Physical activity is known for its long-term benefits for brain health, including reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. 



A new study from Penn State College of Medicine now reveals that even everyday physical activities have immediate positive effects on the brain.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-years-of-cognitive-improvement">Years of cognitive improvement</h2>



“The purpose of the current study was to examine whether episodes of physical activity, occurring over the course of participants’ daily lives, are associated with short-term improvements in cognitive health,” noted the researchers.&nbsp;



The team found that middle-aged adults who engaged in daily movement experienced improvements in cognitive processing speed equivalent to being four years younger.&nbsp;



This improvement held true whether the activity was low-intensity, like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/walking-is-a-powerful-tool-to-boost-brain-health-and-overall-well-being/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">walking</a> or household chores, or higher intensity, like jogging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-all-movement-improves-brain-health">All movement improves brain health</h2>



Study lead author Dr. Jonathan Hakun, assistant professor of neurology and psychology at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penn State</a>, emphasized the importance of incorporating physical movement into everyday life. 



“You don’t have to go to the gym to experience all the potential benefits of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/any-type-of-physical-activity-can-help-protect-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">physical activity</a>,” said Hakun. 



“All movement is important. Everyday movement counts as a source of accumulated physical activity that could be credited toward a healthy lifestyle and may have some direct impact on cognitive health.”



This study shifts focus from the typical long-term investigations of physical activity’s impact on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-health-may-literally-be-a-state-of-mind/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain health</a>. 



While most research has looked at cognitive benefits over months or even decades, Hakun’s team examined the short-term effects of physical activity on cognitive processing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-daily-activity-and-brain-function">Daily activity and brain function</h2>



To capture real-time data, the team used smartphone technology to prompt participants with check-ins throughout their day.&nbsp;



Over a period of nine days, participants checked in six times daily, roughly every 3.5 hours, and reported whether they had been physically active since their last check-in, also rating the intensity of the activity.&nbsp;



Light activities included walking and cleaning, while vigorous activities were things like running or fast biking.



After recording their activity, participants played two “brain games” designed to measure cognitive processing speed and working memory.&nbsp;



Processing speed reflects how quickly the brain can process information, while working memory serves as an indicator of executive function, such as problem-solving skills.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gains-in-cognitive-processing-speed">Gains in cognitive processing speed</h2>



The study analyzed data from 204 participants aged 40 to 65 in the Bronx, NY, who were part of a broader study on cognitive health.&nbsp;



Importantly, half of the participants were Black or African American, and over a third were Hispanic, adding diversity to the findings.&nbsp;



When participants had been physically active within the last 3.5 hours, they performed better on tasks measuring processing speed, showing a cognitive “youthfulness” of approximately four years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-response-time-after-physical-activity-nbsp">Response time after physical activity&nbsp;</h2>



Though improvements in working <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/memory-clutter-speeds-up-aging-in-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">memory</a> were not observed, the researchers noted that response times in memory tasks echoed the quicker processing speeds seen after physical activity. 



“We get slower as we age, both physically and cognitively. The idea here is that we can momentarily counteract that through movement. It’s compelling. There’s the potential for a brief walk or a little extra movement to give you a boost,” noted Hakun.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-frequent-activity-yields-greater-benefits">Frequent activity yields greater benefits</h2>



The study also found that those who were active more frequently enjoyed more cognitive benefits compared to those with lower levels of physical activity. This suggests that cognitive health gains may increase with regular movement.&nbsp;



However, Hakun cautioned that further research is necessary to pinpoint how much activity, along with its frequency and timing, influences cognitive improvements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



Looking ahead, Hakun and his team plan to expand their research to include longer study durations to assess how everyday movement impacts cognitive health over time.&nbsp;



Pairing ecological momentary assessments with physical activity monitoring tools may allow researchers to more accurately track the relationship between activity levels and brain health.



By focusing on everyday movement as a means to boost brain function, the study highlights an accessible approach to improving cognitive health.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaae059" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annals of Behavioral Medicine</a>.



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Physical activity instantly boosts your brain speed - by years 

Physical activity is known for its long-term benefits for brain health, including reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.  A new study from Penn State College of Medicine now reveals that even everyday physical activities have immediate positive effects on the brain.&nbsp; Years of cognitive improvement “The purpose of the current study was to examine whether episodes of physical activity, occurring over the course of participants’ daily lives, are associated with short-term improvements in cognitive health,” noted the researchers.&nbsp; The team found that middle-aged adults who...

Human nutrition's carbon footprint was analyzed by scientists at Australia’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. 

What really makes fresh food “sustainable”? To determine this, the researchers decided to calculate the amount of each food we eat needed to create a kilogram of new greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The results were not especially surprising – the scientists found plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables and nuts, tended to have much smaller carbon footprints than meat, eggs and dairy products. Cattle and sheep have the highest carbon footprint, with chickens, fish and pigs slightly lower.

Since all plants absorb at least some greenhouse gases and animals – especially cows and sheep – produce them, this is common sense. Even with the fossil fuels needed to harvest and transport plant-based foods, human nutrition's carbon footprint overall would be smaller.

The scientists took it a step farther, however, and calculated exactly how many onions, grains, nuts and pounds of beef or mutton equal the addition of a kilogram of greenhouse gases released into the environment.

They studied the environmental impact of 168 types of produce, staples and livestock, and conducted a case study on a family-owned store in Australia. They used their results to create a table that listed the median impact of each food, along with other data such as the minimum and maximum results and the range of deviation.

According to their table, for example, about 50 medium-sized onions – 12.7 pounds, or 5.8 kilograms – is roughly equal to one new kilogram of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere.

The scientists’ goal was to help people make more informed decisions about the food they choose, they said, as well as to help restaurants that work to offer “sustainable” menus to ensure that they really are making environmentally sound choices.

The table was published along with an article outlining their research and calculations in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

Human nutrition's carbon footprint analyzed by resultant greenhouse gas

Human nutrition's carbon footprint was analyzed by scientists at Australia’s...

Social networking helps scientists: researchers turn to Instagram and Flickr to boost their landscape data banks.

When you go hiking in the mountains, travel overseas, or visit a pristine beach, your photos may be more than just a memory of a great time. According to one expert, they're becoming valuable research data.

Researchers are turning to Instagram, Flickr, and other social media sites to identify which destinations tourists feel are most important, according to Dr. Jordan Smith, director of the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University. Smith is also an assistant professor the university's Department of Environment and Society.

Dr. Smith – along with Boris van Zanten, Koen Tieskens and Peter Verburg of Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, as well as Derek van Berkel and Ross Meentenmeyer of North Carolina State University – took to the social media websites to identify and map the locations shown in the photos that were being shared.

This helped them find what they have dubbed "hot spots" – outdoor spaces that tourists most want to visit. That data can be used to help prioritize landscape management and determine funding, Smith stated.

The team's findings were published in the early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online on Oct. 31, 2016.

Social networking helps scientists boost landscape data

Social networking helps scientists: researchers turn to Instagram and Flickr...

Genetically engineered potatoes have been approved by U.S. Dept of Agriculture.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved two types of genetically engineered potatoes designed to resist the disease that caused the Irish potato famine. The two varieties included J.R. Simplot Co.’s Ranger Russet and second generation of Innate potatoes.

On an aesthetic level, the potatoes will have less exterior bruising and extended storage capacity. Less bruising will result in a predicted 15% decrease in waste, as the bruised potatoes don’t sell as easily. 

But there is also an added health benefit to the new potatoes: when potatoes are cooked at high temperatures, it creates a chemical that’s a potential carcinogen. The genetically engineered potatoes, however, will release release much less of it.

Late blight is the official name of the disease that caused the infamous Irish potato famine, a pathogen that still remains a problem to this day. The genetically engineered potatoes will be resistant to late blight thanks to an Argentinian potato variety that naturally produces a defense. 

Another added benefit is that the new potatoes will be able to be kept in cold storage for a longer duration. This, in turn, could be good news for the potato chip industry and save money on trucking costs.

Last year, J.R. Simplot Co. began selling the first generation of genetically engineered potatoes. While they sold over 40 million pounds in 35 different states, many consumers are still adamantly resistant to genetically modified foods. McDonald’s has refused to use genetically modified potatoes for french fries.

Simplot has been fighting the stigma with a marketing campaign featuring Olympic gold medalist and Boise resident Kristin Armstrong. The long-term effects of GM plants on human health and the environment are unknown.

Next, the potatoes will be reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. J.R. Simplot Co. plans to have them on the market by next spring.

New genetically engineered potatoes approved by USDA

Genetically engineered potatoes have been approved by U.S. Dept of...

Golfers beware – a new golf course fungal disease is attacking southern U.S. courses.

Drought conditions, uninvited wildlife, and fungal growth are all common problems for golf courses from time to time. Recently, however, a strange new phenomenon has been popping up on golf courses in the southeastern United States, where patches of turf turned black and resembled a large ink spill. Not only has the golf course fungal disease ruined the famously pristine aesthetic of these courses, but it has also made some golfers fearful of playing.

Scientists from Mississippi State University have finally identified the culprit. Curvularia malina is a new fungus species previously unknown to experts. The name “malina” stems from the Sanskrit word meaning “dirty or stained,” due to its dark, blotchy appearance. The finding was published by Dr. Young-Ki Jo and his partner Dr. Maria Tomaso-Peterson in the Mycologia journal.

Because the pathogen is newly discovered, golf course managers have been sweating over how to address the issue. “If we don’t know the biology of a fungus, there is no management protocol,” said Dr. Jo. Fungicides can be incredibly expensive, costing over $5,000 per treatment, and may not even be effective against the new strain. 

Nevertheless, Jo and team were able to come up with a fungicide that could work preventatively against Curvularia malina at the times of year when it’s most likely to occur. Not surprisingly, it is during the more humid months when the fungus flourishes. Luckily, it doesn’t actually kill grass, and the condition often clears up once drier conditions return. 

Curvularia malina will still leave a blemish on the grass even after it clears up. As a result, southern golf courses will need to keep on top of preventative preparation in order to stay one step ahead of the new fungal threat.

Golfers beware – new golf course fungal disease

Golfers beware – a new golf course fungal disease is...

Vermont windfarm opposition forms.

An emotional debate is underway in the southern Vermont town of Grafton regarding the proposed development of a wind turbine farm. Concerns are running so high that residents are displaying signs reading “No to wind turbines” in their front yards.

Developers are offering payments to residents if they vote in the development on November 8th, which has fuelled fire for the Vermont windfarm opposition calling this promise a bribe. However, Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrell has stated there is nothing which would violate state election laws in this offer.

Spain-based worldwide renewable energy company Iberdrola Renewables’ representatives claim the concept for the payout – estimated at $1,162 per year for Windham residents and $428 for Grafton residents – was suggested by the local community who wanted to spread the benefit of the turbines beyond lower property taxes.

While supporters of the development are strongly in favor of the payments, detractors of the windfarm feel the money is a troubling development which puts neighbors in direct opposition with each other, causing disquiet within the local community.

Iberdrola Renewables’ plan proposes 24 mountaintop wind turbines, 16 in Windham and 8 in Grafton, which would produce enough electricity for around 30,000 homes. The windfarm would be built on a working forest; adversaries of the plan say the pristine forest setting would be forever blighted by the turbines, also raising environmental damage and potential health benefits to locals as concerns.

In previous situations, the majority of Vermont residents have voted against windfarm projects. We will be watching for developments on this story.

Vermont windfarm opposition

Vermont windfarm opposition forms. An emotional debate is underway in the...

Paleolithic decorating tips have been revealed in a new study from Catalan researchers.

Cave lion pelts were used by ancient peoples as a trendy, multipurpose decorative tool.

Humans alive during the Paleolithic area certainly had bigger problems to worry about than interior decor. However, archaeologists studying caves in present-day Spain recently made a unique fossil discovery that sheds light on ancient cave living. 

[caption id="attachment_95672" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-95672" src="http://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/pelts-150x150.jpg" alt="Paleolithic decorating tips have been revealed by a new study from Catalan researchers." width="150" height="150" /> Paleolithic decorating tips[/caption]

Prehistoric humans would perform sacred rituals deep in these caves. The La Garma cave has shed light on what life could have been like 16,000 years ago. Archeologist Edgard Ceramos from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution and his team have spent several years investigating the cave for fossils, generally finding bones from horses and goats.

Recently, the team discovered nine fossilized claw bones from an extinct cave lion. The Eurasian cave lion was larger than an African lion and went without a mane. Dr. Ceramos explained that since the only lion remains found were claws, they can presume that they were brought in attached to the lion’s skin. Each claw also had a similar marking that appeared to have been made by human tools.

Ancient people are thought to have hunted the Eurasian lion until it went extinct roughly 2,000 years later. They would skin the lion to make pelts for a variety of purposes: protection, warmth, shelter.

Over time the pelts decomposed, leaving only the claws. While there is still much mystery surrounding the nature of the Paleolithic decorating tips' ancient rituals, we know one thing for sure: our ancestors loved to adorn their homes with luxurious animal skins.

—

Read the full journal over at <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0163591" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PLOS ONE</a>.

Paleolithic decorating tips revealed

Paleolithic decorating tips have been revealed in a new study...

Air pollution inhalation avoidance suggestions were outlined by scientists today.

Want to avoid getting a mouthful of air pollution? Faculty at the University of British Columbia have suggested optimal walking and cycling speeds to avoid airborne nasties today.

The scientists suggest that cyclists should ride between 12 and 20 kilometers per hour on city roads, and pedestrians should walk at 2 to 6 km/h. By keeping within these speeds, we can avoid pollution inhalation, while still reaping the health benefits of exercise.

"The faster you move, the harder you breathe and the more pollution you could potentially inhale, but you also are exposed to traffic for a shorter period of time. This analysis shows where the sweet spot is," said Dr. Alex Bigazzi, a UBC transportation expert in the Department of Civil Engineering and School of Community and Regional Planning.

Using data from 10,000 people, Bigazzi calculated the ideal travel speeds for different age and sex groups. He coined the term “minimum-dose speeds” (MDS) to describe his findings. 
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Female cyclists under 20 should travel at 12.5 kilometers per hour.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Male cyclists under 20 should travel at 13.3 kilometers per hour. </li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Ideal travel speeds are between 13 and 15 kilometers per hour for female and male cyclists in the 20-60 age group.</li>
</ul>
"If you move at much faster speeds than the MDS – say, cycling around 10 kilometers faster than the optimal range – your inhalation of air pollution is significantly higher," said Bigazzi. "The good news is, the MDS numbers align pretty closely with how fast most people actually travel."

You can read these findings over at the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15568318.2016.1238984" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Journal of Sustainable Transportation</a>. Bigazzi also reported on the high amounts of toxic chemicals absorbed by cyclists on busy city streets, which you can read <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/stoken/presspac/presspac/abs/10.1021/acs.est.6b01159" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Tips for avoiding breathing air pollution

Air pollution inhalation avoidance suggestions were outlined by scientists today....

Are you ready to eat edible bugs? The future of fine-dining may center around insect-based cuisine.

Eating bugs sounds like a rock-bottom financial scenario or maybe a nostalgic scene from The Lion King – but, believe it or not, both the scientific and the gastronomic worlds are abuzz about the future of dining. 

According to a recent report in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry, iron levels in grasshoppers and crickets are similar to beef’s. Experts are convinced that bugs are a nutritious and sustainable meat alternative. 

Different insect species have varied nutritional benefits. Crickets have far more iron than any other common edible bugs. Grasshoppers and mealworms are rich in calcium, copper, and zinc. Furthermore, when scientists factored in the human digestion process, they found that minerals from these bugs were actually more readily available for digestion than the minerals found in beef.

It’s still a hard sell to get most eaters in Western cultures on board the bug fine-dining train, but over 1,900 insect species are documented as a food source in other parts of the world. 

Bugs are not only a source of protein – they are also rich in iron. Iron deficiency is often the largest problem encountered when following a meatless diet, so, in theory, bugs could be a feasible alternative to higher animals.

Bugs got their name because they were widely assumed to be nothing more than a collective nuisance to humans. As it turns out, they may be more useful than anyone has ever thought.

—

Learn more <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.6b03286" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Are you ready to eat edible bugs?

Are you ready to eat edible bugs? The future of...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> 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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" 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> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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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

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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