A total lunar eclipse is set to transform the moon into a deep red as it passes through Earth's shadow. The eclipse will unfold late Thursday night into early Friday morning, and will be visible across the Western Hemisphere. 



The last total lunar eclipse occurred on November 8, 2022, marking the first to align with Election Day in the United States. Once again, the moon will slip behind Earth, illuminated in red by scattered sunlight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-the-moon-turn-red">Why does the moon turn red?</h2>



During the event, the moon and the sun will stand on opposite sides of Earth, perfectly aligned. When this happens, our planet blocks sunlight that would normally reach the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tonights-worm-moon-coincides-with-a-subtle-lunar-eclipse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">moon</a>.



Instead of going dark, the moon glows red because Earth's atmosphere bends and filters the sunlight, scattering shorter wavelengths and letting only deep reds and oranges pass through. This phenomenon has earned the name “blood moon.”



According to NASA, between four and seven lunar and solar eclipses take place each year. Most of them are partial, and only part of the moon is shadowed. But a total lunar eclipse, when the moon disappears into Earth’s shadow entirely, is far less common.



The last time the world witnessed one, it could be seen in Asia, Australia, and across the Pacific. This time, the best seats belong to North and South America, though a faint glimpse may still be possible in parts of Europe and Africa.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-watch-the-eclipse">How to watch the eclipse</h2>



No need for telescopes or protective glasses - this is one of the few <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/harvest-moon-2024-will-feature-a-partial-lunar-eclipse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">celestial events</a> that requires nothing but your eyes and a clear sky.



The eclipse will begin at&nbsp;2:26 a.m. Eastern on Friday, March 14, 2025, reaching its most dramatic moment around&nbsp;3 a.m.&nbsp;when the moon takes on its fiery glow. The entire event will last roughly an hour, giving skywatchers plenty of time to take in the view.



“As long as the sky is clear, you should be able to see it,” said Shannon Schmoll, director of Abrams Planetarium at <a href="https://msu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michigan State University</a>.



For those in Africa and Europe, the moon’s setting may cut the experience short. While some may still catch part of the eclipse, visibility won’t be as clear as it will be across the Americas.



“This is really an eclipse for North and South America,” said astronomy expert Michael Faison from <a href="https://www.yale.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yale University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-will-next-lunar-eclipse-happen">When will next lunar eclipse happen?</h2>



The next total lunar eclipse visible in the U.S. will not occur until&nbsp;March 2026. 



Until then, skywatchers may catch&nbsp;partial lunar eclipses, but a full&nbsp;blood moon&nbsp;won’t return for another two years. These events are rare, making each occurrence special.



For those who enjoy astronomical predictions, the next Election Day lunar eclipse is an extremely distant event. It won’t happen until November 8, 2394 - a staggering 372 years from now. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lunar-eclipses-in-history">Lunar eclipses in history</h2>



Eclipses have stirred awe and fear for thousands of years. Before telescopes, ancient people crafted stories to explain the moon’s sudden disappearance and blood-red glow.



“They were looking at the night sky and they had a much brighter vision than we do today,” said historian Zoe Ortiz with the <a href="https://www.unt.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Texas</a>.



Aristotle’s observations of lunar eclipses helped confirm that Earth is round. He noted that Earth’s shadow, whenever it passed over the moon, was always curved. Centuries before space exploration, this simple observation provided undeniable proof of our planet’s shape.



For ancient Mesopotamians, a red moon was not just an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-skies-full-eclipses-transits-exoplanets-know-where-to-look/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">astronomical event</a> - it was a warning. They believed it signaled danger for the king. To protect their ruler, they would place a temporary substitute on the throne, allowing any misfortune to fall upon the stand-in instead.



“If there’s ever a movie plot,” said Ortiz, “that’s the one.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-timeless-spectacle">A timeless spectacle</h2>



Even in an age of space probes and lunar missions, a blood moon remains a sight to behold. 



Unlike solar eclipses, which are visible only from narrow paths on Earth, a total lunar eclipse can be seen from anywhere the moon is above the horizon.



The upcoming eclipse will transform the sky, giving stargazers a chance to witness something both scientifically explained and deeply mystical. 



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Total lunar eclipse will paint the moon blood red tomorrow

A total lunar eclipse is set to transform the moon into a deep red as it passes through Earth's shadow. The eclipse will unfold late Thursday night into early Friday morning, and will be visible across the Western Hemisphere. The last total lunar eclipse occurred on November 8, 2022, marking the first to align with Election Day in the United States. Once again, the moon will slip behind Earth, illuminated in red by scattered sunlight. Why does the moon turn red? During the event, the moon and...

A national poll from <a href="https://www.uofmhealth.org/">Michigan Medicine</a> suggests that many parents fail to use the best practices for protecting <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/electronic-media-use-linked-to-poor-sleep-in-children/">children</a> from the sun. The researchers said that while the majority of parents recognize the importance of sunscreen, many are not using the proper SPF or reapplying often enough.

The study shows that only three percent of parents do not use sunscreen for their child. One in ten parents that are using it, however, do not choose a specific minimum SPF.

When children are playing in the sun outside of the water, half of parents do not reapply sunscreen, according to the survey. In addition, 33 percent do not reapply on a cloudy day, even though clouds do not completely block harmful UV rays.

Dr. Gary Freed is a pediatrician and the co-director of the <a href="https://mottpoll.org/">C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll</a> on Children's Health at Michigan Medicine.

"Children are spending more time in the sun and possibly at beaches and pools as families enjoy outdoor summer activities. But too much sun exposure can be dangerous and damage the skin," said Dr. Freed.

"Parents should be aware that UV rays from the sun can reach their children on cloudy and hazy days, not just on bright and sunny days. Children need protection regardless of the amount of sunshine."

The research is based on survey responses from 1,120 parents with children between the ages of 5 and 12. Most of the participants agree that sunscreen is very important for preventing sunburns and skin cancer, while half believe sunscreen is vital in preventing premature aging and wrinkles.

The parents were found to take several factors into consideration when deciding whether to use sun protection, such how long their child will be outside, what the child is wearing, whether the child will be around water, and how hot it is. Nearly half of parents say they take into account whether it is cloudy outside.

Different factors also influence the decision to reapply sunscreen. In the survey, 81 percent of parents reported reapplying within two hours when children are playing in the water. However, frequent reapplication dropped to 50 percent for children playing outside of the water, 25 percent on a cloudy day, and to 20 percent when children are playing in a shady area.

Dr. Freed pointed out that no sunscreen is actually waterproof, and in order to be effective sunscreen needs to be reapplied every couple of hours - or even more often if children are in the water.

Sunscreens labeled "water resistant" are required to disclose whether the protection remains effective for 40 minutes or 80 minutes when swimming.

Dr. Freed recommends for parents  to choose broad spectrum sunscreens with a minimum SPF of 15 to 30. In addition, he says that sun exposure should be limited during the peak intensity hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

"Parents may believe their children are adequately protected from the sun but if the SPF is too low or they're not reapplying often enough, kids are still at risk of sunburns," said Dr. Freed. "Sunscreen is a key preventive tool against burns and skin cancer, but it must be used properly to be effective."

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Many parents are not using sunscreen properly  

A national poll from Michigan Medicine suggests that many parents...

A huge rock core from the Petrified Forest in Arizona is providing new insight into how our planet was impacted by natural disasters during the Triassic Period. Analysis of the quarter-mile rock core will help scientists understand how Earth's ecosystems evolved and what led to the end-Triassic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dead-land-species-changed-ocean-chemistry-during-extinction-event/">extinction</a> around 201 million years ago.

The Triassic is characterized by a number of catastrophic events, including at least three impacts by enormous asteroids, widespread volcanic eruptions, and tectonic movement that tore apart the supercontinent Pangea.

During this chaotic time period, a large number of plants and animals vanished, including some of the long-snouted and armored reptiles that ruled Pangea. The exact cause of the extinction event has remained a mystery.

The geological record in the rock core contains a continuous stretch of Earth's history from 225 million to 209 million years ago. The timeline provides an opportunity for scientists to investigate abrupt environmental changes during the peak of the Late Triassic.

Cornelia Rasmussen is a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.ig.utexas.edu/">University of Texas Institute for Geophysics</a> (UTIG), who led the core dating analysis.

"The core lets us wind the clock back 225 million years when Petrified Forest National Park was a tropical hothouse populated by crocodile-like reptiles and turkey-size early dinosaurs," said Rasmussen.

"We can now begin to interpret changes in the fossil record, such as whether changes in the plant and animal world at the time were caused by an asteroid impact or rather by slow geographic changes of the supercontinent drifting apart."

Dr. Adam Marsh is a paleontologist at Petrified Forest National Park. He explained that despite a rich collection of fossils from the period in North America, until now there was little information on the Late Triassic's timeline because most of what scientists knew came from studying outcrops of exposed rock pushed to the surface by tectonic movements.

"Outcrops are like broken pieces of a puzzle," said Dr. Marsh."It is incredibly difficult to piece together a continuous timeline from their exposed and weathered faces."

The new core contains every rock layer in the order it was deposited, which means the layers can be matched with the fossil and climate record.

According to Rasmussen, the analysis of the core produced two slightly different stories. The first scenario suggests that changes across Triassic species were not connected to any single catastrophic event, but were  simply due to the natural course of evolution. The second scenario shows a correlation between changes in the fossil record and a powerful asteroid impact, which left behind a crater in Canada over 62 miles wide.

Dr. Marsh said the findings are just part of the process to reach the truth. "The two age models are not problematic and will help guide future studies."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsabulletin">GSA Bulletin</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Arizona rock will help solve mysteries of the Triassic 

A huge rock core from the Petrified Forest in Arizona...

Darkling beetle larvae have the potential to help tackle the issue of <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/new-recycling-method-maintains-the-quality-of-plastics/">plastic</a> pollution, according to a new study led by experts in the Department of Chemical Engineering at <a href="http://www.postech.ac.kr/">POSTECH</a>. 

The researchers have discovered for the first time that the larvae of the darkling beetle P. davidis can consume polystyrene and reduce both its mass and molecular weight. 

"We have discovered a new insect species that lives in East Asia - including Korea - that can biodegrade plastic through the gut flora of its larvae," said study co-author Professor Hyung Joon Cha.

By 2017, 8.3 billion tons of plastic waste had been produced across the globe, but only nine percent of this waste was recycled. The issue of plastic waste is made much worse by the fact that plastics can take as long as hundreds of years to decompose. 

For example, a floating island of waste called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has accumulated an estimated 80,000 tons of plastic particles in the North Pacific Ocean and continues to grow.

In collaboration with Professor Intek Song of Andong National University, the POSTECH team has determined that a species of darkling beetle larvae can decompose polystyrene, a material that is difficult to break down due to its unique molecular structure.

The researchers isolated the bacteria Serratia in the intestinal tract of the beetle larvae. When polystyrene was fed to the larvae for two weeks, six times the amount of Serratia appeared in the gut flora. 

Unlike that of other known polystyrene-degrading insects, the gut flora of beetle larvae was found to consist of a very simple group of six species. This combination of bacterial strains could ultimately be used in the development of a polystyrene-decomposing flora.

The research also suggests that polystyrene could be broken down by other insects besides darkling beetles that also feed on rotten wood. 

"If we use the plastic-degrading bacterial strain isolated in this study and replicate the simple gut floral composition of P. davidis, there is the chance that we could completely biodegrade polystyrene, which has been difficult to completely decompose, to ultimately contribute to solving the plastic waste problem that we face," said Professor Cha.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://aem.asm.org/">Applied and Environmental Microbiology</a>.

 ---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Darkling beetle larvae can degrade plastic in their gut

Darkling beetle larvae have the potential to help tackle the...

The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is an important focus of research into the evolution of the Earth's <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-field-shifts-ten-times-faster-than-expected/">magnetic field</a>. In this region between Africa and South America, the strength of the magnetic field is significantly weakened compared with areas at similar latitudes.

Some studies have suggested that the SAA is indicative of upcoming changes, such as a reversal of the magnetic field. But now, a new study shows that magnetic anomalies in the South Atlantic region are nothing new. 

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/">University of Liverpool</a> have found evidence that  anomalies appeared in the South Atlantic as far back as eight to 11 million years ago. According to the study authors, it is unlikely that the recurring activity signals an impending reversal of the Earth's magnetic field.

The geomagnetic field protects the planet from harmful radiation by deflecting solar wind that would otherwise destroy the ozone layer. However, the field is not entirely stable and has the potential to reverse itself, as it has done many times in the past.

The most obvious impacts of the SAA are technical malfunctions on satellites and spacecraft as they are exposed to strong radiation in the region.

The Liverpool researchers focused their analysis on igneous rocks from Saint Helena, an island located within the South Atlantic Anomaly. The rocks preserve historical evidence of the behavior of Earth's magnetic field.

The rocks were found to contain geological records of 34 different volcanic eruptions which occurred between eight and 11 million years ago. The analysis showed that at the time of these eruptions, the direction of the magnetic field for St. Helena often pointed far from the North pole - as it still does today.

"Our study provides the first long term analysis of the magnetic field in this region dating back millions of years. It reveals that the anomaly in the magnetic field in the South Atlantic is not a one-off, similar anomalies existed eight to 11 million years ago," said study lead author PhD student Yael Engbers.

"This is the first time that the irregular behavior of the geomagnetic field in the South Atlantic region has been shown on such a long timescale. It suggests that the South Atlantic Anomaly is a recurring feature and probably not a sign of an impending reversal."

"It also supports earlier studies that hint towards a link between the South Atlantic Anomaly and anomalous seismic features in the lowermost mantle and the outer core. This brings us closer to linking behavior of the geomagnetic field directly to features of the Earth's interior."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

South Atlantic anomalies have appeared for millions of years

The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is an important focus of...

Scientists have discovered the strongest evidence to date that Venus is still a geologically active planet. An international team of researchers has identified 37 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/historic-volcanic-eruption-christianity/">volcanic</a> structures on Venus that were recently active. 

Study co-author Laurent Montési is a professor of Geology at the <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">University of Maryland</a>.

"This is the first time we are able to point to specific structures and say 'Look, this is not an ancient volcano but one that is active today, dormant perhaps, but not dead,'" said Professor Montési.

"This study significantly changes the view of Venus from a mostly inactive planet to one whose interior is still churning and can feed many active volcanoes."

While Mars and Mercury have cold interiors, they also have older surfaces than Venus. Scientists have previously suspected that Venus may have a warm, active interior due the presence of coronae. These ring-like volcanic features form when plumes of hot material rise from deep within the planet through the mantle layer and crust. 

However, it has been widely accepted that the coronae on Venus are probably signs of ancient activity, and that the planet eventually cooled enough to bring this activity to a halt.

For the current investigation, the researchers modeled activity beneath the surface of Venus to create high-resolution, 3D simulations of coronae formation. The simulations have captured the process of coronae formation in unprecedented detail. As a result, Professor Montési and his team were able to identify features that are present only in recently active coronae, and identified these specific features on the surface of Venus.

The study reveals that some of the variation observed in coronae across the planet represents different stages of geological development. The research provides the first clear evidence that coronae on Venus are still evolving, which means the planet's interior is still churning.

"The improved degree of realism in these models over previous studies makes it possible to identify several stages in corona evolution and define diagnostic geological features present only at currently active coronae," said Professor Montési. "We are able to tell that at least 37 coronae have been very recently active."

The active coronae on Venus were found to be clustered together in several locations. This shows where the planet is most active, providing important clues about active processes deep in the planet's interior. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ngeo">Nature Geoscience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Study reveals that Venus is still an active planet

Scientists have discovered the strongest evidence to date that Venus...

A new study from <a href="https://www.umu.se/en/">Umea University</a> highlights the uncertainty involved in projecting CO2 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-methane-emissions-hit-highest-levels-ever-recorded/">emissions</a> from thawing permafrost in the Arctic. 

The research reveals that CO2 emissions from permafrost have been underestimated by billions of tons due to the role of plant roots in microbial decomposition and carbon release.

As permafrost thaws across the Arctic, carbon in the organic matter is oxidized to CO2 through microbial activity. Some of this carbon has been stored in the frozen soils for thousands of years.

In the current study, the researchers have investigated a process called the priming effect, which occurs when plant roots in the soil accelerate microbial activity and carbon release. The experts discovered that this process alone will cause 40 billion tons of CO2 emissions by the end of this century.

The amount of carbon stored in permafrost is so massive that it is comparable to all of the carbon that is currently stored on Earth and in the atmosphere combined. 

The surface of the permafrost thaws in summer, which boosts productivity in plants and soil. The thawing microorganisms begin to emit greenhouse gases. 

Scientists have previously estimated that global warming will drive the release of 50 to 100 billion tons permafrost carbon by 2100. The priming effect will independently increase these emissions. During priming, plant roots feed sugar to microorganisms in the soil, which the microbes can use to break down more soil organic matter.

Study co-lead author Frida Keuper is a research scientist at Umea University and the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment.

"We have known about the priming effect since the 1950's, but we did not know whether or not this small-scale ecological interaction had a significant impact on the global carbon cycle," explained Keuper.

For the investigation, the researchers analyzed maps of plant activity and data on soil carbon content from the Northern Circumpolar Soil Carbon Database. By combining this data with extensive literature on priming and plant root properties, the team was able to estimate the extent of the priming effect in permafrost ecosystems and its influence on greenhouse gas emissions.

The analysis shows that the priming effect increases soil microbial respiration by 12 percent, which will ultimately result in the release of an additional 40 billion tons of carbon by 2100 compared to the latest predictions.

The amount of CO2 emissions tied to the priming effect is equivalent to almost a quarter of the remaining "carbon budget" for human activities to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Study co-lead author Birgit Wild is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry at Stockholm University.

"These new findings demonstrate how important it is to consider small-scale ecological interactions, such as the priming effect, in global greenhouse gas emission modeling," concluded Professor Wild.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ngeo">Nature Geoscience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Plant roots will increase Arctic CO2 emissions by 40 billion tons

A new study from Umea University highlights the uncertainty involved...

Experts at the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> have discovered a new way to supercharge shellfish with nutrients in an effort to address the widespread issue of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/vitamin-d-childhood-obesity/">vitamin</a> deficiency in humans.

The researchers are currently working with major seafood manufacturers to test their new method of fortification.

Worldwide, more than two billion people suffer from vitamin deficiency, which can lead to a number of serious health issues. 

Dr. David Aldridge and PhD student David Willer have produced the world's first microcapsule that is specially designed to deliver nutrients to bivalves, including mussels, clams, and oysters, which are important sustainable sources of proteins. The "vitamin bullets" are being manufactured under patent by Dr. Aldridge's company, BioBullets.

Bivalve shellfish serve as ideal candidates for fortification. This is because they are consumed in their entirely, including the nutrients available in their guts.

The scientists found that oysters enhanced with micronutrients delivered around 100 times more Vitamin A and over 150 times more Vitamin D than natural oysters. 

The fortified oysters outperformed salmon, one of the best natural sources of these vitamins. The supercharged oysters delivered more than 26 times the Vitamin A and more than 4 times the Vitamin D provided by salmon. 

The study revealed that just two supercharged shellfish provided enough Vitamin A and D to meet human Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDAs).

Vitamin A and D deficiencies are both responsible for major public health crises. In Ghana, more than 76 percent of children are Vitamin A deficient, putting them at a higher risk of blindness and death. In India, 85 percent of the population is lacking in Vitamin D, which causes cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and rickets. 

"We have demonstrated a cheap and effective way to get micronutrients into a sustainable and delicious source of protein," said Willer. "Targeted use of this technology in regions worst affected by nutrient deficiencies, using carefully selected bivalve species and micronutrients, could help improve the health of millions, while also reducing the harm that meat production is doing to the environment."

Bivalves have higher protein content than beef and serve as a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and other key nutrients. Shellfish are also highly sustainable to farm, with a much lower environmental impact compared to farming other fish and animals. 

Bivalves are highly affordable, and the researchers calculated that fortification adds just $0.0056 to the cost of producing a single oyster.

"We are very excited about BioBullets' potential," said Dr. Aldridge. "We are now establishing links with some of the world's biggest seafood manufacturers to drive a step change in the sustainability and nutritional value of the seafood that we consume."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition">Frontiers in Nutrition</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Scientists supercharge shellfish to fight vitamin deficiency

Experts at the University of Cambridge have discovered a new...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.unibas.ch/en.html">University of Basel</a> has revealed that the drought of 2018 led to long-term consequences across central European <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/gold-mining-limits-the-recovery-of-amazon-forests/">forests</a>. The researchers found that even species that are considered to be resistant to drought, such as beech, pine, and silver fir, sustained major damage. 

As the hottest year in recorded history, 2018 shattered the previous record set in 2003 by 1.2 degrees Celsius. Compared to the average temperature from 1961 to 1990, the summer of 2018 was hotter by 3.3 degrees.

For the current investigation, the team extensively analyzed tree canopies at a research site in Basel called the Swiss Canopy Crane II.

The goal of the study was to gain a better understanding of how and when trees are affected by water deprivation. This insight will ultimately help in developing targeted management measures to offset the impacts of climate change.

Trees lose a lot of water through their surfaces that is impossible to replace through the roots when the soil becomes dry. This water shortage is visible in negative suction tension in the wood's vascular tissue. 

While trees are capable of reducing their water intake during droughts, a lack of water in the soil ultimately causes cell dehydration and death.

Physiological measurements of trees at the Basel site showed that water shortages and negative suction tension had occurred earlier than usual. 

The water shortages were the worst ever measured throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, according to the researchers. Over the course of the summer, severe stress symptoms such as aging and premature shedding appeared in many tree species important to forestry. 

In 2019, the consequences of the summer heatwave became even more clear when many trees failed to form new shoots. The trees that had managed to survive were increasingly vulnerable to bark beetle infestation or fungus. 

Trees with partially dead canopies were found to be much less capable of recovering from damage.

"Spruce was most heavily affected. But it was a surprise for us that beech, silver fir and pine were also damaged to this extent," said study lead author Professor Ansgar Kahmen. 

Beech was once widely regarded as 'the tree of the future." However, the resilience of beech trees became a subject of debate after the 2003 heatwave.

The latest climate projections show that precipitation in Europe will decline by up to a fifth later this century, while drought and heat become more frequent. This means that it is essential to redesign forests to build up their tolerance to extreme conditions. 

"Mixed woodland is often propagated, and it certainly has many ecological and economic advantages. But whether mixed woodland is also more drought-resistant has not yet been clearly proven," said Professor Kahmen. "We still need to study which tree species are good in which combinations, including from a forestry perspective. That will take a long time."

"The damage is obvious. More difficult is precisely quantifying it and drawing the right conclusions for the future."

Conventional methods must be replaced with more advanced approaches to speed up the process, such as using Earth-observing satellite data. "A system like this already exists in some regions in the US, but central Europe still lacks one."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/basic-and-applied-ecology">Basic and Applied Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

European forests struggle to recover from 2018 drought

A new study from the University of Basel has revealed...

In a groundbreaking new study, experts have found a natural compound that can be used to fight "superbugs." The scientists discovered a substances in the leaves of a common shrub, the American beautyberry, that can restore an antibiotic's power against resistant staph <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/experts-find-a-gut-bacteria-that-reduces-the-risk-of-heart-disease/">bacteria</a>. 

Lab experiments showed that in combination with oxacillin, the beautyberry compound was able to knock out resistance to the drug of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

The research was led by scientists at Emory University and the University of Notre Dame, and is published in the American Chemical Society's Infectious Diseases.

The American beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, is native to the southern United States. The shrub grows large clusters of bright purple berries that are eaten, and then dispersed, by birds and deer. 

Study co-senior author Cassandra Quave is an assistant professor in <a href="http://whsc.emory.edu/">Emory Health Sciences</a> and a member of the Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center. Professor Quave is an expert in the field of medical ethnobotany, researching how indigenous people incorporate plants in healing practices to uncover promising candidates for new drugs.

"We decided to investigate the chemical properties of the American beautyberry because it was an important medicinal plant for Native Americans," explained Professor Quave.

The Alabama, Choctaw, Creek, Koasati, Seminole and other Native American tribes relied on the American beautyberry for a variety of medicinal purposes. The leaves were boiled to treat malarial fevers and rheumatism, the roots were boiled to treat dizziness and stomach aches, and the bark was used in formulas to relieve itchy skin. 

In previous work, Professor Quave found that extracts from the leaves inhibit the growth of a bacterium that causes acne. The current study was focused on the potential for leaf extracts to fight MRSA.

"Even a single plant tissue can contain hundreds of unique molecules," said Professor Quave. "It's a painstaking process to chemically separate them out, then test and retest until you find one that's effective."

The researchers identified a compound that inhibited the growth of MRSA, but only slightly, so the team tested the substance combined with beta-lactam antibiotics. 

"Beta-lactam antibiotics are some of the safest and least toxic that are currently available in the antibiotic arsenal," said Professor Quave. "Unfortunately, MRSA has developed resistance to them."

In the lab, the researchers found that the beautyberry leaf compound synergizes with the beta-lactam antibiotic oxacillin to eliminate MRSA's resistance to the drug. The next is to see if this concoction is effective using animal models.

"We need to keep filling the drug-discovery pipeline with innovative solutions, including potential combination therapies, to address the ongoing and growing problem of antibiotic resistance," said Professor Quave.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.8 million people get an antibiotic-resistant infection every year in the U.S., and more than 35,000 people die.

"Even in the midst of the COVID-19, we can't forget about the issue of antibiotic resistance," said Professor Quave. She noted that many COVID-19 patients are receiving antibiotics to deal with secondary infections brought on by their weakened conditions, raising concerns about a later surge in antibiotic-resistant infections.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/aidcbc">ACS Infectious Diseases</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Beautyberry compound can fight antibiotic resistance

In a groundbreaking new study, experts have found a natural...

Tourism has taken one of the hardest hits of any industry during the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/young-smokers-have-double-the-risk-of-severe-covid-19/">COVID-19</a> crisis. According to a new study from <a href="http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/">Lund University</a>, the pandemic has exposed the travel industry's lack of resilience to any type of sudden decline, including an abrupt loss of business as a result of climate change.

Professor Stefan Gössling said that while the virus may or may not be temporary, the climate crisis is here to stay, and tourism will have to adapt.

Even before the coronavirus shut down borders and brought travel to a near halt, the tourism industry was suffering worldwide.

Airlines were already facing declining profits and were forced to lower the price of flights.

Global travel companies like AirBnB, Booking.com and TripAdvisor had compounded the strain on the market. 

"Even though we have warned for decades that a virus, for example SARS, could significantly affect tourism, nobody expected a virus to have this kind of impact," said Professor Gössling.

The climate crisis is impacting tourism in a similar way as the coronavirus. The collapse of UK tour operator Thomas Cook in 2019 was attributed to the summer heatwave, which led to fewer bookings.

"Imagine several crises of similar magnitude to COVID-19. Extreme and unpredictable weather, a global food shortage or other consequences of climate change. And since this will possibly go on for longer than the current pandemic, the tourism industry will suffer greatly," explained Professor Gössling.

The study author noted that there are a few tangible guidelines for both the industry and tourists to pivot towards that would make tourism more resilient as well as climate friendlier. For example, when people travel to destinations closer to home, the bookings are usually longer and the profits are kept local.

For business owners, Professor Gössling has some specific recommendations for shifting the focus away from energy-intense products in an effort to slow climate change: focus on closer markets, increase the length of stay in vacation packages, and try to shift toward food sold by local farmers.

Despite this advice, there are many conditions that are beyond the grasp of individual businesses, said Professor Gössling.

"Even if you are a small family-owned business that does everything according to the sustainability book, you may still suffer the consequences of climate change," said Professor Gössling. "Many of the major structural changes will of course have to come from policy makers."

The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jtr">Journal of Travel Research</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Travel industry must brace itself for the climate crisis

Tourism has taken one of the hardest hits of any...

The results of a new study suggest that a fasting diet may be a welcome alternative to counting calories and having to avoid certain <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ultraprocessed-foods-early-death/">foods</a>. 

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.uic.edu/">University of Illinois at Chicago</a> analyzed the outcome of daily fasting diets and found that they were effective for weight loss and provided other health benefits as well.

The investigation was designed to compare a 4-hour time-restricted feeding diet, a 6-hour time-restricted feeding diet, and a control group with no dietary restrictions.

Study co-author Krista Varady is a professor of Nutrition at the UIC College of Applied Health Sciences.

"This is the first human clinical trial to compare the effects of two popular forms of time-restricted feeding on body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors," said Professor Varady.

Participants in the 4-hour time-restricted feeding diet group were instructed to eat only between the hours of 1 and 5 p.m, while those in the 6-hour group were instructed to eat between the hours of 1 and 7 p.m.

In both groups, the participants could eat whatever they wanted during the established eating period. During fasting hours, they were asked to drink only water or calorie-free beverages.

Meanwhile, individuals in the control group did not change their diet or physical activity levels in any way.

Over ten weeks, the researchers regularly monitored weight, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and inflammatory markers among the volunteers.

The study revealed that participants in both daily fasting groups reduced calorie intake by an average of 550 calories a day simply by adhering to the time-restricted eating schedule. These individuals lost about 3 percent of their body weight. 

Compared with the control group, the fasting dieters were found to have reduced levels of insulin resistance and oxidative stress.

The experts also noted that there was no significant difference in the health or weight loss outcomes between the 4-hour and 6-hour fasting groups.

"The findings of this study are promising and reinforce what we've seen in other studies - fasting diets are a viable option for people who want to lose weight, especially for people who do not want to count calories or find other diets to be fatiguing," said Professor Varady. 

"It's also telling that there was no added weight loss benefit for people who sustained a longer fast - until we have further studies that directly compare the two diets or seek to study the optimal time for fasting, these results suggest that the 6-hour fast might make sense for most people who want to pursue a daily fasting diet."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/home">Cell Metabolism</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Fasting diets are effective for weight loss

The results of a new study suggest that a fasting...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en">KAUST</a> are describing the valuable role of coral reefs in the Red Sea. Using high-resolution modeling, the team set out to predict peak wave heights and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/severe-storms-triggered-a-decline-in-antarctic-sea-ice/">storm</a> surges for city planning in the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) coastal zone.

The findings provide insightful data for infrastructural modifications, and also emphasize the economic and ecological value of coral reefs.

"The original task was to model the maximum wave heights to set the minimum safe floor elevation for structures and roadway design in the city," explained study co-author Sabique Langodan. "Yet with the wealth of wave and water-level observations and accurate bathymetry (water depth) near the coastline, combined with the advanced modeling and supercomputing capabilities available to us at KAUST, we extended the study to investigate the role of coral reefs in modulating the wave climate of this reef-sheltered region."

In order to predict extreme wave heights, the scientists used computer modeling to analyze how waves evolve as they pass across the shallow sea floor based on long-term data. 

"We configured a high-resolution model using an unstructured grid, which allows us to vary the resolution of the model over the domain, from 60 kilometer cells out to sea, to cells as small as 60 meters near the coastline," said Langodan.

The computer model also accounted for other relevant information, such as atmospheric forcing and sea circulation.

"Our high-resolution study allowed the minimum safe elevation in KAEC to be revised lower, from 4.0 meters to 2.3 meters," said study co-author Ibrahim Hoteit. "Although a relatively small drop, this leads to a saving of about 90 million cubic meters of fill material equating to about 500 million USD."

However, the lowered safe elevation height was dependent on the presence of coral reefs located off the Red Sea coast, which act as a natural breakwater, providing protection from hazards such as flooding and erosion.

"The reefs reduce wave heights by half at the coastline," said study co-author Omar Knio. "Reef protected coastlines could still be at risk of larger waves if the coastal protection offered by reefs is reduced by coral degradation or sea level rise."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ocean-engineering">Ocean Engineering</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Study reveals the value of coral reefs in the Red Sea

Researchers at KAUST are describing the valuable role of coral...

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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.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&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.

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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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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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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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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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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



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 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

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&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.

How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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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.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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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