A new study has identified 15 fundamental motives that drive human behavior, showing how these forces intertwine and relate to one another.



Analyzing these motives through an evolutionary lens clarifies how they guide our habits and interactions - ultimately shedding light on our emotional life and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/optimal-decision-making-is-a-balance-of-experience-and-knowledge/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decision-making</a> processes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-motives-beyond-social-needs">Human motives beyond social needs</h2>



Psychological theories exploring why we do what we do have often focused on social or cultural drivers of behavior, with Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs being the most familiar.&nbsp;



But while Maslow’s pyramid emphasizes belongingness and other higher-level needs, it does not fully capture the significance of evolutionary pressures that once helped humans survive and now underlie our modern choices.



Seeking a deeper understanding, <a href="https://www.hse.ru/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HSE University</a> scientists, alongside colleagues at the <a href="https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine</a>, propose treating human motives as evolutionary adaptations.&nbsp;



If certain behaviors once aided survival in prehistoric environments, they reason, the motives behind those behaviors can still be detected today through standard psychometric techniques.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-creating-a-catalog-of-core-motives">Creating a catalog of core motives</h2>



To test this idea, the research team conducted an online survey of more than 500 participants. In the survey, respondents were asked to rate their agreement with 150 statements referencing routine preferences, worries, and social goals.&nbsp;



The statements covered a spectrum of basic needs and impulses, such as “I enjoy going on roller coasters,” “Eating is less important to me than it seems to be for most people,” and “I spend a lot of time staying in touch with my friends,” among others.



Using network analysis, the team searched for stable clusters in participants’ motivations.&nbsp;



The result was a catalog of 15 core motives, organized into five larger categories:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Environmental: Hoard, Create</li>



<li>Physiological: Fear, Disgust, Hunger, Comfort</li>



<li>Reproductive: Lust, Attract, Love, Nurture</li>



<li>Psychological: Curiosity, Play</li>



<li>Social: Affiliate, Status, Justice</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-motives-interact">How motives interact</h2>



While identifying motives was a crucial step, the researchers also explored how these motives functionally interact with each other.&nbsp;



“For instance, the motives of Love and Nurture are positioned close to each other in the network, which makes sense from an evolutionary perspective, as caring for offspring enhances their chances of survival,” explained Albina Gallyamova, a junior research fellow at the HSE Center for Sociocultural Research.



By contrast, the motives <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-pathway-discovered-that-suppresses-fear/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fear</a> and Curiosity often appear in tension with each other: Fear protects against potential dangers but, when too strong, can suppress Curiosity - needed for innovation and knowledge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-motives-with-broad-impacts">Motives with broad impacts</h2>



Two motives stood out for their broad impact on the entire network: Play and Status.&nbsp;



The motive for Status can facilitate achieving other goals by opening up access to valuable resources, which boosts an individual’s likelihood of success in multiple areas, including romantic relationships.&nbsp;



On the other hand, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/minecraft-is-a-digital-playground-for-learning-and-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Play</a> aids skill development, which in turn helps a person maintain or improve their Status.



The study also revealed intriguing links, like how Justice correlates with both Nurture and Curiosity, implying that an individual’s concern for fairness may be partly driven by empathy for others (Nurture) and a desire to stay informed (Curiosity) about potentially antisocial behavior.



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



Among other findings, the scientists noted important differences in how people of varying ages and genders prioritize certain motives.&nbsp;



Women tended to rank Nurture and Comfort more highly, while men showed a greater focus on Status and Attract, a pattern that aligns with presumed evolutionary roles. Younger participants also gravitated to motives like Play and Status, while older individuals gave more weight to Fear and Comfort.



“These changes reflect different life stages: initially, we strive to secure our place in society, and later, we focus on safety and survival,” Gallyamova said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-applications-of-the-research-nbsp">Practical applications of the research&nbsp;</h2>



Understanding these 15 fundamental motives can guide approaches in marketing, therapy, and AI development, the researchers say. For example, in targeted advertising, knowledge of which motives appeal to different demographics allows more precise messaging.&nbsp;



Younger individuals driven by Status and Play might respond to promotions involving social prestige and fun, whereas older audiences may value reliability and comfort.



Similarly, developers of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">artificial intelligence</a> could use an evolutionary perspective to build user interfaces that resonate with people’s core motivations - perhaps focusing on user autonomy, creativity, and social connectivity for younger audiences, while emphasizing convenience for an older group.&nbsp;



In therapy, counselors might find it helpful to identify whether a client’s motives for Fear or Curiosity are out of balance and address them accordingly, potentially mitigating excessive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-health-may-be-the-key-to-anxiety-relief/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anxiety</a>.



“Ultimately, understanding the evolutionary motives that drive our behaviour enables us to create solutions that make people’s lives more comfortable, safer, and more interesting,” Gallyamova concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2024.112921" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Personality and Individual Differences</a>.



-----



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Human behavior is driven by fifteen key motives

A new study has identified 15 fundamental motives that drive human behavior, showing how these forces intertwine and relate to one another. Analyzing these motives through an evolutionary lens clarifies how they guide our habits and interactions - ultimately shedding light on our emotional life and decision-making processes. Human motives beyond social needs Psychological theories exploring why we do what we do have often focused on social or cultural drivers of behavior, with Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs being the most familiar.&nbsp; But while Maslow’s pyramid emphasizes...

The obesity epidemic in the United States has been linked to several possible triggers such as increased screen time, lack of sleep, stress, and less physically demanding jobs. And now, research published in the journal <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1467-789X">Obesity Reviews</a> has identified yet another cause. The study reveals that people who work night shift are also at a higher risk of obesity.

After a detailed assessment of data from 28 published studies, researchers determined that night shift workers have a 29 percent increased risk of becoming obese or overweight. The results of this analysis suggest that work schedules should be modified to avoid extended periods of night shift work to help combat the threat of obesity.

The study showed that night shift workers have a particularly high rate of developing central obesity, which is the accumulation of excess fat in the abdominal area. The research team also determined that permanent night workers are more prone to obesity than rotating shift workers.

"Globally, nearly 0.7 billion workers are engaged in a shift work pattern. Our study revealed that much of the obesity and overweight among shift workers is attributable to such a job nature," said senior author Dr. Lap Ah Tse. "Obesity has been evident to be positively associated with several adverse health outcomes, such as breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases."

According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Centers For Disease Control</a> (CDC), at least 1 out of every 3 adults in the United States is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/appetite-human-obesity-drug/">obese</a>. Individuals who are overweight have an elevated risk of developing major health issues such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers. The CDC found that the prevalence of obesity among adults is growing at all levels of education and income.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Working the night shift found to trigger obesity

The obesity epidemic in the United States has been linked...

The nature of dating, relationships, and marriages have undergone a drastic shift in recent years. There are now more options than ever for finding, meeting, and forming connections with potential partners, and yet the divorce rates in the US and the UK are still quite high. 

Currently, around 53 percent of marriages in the US end in divorce, and even though recent research has claimed to <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/heart-the-matter/201704/do-half-all-marriages-really-end-in-divorce">debunk this</a>, it’s still commonly understood that in many ways it’s harder than ever for a marriage to endure.

Eli Finkel, a professor of social psychology at <a href="http://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a>, discusses why so many relationships fail in his new book The All or Nothing Marriage.

According to Finkel, we expect too much of our partners, wanting them to fulfill and be all things to us instead of finding our own self-actualization.

Finkel’s research has supported his claim that realistically, many people are simply asking too much of one person.

It’s a wonderful thought, finding a perfect person who supports you, challenges you, motivates you and is a constant source of emotional support. But can we expect someone to be all things to us at all times while navigating their own complex life?

“How do you make somebody feel safe, and loved, and beautiful without making him or her feel complacent? How do you make somebody feel energetic, and hungry, and eager to work hard without making them feel like you disapprove of the person they currently are?” Finkel pointed out in an interview with <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/09/we-expect-way-too-much-from-our-romantic-partners/541353/?utm_source=fark&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_content=link&amp;ICID=ref_fark">The Atlantic</a>.

He instead suggests an alternative model: outsource your needs. Turn to your social circle to find support and fulfillment, instead of placing all those needs on one person.

“It turns out that people who have more diversified social portfolios, that is, a larger number of people that they go to for different sorts of emotions, those people tend to have overall higher-quality life,” said Dr. Finkel.

Finkel's research also tracks the shift that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/checking-phone-ruining-relationships/">relationships</a> have undergone since the 1960s, when social expectations and marriage roles began to change. With so much of our day-to-day life having changed in a half century, perhaps it only makes sense to update how we run our romantic relationships as well.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Modern relationships may fail because we’re asking for too much

The nature of dating, relationships, and marriages have undergone a...

Open office plans have become more and more popular in recent years, especially with the rise of the “start up culture,” with new and young businesses embracing new age philosophies. But are these office plans actually conducive to a better work environment?

Dr. Nicole Millard, a data and analytics specialist in emerging technology at <a href="http://home.bt.com/">BT</a>, is a futurologist who believes that the open office plan leads to an increase in distractions and a decrease in efficiency. At New Scientist Live in London, Millard says that the amount of distractions in these environments lead to employees being interrupted every three minutes. 

These office plans can be even worse for introverted employees and research has shown that social awkwardness becomes more prominent when coworkers are crammed together.

“The trouble with open-plan offices is they are a one-size-fits-all model which actually fits nobody,” said Millard, according to reports in <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/10/01/open-plan-offices-dont-work-will-replaced-coffice-says-bt-futurologist/">The Telegraph</a>. “We’re interrupted every three minutes. It takes us between eight and 20 minutes to get back into that thought process. So we will become shoulder bag workers. Our technology has shrunk so we can literally get our office in a small bag. We are untethered, we don’t have to have a desk anymore.”

Among other distractions in the workplace, Millard says that inundation with emails, meetings, and other interactions with coworkers prevent individuals from being efficient. In the process, work is often overlooked or completely forgotten.

So how will things change in the future? “We need a balance between we and me,” Millard explains. “We need to give people options of how they can work, such as home working. But I do go a tiny bit nuts if I am just at home, so I think we will start to embrace ‘the coffice.’ I need good coffee, connectivity, cake, my wifi wings to fly me into the cloud. I like company. The ‘coffice’ could be a coffee shop or a hotel lobby.”

If efficiency is truly a problem, it probably won’t be long until businesses start reforming how they operate in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/first-electric-office/">workplace</a>. Who knows if this will lead to a regression back to more cubicle office styles, or if Millard’s dream of a “coffice” may actually come true.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The open office trend may be ending soon

Open office plans have become more and more popular in...

New research has revealed that regular exercise can help prevent depression. The study shows that even a minimal amount of physical activity can have tremendous mental health benefits for people of all ages.

The massive study, which is the largest of its kind, focused on 33,908 Norwegian adults. The participants were monitored over the course of 11 years to measure their levels of physical activity and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The research team discovered that 12 percent of depression cases would have been prevented by as little as one hour of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/love-exercise-genetic/">exercise</a> each week.

Samuel Harvey is a professor at the <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a> and lead author of the study.

"We've known for some time that exercise has a role to play in treating symptoms of depression, but this is the first time we have been able to quantify the preventative potential of physical activity in terms of reducing future levels of depression," said Harvey.

Professor Harvey said that the team is still working to explain how exercise has this effect, but they theorize it is due to a combination of both the physical and social benefits of exercise.

"These results highlight the great potential to integrate exercise into individual mental health plans and broader public health campaigns,” said Harvey. “If we can find ways to increase the population's level of physical activity even by a small amount, then this is likely to bring substantial physical and mental health benefits."

The researchers also used data from health surveys conducted from 1984 to 1997. Participants had reported their frequency of exercise and any indications of depression or anxiety as they emerged. 

The results showed that people who did not exercise at all had a 44 percent increased chance of developing depression compared to those who were exercising one to two hours a week. 

"Most of the mental health benefits of exercise are realized within the first hour undertaken each week," said Harvey."With sedentary lifestyles becoming the norm worldwide, and rates of depression growing, these results are particularly pertinent as they highlight that even small lifestyle changes can reap significant mental health benefits."

The findings of this study are published today in the <a href="http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/">American Journal of Psychiatry</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Just one hour of exercise each week can prevent depression

New research has revealed that regular exercise can help prevent...

There is a common misconception that when we’re stressed, we are more alert and pay greater attention to detail. But now, new research has found that stress actually impedes our ability to perceive new threats in our surroundings. 

The new study, conducted by researchers at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> and <a href="http://english.pku.edu.cn/">Peking University</a>, found that stress also decreases cognitive function and our ability to adapt.

“In fact, our study shows that when we are under stress, we pay less attention to changes in the environment, potentially putting us at increased risk for ignoring new sources of threat,” said Candace Raio, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral researcher at New York University. 

The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers conducted several experiments meant to measure responses to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/appearing-stressed-avoid-conflict/">stress</a> and adaptability to new threats.

Participants underwent a form of “Pavlovian threat conditioning,” where they were shown images, and some came with a mild electric shock.

The next day, half of the test participants were part of a stress-inducing procedure and had their arms submerged in an ice-water bath for a few minutes.

Once stress levels were elevated, they were again shown the images, but instead, the threatening and safe images were reversed. The images that had come with a shock were now safe and vice versa. 

All participants were monitored on the second day, and the half that had undergone the stress-inducing procedure did not change their responses or adapt to the new scenarios as well as the other half of the group. 

The results also reveal that stress specifically impedes learning ability, with the stress-induced subjects showing a slower rate of learning. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a>, Staff Writer

Contrary to popular belief, stress actually makes you less alert

There is a common misconception that when we’re stressed, we...

Skipping breakfast doubles the risk of atherosclerosis, according to a study from the <a href="https://www.cnic.es/en">Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III</a>. The report not only highlights the importance of eating breakfast for cardiovascular health, but also implies there is a link between skipping breakfast and unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits.

The researchers set out to characterize the prevalence and progression of undiscovered atherosclerotic lesions. For their study, more than 4,000 middle-aged office workers were monitored with the latest imaging technologies over a time period of six years.

They evaluated the connection between 3 different breakfast patterns and the presence of atherosclerotic plaques in asymptomatic individuals. 20 percent of the individuals participating in the study regularly ate a high-energy breakfast, 70 percent ate a low-energy breakfast, and 3 percent either skipped breakfast or ate very little. 

Individuals in this last category either spent less than 5 minutes on breakfast, consumed only <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-reduce-coffee/">coffee</a> or fruit juice, or skipped breakfast entirely. The research team found that this group had unhealthy eating habits and a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors.

The study revealed that a breakfast containing less than 5 percent of the recommended daily calorie intake leads to twice the number of atherosclerotic lesions. This increased risk is independent of other risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, and physical inactivity.

The results of the study suggest that skipping breakfast is an indicator of more generally unhealthy lifestyle habits, associated with a higher prevalence of generalized atherosclerosis.

Study co-author Dr. José Luis Peñalvo pointed out that this is the first study to directly link breakfast patterns and the presence of atherosclerotic lesions. 

Dr. Antonio Fernández-Ortiz is the scientific coordinator of the study.

"We need earlier and more precise risk markers for the early phases of atherosclerosis that will allow us to improve strategies to prevent myocardial infarction, stroke, and sudden death. These latest results make a definite contribution to achieving this goal,” said Dr. Fernández-Ortiz.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Eating breakfast each day can help prevent cardiovascular disease

Skipping breakfast doubles the risk of atherosclerosis, according to a...

Research from <a href="http://www.massgeneral.org/">Massachusetts General Hospital</a> (MGH) has determined that community health contributed to the results of the 2016 presidential election. The study revealed a link between the public health of a county and the likelihood of a voting shift towards a Republican candidate.

Lead author Dr. Jason H. Wasfy collaborated with experts from the <a href="https://polisci.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Political Science</a>.

"Across the country, we found that voters in counties with poor public health shifted dramatically towards the Republican candidate in 2016, compared with 2012, an effect that was particularly strong in states where the results changed Electoral College votes," said Dr. Wasfy. "Although we cannot determine causality from these results, the findings raise the possibility of a role for public health status in determining voting behavior."

Previous research on the connection between health and voting patterns has identified associations between poor health and low voter turnout. Surprising shifts in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weather-temperature-election-outcomes/">voting</a> patterns were seen during the 2016 election, and the researchers set out to explore what relationships may exist between community health and changes in voting patterns between the 2012 and 2016 elections.

The research team compared county election data to information from a public health database which included data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Complete data covering both elections was available for 3,009 counties, which is over 95 percent of the counties in the United States.

The researchers found that there was a 5.4 percent overall shift in county support for a Republican between Mitt Romney and Donald Trump. 88 percent of counties shifted towards Trump, although not all of these counties were won by him.

Counties which shifted towards Trump were found to have higher teen birth rates and age-adjusted mortality. These counties also had fewer healthcare resources. For example, the pro-Trump counties had half the number primary care physicians per capita than counties which shifted away from Trump. This link between public health and voting patterns was strongest in the West and Midwest, where major voting shifts contributed to the Republican victory.

"Even after adjusting for factors such as race, income and education, public health seems to have an additional, independent association with this voting shift towards Trump," said Dr. Wasfy. "It's critical to interpret our results as reflecting county-wide ecological associations, rather than individual voting behavior. More than anything, I think these results demonstrate that health is a real issue that can affect people's lives and their decisions. We all need to focus on improving public health as a means of improving people's lives."

The study is published in the open-access 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

Public health played into the 2016 presidential election results

Research from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has determined that community...

New research has found that it is difficult to recall specific details until the hippocampus is fully formed, which usually happens during adolescence. 

The hippocampus is located in the medial temporal lobe and is the part of the brain that controls emotions, short-term memory, and long-term <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-youth-helps-memory/">memory</a>. 

Previous studies led scientists to believe that the hippocampus was fully formed around age 6. But new research from the <a href="https://www.mpg.de/institutes">Max Planck Institutes</a> in Germany and the <a href="https://www.stir.ac.uk/">University of Stirling</a> in Scotland found that the hippocampus is actually still forming until the early teens. 

Researchers asked study participants between ages six and fourteen, as well adults, to recall the specifics of two slightly different images they were shown. The researchers then compared these answers to MRI brain scans. 

Older test participants were able to recall specific details better. In addition, results of the MRI scans showed that the dentate gyrus and the entorhinal cortex, two parts of the hippocampus, were larger in their brains than in the younger subjects. 

This indicates that the hippocampus doesn’t stop growing until the early teens and forces a reevaluation of how young children learn and process the world around them. 

According to Markus Werkle-Bergner from the Max Planck Institutes, the study’s co-author, this  “is important, as it directly influences the fine balance between pattern separation and pattern completion operations and, thus, developmental changes in learning and memory.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Memory isn’t fully developed until teenage years

New research has found that it is difficult to recall...

Have you felt an unusual amount of anxiety during hangovers? Turns out, there might be some science to that.

According to the<a href="https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/social-anxiety-disorder/social-anxiety-and-alcohol-abuse"> Anxiety and Depression Association of America</a> (ADAA), around 15 million US adults suffer from social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder is characterized by a fear of social situations, specifically how others perceive you in social situations. 

To combat the unease of being in a social setting, it’s not uncommon to turn to alcohol as a buffer. The ADAA notes that around 20 percent of people with social anxiety disorder also have some form of alcohol dependence or abuse. 

For those with social anxiety, alcohol can create a vicious cycle, wherein the symptoms of unease and anxiousness are temporarily put on hiatus, until the next day when anxiety can spike in what’s known as “hangxiety.”

“Although alcohol can temporarily reduce symptoms of social anxiety – which is the reason many turn to it,” says that ADAA’s website.

On top of the physical symptoms associated with a hangover, social anxiety disorder can increase <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-depression-stress-anxiety/">anxious thoughts</a>, regrets, and depression while recovering from a night of excessive drinking. 

“The feelings that you have after you drink alcohol, or even the day after, can result in a whole range of feelings and moods and anxiety symptoms. It can range from panic to feeling depressed to feeling impulsive to feeling agitated and irritable,” psychiatrist Dr. Aparna Iyer told <a href="https://www.self.com/story/hangover-anxiety?mbid=social_facebook">SELF</a>. 

Ultimately, scientists suggest not using drinking as a mask for underlying unresolved issues. In other words, get your life together before drinking to celebrate. Hangovers are already bad enough, right?

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why hangovers can sometimes induce anxiety

Have you felt an unusual amount of anxiety during hangovers?...

It seems like people who speak multiple languages have an easier time picking up on additional languages. So researchers at <a href="https://gumc.georgetown.edu/">Georgetown University Medical Center</a> set out to determine whether or not this is the case with the first study to monitor the brains of both bilingual and monolingual individuals as they learn a new language.

Michael T. Ullman is a professor of Neuroscience and the study’s senior author.

"The difference is readily seen in language learners' brain pattern,” said Ullman. “When learning a new language, bilinguals rely more than monolinguals on the brain processes that people naturally use for their native language," Lead author Sarah Grey added, "We also find that bilinguals appear to learn the new language more quickly than monolinguals.”

The study was focused on 13 college students who had learned both English and Mandarin as children and 16 college students who only spoke English fluently.

The researchers chose to teach the volunteers an artificial language so they could completely control the participants’ exposure to the language. They produced a version of a Romance language, Brocanto2, which they taught the students over the course of a week.

The research team examined the brain patterns of the volunteers who wore electroencephalogram (EEG) caps while they listened to Brocanto2 sentences. This monitoring was performed both early in training and during later phases of training to capture neural activity as the new language was processed.

The study revealed pronounced differences in the brainwave activity of the monolingual students and the bilingual students. The bilingual brains showed a specific brainwave pattern known as P600, which is commonly found when native speakers process their language, by the end of the first day of training. The monolinguals, however, only began to display P600 brainwave activity on the last day of training.

In addition, the monolingual students exhibited a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-organizes-memories-category/">brain</a> wave pattern that is not typically found in speakers of native languages.

"There has been a lot of debate about the value of early bilingual language education," said Grey. "Now, with this small study, we have novel brain-based data that points towards a distinct language-learning benefit for people who grow up bilingual."

This breakthrough study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bilingualism-language-and-cognition">Bilingualism: Language and Cognition</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bilingual children learn new languages faster than others

It seems like people who speak multiple languages have an...

Ever wonder why your boss might go out of their way to be a jerk? According to new research, abusive bosses get a boost to their well-being by behaving badly – but it will come back to haunt them.

An international team of researchers saw that study after study documented the negative effects of abusive behavior among those in supervisory positions. However, some managers continue to act badly toward their employees, indicating that they must get something out of it, the team reasoned. 

So they decided to explore that idea further. They conducted a number of field studies and other experiments with managers in the U.S. and China, with the goal of discovering why some bosses are cruel to their employees.

They found that abusive bosses get a boost to their mental energy by letting loose instead of repressing bad behavior – but that boost rarely lasts. Instead, employees who have been mistreated lose faith in their supervisors, leading them to offer less support and be less productive.

"The moral of the story is that although abuse may be helpful and even mentally restorative for supervisors in the short-term, over the long haul it will come back to haunt them," said Dr. Russell Johnson of <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a>, a co-author of the study.

The researchers gathered data over a four-week period, studying both workers and supervisors in a wide variety of industries. They found that the positive effects of abusive behavior often last less than a week. 

Workers who are mistreated may act in ways that counter the progress of projects or even quit, leaving abusive bosses in the lurch, they found.

Instead of abusive behavior, the researchers suggest that bosses in need of a mental boost take a break, reduce their workloads, and spend more time communicating with employees. 

The study has been published in the <a href="http://aom.org/amj/">Academy of Management Journal</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Abusive bosses get a thrill – but it doesn't last

Ever wonder why your boss might go out of their...

Have you ever wondered why some people are pet people, while others don’t understand the appeal of owning animals? The answer could be in our genes. 

John Bradshaw, an expert on anthrozoology (the study of human-animal interactions) and a visiting fellow at the<a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/"> University of Bristol</a>, as well as a member of the <a href="http://www.asab.org/">Council of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour</a>, has devoted much of his work to helping pet owners better understand animal behavior. 

In an article written for <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-behind-why-some-people-love-animals-and-others-couldnt-care-less-84138">The Conversation</a>, Bradshaw explains some fundamentals about domestic animals and why certain people are predisposed to pet ownership. 

According to the <a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ownership_statistics.html??referrer=https://www.google.com/">Humane Society of the United States</a>, 65 percent of households own a pet, and Bradshaw notes that around 50 percent of households in Britain have a pet. These statistics suggest that pet ownership is a relatively Western phenomenon. 

“Indeed, it is often assumed that pets are a Western affectation, a weird relic of the working animals kept by communities of the past,” writes Bradshaw. 

There have been many claims that owning a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/easiest-pets-care/">pet</a> is good for your health, with studies showing that dogs and cats can lower blood pressure and improve quality of life. 

However, there isn’t much hard proof to corroborate these claims, and so the answer to why some like having a pet around and some don’t must date back further in history. 

According to Bradshaw, pet ownership is likely genetic, ranging back as far as when animals were first domesticated hundreds of thousands of years ago. Hunter-gatherers who found that domesticating animals was beneficial to survival laid the foundation for a symbiotic relationship between dogs and humans. 

“Kept isolated in these ways, the new semi-domesticated animals would have been able to evolve away from their ancestors’ wild ways, and become the pliable beasts we know today,” says Bradshaw. 

Those people who “couldn’t care less” about owning a pet may have inherited genes from groups who were not dependent on animals or didn’t need to form any bonds or relationships with animals to thrive. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Your love for animals may actually be genetic

Have you ever wondered why some people are pet people,...

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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

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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



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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



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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

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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

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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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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