normal levels of dietary potassium.

The team discovered that the mice fed a low-potassium diet had a significant increase in vascular calcification. On the other hand, the mice fed a high-potassium diet had significantly restrained vascular calcification. By using an arterial stiffness indicator called pulse wave velocity, the researchers also found that the low-potassium mice had increased stiffness of their aortas and high-potassium mice had decreased aortic stiffness.

"The findings have important translational potential since they demonstrate the benefit of adequate potassium supplementation on prevention of vascular calcification in atherosclerosis-prone mice, and the adverse effect of low potassium intake,” explained co-author Paul Sanders.

The researchers also took a look into the vascular effects of potassium intake on a molecular level. Low potassium amounts in a cell culture noticeably strengthened calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells. Previous research has shown that calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells resembles the differentiation of bone cells, which leads to the conversion of smooth muscle cells into bone-like cells.

With this in mind, the researchers set out to examine the growth of vascular smooth muscle cells in low-potassium cell culture. They found that the low-potassium conditions triggered the expression of several gene markers that are characteristic of bone cells while inhibiting the expression of vascular smooth muscle cell markers. This indicates that low-potassium conditions promote the transformation of the vascular smooth muscle cells into bone-like cells.

The findings of this study, which will appear in the journal <a href="https://www.jci.org/this-month">JCI This Month</a> in November, emphasize the importance of potassium in the diet. The research also provides a foundation for the development of new therapies to prevent or treat atherosclerotic vascular calcification.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bananas may be crucial for keeping your arteries healthy

An unprecedented study demonstrates that potassium-packed foods such as bananas...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> have determined that many of the In-Vehicle Information Systems available in 2017 will be dangerously distracting if enabled while automobiles are in motion. The study, conducted for the <a href="https://www.aaafoundation.org/">AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety</a>, revealed that these car features take the driver's attention off the road for too long to be safe.

"This is troublesome because motorists may assume that features that are enabled when they are driving are safe and easy to use," said lead author David L. Strayer. "Greater consideration should be given to what interactions should be available to the driver when the vehicle is in motion rather than to what features and functions could be available to motorists.”

The researchers investigated infotainment systems in 30 different 2017 vehicles. Participants in the study engaged in tasks using voice, touch screen, and other interactive technologies. The tasks included making a call, sending a text message, tuning the radio, or navigating a program while <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/reasonable-driving-saves-gas/">driving</a>.

The team developed an advanced rating scale which ranged from low to very high demand to measure which activities were most distracting to the drivers. The study demonstrated that drivers using features such as touch-screen technology took their hands, eyes, and mind off the road for more than 24 seconds.

Programming navigation proved to be the most distracting task, which took drivers an average of 40 seconds to complete. The second most distracting activity was text messaging, while tuning the radio and calling were the easiest tasks with about the same demand rating.

"We're putting more and more technology in the car that just does not mix with driving," said Strayer. "We're expecting to see more problems associated with distracted driving as more stuff is at the fingertips of the driver to distract them."

AAA said the findings of this study will ideally help automakers and system designers improve the functionality of infotainment systems and the level of attention they require. Strayer said his team hopes the research will also be used by consumers "to help make a good decision about what vehicle and what technology in the vehicle is best for them."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Are new high-tech car features too distracting to be safe?

Researchers from the University of Utah have determined that many...

As sports fans experience the thrill of victory and the devastation of defeat, the excitement of the game is having a considerable effect on their cardiovascular health. Researchers found that the heart rate response of hockey fans spiked to strenuous levels while watching a game. Overall, the heart rate increased by an average of 92 percent across all spectators.

A team of experts from the <a href="https://www.icm-mhi.org/en/montreal-heart-institute">Montreal Heart Institute</a> and the <a href="http://www.umontreal.ca/en/">University of Montreal</a> set out to evaluate the cardiovascular impact of a hockey game on healthy spectators. Volunteers in the study reported on their general health and passion for their team prior to participating in heart activity observation during the game. 

The study revealed an average <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cold-weather-heart-attack/">heart rate</a> increase of 75 percent while the fans were viewing the game on television and a heart rate increase of 110 percent while watching in person. This is the equivalent to the heart rate response that occurs with moderate and vigorous physical stress, respectively. 

"Our results indicate that viewing a hockey game can likewise be the source of an intense emotional stress, as manifested by marked increases in heart rate," said senior author Dr. Paul Khairy. "The study raises the potential that the emotional stress-induced response of viewing a hockey game can trigger adverse cardiovascular events on a population level. Therefore, the results have important public health implications."

While previous studies have established a link between sporting events and cardiac incidents, this is the first study focused on hockey. The researchers found that peak heart rates were most frequently detected during scoring opportunities and during overtime.

"Our analysis of elements of the hockey game associated with peak heart rates supports the notion that it is not the outcome of the game that primarily determines the intensity of the emotional stress response, but rather the excitement experienced with viewing high-stakes or high-intensity portions of the game," explained Dr. Khairy.

The findings of the study are published in the <a href="http://www.onlinecjc.ca/">Canadian Journal of Cardiology</a>. The authors of the study's accompanying editorial pointed out that this research should prompt doctors to have a conversation with patients, particularly those with existing cardiovascular issues, about watching sports.


“As outlined, watching an exciting hockey game might trigger a CV event in an individual at risk," they said. "The danger is particularly high in the arena and at dramatic moments such as overtime. At-risk patients should be warned about potential CV symptoms and should be instructed to seek medical attention promptly if symptoms develop."

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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

Watching sports can actually cause heart stress

As sports fans experience the thrill of victory and 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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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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

[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

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