The development of a big brain in humans and its connection to social bonding has been a hot topic of debate, and secrets found in fossil teeth may hold the answers.



Researchers have been studying the fossilized teeth of an early Homo from Georgia, dating back approximately 1.77 million years. The research was made possible by the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France.



The findings suggest that despite having a small brain and reaching adulthood at a similar pace to great apes, these early humans had a prolonged childhood. 



This could mean that the large brain of modern humans resulted from an extended childhood along with cultural transmission across generations instead of vice versa.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-childhood-big-brains">Long childhood, big brains</h2>



A team of researchers - including specialists from Switzerland's <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Zurich</a>, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and Georgia's National Museum - have challenged the theory that modern humans' extended childhood is directly linked to their large brains.



The team analyzed dental development in an early Homo that was almost an adult. The results suggest that though these early humans reached adulthood at a similar age as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/buronius-manfredschmidi-tiny-great-ape-species-lived-11-million-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">great apes</a>, their tooth development followed a longer timeline similar to modern humans.



This proposes the distinct possibility of a longer dependency on adults and an elongated childhood for these early humans.



Remarkably, the brain size of these early Homo specimens was only marginally larger than that of a chimpanzee. This made the researchers question the link between the prolonged development and cultural transmission across generations.



An extended childhood within a three-generation context might have allowed the immature members of the group to effectively assimilate growing amounts of knowledge. 



Eventually, this led to the development of larger brains and longer life spans, traits characteristic of modern humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dental-development-in-early-homo">Dental development in early Homo</h2>



An enduring assumption has been that humans' extended growth period is a consequence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-sizes-are-growing-possibly-lowering-dementia-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increased brain volume</a> since a larger organ requires more energy resources to grow. But analysis of the fossil's dental growth has caused researchers to question this hypothesis.



The research team used synchrotron imaging to study the dental development of a near-adult fossil of early Homo from the Dmanisi site in Georgia, dated to around 1.77 million years ago. 



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="CWxiqQg039-4024544-12187" type="single"]</div>



“Childhood and cognition do not fossilize, so we have to rely on indirect information. Teeth are ideal because they fossilize well and produce daily rings, in the same way that trees produce annual rings, which record their development,” noted study first author Christoph Zollikofer from the University of Zurich.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-findings-and-a-new-perspective">Unexpected findings and a new perspective</h2>



“Dental development is strongly correlated with the development of the rest of the body, including brain development," explained study co-author Paul Tafforeau, scientist at the ESRF.



"Access to the details of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/search-results/?search=fossil%20hominid&amp;start=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil</a> hominid's dental growth therefore provides a great deal of information about its general growth."



After almost two decades of research beginning in 2005, the initial results startled researchers. 



“We expected to find either dental development typical of early hominids, close to that of the great apes, or dental development close to that of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-genes-still-influence-modern-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modern humans</a>," said Tafforeau.



"When we obtained the first results, we couldn’t believe what we saw, because it was something different that implied faster molar crown growth than in any other fossil hominin or living great ape."



In the following years, the team conducted five series of experiments and completed four full analyses, employing various methods as dental synchrotron imaging technology advanced.



As the consistent results suggested significant implications for the "big brain - long childhood" hypothesis, the scientists needed to think creatively to interpret this fossil's findings.



“It's been a slow maturation, both technically and intellectually, to finally arrive at the hypothesis we are publishing today,” said Tafforeau.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-longer-childhood-evolution-s-early-experiment">Longer childhood: Evolution's early experiment?</h2>



The dental development of the studied fossil suggested that milk teeth were used longer than in great apes, implying that early Homo children were dependent on adult care for a longer duration.



This could be the first experiment evolution took towards a prolonged childhood. Despite having brains only slightly larger than australopithecines or great apes, early Homo are believed to have lived longer.



The survival of a very old individual with no teeth for several years indicates that the group sufficiently cared for him. This alludes to a three-generation structure, a key aspect of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-started-cumulative-culture-around-600000-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cultural transmission in humans</a>.



The new hypothesis begins with children's growth slowing down as cultural transmission increased. 



The accumulation of information from older to younger individuals had an advantageous effect on resource utilization and the development of complex behaviors, thus favoring a longer childhood. 



Once this mechanism was established, natural selection acted on cultural transmission, not just biological traits. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-brains-and-delayed-adulthood">Big brains and delayed adulthood</h2>



As the volume of transferrable information grew, evolution supported a larger brain and delayed adulthood, enabling a longer learning period in childhood and time to grow a bigger brain despite limited food resources.



The large brain of modern humans could be attributed to an extended childhood and a three-generation structure encouraging bio-cultural evolution. These mechanisms may have led to increased brain size, delayed adulthood, and longer lifespan. 



The study of this exceptional fossil could motivate researchers to rethink the evolutionary mechanisms that led to Homo sapiens.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08205-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Image &amp; Video Credit: ESRF/Paul Tafforeau, Vincent Beyrand



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How did humans get big brains? Fossil teeth reveal new clues

The development of a big brain in humans and its connection to social bonding has been a hot topic of debate, and secrets found in fossil teeth may hold the answers. Researchers have been studying the fossilized teeth of an early Homo from Georgia, dating back approximately 1.77 million years. The research was made possible by the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France. The findings suggest that despite having a small brain and reaching adulthood at a similar pace to great apes, these early humans had a prolonged...

Bats carry a significantly higher proportion of viruses able to infect people than any other group of mammals, according to a new study by the nonprofit group <a href="https://www.ecohealthalliance.org/">EcoHealth Alliance</a>

The study team built a comprehensive database of all known viruses infecting over 750 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/otter-fossil-mammals-migrated-america/">mammal</a> species and around 600 viruses. It used mathematical models to identify the host species characteristics associated with having a larger number of viruses capable of infecting people (zoonotic viruses).

Zoonotic potential is predicted by a host species evolutionary relatedness to humans, the degree of human-wildlife contact, and other factors including the taxonomic order it belongs to, the study said.

Researchers used this analysis to demonstrate for the first time that, after correcting for uneven research effort and other variables, bats harbor the highest proportion of zoonotic viruses of any mammal group. 

“In 2005, our team showed that SARS originates in bats,” said Peter Daszak, President of <a href="https://www.ecohealthalliance.org/personnel/dr-peter-daszak"> </a>EcoHealth Alliance and senior author of the study. “Ever since that finding, scientists have wondered whether bats are ‘special’ reservoirs for viruses.  We now show definitively that bats carry a higher proportion of yet-to-be-identified viruses of potential risk to people than any other mammal group.”

The research could help prevent pandemics, the study said. Bats are important to ecosystem health, through pollinating tropical fruits, removing insect crop pests and disease vectors, and providing other critical ecosystem services.

While the data show bats carry potentially important viruses, it’s important to remember that the only way these viruses can emerge in people is if we make contact with bats, alter their environment, hunt them or otherwise disturb their ecology, the authors said.  Effective bat conservation can help reduce the risk of zoonotic disease through better understanding and effective management of human-bat interactions.

The study uses the analyses to produce detailed maps showing where we are most likely to find as-yet-undiscovered viruses that could emerge in people, or “‘missing zoonoses.” For example, hot spots of ‘missing zoonoses’ for bats are in South and Central America and parts of Asia, for primates in tropical Central America, Africa, and southeast Asia. 

“The holy grail in pandemic prevention is to understand where the next zoonotic virus is likely to emerge and from what species,” said Kevin Olival, lead author of the study.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/">Nature</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.ecohealthalliance.org/">EcoHealth Alliance</a>

Bats most likely animal to carry viruses that can infect people

Bats carry a significantly higher proportion of viruses able to...

When an empathetic partner holds the hand of a partner in pain, their heart and respiratory rates sync and her pain dissipates, according to a new study.

“The more empathetic the partner and the stronger the analgesic effect, the higher the synchronization between the two when they are touching,” said lead author Pavel Goldstein, a postdoctoral pain researcher at the <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a>.

The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28607375">study</a> of 22 couples, published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>, is the latest in a growing body of research on “interpersonal synchronization,” the phenomenon in which individuals begin to physiologically mirror the people they’re with.

Scientists have long known that people subconsciously sync their footsteps with the person they’re walking with or adjust their posture to mirror a friend’s during conversation. Recent studies also show that when people watch an emotional movie or sing together, their heart rates and respiratory rhythms synchronize.

The new study is the first to explore interpersonal synchronization in the context of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yoga-lower-back-pain-therapy/">pain</a> and touch. The authors hope it can inform the discussion as health care providers seek opioid-free pain relief options.

Goldstein came up with the idea after witnessing the birth of his daughter, now 4.

“My wife was in pain, and all I could think was, ‘What can I do to help her?’ I reached for her hand and it seemed to help,” he said. “I wanted to test it out in the lab: Can one really decrease pain with touch, and if so, how?”

Goldstein recruited 22 long-term heterosexual couples, age 23 to 32, and put them through a series of tests aimed at mimicking that delivery-room scenario.

Men were assigned the role of observer; women the pain target. As instruments measured their heart and breathing rates, they sat together, not touching; sat together holding hands; or sat in separate rooms. Then they repeated all three scenarios as the woman was subjected to a mild heat pain on her forearm for two minutes.

The couples synced physiologically to some degree just sitting together, the study found. But when the women were subjected to pain and the man couldn’t touch her, that synchronization was severed. When he was allowed to hold her hand, their rates fell into sync again and her pain decreased.

“It appears that pain totally interrupts this interpersonal synchronization between couples,” Goldstein said. “Touch brings it back.”

It’s not clear yet whether decreased pain is causing increased synchronicity, or vice versa.

“It could be that touch is a tool for communicating empathy, resulting in an analgesic, or pain-killing, effect,” said Goldstein.

Further research is necessary to figure out precisely how a partner’s touch eases pain, he said.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:  <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a>

Study: Holding hands with a partner eases pain

When an empathetic partner holds the hand of a partner...

Yellowstone grizzly bears are no longer classified as an endangered species after the population dramatically rebounded in recent years, federal officials announced Thursday.

The population has grown from as few as 136 Yellowstone grizzly bears in 1975 to an estimated 700 today, the<a href="https://www.fws.gov/"> U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a> said.

"This achievement stands as one of America’s great conservation successes; the culmination of decades of hard work and dedication on the part of the state, tribal, federal and private partners,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Distinct Population Segment (DPS) consists of portions of northwestern Wyoming, southwestern Montana, and eastern Idaho. Grizzly bear populations outside of the DPS in the lower 48 states will be treated separately under the Endangered Species Act and will continue to be protected.

The federal government will return overall management of the grizzly population in the Yellowstone region to  the states and tribes.

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-grizzly-bears/">Yellowstone</a> grizzly bear population is one of the best studied bear populations in the world, U.S. Fish and Wildlife said.

Population and habitat monitoring efforts indicate that Yellowstone grizzly bears have more than doubled their range since the mid-1970s. They now occupy more than 22,500 square miles, an area larger than the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut combined. 

The Yellowstone area is at or near its capacity to support grizzly bears, the federal government said.

Factors that helped the grizzly population recover include the quantity and quality of the habitat available and the state commitments to manage the population from now on in a manner that maintains its healthy and secure status, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

“As a kid who grew up in Montana, I can tell you that this is a long time coming and very good news for many communities and advocates in the Yellowstone region,"  Zinke said. 

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service</a>

&nbsp;

Yellowstone grizzly bears are no longer endangered

Yellowstone grizzly bears are no longer classified as an endangered...

Climate change is putting many small island nations in a desperate position and America's exit from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">Paris Climate Agreement</a> is making the situation even more dire. 

Small islands have already <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/climate-change-just-caused-five-islands-to-disappear-in-the-pacific">sunk</a> into the Pacific Ocean, and rapidly rising sea levels are putting many more islands at <a href="http://www.activesustainability.com/climate-change/countries-risk-disappearing-climate-change/#2">risk</a>. Among those threatened are developed islands that have unique cultures and traditions that could vanish along with the land. 

As the second largest producer of carbon dioxide in the world, emission cuts by the United States would make a huge impact on the state of global warming. The decision by Donald Trump to leave the climate pact came as a blow to countries worldwide, but the concern may be felt most deeply by small island and low-lying coastal countries. 

In 2009, world leaders created a climate policy that aimed to prevent global warming from exceeding 2 degrees Celsius. It was also determined the ideal temperature cap would be at 1.5 degrees Celsius, particularly for those living in areas at the mercy of the sea. 

According to the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a>, “When Trump announced he would pull the U.S. out of the Paris treaty, scientists said that made the 2 degree goal close to unachievable and the 1.5 degree goal even more out of reach. Promised American pollution cuts were about one-fifth of the pledged global reductions hoped for in the accord.”

Kenrick Leslie, executive director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, told the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a>, "We are pushing the 1.5 (as a goal) but realistically I think we have passed the point that it can be achieved.” Leslie said Trump’s withdrawal from the climate agreement has "thrown it right out the window."

The <a href="http://aosis.org/">Alliance of Small Island States</a> (AOSIS) is an alliance of small island and coastal nations that face the same challenges of global climate change. Their campaign is called “1.5 to stay alive.” Amjad Abdullah is the AOSIS chief negotiator.

“Already, at just one degree of warming, our small island states are feeling the effects of climate change – deadly, and life-altering impacts – and they will only get worse as the world warms. Our future depends on everybody accepting that 2 degrees is too much for us,” said Abdulla.

The current state of global warmth is causing major issues for island states as it is. Extreme tropical storms, coastal erosion, seawater intrusion, and marine habitat deterioration may cause irreparable damage regardless of the future of global warming.

With the odds mounting against them, island leaders still remain hopeful. Global climate goals are encouraging, despite the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Treaty. 

Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine told the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a>, "I cannot give up on my people and my country and my culture. It's very important for us to be optimistic.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a>

Small island nations may face extinction due to climate change

Climate change is putting many small island nations in a...

Women in the workplace must be confident and caring to succeed while men need only confidence, according to a new study.

Women must display ‘pro-social’ behavior, showing that they care about others and take others’ interests at heart, while also exuding confidence, to obtain leadership positions in business. This according to<a href="https://knowledge.esmt.org/article/women-self-confidence-not-enough-workplace-success"> a new study</a> led by Laura Guillén, assistant professor at<a href="https://knowledge.esmt.org/"> ESMT Berlin</a> business school.

High-performing men and women were equally viewed as confident by upper management, but women were not rewarded equally for their self-confidence, the study said.

Working with colleagues from <a href="https://www.ie.edu/business-school/">IE Business School</a> and<a href="https://www.insead.edu/"> INSEAD</a>, Guillén studied 236 engineers from a multinational software development company, of which 22 percent were women. 

 “There are a number of studies that have shown that when women display behaviors consistent with being ambitious, it affects them negatively,” Guillén said. “In other words, they are not liked.”

In order to create friendly and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kids-benefit-diversity-schools/">diverse</a> environments, companies should “think carefully about whether being pro-social is a job requirement and then treat women and men equally accordingly,” said Guillén. ”Making sure this happens should not be solely women’s responsibility - organizations need to take concrete steps to promote it actively.”

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://knowledge.esmt.org/">ESMT Berlin</a>

Study: Women expected to be both confident and caring at work

Women in the workplace must be confident and caring to...

The mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey is stepping down to focus on climate change after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">Paris climate accord</a>.

Dawn Zimmer announced on Tuesday that she won’t seek a third term. Zimmer, a Democrat, said she wants to "take a new role working more directly” on climate change after Trump’s decision on the Paris accord.

As mayor, Zimmer has focused on projects to protect Hoboken from storms. Hoboken is just across the Hudson River from New York and was heavily damaged by storm surge during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Zimmer said she has no position lined up yet. She endorsed Hoboken councilman Ravinder Bhalla to replace her in this fall's election.

Trump says leaving the climate agreement was "a reassertion of America's sovereignty."

Zimmer is the first female mayor of Hoboken and was elected in a special election held in November 2009. In November 2013, she was re-elected for another 4-year term.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MAYOR_TRUMP_ENVIRONMENT_NJOL-?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2017-06-20-15-03-19">AP</a>

New Jersey mayor steps down to focus on climate change

The mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey is stepping down to...

In recent years, medical marijuana has become a booming industry that has also paved the way for the legalization of recreational marijuana in a number of states. Legalized medical and recreational marijuana has quickly become a multi-billion dollar industry for humans, but is there a market for animals as well?

Despite cannabis still being illegal on the federal level, there is a legal gray area that allows pet owners to feed medicinal forms of marijuana to their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cats-domesticated-10000-years/">pets</a>. In many cases, it’s being used to treat ailments such as anxiety, cancer, ear infections, and arthritis.

“We are seeing about 20 percent growth every single month,' Alison Ettel, the founder of Treat Well, a company in California that makes non-psychoactive medical marijuana products for animals and humans, told <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4620230/Medical-marijuana-woos-four-legged-fans.html">Daily Mail</a>. “We probably get at least one to five cancer patients a day and the results we're seeing are just blowing my mind.”

Medical cannabis is currently legal in 29 states – plus Washington D.C., which has led to a sharp uptick in not only the number of humans using it as medicine, but animals as well. Ettel estimates that Treat Well is now treating thousands of animals.

Veterinarians are not allowed to prescribe marijuana for pets, so many owners will get a marijuana card for themselves in order to access medicine for their pets.

Supporters of medical cannabis for animas say that it provides a distinct advantage over other traditional drugs and painkillers, and it has no known side effects. Furthermore, medical cannabis can often be less expensive than other traditional medications.

However, some veterinarians are wary of the use of cannabis as a drug. “There are no studies on dogs or cats, much less guinea pigs or other species, so I don't know what the potential benefits could be, if any,” Ken Pawlowski, veterinarian and head of the California Veterinary Medical Association, told <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4620230/Medical-marijuana-woos-four-legged-fans.html">Daily Mail</a>.

Nevertheless, while certain loopholes still exist, owners are finding it beneficial to treat their pets with medical marijuana for certain ailments – and if it works, why wouldn’t they?

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4620230/Medical-marijuana-woos-four-legged-fans.html">Daily Mail</a>

Pet owners turning to medical marijuana to treat their animals

In recent years, medical marijuana has become a booming industry...

A bird’s egg shape may be related to the way it flies, a new study suggests.

"Perhaps streamlined birds need narrower eggs to negotiate their narrower pelvis, and because the only way to fit a chick into a narrower egg is to make the egg longer, elliptical or asymmetric eggs result," wrote Claire Spottiswoode of the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> in an article related to the study.

There are various theories about why the shape of bird eggs varies so widely across species. One theory, for example, holds that cliff-nesting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genes-determine-music-songbirds/">birds</a> lay more cone-shaped eggs - which would roll in a tight circle so as to not tumble off the cliff.

However, the new research yields evidence that variable egg shape is driven by unique flight adaptations. 

The study’s lead author, Mary Caswell Stoddard of <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a>, and her research team analyzed the shape of 49,175 eggs representing about 1,400 species in 37 orders, two of which are extinct. The eggs were categorized based on their asymmetry and/or ellipticity. 

The scientists also analyzed a wealth of biometric, life history, and environmental environmental parameters for all species.

The team used biometric measurements from museum specimens to calculate the hand-wing index (HWI) a standard proxy for flight efficiency and dispersal ability in birds.

They found that egg shape is not related to clutch size, environmental factors, or nest characteristics. However, there was a correlation between egg shape and HWI.

“Given that HWI is positively related to flight efficiency, these results raise the intriguing possibility that adaptations for flight may be key drivers of egg shape variation in birds,” the authors said.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a>

Image Credit: M.C. Stoddard

Bird egg shape related to flight efficiency

A bird’s egg shape may be related to the way...

Zebrafish have a unique repair mechanism in their developing backbones that could provide insights into why human spinal discs degenerate with age, a new study found.

The repair mechanism apparently protects the fluid-filled cells of the notochord, the precursor of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-reveals-human-spine-originated/">spine</a>, from mechanical stress as a young fish begins swimming, the<a href="https://www.duke.edu/"> Duke University</a> study said. Notochord cells go on to form the gelatinous center of intervertebral discs, the flat, round cushions wedged between each vertebrae that act as shock absorbers for the spine.

In humans, the disappearance of these cells over time is associated with degenerative disc disease, a major cause of pain and disability worldwide.

"It is not difficult to speculate that these same mechanisms of repair and regeneration are present in humans at very early stages, but are lost over time," said Michel Bagnat of the Duke University School of Medicine and a senior author of the study. "If we are going to think about techniques that foster intervertebral disc regeneration, this is the basic biology we need to understand."

Bagnat likens the notochord to a garden hose filled with water. The hardy structure consists of a sheath of epithelial cells surrounding a collection of giant fluid-filled or "vacuolated" cells. During development, these vacuolated cells rarely pop, despite being under constant mechanical stress. Recent research has suggested that tiny pouches known as caveolae (Latin for "little caves") that form in the plasma membrane of these cells can provide a buffer against stretching or swelling.

To see whether the caveolae protected vacuoles from bursting, Duke researchers and collaborators from Germany generated mutants of three caveolar genes in their model organism, the zebrafish. Because these small aquarium fish are transparent as embryos, the scientists could easily visualize any spinal defects triggered by the loss of caveolae.

The researchers found that when the mutant embryos hatched and started swimming, exerting pressure on their underdeveloped backbones, their vacuolated cells started to break up.

Lead authors Jamie Garcia and Jennifer Bagwell took a closer look at the notochord of mutant fish. They marked the vacuolated cells green and the surrounding epithelial sheath cells red and then filmed the fish shortly after they hatched and started swimming. First, they could see an occasional vacuolated cell break and spill its contents like a water balloon. Then, over the course of fifteen hours, a nearby epithelial sheath cell would move in, crawl over the detritus of the collapsed cell, and morph into a new vacuolated cell.

The researchers then isolated live epithelial sheath cells and treated them with nucleotide analogs to show that they turned into vacuolated cells.

"These cells, which reside in the discs of both zebrafish and man, seem capable of controlling their own repair and regeneration," said Bagnat. "Perhaps it is a continuous release of nucleotides that is important for keeping the disc in good shape."

The study may offer insight not only into the development of back and neck pain, but also into the origins of cancer, the authors said.. Their data suggests that chordomas, rare and aggressive notochord cell tumors, may begin when epithelial sheath cells leave the notochord and invade the skull and other tissues.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a>

Zebrafish spinal discs can repair themselves, could help humans

Zebrafish have a unique repair mechanism in their developing backbones...

It may be possible to develop drugs to delete memories that trigger anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) without affecting other important memories of past events, a new study suggests.

Different types of memories stored in the same neuron of the marine snail Aplysia can be selectively erased, according to the study by <a href="http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/">Columbia University Medical Center</a> and<a href="http://www.mcgill.ca/"> McGill University</a> and published in <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

During emotional or traumatic events, multiple memories can become encoded, including memories of any incidental information that is present when the event occurs. In the case of a traumatic experience, the incidental, or neutral, information can trigger anxiety attacks long after the event has occurred, the researchers said.

"The example I like to give is, if you are walking in a high-crime area and you take a shortcut through a dark alley and get mugged, and then you happen to see a mailbox nearby, you might get really nervous when you want to mail something later on," said Samuel Schache of Columbia, a coauthor of the study.

In the example, fear of dark alleys is an associative memory that provides important information based on a previous experience. Fear of mailboxes, however, is an incidental, non-associative memory that is not directly related to the traumatic event.

"One focus of our current research is to develop strategies to eliminate problematic non-associative memories that may become stamped on the brain during a traumatic experience without harming associative memories, which can help people make informed decisions in the future -- like not taking shortcuts through dark alleys in high-crime areas," Schacher said.

Previous research suggested that increases in synaptic strength in creating associative and non-associative memories share common properties. Selectively eliminating non-associative synaptic memories would be impossible, because for any one neuron, a single mechanism would be responsible for maintaining all forms of synaptic memories, the previous research suggested.

The new study tested that hypothesis by stimulating two sensory neurons connected to a single motor neuron of the marine snail Aplysia. One sensory neuron was stimulated to induce an associative memory and the other to induce a non-associative <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-trained-improve-memory/">memory</a>.

By measuring the strength of each connection, the researchers found that the increase in the strength of each connection produced by the different stimuli was maintained by a different form of a Protein Kinase M (PKM) molecule (PKM Apl III for associative synaptic memory and PKM Apl I for non-associative). They found that each memory could be erased - without affecting the other -- by blocking one of the PKM molecules.

"Our study is a 'proof of principle' that presents an opportunity for developing strategies and perhaps therapies to address anxiety," said Schacher. 

Future studies in preclinical models are needed to better understand how PKMs are produced and localized at the synapse before researchers can determine which drugs may weaken non-associative memories, the authors said.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/">Columbia University Medical Center</a>

Study: Select memories can be deleted leaving others present

It may be possible to develop drugs to delete memories...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rampant-overfishing-gulf-california/">Overfishing</a> has devastating effects on aquatic species, and some fish stocks never recover. Scientists collected commercial whaling records to evaluate the devastating impact extreme fishing had on whale populations in the 20th century. The analysis will be used to prevent other marine populations from meeting the same fate. 

Decades of over harvesting whales for blubber, oil, and meat in the 20th century led to large collapses in the numbers of whale populations. 

Previous studies indicated that a sharp decline in population numbers can be expected when the group demonstrates a shift in body size or an irregular rise and fall in numbers. However, this research was conducted using experimental systems and had not been established in the wild. 

The research team examined data on the number and size of whales to see if signs of a rapidly declining whale population were present before the collapse was documented. Ecologist Christopher Clements of the <a href="http://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a> led the team.

"We looked at data on blue, fin, sei and sperm whales and found significant declines in body size, with sperm whales taken in the 1980s four metres shorter on average than those in 1905,” Clements explained. "This means that warning signals were detectable up to 40 years before a population collapse.”

The findings of this study provide further evidence that a shift in the average body size of a marine population is a signal that the population is at risk of collapsing.

"Our technique could be used to help provide other species of conservation concern. Moreover, it could allow interventions to be put in place to stop this happening,” said Clements.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a>

How collapsing whale populations can help save other species

Overfishing has devastating effects on aquatic species, and some fish...

Straining to see a mobile device outside may soon become a thing of the past. Scientists have developed a new coating for mobile screens that minimizes surface reflection. The innovation is based on unique structures found in moth eyes which make them antireflective. 

When bright sunlight reflects off the screen of a mobile device, it washes out the display. Adjusting the brightness makes a screen more visible, but drains the battery power of the device. 

Researchers led by Shin-Tson Wu of the <a href="http://www.creol.ucf.edu/">College of Optics and Photonics</a>, University of Central Florida set out to find a simple solution to the issue of outdoor screen readability. 

The team turned their attention to the antireflective nanostructures that cover the eyes of moths. These structures allow moths to see in the dark without being detected by predators. Previous experimentation had mimicked these tiny structures to improve solar panels.

"Because the structures are so small, a high-resolution and high-precision fabrication technique is necessary,” explained Guanjan Tan, first author of the study.

The technique developed by the team used self-assembled nanospheres to form a precise pattern. The process is simple, yet accurate enough to construct a film the size of a mobile screen.

The team was also able to create a computer model that accurately captured the optical behavior of the coating. They used the model to adjust the size of the nanostructures for optimal performance.

The optimized film was tested on glass. The contrast ratio was four times greater in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/sunset-crater-san-francisco-volcanic/">sun</a> and ten times greater in the shade. The antireflection film had a surface reflection of just .23 percent, which is significantly lower than that of most smartphones. For example, iPhone's have a surface reflection of 4.4 percent.

"Using our flexible anti-reflection film on smartphones and tablets will make the screen bright and sharp, even when viewed outside," said Wu. "In addition to exhibiting low reflection, our nature-inspired film is also scratch resistant and self-cleaning, which would protect touch screens from dust and fingerprints."

The tiny structures that make up the coating are about one-thousandth the width of a human hair. This means the coating can also be used with flexible display applications such as phones with screens that fold like a book, which are expected to be released as early as next year.

The team is currently adapting the coating for long-term use on touch screens, and working with their computer model to continue improving the film's antireflective performance. The report on this study is published in the journal Optica.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://www.creol.ucf.edu/">College of Optics and Photonics</a>

New coating for mobile screens make it easier to read outside

Straining to see a mobile device outside may soon become...

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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



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

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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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://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

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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...