Nature-based activities are showing real promise in improving mental health, with visible benefits reported in as little as 12 weeks. 



In a recent evaluation of a community program for people with mild to moderate mental health conditions, participants experienced better mood and lower anxiety levels after joining weekly outdoor sessions. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reshaping-mental-health-through-nature">Reshaping mental health through nature</h2>



This study is part of the UK government’s larger effort to rethink how mental health care is delivered.



One initiative included setting up seven “test and learn” green social prescribing sites across England. The first site to release its findings comes from Humber and North Yorkshire, where researchers from the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of York</a> led the evaluation.



Green social prescribing works by linking people with community-based nature activities instead of, or alongside, traditional medical treatments. 



Healthcare professionals can refer patients to activities that bring them outdoors and into contact with the natural world. Though still in the testing phase, the evidence is growing stronger that this approach can be a useful tool in mental health support.



More than 220 participants took part in the Humber and North Yorkshire program. The researchers measured their mental health using the Office for National Statistics’ personal well-being metrics and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The participants ranged in age from 18 to 85 and included people of all genders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-longer-activities-deeper-impact">Longer activities, deeper impact</h2>



The results showed consistent improvement across the board, but participants in longer sessions - typically nine to 12 weeks - saw the most progress.



Activities that involved direct interaction with nature, such as horticulture and care farming, had a bigger effect than sports, crafts, or mindfulness sessions alone.



Professor Peter Coventry from the University of York’s Department of Health Sciences elaborated on the findings.



“We have known for some time that nature has a positive impact on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natures-scents-linked-to-improved-health-and-well-being/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health and wellbeing</a>, but in more recent years, a stronger evidence base has grown that proves this to be true for mental health in particular," he said.



“The fact that activities such as gardening, tending allotments, and care farming had the most impact on the participants in our study, demonstrated that it is not just about being passive in nature, but connecting with it in a meaningful way." 



Professor Coventry added that spending time in nature with others from your community can ease <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-do-fear-and-anxiety-reside-in-the-brain-new-cells-identified/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anxiety</a> and depression by reducing loneliness and fostering connection. Participating in local activities that support the environment can boost mood and promote a sense of belonging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-accessible-and-enjoyable-nature-activities">Accessible and enjoyable nature activities</h2>



The benefits of the program were seen across different age groups and income levels. Of the participants, 65% came from low socioeconomic backgrounds. 



Horticulture-based sessions had particularly high attendance, suggesting these activities were both accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of people.



“This intervention might not work for everyone, but through an initial exploratory conversation a social prescriber will discuss with a patient or user of the service if nature-based activities would be suited to them," said Trish Darcy, a research associate from the University’s Mental Health and Addiction Research Group. 



"For that choice to happen, we need more investment to support these community-based activities."



“In our study, 65% of participants were from low socioeconomic groups and we now know that not only can it help improve their mental health, but participation was high for horticultural based activities in particular, meaning that not only is it good for the individual, but for the local community environment too."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-green-partner-in-healthcare">A new green partner in healthcare</h2>



The experts conducted the study in partnership with The HEY Smile Foundation and the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board. 



The research is part of a national cross-government initiative, with backing from DEFRA and several departments and agencies including the Department of Health and Social Care and Sport England.



Dr Hannah Armitt, clinical lead for the regional program, emphasized the potential to bridge medical care with community programs.



“The research conducted in our region has the potential to enhance service delivery by connecting statutory services with local providers of nature-based and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/outdoor-classes-improve-childrens-mental-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outdoor activities</a>," said Dr. Armitt.



“It is important to evidence the potential of green space and nature to ensure clinicians and patients alike can harness the benefits of this wonderful free natural resource we have in abundance in Yorkshire and Humber.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-nature-prescriptions">Future of nature prescriptions </h2>



As more of healthcare shifts into the community, the role of local organizations is becoming increasingly important. 



Anthony Hurd is the program manager of the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/research/mental-health/projects/humber-north-yorkshire-green-social-prescribing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humber and North Yorkshire Green Social Prescribing</a>.



“This work has not only shown the positive outcomes that nature-based activities have on mental health, it has also highlighted the role that community-based organizations play in supporting the health and wellbeing of communities," said Hurd.



“As healthcare begins to move more into the community, and with a focus on prevention, the community-based organizations delivering activities such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gardening-is-beneficial-for-physical-and-mental-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gardening</a>, care farming, and walking groups need to be recognized as key players in our national health service and be resourced appropriately.”



With continued investment, green social prescribing could become a trusted and lasting part of mental health care across the country - offering hope, healing, and a healthy dose of fresh air.



The research is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1155/hsc/2016261" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Health &amp; Social Care in the Community</a>.



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How nature heals: Outdoor activities greatly improve mental health

Nature-based activities are showing real promise in improving mental health, with visible benefits reported in as little as 12 weeks. In a recent evaluation of a community program for people with mild to moderate mental health conditions, participants experienced better mood and lower anxiety levels after joining weekly outdoor sessions. Reshaping mental health through nature This study is part of the UK government’s larger effort to rethink how mental health care is delivered. One initiative included setting up seven “test and learn” green social prescribing sites across...

This past December, two men stumbled upon an unusual treasure just below the surface of some farmland in the Staffordshire Moorlands. The pair unearthed four pieces of jewelry that may very well be the oldest Iron Age gold in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-houses-britains/">Britain</a>.

The collection, consisting of three necklaces and one bracelet, has been named the Leekfrith Iron Age Torcs, after the parish where they were found. 

A formal evaluation of the exact monetary worth has yet to take place, but discoverers Mark Hambleton and Joe Kania have vowed to split the money 50/50 with landowner Stuart Heath. 

Experts in the field believe that the Iron Age gold torcs were made in Europe, most likely France or Germany, in the third or fourth century. Two or the torcs are comprised of twisted gold wire, while the other two have trumpet-shaped finials and Celtic decoration. 

“This unique find is of international importance. It dates to around 400-250 BC, and is probably the earliest Iron Age gold work ever discovered in Britain,” said Dr. Julia Farley, curator of the British &amp; European Iron Age collections at the <a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/">British Museum</a>. “The torcs were probably worn by wealthy and powerful women, perhaps people from the continent who had married into the local community. Piecing together how these objects came to be carefully buried in a Staffordshire field will give us an invaluable insight into life in Iron Age Britain.”

Discoverers Himbleton and Kania are lifelong friends who were encouraged to pursue treasure hunting by Himbleton’s father Roy.

“I used to go metal detecting with my dad when I was young and he said to me 'why are you bothering fishing? You should be back in those fields,” Hambleton said. “I am so glad we took his advice and pleased of course that he got the chance to see these amazing pieces and prove he was right all along.”

--

By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Britain’s oldest Iron Age gold discovered by treasure seekers

This past December, two men stumbled upon an unusual treasure...

When it comes to what you eat, keep it simple. That’s the takeaway from a paper published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The review of nutritional studies indicated that what you probably already knew is, unfortunately, true. Dietary fads don’t work and aren’t necessary. The research paper cuts through the clutter of heart-health studies and concludes that the basics – fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts – are best to eat for the maintenance of good heart health. Some cardio-healthy diets also include very limited helpings of lean meat, fish, low-fat and nonfat dairy products and liquid vegetable oil.

In other words, forget about<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/03/22/do-juice-cleanses-work_n_1372305.html"> juice cleanses</a>, which rob your diet of needed fats and proteins, can be dangerous if you have diabetes, kidney disease or other ailments, and often have little or no fiber, which aids in digestion. As for the magical “detox” benefits of juice cleansing – that’s what your liver, kidneys and intestines are for.

“Juicing is okay, as long as you don’t think you can only drink juice for an extended period of time,” registered dietician Ana Reisdorf told <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>. “You also need to realize you can end up consuming tons of calories from fruit, depending on how you make your juice.”

 As for the too-good-to-be-true benefits of the very popular high fat/low carbohydrate diets:<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/06/time-to-retire-the-low-carb-diet-fad/258343/"> too good to be true</a>. That’s the verdict following a 25-year Swedish study that found that short-term weight loss is possible. But over time, the high fat/low carb diet increased blood cholesterol levels – and waistlines. Both are major risks for cardiovascular disease.

 “There is a great amount of misinformation about nutrition fads, including antioxidant pills, juicing and gluten-free diets,” said Andrew Freeman, MD, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness in the division of cardiology at <a href="https://www.nationaljewish.org/">National Jewish Health</a> in Denver and the paper's lead author. “However, there are a number of dietary patterns that have clearly been demonstrated to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease.”

Freeman also explained some of the confusion in nutritional studies. He pointed out that some that promote the addition of other foods are funded by the food industry. Others might rely on the often unreliable memory of study respondents.

 Here are some other conclusions drawn by the paper.
<ul>
 	<li>       Juicing can be a healthy dietary source, but the juicing process concentrates the calories, making it easy to over-consume. Going old-school – simply eating your fruits and vegetables – is better for you. And if you do juice, don’t make it a multi-day or multi-week cleanse.</li>
 	<li>       Olive oil is your healthiest cooking oil option, but go lightly on it since it’s also high in calories. And avoid coconut oil and palm oil since school is still out on both.</li>
 	<li>       Ah, gluten. While those with celiac disease should certainly avoid it, the health claims for a gluten-free diet are unproven for those without a gluten sensitivity. Which is<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33486177"> sure to be a surprise to a lot of people</a>. A survey by NPD Group indicated that 29 percent of American adults – some 70 million people – are trying to reduce how much gluten they eat. YouGov says that 60 percent of UK adults have bought gluten-free food products. Yes, gluten’s a threat to celiac sufferers, but that’s about one percent of the population in the developing world. And yet, seven percent of Brits claim an allergy or intolerance, and another eight percent say they avoid gluten as a healthy living decision. (Chelsey Amer, MS, RDN, a private practice dietitian and nutrition consultant, points out another drawback of gluten avoidance. “A gluten-free diet, if not medically warranted, is not needed for weight loss and can even backfire and cause weight gain! The variety of gluten-free products lining supermarket shelves are full of more sugar and fat to help mimic the flavor and texture of products containing gluten and can even have more calories!”)</li>
 	<li>       Forget about your high-dose oxidation supplements. Just – once again – eat your fruits and vegetables.</li>
 	<li>       Nuts – yes. Good for you, but high in calories, so go lightly.</li>
</ul>
<a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> caught up with several healthcare professionals to get their take on the new report.

Robyn Lanci - Certified Health Coach

"I think the paleo diet is one of the best out there, while a gluten-free one (unless medically necessary) is one of the worst. Although a paleo diet eliminates food groups like dairy, it doesn't eliminate anything that's actually good for your body -- it can just take some getting used to. It's a common assumption for example, that dairy is needed for calcium, but the reality is that you can find it in many fruits, which are paleo-friendly. Our bodies aren't made to digest cow's milk; the number of lactose-intolerant people serve as a testament to that fact. A gluten-free diet is marketed well, but not beneficial unless you've got celiac disease or another sensitivity like migraines. Fat-free diets are also quite similar in the sense that they're marketed well but aren't good for you. When a manufacturer removes the fat (or lowers it significantly) from an item, it gets replaced with something else. That something else is usually chemicals, sugar, or a combination of the two. So while the original version of whatever is being marketed as fat free or low fat isn't good for you, you're better off with that versus the alternative."

<a href="http://www.anareisdorf.com">Ana Reisdorf</a> - Registered Dietitian

"I think the common belief one needs to "detox" is probably what annoys me the most. If you just stop putting junk into your body, it will naturally detox itself. So, its not necessary to buy any special product to do so.Juicing is ok, as long as you don't think you can only drink juice for an extended period of time. You also need to realize you can end up consuming tons of calories from fruit, depending on how you make your juice."

<a href="https://blog.slickcoach.com">Mario Behrendt</a> - Fitness Coach

"There is no special diet. You won’t magically lose body fat because you go vegan, or paleo or gluten-free. What’s important though, is how a person feels on a diet. Some people feel better on carbs, some feel better without carbs. There’s no one-size-fits-all-diet. Everyone is different, has different genes and enzymes."

<a href="http://CitNutritionally.com">Chelsey Amer</a> - Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, and Nutrition Consultant

"My favorite diet trending right now is eating for gut health! From kombucha to probiotics to the variety of fermented foods available, gut health has become sexy, hot and important for health and weight loss. We're learning that having a healthy microbiome (which is the good bacteria in our intestines) is linked to everything from weight management to preventing chronic diseases. The worst diets that are trending to me are restrictive diets that have you cut out complete food groups when it is not warranted. Eliminating grains, legumes or fruit completely from your diet is unnecessary and can even be dangerous because you'll be missing out on some very important nutrients!

I am definitely not a fan of juicing as a way to "detox" or lose weight because juice doesn't contain all of the nutrients you need to thrive! Vegetable and fruit juices have the fiber stripped out and instead contain just sugar, vitamins and minerals. I would much rather you eat fruits and vegetables in their whole form because they contain fiber, which helps keep you full and because we are more satisfied when we chew real food!"

<a href="http://www.cuttothechasenutrition.com">Dr. Keith Ayoob</a> - Diet &amp; Lifestyle, Nutritionist, Dietician

"Juicing always surprises me that people think it's more healthful as a juice than as the whole food.  The juicers that remove the pulp are removing what you need the most. My take on juicing: Your gut already has a juicer. It just works more slowly.  No need to hurry. Smoothies can be a whole lot of natural calories. If the smoothie doesn't have protein, it's a missed opportunity. Zero-carb diets are absolutely ridiculous. Anytime you remove a food category, it can be a red flag for obsession or phobia. Your body needs carbs.

Best diet: Go for one with a boatload of science behind it and that's also livable for the rest of your life: the "Modi-Med Diet".  It's a modified Mediterranean diet (emphasizes fish, olive oil, nuts on most days, along with daily fruits and vegetables) that combines a Med diet with a DASH-type diet. DASH is "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension" and is basically loaded with fruits and vegetables, plus low-fat dairy foods."

--

By David Searls, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.onlinejacc.org/"> Journal of the American College of Cardiology</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

New study proves you are what you eat

When it comes to what you eat, keep it simple....

You might consider yourself lucky you didn’t attend the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston earlier this month, where scientists reported the various ways humans are losing evolutionary ground to modern life. Before you book a ticket on Virgin Galactic, don’t despair! All three presenters – scientists studying the senses – also offered pathways to solutions.

According to the speakers, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-crisis-india/">pollution</a> in modern life is affecting our sense of smell and increasing our risk of mental illness. Staring at LCD screens all day is damaging our vision. And our love of sweets has pushed us off the evolutionary wagon to cause an obesity pandemic.

Yeah, it got pretty dark.

Professor Kara Hoover, one of the AAAS presenters and a biological and evolutionary anthropologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, refers to these sets of challenges as “evolutionary mismatch.” She expanded on the concept in a later interview with Earth.com: “Evolutionary mismatch explores the idea that the evolutionary function for a trait is no longer an advantage in a changed environment. I'd say that our environment is mismatched to the sense of smell in the sense that it is impeding its function.”

Hoover explained how the presentations of the three scientists pointed out evidence of this mismatch and suggested answers. “Our AAAS panel had a common theme when thinking about our sensory futures and reflected what health professionals already suggest – engagement with natural environments, time away from screens, and reducing pollution.”

Take those ubiquitous computers. We spend much of our modern life staring closely at their glowing screens just a few feet from our faces.

“We’re inside, we’re in fake lighting, we’re not spending as much time outside in the context in which our vision system evolved,” said Amanda Melin, associate professor of archeology and anthropology at Calgary University. “And our lighting, as well as other things like near-work tasks, might be drastically affecting our acuity.”

Her prescription for society is to get outdoors more often, taking in the long view – literally – and natural lighting.

This is necessary, Melin said, “in order for our eyeball to grow properly and for us to have the right proportions so that the images are really clearly in focus on the retina.”

She also suggested that policymakers find ways to encourage children and young people to spend more time outside.

As for our collective sugar rush, it goes back to a point before we branched off the evolutionary tree from primates, according to Paul Breslin, professor of nutritional sciences at Rutgers University. Back then, our chimp ancestors had a taste for sugar that drew them to ripe fruit – a healthy dietary choice. They’d chow down on as much of the stuff as they could get, and even pile on extra pounds doing so, but when fruit supply ran out they’d scurry down the tree and switch to a more slimming menu of insects and leaves.

Today we have processed sugar, so the supply never runs out.

As Breslin put it, “We climb up into this tree that our society has created and we gorge on the fruit but the tree never comes out of fruit and we never come down out of the tree, so we gorge and gorge and gorge on sugary foods and get chubbier and chubbier.”

Hoover’s contribution to the shared AAAS presentation was on air pollution and the multiple olfactory-based threats it poses.

“Our sense of smell evolved in very odor-rich landscapes in which we were interacting regularly with the environment,” she said. “Now today we’re not interacting with the environment and we’re in very polluted places. Pollution tends to disrupt the sense of smell and that puts you at greater risk of things like mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety. And it also puts you at greater risk for physical health [problems], such as obesity, and greater risk for social health, not being able to pick up on social cues from other human beings.”

In Earth.com’s exclusive follow-up interview, Hoover said, “Engagement with all the senses in natural settings has been shown to improve well-being – physical, mental, and social . . . . Taking time to stop and savor the smell of flowers, put your nose into a pleasant odor plume and follow its source, engage deeply with food before eating – all these contribute to ‘smell-being’ and improvements in well-being.”

During her AAAS lecture, Hoover found a way to sum up all the presentations and embrace a common set of solutions. Her advice was to focus first on the environmental issues.                    

“The greener the city, the better the environment would be for our sense of smell,” she said. “And also, the greener the city the more we might be encouraged to go out and play in parks, getting exposed to sunlight and getting away from the computer more regularly. I think it’s continuing the theme that we’re talking about quite a lot in modern society today: having a better, healthier atmosphere.”

Hoover added this final tidbit of advice for Earth.com readers: “Invest in research and its applications that will foster green and sustainable alternatives to all the problematic tools in aid of 'modernity' that we have burdened our planet with.”

--

By David Searls, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.aaas.org/"> American Association for the Advancement of Science</a>

Modern life is an “evolutionary mismatch” threatening us all

You might consider yourself lucky you didn’t attend the annual...

Housing in London and other parts of the United Kingdom is downright unattainable for many. That’s where out-of-the-box thinking (or in the box as the case may be) comes in. From a fiberglass houseboat and virtual playhouses to converted ambulance houses and free temporary lodging in luxury quarters, there’s no end to the sacrifices and creativity of Britons seeking affordable housing.

Here are a few of the alternative housing heroes of Britain, as reported by <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/news">BuzzFeed News</a>.

Tiny houses, tiny costs

The tiny houses supplied by Mark Burton can cost less than $7,500 U.S. Some are small enough to be towed by car, while others look like kids’ playhouses found in backyards. But they’re housing an ever-growing number of Britons.

“People want to either rent a piece of land on a farm or buy a small piece of woodland and have a tiny house and live in it, but the councils would not allow anything like that,” said Burton. “I know people who have done this and are living under the radar of the council, who wouldn’t want to be named.”

An 80s ambulance called home

David Coward, a 33-year-old seasonally employed forklift operator, values his dog, Billy, and his freedom. He likes it when the view changes outside his window. That’s why home is a 1980s-era ambulance found on eBay for about $1,000. Coward spent roughly $1,250 to add storage, a bed and a wood-burner.

Now he takes his home from job to job, moving when he must – without running water, but that’s just a detail.

“This is my life,” he said. “I do not want to change it.”

Houseboat house

London resident and theater student Phoebe Patey-Ferguson, 26, pays the British equivalent of about $40 monthly for her housing. Impossible? Not if you live on a fiberglass houseboat and your “landlord” is actually the Canal and River Trust.

“I don’t have electricity, plumbing, running water, solar panels, a kitchen, or a fridge,” she admitted. Furthermore, she must seek a new port every two weeks to stay legal. But her place is cozy and affordable and, she said, her first home that doesn’t have a wall of mold.

Legal squatter

Robyn Winfield-Smythe, 32, once lived in a grand but rundown property in Piccadilly that overlooked Buckingham Palace – and paid nothing for it. Naturally, there’s a catch. Smythe is a property guardian for the Live-In Guardians program. The idea is to install such temporary residents in apartment buildings idled before rehabilitation in order to keep utilities running and squatters away.

The downside is that Smythe can be removed with just two weeks’ notice. She called it a great exercise in “living for the moment” and shrugged off the frequent need to pack up and move.

These Britons and others are finding accommodations that fit their budgets and lifestyles – and even their sense of whimsy.

--

By David Searls, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tiny houses offset tiny income for Britain’s creative homeowners

Housing in London and other parts of the United Kingdom...

It's always an eye roll when you see people taking their clothes off on social media just to get a few extra likes. But there's something about getting naked in nature that feels a tiny bit more tasteful, no?

Model Sara Jean has gained a massive <a href="https://www.instagram.com/saraunderwood/">Instagram</a> following of over 7 million thanks to her sexy shots outdoors. She's a native of <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/japanese-tree-portland/">Portland</a> and a self-described "nature-buff" who spent last year "hiking in the great outdoors and taking some amazing pictures along the way."

And she's not the only one! Here's a list of some notable names who have shown Instagram how they connect with the environment in their own way: by getting naked in nature!

&nbsp;
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<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQrUsW2DZWt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Painted Hills of Oregon. I wore my most painted on looking suit just to be ironic 😜 📸 by @stevebitanga</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by Sara Underwood (@saraunderwood) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-02-19T02:46:43+00:00">Feb 18, 2017 at 6:46pm PST</time>

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<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQbTrrfAE-r/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pardon muah 💅🏼 📸 by @stevebitanga</a>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by Sara Underwood (@saraunderwood) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-02-12T21:30:02+00:00">Feb 12, 2017 at 1:30pm PST</time>

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<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BAOI-40reBf/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">#sunset #pondebeach #islandlife</a>
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<a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQnU2p6BiXy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Into The Wild #theexperiencevol1</a>
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Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/Alena Ozerova

All-natural: Instagram celebrities get naked in nature

It's always an eye roll when you see people taking...

Plastic garbage wreaks havoc on the Earth’s sea creatures. If you spend any amount of time on the web, you’ve probably seen videos of friendly kayakers clipping plastic trash away from sea turtles and birds. In a recent story, a<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dying-whale-found-plastic-bags/"> dying whale washed up</a> off the coast of Norway with 30 plastic bags inside of its belly. Among the problems are plastic six-pack beverage rings – those ring holders that can be found on six-packs of beer and soda. 

Like plastic shopping bags, these beverage rings pose a double safety whammy to marine life, as creatures can get caught in them, but they can also ingest them. As a fish, whale, or turtle consumes non-digestible plastic, the material slowly fills up their stomachs and causes them to starve to death.

A brewery in Florida decided that they’d had enough. Americans consumed 6.3 billion gallons of beer just last year alone. Determined not to add to the plethora of plastic floating around the oceans, the <a href="http://www.saltwaterbrewery.com/">Saltwater Brewery</a> in Florida designed six-pack rings that are both edible and biodegradable. 

The rings are made from wheat and barley. Left to their own devices, the rings will eventually break down. However, if a sea turtle takes a nibble out of them, it won’t hurt. In fact, it could be a tasty treat!  

Saltwater Brewery estimates that if other, larger breweries would adopt their six-pack ring technology, hundreds of thousands of animal lives could be saved every year. One factor that might hold the innovative new rings back? They cost more than traditional, plastic six-pack rings. 

Saltwater Brewery’s head of brand, Peter Agardy, feels this sort of technology is worth spending money on. “It’s a big investment for a small brewery created by fisherman, surfers and people that love the sea,” he said. 

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By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Edible six-pack beverage rings offer alternative to plastic

Plastic garbage wreaks havoc on the Earth’s sea creatures. If...

When organic food first became “a thing,” naysayers scoffed, insisting that it was an overpriced fad that would never last. 

Retailers and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-agriculture-is-more-profitable/">organic food</a> producers are having the last laugh, as demand for organic food has soared. In fact, it’s at its highest level in over 10 years. 

This news comes courtesy of the Soil Association, which is expected to release an annual report on the organic food market that will show growth for the fourth year in a row. Although the industry was deeply impacted by the economic downturn, it appears to be bouncing back and shooting upwards. 

According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/">The Guardian</a>, individual stores are reporting an increase in their organic sales. Ocado, a store that specializes in grocery home delivery, reports that its organic sales have increased by 16%. In Tesco, they’ve gone up by 15% over the past year. 

“We are seeing that shoppers are increasingly looking to buy organic food but it needs to be affordable and consistently high quality all year round for it to be considered a viable option,” a spokesperson for Tesco said. “The popularity of organic food began with fruit and vegetables, but we are now seeing customers exploring areas such as grocery, fish and dairy. So you can now use organic produce for the whole meal.”

Tesco isn’t the only figure in the market who points to better price point and options as part of the reason why sales are moving on up. Adam Wakely, the managing director of Organic Farm Foods, agreed that these two factors have had a positive impact. 

“The organic food revival is gathering pace thanks to retailers offering a wider range of quality foods at more affordable prices. They continue to support the organic sector and the result is continued growth, outstripping non-organic foods,” he said. 

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By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Organic food sales soar hitting 10 year high

When organic food first became “a thing,” naysayers scoffed, insisting...

When science meets agriculture, it’s an amazing thing. The development of genetically modified plants has given us drought-resistant wheat and pest-resistant corn. Could gene manipulation help animal breeders the same way it’s benefitted farmers? In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-device-will-hunt-gmos-that-escape-into-the-environment/">biotechnology</a>, the field is known as gene editing, and researchers say that they are able to make beneficial changes to an animal’s genetics without causing unwanted changes. 

What kind of changes? Thanks to gene editing, cows that would normally need to be dehorned no longer have to go through that process. Scientists also hope that gene editing will be helpful to enhance the health and welfare of food animals.

Advancements in gene editing were made possible in part because of lessons learned from the dairy industry. Selective breeding among dairy cows has reduced greenhouse gas emissions related to that industry. Scientists accomplished this by breeding cows with improved productivity in mind. Thanks to this, despite their being a 1.6-fold increase in milk production, there are only around 9 million milk cows in the U.S. today, compared to 25.6 million in 1944.

Gene editing is accomplished through a variety of means. Van Eenennaam, a cooperative extension biotechnology specialist at the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California Davis</a> explained how scientists expanded the limits of this field.

“A number of breeding methods, including artificial insemination, embryo transfer, crossbreeding and, more recently, genomic selection, have been used to achieve these improvements,” she said. “Now, genome editing promises to complement traditional breeding programs by precisely introducing desirable genetic variations into livestock breeding programs.”

Like genetically modified food, gene-edited food animals are sure to stir controversy and will possibly face regulation. 

“The resulting DNA sequence may be identical to existing, naturally-occurring DNA sequences,” Eenennaam explained. 

“The prospect that gene-edited animals would be subject to the same type of regulations that apply to an animal drug -- even though their genetic modifications might be indistinguishable from those obtained through conventional breeding -- is a concern for animal breeders who are eager to employ genome editing to complement traditional genetic improvement programs.”

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By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: Van Eenennaam, <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California Davis</a>

GMO burgers? Gene editing meets agriculture

When science meets agriculture, it’s an amazing thing. The development...

It’s important to thoroughly wash any fruit and vegetables you eat. Oh – and don’t forget to peel off the tiny labels. You didn’t just eat a label, did you?

Annoying produce labels may soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new fruit-branding method. No; farmers aren’t going to heat up metal and brand them, Wild-West style. Rather, they’ll be branded with a brand new (pardon the pun) eco-friendly laser that will completely eliminate the need for those teensy, sticky labels. 

Think of it as a fruit tattoo. Each piece of fruit or <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/amazing-amphibians-eat-vegetarian/">vegetable</a> will be zapped with a laser that will imprint the product’s name, country of origin, and produce code number for the grocery store cashier to type in when customers check out. The branding devices are low-energy carbon dioxide lasers that simply remove the pigment from the outer skins of the produce. 

They first tested the technique out on sweet potatoes and avocados because stickers have a hard time staying put on their skins. In addition to this, people don’t usually eat the skins of those veggies, so they made good fodder for experimentation.

<a href="http://www.icagruppen.se/en/about-ica-gruppen/our-operations/ica-sweden/">ICA</a>, a Swedish supermarket chain, is the first store to try the new branding system out. If the program works, they’ll expand it to the 1,350 stores across Sweden.

Peter Hagg, a senior produce manager for ICA, pointed out to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a> that the change will help with more than convenience – it’s also incredibly eco-friendly. 

“It's a new technique, and we are searching for a smarter way of branding our products due to the fact that we think we have too much unnecessary plastic material or packaging material on our products,” he said. 

For those concerned about the branding affecting the way their guacamole tastes, Hagg says that they shouldn’t worry, as the mark doesn’t go through the skin or affect the product. 

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By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Supermarkets want to begin tattooing your fruit

It’s important to thoroughly wash any fruit and vegetables you...

Swiss skiers aren’t pleased this winter. While some parts of the Alps are covered in gloriously soft and powdery snow, their side of the mountains remains largely bare. This is because December 2016 was the driest in history. In fact, it was the most dry since record-keeping started more than 150 years ago. Ski buffs did not have a very merry Christmas, as there was very little snow for the third year in a row. 

Unfortunately, this picture isn’t likely to change in the years to come. Researchers have published a study in the journal<a href="http://www.the-cryosphere.net"> The Cryosphere</a> suggesting that man-made <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/kamchatka-peninsula-captured/">snow</a> may be the key to ski resort survival in the future. 

The discouraging news comes from those who know snow best: scientists with the Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) and the<a href="http://cryos.epfl.ch"> Cryos Laboratory École Polytechnique Fédérale</a> in Switzerland. They predict that a whopping 70% of the snow cover on the Alps could disappear within the next 100 years.

They also predict that the Alpine winter season will become shorter. This means less time for people to ski, snowboard, and snowmobile their way through the beautiful Alps. In fact, if current trends continue, the season could start anywhere from half a month to an entire month later than it currently does. 

Some of this disaster may possibly be averted, however, if humans can maintain global temperatures and ensure that they don’t rise beyond 2°C. In that case, the snow cover reduction could be limited to 30% by 2100. 

"The Alpine snow cover will recede anyway, but our future emissions control by how much,” explained Christoph Marty, the lead author of the study. 

“The majority of the climate models used project slightly increasing winter precipitation towards the end of the century. However, since temperatures are clearly increasing simultaneously we may experience increasing rainfall and not snow fall," Marty said. "We hope our results convincingly show that even increasing winter precipitation cannot compensate for the effect of the strongly increasing temperatures.”

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By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 
Source: Christoph Marty,<a href="http://cryos.epfl.ch"> Cryos Laboratory École Polytechnique Fédérale</a>

Do you like to ski? You won’t like this story.

Swiss skiers aren’t pleased this winter. While some parts of...

Today’s pattern of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/water-waste-converts-to-energy/">water</a> usage is one that’s largely governed by waste. People leave the tap running while they brush their teeth. For most Americans, the shower isn’t simply a place to get clean; they stay under the hot water each morning until they experience a virtual rebirth and feel ready for the day. Between cooking, drinking, cleaning, and bathing – it takes a lot to keep our water cycle running every day. 

This is particularly true in urban areas, home to 80% of the U.S. population. The need for energy, agricultural products, and clean drinking water keeps growing as populations continue to rise. Because of this, scientists are working to figure out how we can make better use of our urban water supply. 

Engineers with the<a href="https://www.nsf.gov"> National Science Foundation</a> have created a fascinating design – an illustration of what they’re calling the urban water cycle "of our dreams.” They believe that systems like this could make an efficient engineered water cycle a reality. 

The process involves purification using membranes that would filter water removed from lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. This could be used as drinking water.

Another source of drinking water would be desalinated water. The ocean is a huge body of water – why not use it to quench our thirsts?

Healthy crops also need clean, desalinated water, so proper irrigation would also play a part in the system. The water for irrigation would need to be monitored for contaminants, high salt levels, or anything that may disrupt crop production. 

Treatment of wastewater provides another eco-friendly potential. We know it sounds gross, but it really is possible to remove microbes and recycle wastewater for water, as well as clean energy. 

The engineers also include aquaponics in the picture. This combines acquacultue (raising fish) with hydroponics (raising plants in soil-free conditions). 

Reuse of materials like greywater and biosolids top off the water cycle utopia imagined by the team. Greywater from baths, sinks, and washing machines could be reused for flushing toilets and irrigating lawns. Meanwhile, solid waste is ideal for fertilizer and creating clean energy. 

This vision could change the way we interact with our water, treating it like the precious commodity it truly is. 

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By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source:<a href="https://www.nsf.gov"> National Science Foundation</a>

&nbsp;

NSF scientists create the urban water cycle "of our dreams”

Today’s pattern of water usage is one that’s largely governed...

B002_C042_10165L

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dakota-access-easement/">Engineers</a> from all walks of life and all over the world will get to tell their stories in the new documentary<a href="http://macgillivrayfreeman.com/project/dream-big/"> Dream Big: Engineering Our World</a>, opening February 17 at the<a href="http://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca"> Ontario Science Center</a>.  A celebration of the power of young people, key figures in the film include three young women engineers, as well as a high school engineering team. 

Viewers will experience engineering wonders such as a bridge that reaches high above the clouds, as well as powerful machines that bore huge tunnels. They’ll learn about the ingenuity behind designing the world’s tallest building, as well as the expertise needed to create underwater robots. 

The film will be narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges. The actor obtained cult icon status for his role as The Dude in 1998’s The Big Lebowski and on an Academy Award for his leading role in Crazy Heart. He was also awarded a Golden Globe after appearing in Hell or High Water. 

“I am a believer in encouraging our youth to make a difference in the world, and Dream Big encourages young people to do just that,” Bridges said.

Dream Big was directed by Greg MacGillivray and produced by Freeman Films in partnership with the<a href="http://www.asce.org"> American Society of Civil Engineers</a> (ASCE). 

“As an innovator in his own field, Jeff Bridges brings his passion and inspiration to a film that encourages young people to think about engineering as a meaningful way to help others and leave a positive mark on the world,” said MacGillivray. “Teachers and parents are looking for ways to turn kids on to science and engineering, and with Dream Big we hope to bring something new to that effort with an entertaining, visually spectacular film full of stirring human stories.”

The film is presented by Bechtel working in partnership with the ASCE Foundation, the<a href="http://ncees.org/"> National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying</a> (NCEES), the<a href="https://www.uefoundation.org/"> United Engineering Foundation</a> (UEF), as well as other engineering organizations. 

--

By Dawn Henderson,<a href="http://earth.com"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image: <a href="http://www.dreambigfilm.com/">Dream Big</a>

Celebrate the wonders of Engineering with Dream Big

Engineers from all walks of life and all over the...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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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

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" 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 Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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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



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Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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