Scientists have searched for alien life for years, but space is huge, and technology has limits, making it hard to find answers. Traditionally, researchers have focused on finding planets similar to Earth, believing that conditions mirroring our own would be the best place to look for life.



However, a new study suggests that an entirely different type of planet could provide clearer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-super-earth-hd-20794-found-just-20-light-years-away-is-best-target-yet-for-alien-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of living organisms</a>.



Instead of focusing on Earth-like planets, scientists have identified a unique biosignature gas that could reveal life in environments that are vastly different from our own.



This discovery shifts the search toward larger, ocean-covered planets with thick hydrogen atmospheres, known as hycean planets, where certain microbes could potentially thrive.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gases-could-be-key-indicators">Gases could be key indicators</h2>



The recent study, led by researchers from the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Riverside</a>, explored the unexpected gases that may signify life on exoplanets.



The research was focused on methyl halides, compounds made of a carbon and three hydrogen atoms bonded to a halogen, such as chlorine or bromine. 



On Earth, these gases are produced by bacteria, marine algae, fungi, and certain plants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hycean-planets-and-extraterrestrial-life">Hycean planets and extraterrestrial life</h2>



Detecting these biosignatures presents challenges. Exoplanets similar to Earth are too small and dim for the James Webb Space Telescope (<a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JWST</a>) to observe effectively. 



Instead, researchers suggest targeting hycean planets, which are larger and in orbit around small red stars.



These bodies are covered in deep oceans, and enveloped in thick hydrogen atmospheres. Though humans cannot survive on these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/if-aliens-could-detect-earth-what-would-they-see/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planets</a>, some microbes might.



“Unlike an Earth-like planet, where atmospheric noise and telescope limitations make it difficult to detect biosignatures, hycean planets offer a much clearer signal,” explained Eddie Schwieterman, <a href="https://www.ucr.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCR</a> astrobiologist and co-author of the paper .



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-approach-to-finding-life">Practical approach to finding life</h2>



Scientists believe looking for methyl halides on hycean planets is a practical strategy, given current technology.



“Oxygen is currently difficult or impossible to detect on an Earth-like planet. However, methyl halides on hycean worlds offer a unique opportunity for detection with existing technology,” said Michaela Leung, UCR planetary scientist and first author of the paper.



Finding these gases could also be more efficient than searching for other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/finding-alien-life-may-be-as-simple-as-watching-microbes-move/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biosignatures</a>.



“One of the great benefits of looking for methyl halides is you could potentially find them in as few as 13 hours with James Webb. That is similar or lower, by a lot, to how much telescope time you’d need to find gases like oxygen or methane,” Leung said. 



“Less time with the telescope means it’s less expensive.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-life-from-vast-distances">Detecting life from vast distances</h2>



Methyl halides exist on Earth in small amounts, but hycean planets could have atmospheric conditions that allow these gases to accumulate. This makes detection easier from vast distances.



“These microbes, if we found them, would be anaerobic. They’d be adapted to a very different type of environment, and we can’t really conceive of what that looks like, except to say that these gases are a plausible output from their metabolism,” Schwieterman said.



The study builds on previous research into biosignature gases, including dimethyl sulfide. 



Methyl halides stand out due to their strong absorption of infrared light and their ability to accumulate in hydrogen-rich <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/four-small-planets-discovered-orbiting-the-nearest-single-star-to-earth-barnards-star/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheres</a>.



While JWST is currently the most powerful tool for this search, future missions could enhance detection. 



The proposed <a href="https://eu-life.eu/about/mission-values" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European LIFE mission</a>, expected to launch in the 2040s, may confirm these biosignatures in less than a day.



“If we start finding methyl halides on multiple planets, it would suggest that microbial life is common across the universe,” Leung said. 



“That would reshape our understanding of life’s distribution and the processes that lead to the origins of life.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-the-search-for-extraterrestrial-life">Expanding the search for extraterrestrial life</h2>



Researchers plan to extend their investigations to other planetary types and biosignature gases. 



They have already studied gases from extreme environments on Earth, such as the Salton Sea, which emits halogenated compounds like chloroform.



“We want to get measurements of other things produced in extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-oxygen-in-the-deep-sea-may-hold-clues-about-alien-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environments</a> on Earth, which could be more common elsewhere,” Schwieterman said.



Direct sampling of exoplanet atmospheres remains out of reach, but advances in telescope technology and observational techniques could change that.



“Humans are not going to visit an exoplanet anytime soon,” Schwieterman said. “But knowing where to look, and what to look for, could be the first step in finding life beyond Earth.”



The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adb558" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>. 



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Joseph Olmsted/STScI



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Weird planets may be the best place to look for strange alien life, according to new research

Scientists have searched for alien life for years, but space is huge, and technology has limits, making it hard to find answers. Traditionally, researchers have focused on finding planets similar to Earth, believing that conditions mirroring our own would be the best place to look for life. However, a new study suggests that an entirely different type of planet could provide clearer evidence of living organisms. Instead of focusing on Earth-like planets, scientists have identified a unique biosignature gas that could reveal life in environments that are...

After the fourth of July fireworks tonight, the moon will steal the show with a lunar <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/total-eclipse-over-south-america/">eclipse</a> just after 11 p.m. The full moon, or the Buck Moon as it is called in July, will partially pass through Earth's penumbral shadow for two hours and 45 minutes. 

In North and South America, the event will begin at 11:07 p.m. ET and last until 1:52 a.m. ET on the morning of July 5. While the best viewing time is expected to be around 12:30 a.m., this depends on your location as well as the weather.

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through Earth's faint, feathered "penumbra" shadow, rather than through the umbra - the region of the planet's complete shadow.

The event will not be as dramatic as a full lunar eclipse, but experts report that a noticeable darkening of the moon's surface will be visible without a telescope. 

The moon will be located opposite the sun at 12:44 a.m. ET, yet will appear full all weekend.

"The Maine Farmer's Almanac first published 'Indian' names for the full Moons in the 1930's," explained experts at <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>. "According to this almanac, as the full Moon in July and the first full Moon of summer, the Algonquin tribes of what is now the northeastern United States called this full moon the Buck Moon."

The July full moon is also called Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, Mead Moon, Rose Moon, and Guru Moon.

This month, you will also have the chance to see Jupiter and Saturn rise together with the moon a couple hours after sunset. The best visibility will be between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. 

Around mid-month, Jupiter and Saturn will make their closest approach to Earth in 20 years. Jupiter will appear incredibly bright on the 14th, and Saturn will look its brightest on the 20th.

Jupiter and Saturn have 161 moons between them, and you can get a glimpse of Jupiter’s four largest moons with a basic pair of binoculars. You can also see at least one of Saturn’s moons with a basic telescope.

July will really go out with a bang on the 28th when two meteor showers - the Alpha Capricornids and the southern Delta Aquariids - peak on the same night.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Lunar eclipse will appear tonight after fireworks

After the fourth of July fireworks tonight, the moon will...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> are describing a method of controlling plant biological processes using only colored light. The researchers have demonstrated that light can be used to switch genes on or off in plants to manipulate the timing of a specific activity, such as flowering or growth.

The experts hope the findings will ultimately lead to advances in how plants grow, flower, and adapt to their environment, which could greatly improve crop yields.

The research was led by Heinrich Heine University and the Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS) in Düsseldorf, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Freiburg and UEA.

"Our team has been working on optogenetics - using light to precisely control biological processes - in plants," said Dr. Ben Miller. "Using optogenetics in plants hadn't been possible before because plants naturally respond to light as they grow. Any genetic switches controlled by light would therefore be constantly active."

"But we have developed a special system which overcomes this problem and allows us to control different cellular processes in plants using light.

"We can now use a red light to cause gene expression at a precise moment, while an ambient white light can be used as an 'off switch' to reverse the process. This can be repeated any number of times."

"We can use this system to manipulate physiological responses in plants, for example their immune response, and perhaps their development, growth, hormone signaling and stress responses."

The research combines optogenetics with synthetic biology, another groundbreaking field of science. The new tool, Plant Usable Light-Switch Elements (PULSE), can be applied to plants growing under normal day and night cycles.

"In the future, this research might mean that we can modulate how plants grow, and respond and adapt to their environment, with light cues," said Dr. Miller.

"For example, we have shown that plant immune responses can be switched on and off using our light-controlled system. If this system was used in crops, we could potentially improve plant defences to pathogens and have an impact by improving yields."

"Using light to control biological processes is far less invasive and more reversible than using chemicals or drugs, so this new system in plants is a really exciting new tool for us to answer fundamental questions in plant biology."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nmeth/">Nature Methods</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 control plants using nothing but light

Scientists at the University of East Anglia are describing a...

The viruses that cause COVID-19, AIDS, Ebola, and many other infectious <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plant-injection-system-could-rescue-crops-from-deadly-diseases/">diseases</a> were all transmitted from animals to humans. In a new paper, experts are calling for biomedical research to return to the wild to more effectively protect humans from deadly viruses.

Scientists from more than 10 universities and institutions have outlined how biomedical research could be refined with a broader dataset of diverse species and their environment.

For example, understanding how the immune system works in bats and other animals that carry coronaviruses could be very useful for developing treatments and vaccinations.

Study lead author Dr. Andrew Flies is an expert in the <a href="https://www.menzies.utas.edu.au/">Menzies Institute for Medical Research</a> at the University of Tasmania.

"The very first vaccine arose from observing people interacting with animals in a real world environment. Specifically, milkmaids who acquired a mild cowpox infection from cows were protected from the deadly smallpox. That observation led to the idea of inoculating people with non-lethal viruses to protect them from deadly viruses. This type of discovery can only be made by studying new species in variable environments," explained Dr. Flies.

While most biomedical research is currently focused on mouse models in a lab, expanding studies to new species could lead to groundbreaking discoveries. For example, an important new class of antibodies was found in camels. 

"We are really excited to see how our initial group discussions held at the first Australian Wild and Comparative Immunology <a href="https://www.wacimmuno.com/">(WACI) workshop</a> led to publishing a Perspective article in a world leading journal," said study co-author Dr. Jerome Le Nours.

"If we want to evolve our understanding of the immune system, and potentially get ahead of any future pandemics, the research community needs to expand," said study co-author Professor Julie Old. "We need to broaden our scope, and bring new species and new environments into the research paradigm."

Professor Alison Venn said new technology has broken down research barriers to integrating new species and environments into the research cycle. 

"Proactive investment in wild immunology can stimulate discoveries with real-world applications for human and veterinary medicine and conservation," said Professor Venn. "It could help us prepare for the next pandemic."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Biomedical research could protect humans from next pandemic

The viruses that cause COVID-19, AIDS, Ebola, and many other...

In a new study led by <a href="https://www.cedars-sinai.org/">Cedars-Sinai</a>, researchers have used stem cell technology to investigate the potential for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/more-infectious-strain-of-covid-19-evolved-and-took-over/">COVID-19</a> to directly attack heart muscle. The experts found that SARS-CoV-2 infected individual heart cells in a lab dish.

Many COVID-19 patients experience heart complications, but the underlying causes are not yet clear. While pre-existing conditions or inflammation and oxygen deprivation have been implicated as potential sources, the new research suggests that COVID-19 is capable of directly damaging the heart.

"We not only uncovered that these stem cell-derived heart cells are susceptible to infection by novel coronavirus, but that the virus can also quickly divide within the heart muscle cells," said study co-author Dr. Arun Sharma. "Even more significant, the infected heart cells showed changes in their ability to beat after 72 hours of infection."

The heart cells infected by SARS-CoV-2 were also found to change their gene expression profile, which suggests cellular defenses were activated.

Even though the muscle cells used in the study were engineered with stem cell technology, the findings will help to identify new antiviral compounds that could alleviate viral infection of the heart, according to study senior author Dr. Clive Svendsen.

"This viral pandemic is predominantly defined by respiratory symptoms, but there are also cardiac complications, including arrhythmias, heart failure and viral myocarditis," said Dr. Svendsen. "While this could be the result of massive inflammation in response to the virus, our data suggest that the heart could also be directly affected by the virus in COVID-19."

The application of an ACE2 antibody suppressed the virus in the heart cells. This finding indicates that SARS-CoV-2 uses the ACE2 receptor to enter heart muscle cells, which is the same receptor the virus uses to gain entry into the lungs.

"By blocking the ACE2 protein with an antibody, the virus is not as easily able to bind to the ACE2 protein, and thus cannot easily enter the cell," said Dr. Sharma. "This not only helps us understand the mechanisms of how this virus functions, but also suggests therapeutic approaches that could be used as a potential treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/home">Cell Reports Medicine</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

COVID-19 may directly attack heart cells

In a new study led by Cedars-Sinai, researchers have used...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.udel.edu/">University of Delaware</a> have discovered that wild strains of salmonella can evade a plant's immune defenses by invading the leaves through the stomata. The invaded <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tropical-plants-near-the-equator-face-an-uncertain-fate/">plant</a> does not show any obvious signs of infection, and the pathogens cannot be simply rinsed off, which means they can easily jump to people.

Stomata are tiny pores that open when there is plenty of sunlight for photosynthesis and close at night. The pores also close upon detection of threats such as drought or microbial pathogens.

Study co-author Professor Harsh Bais explained that some pathogens like fungi can barge into a closed stoma using brute force. Since bacteria lack the enzymes needed to use this type of force, they search for openings in the roots and stomata.

According to Professor Bais, however, bacterial pathogens like salmonella have now found a way to reopen closed stomata and gain entry to the plant.

"What's new is how the non-host bacteria are evolving to bypass plant immune response. They are real opportunists. They are absolutely jumping kingdoms. When we see these unusual interactions, that's where it starts to get complex," said Professor Bais.

The risk of pathogen contamination increases when plants are bred to produce higher yields, or when low-lying crops are grown too close to a livestock field. The researchers have been investigating these issues for about five years.

Companies take various precautions to kill surface bacteria, but they can't see or treat human pathogens that already have gotten into the leaf.

"The food industry works tirelessly to make the product as safe as they can," said study co-author Professor Kali Kniel. "But even then, we are growing these products outside, so they're accessible to wildlife, wind, dust and water that may transmit microorganisms. It's a tough situation."

Graduate student Nicholas Johnson conducted extensive lab experiments to examine how stomata on spinach and lettuce respond to salmonella, Listeria and E. coli - three human pathogens that leave no trace of infection. He tracked the size of the stomata openings every three hours after the bacteria were introduced.

"He had to sit under a microscope and count the aperture sizes," said Professor Bais. "And he has to be meticulous." The tedious work revealed that the salmonella strain was reopening the stomata. "Now we have a human pathogen trying to do what plant pathogens do. That is scary," noted Bais.

The researchers said it would be particularly scary if salmonella invaded plants on a vertical farm, where plants are grown in vertical rows hydroponically. "If this hits vertical farms, they don't lose a batch, they lose the whole house," said Bais.

"This project has mutant salmonella strains and that allows us another angle on the molecular biology side," said Professor Kniel. "The individual mutations are important for the salmonella structure and the regulation of stress."

"When we used mutant strains we saw big differences in the ability to colonize and internalize - and that's what consumers hear a lot about. You are not able to wash it off."

"We can also look at which genes or part of the organism might be more responsible for the persistence on the plant - making it last longer and stronger. That is so important when you think of food safety issues."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology">Frontiers in 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;

Salmonella has found a way to evade plant defenses  

Researchers at the University of Delaware have discovered that wild...

Experts at <a href="https://www.usu.edu/">Utah State University</a> are describing the discovery of venom glands in the jaws of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/conservation-efforts-to-save-amphibians-are-largely-insufficient/">amphibians</a>. The "dental glands" develop from dental tissue, just like the oral glands of snakes. 

The study represents the first known evidence of oral venom glands in amphibians.

"We think of amphibians - frogs, toads and the like - as basically harmless," said study lead author Edmund 'Butch' Brodie, Jr. "We know a number of amphibians store nasty, poisonous secretions in their skin to deter predators. But to learn at least one can inflict injury from its mouth is extraordinary."

The oral glands were found in a family of caecilians, which are serpentine amphibians related to frogs that live in tropical climates. Caecilians are sometimes aquatic, but are usually burrowing, terrestrial animals.

The current study expands on the team's previous work, which revealed that the ringed caecilian secretes substances from skin glands at both ends of its body. 

The substances are mucous-like lubricants - concentrated at the head and extending the length of the body - that enable the caecilians to dive underground to escape predators. In addition, the species was found to release toxins from skin glands as a last line of chemical defense.

"What we didn't know is these caecilians have tiny fluid-filled glands in the upper and lower jaw, with long ducts that open at the base of each of their spoon-shaped teeth," said Brodie.

Study first author Pedro Luiz Mailho-Fontana initially noticed the glands. Further analysis revealed that the "dental glands" originated from a different tissue than the slime and poison glands found in the caecilian's skin.

"The poisonous skin glands form from the epidermis, but these oral glands develop from the dental tissue, and this is the same developmental origin we find in the venom glands of reptiles," said Mailho-Fontana.

The researchers theorize that with no limbs and only a mouth for hunting, caecilians activate their oral glands when they bite down on their prey, such as worms, frogs, and lizards.

"If we can verify the secretions are toxic, these glands could indicate an early evolutionary design of oral venom organs," said Brodie. "They may have evolved in caecilians earlier than in snakes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/home">iScience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Oral venom glands found in amphibians for the first time

Experts at Utah State University are describing the discovery of...

In a new essay, researchers have drawn parallels between the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/more-infectious-strain-of-covid-19-evolved-and-took-over/">COVID-19</a> outbreak and the climate crisis. The experts describe how lessons learned from the pandemic could help humanity prevent environmental disasters, including a potential mass extinction event.

Study co-author David S. Wilcove is a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the <a href="https://wws.princeton.edu/">Princeton University Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs</a>.

"Writing as environmental scientists in countries whose COVID-linked deaths already exceed their military casualties from all campaigns since 1945, we believe there are significant messages from the handling of this horrific disease for efforts addressing the enormous challenges posed by the ongoing extinction and climate emergencies," wrote the experts.

"Like these twin environmental crises, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic perhaps at first seemed a relatively localized problem, far-removed from most people’s everyday lives. But a disease epidemic is, at heart, a phenomenon of positive feedbacks, with each new case spawning others. Human impacts on our planet are also characterized by positive feedbacks." 

Early on in the COVID-19 outbreak, experts warned of the impending dangers. The warnings were largely overlooked until the outbreak was widespread. Along the same lines, climate scientists have warned for decades that human activities are causing global warming that could ultimately lead to mass extinction.

"We suggest there are three other striking similarities in the COVID, extinction, and climate crises. The first is that there is no substitute for early action."

Studies have shown that if COVID-19 lockdown orders had been issued just one week earlier, there would have been approximately 17,000 fewer deaths in the United Kingdom and 45,000 fewer deaths in the United States, according to the researchers.

In the case of climate change, early action could have limited additional global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Now, the world is on track to experience an average temperature increase of more than two degrees Celsius, exposing millions of people to more severe climate threats. Early intervention is also critical to protect species from extinction.

"Second, in each case mounting effective and acceptable interventions requires decision-makers and citizens to act in the interests of society as a whole, and of future generations."

"In the COVID crisis this means young and working people making sacrifices for the older and more vulnerable. For the climate and extinction crises effective action requires wealthier people forgoing extravagance both for the present-day poor and for all future generations," explained the experts.

"Last, even examined in narrow financial terms, as the immense toll of the COVID crisis on livelihoods and the global economy becomes clearer, estimates suggest that delaying action may ironically reduce prosperity as well as cost lives."

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts that economic growth will be lower in countries with the highest number of COVID-19 deaths. For countries that delayed lockdowns to protect their economic stability, the strategy may have backfired.

Meanwhile, countries that delay taking actions to reduce their environmental impacts will suffer economic losses from the impacts of climate change.

"Scientists are not inventing the threats of catastrophic climate change or of mass extinction. They are real, and they are upon us. There are many steps we can take even now to greatly diminish both crises. The consequences of continued inaction are too grave to contemplate."

The essay is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate and pandemic crises share "striking similarities"

In a new essay, researchers have drawn parallels between the...

Tropical plants near the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/marine-species-are-moving-away-from-the-equator/">equator</a> are severely threatened by climate change. Scientists at the <a href="http://unsw">University of New South Wales</a> report that over the next five decades, it will become too hot for many tropical plant species to germinate.

The researchers analyzed data from the Kew Gardens' global seed germination database, including nearly 10,000 records for more than 1,300 plant species.

The analysis is the first of its kind to investigate the potential consequences of climate change for such a large number of plant species.

According to study lead author Alex Sentinella, past research has established that animal species near the equator have an elevated risk from climate change.

"The thought was that because tropical species come from a stable climate where it's always warm, they can only cope with a narrow range of temperatures - whereas species from higher latitudes can cope with a larger range of temperatures because they come from places where the weather varies widely," said Sentinella."However, this idea had never been tested for plants."

"Because climate change is a huge issue globally, we wanted to understand these patterns on a global scale and build upon the many studies on plants at an individual level in their environment."

The seed germination data examined for the study represented plant species from every continent except Antarctica.

Sentinella explained that the team chose seed data because it was widely available and relevant to the ability of a species to cope with different temperatures.

"With seeds, you can experiment on them quickly, there are a lot of studies about them and importantly, germination directly relates to how a species will survive, because if the seed doesn't germinate the plant won't live," said Sentinella.

"So, we collated the data from the Kew Gardens database, examined all experiments on the same species from the same locations, and then determined the range of temperatures each species could tolerate in order to survive."

The researchers compared the warmest months from 1970 to 2000 to the temperatures predicted for 2070. The study revealed that global warming will push tropical plants to their maximum seed germination temperatures. On average, the closer a plant is to the equator, the more at risk it is of exceeding its temperature limit by 2070, according to Sentinella.

"These plants could be more at risk because they are near their upper limits. So, even a small increase in temperature from climate change could push them over the edge."

"The figures are quite shocking because by 2070, more than 20 percent of tropical plant species, we predict, will face temperatures above their upper limit, which means they won't germinate, and so can't survive."

The analysis showed that more than half of all tropical species are projected to experience temperatures which exceed their optimal germination temperatures.

"That's even worse because if those plants can survive it would be at a reduced rate of germination and therefore, they might not be as successful," said Sentinella.

"If a seed's germination rate is 100 percent at its optimum temperature, then it might only manage 50 or 60 percent, for example, if the temperature is higher than what's ideal."

Sentinella was surprised to find that climate change would threaten so many tropical species.

"But our most unexpected discovery was that the hypothesis often used for animals - that those near the equator would struggle to survive the impact of climate change because they have narrower temperature tolerances - was not true for plants."

"We found that regardless of latitude, plant species can germinate at roughly the same breadth of temperatures, which does not align with the animal studies."

It is possible for some plants to adjust to warming temperatures over time, but it is difficult to predict which ones could survive.

"The problem with the quick change in temperatures forecasted, is that some species won't be able to adapt fast enough."

"Sometimes plants can migrate by starting to grow further away from the equator or, up a mountain slope where it's cooler. But if a species can't do that it will become extinct."

"There are almost 400,000 plant species worldwide - so, we would expect a number of them to fail to germinate between now and 2070."

"Ideally, we would be able to conserve all ecosystems, but the funding is simply not there. So, our findings could help conservation efforts target resources towards areas which are more vulnerable. We also hope our findings further strengthen the global body of research about the risks of climate change."

"Humans have known about dangers of climate change for decades and we already have the answers to tackle it. So, hopefully our study will help encourage people and policy makers to take action now."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14668238">Global Ecology and Biogeography</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Tropical plants near the equator face an uncertain fate

Tropical plants near the equator are severely threatened by climate...

In a new study published by <a href="https://www.physoc.org/">The Physiological Society</a>, experts report that leg stretches can lower your risk of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-triggers-the-onset-of-diabetes-in-some-patients/">diabetes</a> and heart disease. The study shows that 12 weeks of simple, passive stretches promote dilation of the arteries, which decreases their stiffness and improves blood flow.

Passive stretching (PS) involves another person or the force of gravity stretching you. During active stretching, on the other hand, you stretch yourself.

The changes observed in blood vessels after weeks of passive stretching could help protect against serious conditions like heart disease, the leading killer of men and women worldwide.

"This new application of stretching is especially relevant in the current pandemic period of increased confinement to our homes, where the possibility of performing beneficial training to improve and prevent heart disease, stroke and other conditions is limited," said study co-author Emiliano Ce.

For the investigation, participants were assigned to one of two groups: a group that performed leg stretches 5 times a week for 12 weeks and a control group that did not practice stretching.

The researchers analyzed the effect of passive stretching on the blood flow and found that the arteries in both the lower leg and upper arm had increased blood flow and dilation when stimulated, as well as decreased stiffness.

These improvements could prevent heart disease, stroke and diabetes, which are characterized by changes in blood flow control due to impaired vascular function.

If the results are replicated in patients with vascular disease, passive stretching may ultimately serve as a new drug-free treatment for improving vascular health and would be particularly beneficial for people with limited mobility.

"Improvement in blood pressure, arterial stiffness and vascular function was noted in the arteries of the body parts directly and not directly involved in PS training of the lower limbs," wrote the study authors. "Blood pressure was decreased, central and peripheral arterial stiffness was reduced, and vascular function was increased after 12 weeks of PS training."

The research is published in <a href="https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14697793">The Journal of Physiology</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;

Simple leg stretches can lower your risk of heart disease

In a new study published by The Physiological Society, experts...

The potential for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/beavers-are-exposing-the-arctic-to-harsher-climate-changes/">Arctic</a> shrub communities to store carbon has been overestimated, according to researchers at the <a href="https://www.stir.ac.uk/">University of Stirling</a>.

Recent analyses of climate models have found that tundra ecosystems are becoming more productive as the Arctic warms. With an increase in photosynthesis, more carbon would be removed from the atmosphere.

However, most of these studies failed to account for what happens to the carbon after it is deposited into the soil. The majority of carbon in the Arctic is stored in soil, some of which is permafrost, or frozen soil. 

The researchers analyzed the overall carbon sequestration potential of tall shrubs in the Arctic and found that some of these ecosystem stimulate the recycling of carbon in soils, releasing it back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. This means that just because shrubs are more productive, they are not necessarily boosting the amount of carbon being stored.

"While previous studies suggest that a warmer, greener Arctic may increase the rate that carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere, our research identified an acceleration in the rate of loss of carbon from soils, back into the atmosphere," explained Professor Philip Wookey.

"This may more than offset carbon sequestration and would, unexpectedly, turn these ecosystems into a net source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Significantly, current ecosystem and climate models do not account for this conundrum, which means we may be underestimating future climate feedbacks from Arctic ecosystems."

The investigation was focused on data from a field experiment conducted in 2013 and 2014 in the Mackenzie Uplands of Northwest Territories, Canada. The goal was to analyze how carbon has cycled in plants and soils over the past 50 years. 

The team found evidence that birch shrubs in Arctic tundra are strongly linked to the release of old carbon stored in soil organic matter. However, this was not the case with alder, a different type of Arctic shrub.

"We think this is because, in birch, the products of photosynthesis are transferred to the soil through fungal symbionts, which stimulate the decomposition of soil organic material as a means of releasing the nutrients, like nitrogen, that the birch shrubs require to grow," said Dr. Lorna Street.

"By contrast, in alder, photosynthesis products are mostly retained in plant tissues because alder often has the help of microorganisms in the roots, which are capable of 'fixing' nitrogen directly from the atmosphere."

"These findings indicate that, if - as evidence has suggested - shrub birch proliferates in tundra ecosystems over the next decades, this might directly stimulate the loss, through accelerated decomposition, of pre-existing soil carbon as carbon dioxide."

 "If our results apply across permafrost tundra regions, this suggests there is a previously unaccounted for process which could push the system towards the upper end of those predictions. This is hugely important as it means we may need to do more than currently expected, in terms of carbon dioxide emissions reductions, to meet our climate targets."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</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;

Arctic shrubs will not store as much carbon as expected

The potential for Arctic shrub communities to store carbon has...

A small variation in the genetic structure of SARS-CoV-2 led to a more infectious type of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/far-uvc-light-kills-99-9-percent-of-airborne-coronaviruses/">virus</a>, which is now the most dominant strain circulating worldwide. Experts at the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">University of Sheffield</a> discovered the mutation while analyzing genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 strains.

"It is possible to track SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) evolution globally because researchers worldwide are rapidly making their viral sequence data available through the GISAID viral sequence database," said study lead author Dr. Bette Korber of the <a href="https://www.lanl.gov/">Los Alamos National Laboratory</a>. 

"Currently tens of thousands of sequences are available through this project, and this enabled us to identify the emergence of a variant that has rapidly become the globally dominant form."

The researchers found that the mutated virus is more infectious in cell cultures under laboratory conditions. This is because the variant, named D614G, changes the spike protein on the surface of the virus so that it is more successful at entering and infecting human cells. According to the experts, the change made by D614G is very small yet effective.

"It's remarkable to me that this increase in infectivity was detected by careful observation of sequence data alone, and that our experimental colleagues could confirm it with live virus in such a short time," said study co-author Dr. Will Fischer.

The analysis revealed that the D614G variant of SARS-CoV-2 became the dominant strain soon after it first appeared. Geographic samples reveal a significant shift from the original to the new strain of the virus.

"We have been sequencing SARS-CoV-2 strains in Sheffield since early in the pandemic and this allowed us to partner with our collaborators to show this mutation had become dominant in circulating strains," said Dr. Thushan de Silva, who led the analysis of data. "The full peer-reviewed study published today confirms this, and also that the new D614G genome mutation variant is also more infectious under laboratory conditions."

"Data provided by our team in Sheffield suggested that the new strain was associated with higher viral loads in the upper respiratory tract of patients with Covid-19, meaning the virus's ability to infect people could be increased."

Dr. de Silva said that fortunately at this stage, it does not seem that viruses with D614G cause more severe disease. However, the researchers emphasized that further laboratory analysis in live cells is needed to determine the full implications of the mutation.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

More infectious strain of COVID-19 evolved and took over

A small variation in the genetic structure of SARS-CoV-2 led...

Climate change will impact the reproductive success of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fish-pass-down-impacts-of-chemical-exposure-for-generations/">fish</a> worldwide, according to an alarming new study. The researchers estimate that rising water temperatures will limit the reproductive ability of up to 60 percent of all fish species.

The study authors report that the risks for fish are much higher than previously realized, especially given the fact that in certain developmental stages they are extremely sensitive to rising water temperatures. 

Fish have a low tolerance for heat during mating, which means the water temperature in a spawning area has a major influence on how successfully fish reproduce. With this is mind, fish will struggle in every type of  ecosystem that is affected by global warming.

The researchers estimate that as many as 60 percent of fish species will ultimately be forced to abandon their traditional spawning areas due to rising temperatures.

Fish and all animals need more energy in hotter temperatures, and therefore need more oxygen.

Organisms can only adapt to warmer water by providing their bodies with more oxygen. However, some species are more limited than others in obtaining additional oxygen.

A team of experts at the <a href="https://www.awi.de/en.html">Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)</a> set out to investigate when fish are the most sensitive to heat throughout their lifetime. 

The researchers analyzed data on the temperature tolerance of 694 saltwater and freshwater fish species. They examined the temperature that fish can survive in various life phases: as adults ready to mate, embryos in eggs, larvae, and as adults outside the mating season.

"Our findings show that, both as embryos in eggs and as adults ready to mate, fish are far more sensitive to heat than in their larval stage or sexually mature adults outside the mating season," said study first author Dr. Flemming Dahlke. 

"On the global average, for example, adults outside the mating season can survive in water that's up to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than adults ready to mate or fish eggs can."

Fish embryos have no gills to take in more oxygen, while fish that are ready to mate have extra body mass and higher oxygen needs. Even at lower water temperatures, fish are under more cardiovascular strain when they are ready to mate.

The experts report that with every degree Celsius of warming, the pressure on fish stocks will increase. 

"If we human beings can successfully limit climate warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the year 2100, only ten percent of the fish species we investigated will be forced to leave their traditional spawning areas due to rising temperatures," said study  co-author Prof Hans-Otto Pörtner. 

By contrast, if greenhouse-gas emissions remain, average global warming is expected to hit 5 degrees Celsius or more. At this point, up to 60 percent of all fish species will become endangered.

In order to survive future warming, the affected species will have to either adapt through the lengthy process of biological evolution, mate at another time of the year, or find new spawning grounds. Some fish in rivers and lakes, however, are greatly limited so not have many options when it comes to seeking out deeper or cooler waters.

"Some species might successfully manage this change," said Dr. Dahlke. "But if you consider the fact that fish have adapted their mating patterns to specific habitats over extremely long timeframes, and have tailored their mating cycles to specific ocean currents and available food sources, it has to be assumed that being forced to abandon their normal spawning areas will mean major problems for them." 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fish worldwide are shockingly vulnerable to climate change

Climate change will impact the reproductive success of fish worldwide,...

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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

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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

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

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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



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.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" 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 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

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" 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.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



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.

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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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