Earworms - those persistent tunes that play in our heads unbidden - can be more than a minor annoyance.



Imagine going about your day when, without warning, a song loops repeatedly in your mind. 



While these spontaneous musical memories can feel intrusive, earworms offer a fascinating glimpse into the precision of our musical recall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unveiling-the-mystery-of-earworms">Unveiling the mystery of earworms</h2>



A recent study has shed light on the surprising accuracy of earworms.



Published in the journal Attention, Perception, &amp; Psychophysics, the study revealed that nearly half of participants' renditions of earworms matched the original <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-people-have-a-hidden-musical-talent-for-singing-on-pitch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pitch</a> of the songs.



This finding challenges prior beliefs about the limitations of musical memory, suggesting that our brains may preserve detailed “absolute pitch” memories even without formal pitch recognition skills.



Earworms, experienced by over 90% of people, are involuntary musical memories that spontaneously play in our minds. 



This study indicates that our recall of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/song-melodies-have-become-much-simpler-since-1950/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">melodies</a> may be more precise than previously thought, even without external references.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-encountering-music-in-a-new-light">Encountering music in a new light</h2>



Matthew G. Evans, PhD candidate at <a href="https://admissions.ucsc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Santa Cruz</a>, said he first learned about the field of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-can-prevent-brain-aging-and-cognitive-decline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">music</a> cognition from Daniel Levitin’s book&nbsp;This Is Your Brain On Music. 



"In that book, he describes a study where they found evidence for absolute pitch recall in voluntarily-recalled musical imagery - and I tried it myself, and it worked, and I’ve been hooked on the topic of musical memory ever since.”



Evans set out to investigate whether this accurate recall extended to spontaneous earworms or was limited only to songs that people purposefully tried to remember.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earworms-more-than-just-random-tunes">Earworms: More than just random tunes</h2>



The study involved 30 undergraduate students who participated in a two-week research period aimed at exploring the accuracy of spontaneous musical recall. 



Using the experience sampling method, the researchers documented these involuntary musical memories in real time by sending participants random text prompts throughout the day.



Students were asked to record any song playing in their minds, capturing the natural occurrence of earworms outside of a controlled laboratory setting.



While most participants had some familiarity with music, none reported having perfect pitch or formal training that would give them an advantage in recalling exact musical notes. 



Each recording was analyzed against the original <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-evolution-of-song-lyrics-less-complexity-and-more-emotion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">song</a> to determine how closely the pitch matched the song’s actual key. 



The findings were striking: 44.7% of the earworms matched the original song’s pitch exactly. When the range was expanded to include recordings within one semitone of the original pitch, nearly 69% of the renditions met this criterion - far surpassing what could be attributed to random chance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-melodic-imprint-of-our-brains">The melodic imprint of our brains</h2>



The study also found that pitch accuracy was not significantly affected by recent exposure to a song.



Some participants noted that their earworm was triggered by recently hearing the song, but their ability to match the original pitch remained similar to those whose earworms were not influenced by recent listening.



"When we divided our data into responses where participants said they had recently heard the song and those where they hadn’t, we saw absolutely no difference in absolute pitch accuracy," noted Evans. 



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



While this study provides valuable insights into how we recall music, it also highlights the need for further research to validate and expand upon these findings. 



To gain a broader understanding of how earworms and pitch recall function across different populations, future studies should incorporate a larger and more diverse participant pool, including individuals with no musical background and participants from varied age groups and cultural settings.



By expanding the scope of the research, scientists could explore questions such as whether musical memory accuracy varies by age, cultural exposure to music, or training. 



It may also be valuable to investigate whether factors such as musical genres or personal attachment to specific songs influence pitch accuracy in earworms.



This research marks an early step in unraveling the complex mechanisms of our brain's musical memory. 



As future studies build on this foundational work, we may discover more about the intricate ways in which our minds store and retrieve musical information, shedding light on the intersection of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/memory-is-shaped-by-both-past-and-future-experience-and-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">memory</a>, perception, and cognitive processes.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13414-024-02936-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Attention, Perception, &amp; Psychophysics</a>.



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Earworms: The surprising accuracy of our musical memory

Earworms - those persistent tunes that play in our heads unbidden - can be more than a minor annoyance. Imagine going about your day when, without warning, a song loops repeatedly in your mind. While these spontaneous musical memories can feel intrusive, earworms offer a fascinating glimpse into the precision of our musical recall. Unveiling the mystery of earworms A recent study has shed light on the surprising accuracy of earworms. Published in the journal Attention, Perception, &amp; Psychophysics, the study revealed that nearly half of participants'...

A tiny particle just might be at the center of a huge defense against climate change, said an international team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>. The particle is microalgae, a microscopic version of the oceanic organism algae, which includes seaweed.

In studying microalgae, the researchers found that it had multiple means of combatting climate change. For instance, its lipids can be extracted from microalgae to make biofuels which could someday replace carbon-emitting fossil fuels. Then, what’s left of the microalgae can be converted into a highly nutritious feed additive for farm animals and fish farms. Chickens fed microalgae have been proven to lay eggs that have three times more nutritious omega-3 fatty acids.

The agricultural use of microalgae would improve the environment by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and fertilizer for growing traditional feed crops. Since microalgae requires one-tenth the space of corn and grains grown to feed livestock, more land could be converted for feeding a rapidly growing human population worldwide.

Lead author Charles H. Greene, professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at Cornell, sees microalgae as a valuable tool in working toward the aggressive climate stabilization goals established by COP21, the 2015 <a href="https://calculators.io/paris-climate-change-conference-agreement/">United Nations Climate Change Conference</a> held in Paris.

“We believe these climate goals are attainable,” he said. “But we must constrain carbon dioxide emissions rapidly and then start removing it from the atmosphere.”

His research team feels that microalgae can lead to meeting those challenging goals in numerous ways. Their article, “Geoengineering, Marine Microalgae and Climate Stabilization in the 21st Century,” was published in the March issue of Earth’s Future, a journal of the <a href="https://sites.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union</a>.

-- 

Written by David Searls, Earth.com staff writer

Source:<a href="http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2017/03/microalgae-could-play-key-role-relieving-climate-warming"> Cornell University</a>

Algae might be a secret weapon in fighting climate change

A tiny particle just might be at the center of...

The ice caps around the edges of Greenland cover almost 100,000 square kilometers, making up the largest glacierized area on the planet outside of the large ice sheets of <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/antarcticas-granite-harbor/">Antarctica</a> and Greenland.

During the summer, a healthy ice cap will absorb meltwater into the depths of its tightly packed snow. In the winter, the water will refreeze and the total mass will remain mostly stable from year to year.

Unfortunately, rising temperatures have caused this cycle to go all out of whack. These days, the amount of meltwater is so significant that the ice caps are now completely saturated with refrozen meltwater, causing new meltwater to run off into the sea.

Concerned by this development, researchers studied 12 separate areas around Greenland. Disturbingly, their data found that every single one of these areas has been losing mass since 1997. They discovered that increases in meltwater run-off range from 17% in the south to 74% in the northernmost area.

Right now, Greenland’s ice caps are losing roughly three times as much mass per year as they were before 1997. Brice Noël, a PhD candidate at <a href="https://www.uu.nl/en">Utrecht University</a> and the study’s lead author, expects the meltwater run-off to continue to increase.

What is most worrisome to Noël is that the “melting line” is moving further north, to an altitude where the majority of Greenland’s ice mass is found. Noël says, "The main ice sheet in the interior of Greenland is much more elevated and isn't doing too bad yet. But we can already see an increase in the altitude of the 'melting line' there as well."

The study finds that the loss in ice mass is directly correlated with meltwater run-off, which is directly caused by rising temperatures. Since one third of today’s sea level rise is contributed by the melting of Greenland’s ice caps, increasing temperatures will almost certainly mean increasing sea levels. 

If global warming is to continue – and it shows no signs of stopping anytime soon – the ice caps surrounding Greenland may lose between 20 and 25 percent of their volume by the year 2100. This would mean an extra four centimeters of sea level rise, the consequences of which would reach much further than just Greenland’s ice caps.

--

By Connor Ertz, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.uu.nl/en">Utrecht University</a>

Greenland ice caps have been losing mass every year since 1997

The ice caps around the edges of Greenland cover almost...

Personality traits such as prudence, impatience, or laziness have been generally thought to be ingrained within an individual, guiding how they weigh the cost of risk, delay, and effort – respectively.  However, according to a new study published in <a href="http://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/">PLOS Computational Biology</a>, people’s attitudes towards these social behaviors may unconsciously imitate others.

Jean Daunizeau and Marie Devaine – of <a href="http://english.inserm.fr/">INSERM, Paris</a> – used mathematical modeling and cognitive psychology to analyze how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-adapts-blind-people/">people</a> adjust and align these traits.

They asked 56 participants to make a series of decisions that involved risks, delays, or efforts – both before and after they observed the decisions of fictitious participants (which were actually artificial intelligence algorithms). These algorithms had their prudent, patient, and lazy personalities precisely calibrated.

The researchers found that participants tended to be influenced by a “false-consensus” bias, where they believed that the attitudes of others resembled their own, despite no evidence to show this. You may have experienced this type of attitude from an uncle at Thanksgiving who brings up an uncomfortable political opinion, believing that everyone else at the table is right there with him. Our usual response is to begin eating as fast as possible and avoid all eye contact.

The results also revealed that many participants exhibited a social influence bias, meaning their attitude adjusts to be more similar to those of the people around them. 

Interestingly, it seems that the social influence bias was partially determined by the false-consensus bias. The researchers found that social influence bias first increased when affected by small false-consensus biases, but decreased when joined with large false-consensus biases. So the more an individual believed others attitudes resembled their own, the less they adjusted their own attitude to be similar to those around them.

Through mathematical simulations, the researchers demonstrated that both biases are indicative of a unique mechanism that is used to learn about and learn from others’ covert attitudes. This finding is a departure from the conventional belief that attitude alignment is unconscious and is triggered by the need to experience feelings of social conformity.

The authors are now using this discovery to determine whether this version of attitude alignment may differ in individuals suffering from neuropsychiatric conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.

--

By Connor Ertz, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.plos.org/">PLOS</a>

Is social conformity a conscious or unconscious decision?

Personality traits such as prudence, impatience, or laziness have been...

Vitamin B might offer some protection against air pollution. The value of vitamin supplements has been long debated by medical researchers. Many say that they offer little for those who consume a nutritional diet and even that too many supplements can actually be dangerous. But a new study by <a href="http://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard</a> and <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a> researchers is pointing toward a new reason to add Vitamin B supplements to your daily intake. In conducting human tests of a specific Vitamin B complex, they found that it helps protect against the effects of the PM2.5 level of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smell-walking-maps-air-pollution/">air pollution</a>.

PM2.5 is particulate matter in the atmosphere with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers, which is only about 3 percent of that of a human hair. This particulate matter is frequently found in larger cities, especially the megacities now circling the globe. PM2.5 exposes inhabitants to such toxins as sulfate and black carbon and has the potential to reduce life expectancy with long-term exposure.

These tiny particles, which can only be observed with electron microscopes, can lodge deeply into the lungs and alter protective genes in the immune system, said the researchers.

In the human trials, test subjects with face masks were exposed to PM2.5 at levels common to large cities. Some were then given a B vitamin supplement containing 2.5 mg/d folic acid, 50 mg/d vitamin B6, and 1 mg/d vitamin B12, while others received placebos. It was found that a four-week course of the vitamins reduced the PM2.5 damage by as much as 76 percent at ten gene locations.   

The researchers cautioned that this was only one small-scale study and that additional research must be done, but their study offered hope that Vitamin B could offer some protection against the worst big-city air pollution.

In the abstract to their paper, the researchers wrote, “Our study indicates that individual-level prevention may be used to complement regulations and control potential mechanistic pathways underlying the adverse PM2.5 effects, with possible significant public health benefit in areas with frequent PM2.5 peaks.”

The research was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

-- 

Written by David Searls, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/114/13/3503.abstract"> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>

Vitamin B might offer some protection against air pollution

Vitamin B might offer some protection against air pollution. The...

Asexual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-baboons-will-kill/">reproduction</a> might not be as well-received by humans as the traditional variety, but it would make more sense from an evolutionary viewpoint – so why doesn’t it happen except in some lower forms of life? Of course, humans love sex, but wouldn't reproduction be easier if it could be a solo endeavor? Scientists have been asking that question for a century, and now researchers at the <a href="http://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide</a> in Australia think they might have the answer.

“Asexual reproduction, such as laying unfertilized eggs or budding off a piece of yourself, is a much simpler way of reproducing,” said Dr. Jack da Silva, Senior Lecturer in the <a href="http://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide’s</a> School of Biological Sciences. “It doesn’t require finding a mate, and the time and energy involved in that, nor the intricate and complicated genetics that come into play with sexual reproduction. It’s hard to understand why sex evolved at all.”

Da Silva and student James Galbraith came up with is a theory based on a combination of two existing evolutionary theories. It posits that sexual reproduction between two organisms helps ward off constantly evolving dangerous pathogens with beneficial DNA mutations contributed by the partners that are also constantly evolving to play defense.

They were influenced, first, by the Hill-Robertson Interference theory, which suggests that sex evolved because it allows the recombination of DNA between mating pairs so that individuals are produced that carry more than one beneficial mutation.

The researchers felt that this theory lacked an explanation as to why sexual reproduction would continue long after a population had stabilized.

“It is hard to imagine why this sort of natural selection should be ongoing, which would be required for sex to be favored,” da Silva said. “Most mutations in an adapted population will be bad. For a mutation to be good for you, the environment needs to be changing fairly rapidly. There would need to be some strong ongoing selective force for sex to be favored over asexual reproduction.”

They think they found that strong force in another theory, the Red Queen.  

The Red Queen theory suggests that our bacteria, viruses and parasites are constantly adapting to us and we must keep evolving to resist the pathogens.  This provides the opportunity for new mutations to be beneficial and maintains a strong selective force.

“These two theories have been pushed around and analyzed independently, but we’ve brought them together,” said da Silva. “Either on their own can’t explain sex, but looking at them together we’ve shown that the Red Queen dynamics of co-evolving pathogens produces that changing environment that makes sex advantageous through the simple genetic mechanism of the Hill-Robertson theory.”

Da Silva and Galbraity tested their combination theory through computer simulations that accurately replicated the rapid evolutionary increase shown in the amount of sex with other individuals exhibited by nematode worms coevolving with a highly pathogenic bacterium.

The research was published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology.

--

Written by David Searls, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.adelaide.edu.au/news/news91262.html"> University of Adelaide</a>

Sex evolved as a means of fighting pathogens, says new study

Asexual reproduction might not be as well-received by humans as...

Pharmaceutical companies are constantly on the lookout for the next big drug, especially in the often lucrative and sometimes unseemly business of painkiller. However, they might soon be turning their attention from the lab bench to the ocean, as the venom of a common <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dead-zones-coral-reefs/">reef</a> fish has been discovered to have pain-killing properties.

Research performed by <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> associate professor Bryan Fry found that a species of coral reef fish disables its opponents and prey with venom similar in mechanism to heroin. He believes that this discovery could lead to the development of new painkillers.

The venomous poison-fang blenny – a name that gets less intimidating as it goes – inhabits the Pacific region, including the Great Barrier Reef. According to Fry, it “injects other fish with opioid peptides that act like heroin or morphine, inhibiting pain rather than causing it.” The venom is chemically unique to this species of fish. 

Fry goes on to compare the effect this venom would have on a human, saying, “to put that into human terms, opioid peptides would be the last thing an elite Olympic swimmer would use as performance-enhancing substance. They would be more likely to drown than win gold.” It’s hard to tell, but this may be a veiled threat to Michael Phelps by a jealous Australian swim supporter hoping Phelps stays retired for the 2020 Olympics. Regardless, it’s impressive that the venom from this little fish can pack such a knockout punch.

Fang blennies are quite popular as ornamental tropical aquarium fish, and according to Fry they “are the most interesting fish I’ve ever studied and have one of the most intriguing venoms of them all.” Given more intensive research, it’s possible that venom from this tiny fish could be the next big drug on the painkiller market.

Besides being a potentially beneficial drug, the discovery of this venom’s properties also supports the need for us to conserve our oceans and reefs, as Fry explains: “This study is an excellent example of why we need to protect nature. If we lose the Great Barrier Reef, we will lose animals like the fang blenny and its unique venom that could be the source of the next blockbuster pain-killing drug.”

You never can tell what you’ll find in a place as vast as the ocean. But if we continue to lose ocean ecosystems to pollution and climate change, we’ll truly never know what might have been discovered.

--

By Connor Ertz, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>

Reef fish’s heroin-like venom could be the next painkilling drug

Pharmaceutical companies are constantly on the lookout for the next...

A new study – published online in <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Nature Research’s Scientific Reports</a> – details the discovery of a newly discovered tyrannosaur species that went through a unique evolution.

The research team, led by Thomas Carr, of <a href="https://www.carthage.edu/bridge/">Carthage College’s</a> Department of Biology, included David Varricchio of <a href="http://www.montana.edu/">Montana State University</a>, Eric Roberts of <a href="https://www.jcu.edu.au/">James Cook University</a>, Jason Moore of the University of New Mexico, and Jayc Sedlmayr of <a href="http://www.lsuhsc.edu/">LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine</a>. 

Their findings include that Daspletosaurus horneri – also known as “Horner’s Frightful Lizard” – evolved directly from its geologically older relative, D. torosus. This is evidence of a rare form of evolution called anagenesis, in which one species gradually morphs into an entirely new, separate species.

D.horneri is believed to have lived in Montana 75.2-74.4 million years ago. It had a body length of about 9 meters and preyed on horned dinosaurs, crested duckbill dinosaurs, dome-headed dinosaurs, and smaller theropod dinosaurs.

The team also uncovered new details on the facial structure of tyrannosaurs, a group that includes the Tyrannosaurus rex and its closest relatives – and you thought your in-laws were bad… okay moving on.

Their research found that the faces of tyrannosaurs were covered by large, flat scales, with small patches of armor-like skin and a horn. They found no evidence of lips, but discovered that the snout may have been extremely touch-sensitive.

By working with well-preserved fossils, the scientists were able to compare tyrannosaur skulls with those of crocodilians, birds, and mammals. They then analyzed their findings against earlier research that matched bone texture with varying types of skin covering.

Sedlymayr describes their research process further, saying, “Much of our research went beyond field paleontology - it was generated from lab-based comparative anatomy, the dissection of birds as living dinosaurs and crocodilians as their closest living relatives.”

The scientists discovered a complex sensory web within the facial structure of these tyrannosaurs. They believe it is derived from the trigeminal nerve, which is shown throughout evolutionary history to be connected to an array of “sixth senses” in vertebrates. These senses include the use of magnetic fields for bird migration, infrared sensing in pit vipers, and the sensing of water vibrations by alligators, among many others.

"In some ways, the facial components of the trigeminal nerve of these dinosaurs mirrors that of humans," said Sedlmayr. In humans, this nerve allows for significant touch sensitivity within our faces. Through this, we can have complex emotional and social facial displays that are imperative for human communication.

Based off this new research, maybe humans and dinosaurs aren’t so different after all.

--

By Connor Ertz, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.lsuhsc.edu/">Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center</a>

Newly discovered dinosaur species shows similarities to humans

A new study – published online in Nature Research’s Scientific...

Most of us are aware by now of the disturbing implications <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-evidence-un/">climate change</a> may have on our planet. We’ve also seen the destruction caused by climate change-induced severe weather and natural disasters in recent years. However, what you may not be aware of is the effect climate change can have on mental health as well.

In a new report released by the <a href="http://www.apa.org/">American Psychological Association</a> and <a href="https://ecoamerica.org/">ecoAmerica</a>, entitled Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Impacts, Implications, and Guidance, researchers found that individuals can suffer from mental health disorders as a result of climate change.

Obviously, natural disasters that cause injury, death, and loss of property can ignite fear and shock in just about anyone. Furthermore, those emotions may eventually disappear, but they might ultimately be replaced by post-traumatic stress disorder in those they have affected.

A study was done involving people living in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina back in 2005. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it determined that suicide and suicidal thoughts more than doubled in those populations. One in six people met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and 49 percent developed an anxiety or mood disorder such as depression.

However, these mental health issues aren’t solely caused by climate change-induced natural disasters. Researchers found that long-term climate change also plays a role in poor mental health.

Climate change can negatively affect agriculture and infrastructure, impacting occupations and quality of life for millions of people. These changes may lead to loss of identity, vanishing social support structures, a sense of having no control or autonomy and many other mental health problems. Issues like stress and anxiety can also cause physical health effects, such as a weakened immune system.

These changes are occurring at a community level as well. Both short and long-term climate change events have been shown to increase hostility and interpersonal and intergroup aggression, which lead to the loss of social identity and cohesion. 

With climate change already having a physical impact, you may be wondering: how do we combat these psychological effects? According to the report, the key is to build resilience. This means building and maintaining your social networks – both online and in person – so that you can have people to turn to in times of need. 

The report further explains: “Individuals' personal capacity to withstand trauma is increased when they are connected to their networks off- and online. Researchers have found that higher levels of social support during and in the aftermath of a disaster are associated with lower rates of psychological distress.”

Furthermore, adopting environmentally friendly policies and lifestyle choices not only benefits the environment, but it can have a positive effect on mental health as well. Research shows that biking or walking to work has been linked to decreased stress. Likewise, the use of public transportation has been associated with boost in community cohesion and decrease in depression and stress – much to the surprise of anyone who has ever taken a public bus.

Increased accessibility to parks and other natural spaces may also be of benefit to one’s mental health, according to the report. So if you take these suggestions to heart, you may not only be benefitting your mental health, but you could be helping the planet as well.

--

By Connor Ertz, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.apa.org/">American Psychological Association</a>

Climate change may cause mental health issues

Most of us are aware by now of the disturbing...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.aaas.org/">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a> reports that the increasing role of the United States’ financial sector in the country’s emerging solar market in the 1980s and 1990s might have actually significantly impaired the solar industry.

At that time, the financial sector was shifting in focus from technology investment to speculating on future markets. Max Jerneck explains that as American conglomerates bought up small firms at the forefront of solar technology, less money was invested in improving the technology and was instead directed towards enriching managers and investors.

This conflict ultimately led to a disconnect between the solar industry and its financial stakeholders, which eventually resulted in the dismantling or selling of solar divisions across the country.

The consequence of this was that – between 1978 and 2005 – the American share of the global solar market dropped from 95% to about 9%. Sure would be nice to have that back.

By contrast, Japan – with an economy about half the size of the U.S. – had about a 50% global share of the solar industry by 2005. So why were they able to flourish as the U.S. fell apart?

Jerneck believes their success is due to their strong hold on semiconductor and electronics markets when the industry was in its infancy, which progressed without interference of corporate governance looking to make a quick buck. 

In Japan, manufacturers were shielded from the type of financial turbulence that was occurring in the U.S. at the same time. Investment into manufacturing was expanded and Japan’s share of the market grew.

With <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-executive-order/">environmental regulations</a> and alternative energy in the news so often these days, this study is also an important look into carbon mitigation strategies. Jerneck finds that while a carbon tax could make low carbon industries – such as solar – more competitive, many companies will end up failing, as innovation is always uncertain.

In other words, a simple carbon tax isn’t enough to make these new technologies competitive in the U.S. market. Instead, this study advocates for policies that bring productive and financial capital together in order to improve the future of the alternative energy industry.

--

By Connor Ertz, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.aaas.org/">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a>

Solar industry financialization may have cost U.S. a global share

A new study from the American Association for the Advancement...

For years, the cognitive abilities of our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthals-smooched-treat-toothache/">Neanderthal</a> ancestors have been heavily debated. But a discovery by Ana Majkic at <a href="https://www.u-bordeaux.fr/">Universite de Bordeaux</a> published in the open-access journal, <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>, may give new insight into this subject. A raven bone fragment found at the Zaskalnaya (ZSK) site in Crimea was uniquely identified by two notches that may have been etched by Neanderthals intentionally – possibly to create a visually consistent pattern.

The recent discoveries of altered bird bones in many Neanderthal sites has led to debate amongst researchers about whether these bones were used as personal ornaments or as tools.

Majkic and her colleagues wanted to determine whether the two notches on the raven bone were done by Neanderthals in an attempt at making the final series of notches appear to be evenly spaced. In order to gain some insight, they conducted a mixed-methods study.

In a multi-phase experiment, volunteers were asked to create their own evenly spaced notches on domestic turkey bones – similar in structure to the ZSK raven bone. The shape and dimensions of these notches were then analyzed. 

The data revealed that the equal spacing of these experimental notches were comparable to those in the raven bone. The research team also analyzed archeological specimens bearing similarly aligned notches. 

Ultimately, the researchers concluded that the two notches on the ZSK raven bone might have been intentionally carved by Neanderthals in order to create a visually consistent – perhaps even symbolic – pattern. This study may be the first of its kind to provide direct evidence in support of a symbolic argument for the intentional modification of a bird bone by Neanderthals.

--

By Connor Ertz, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS</a>

Raven bone suggests Neanderthals had better cognitive ability

For years, the cognitive abilities of our Neanderthal ancestors have...

Jet airstreams cause <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/space-weather-forecast-data/">weather</a> patterns to move quickly – and greenhouse gases have been causing these patterns to slow down and stall. That’s the thinking behind one way that climate change is contributing to the frequency of extreme weather. The new research comes from an international team of climate scientists using computer simulations and real-world observations.

These jet streams distribute heat and moisture from the Arctic and the equator in huge planetary waves that traditionally move airflow quickly around the planet. But the researchers have found that the effect of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere can stall the air flow so that weather conditions stay in one place longer and turn extreme.

“The unprecedented 2016 California drought, the 2011 U.S. heatwave and 2010 Pakistan flood all belong to a most worrying series of extremes,” said study lead author and <a href="http://www.psu.edu/">Pennsylvania State University</a> professor Dr. Michael Mann. “The increased incidence of these events exceeds what we would expect from the direct effects of global warming alone. There must be an additional climate change effect.”

The team said that they now have a “clear fingerprint” of human activity responsible for the droughts, heatwaves, flooding and other extreme weather events seen and experienced globally. The jet stream stalls are the culprit, said the researchers.

“If the same weather persists for weeks on end in one region, then sunny days can turn into a serious heat wave and drought, or lasting rains can lead to flooding,” said study co-author Professor Stefan Rahmstorf of the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/pik-frontpage">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> (PIK) in Germany.

&nbsp;

One of the reasons for the air flow stalls is that global warming is causing the Arctic air to warm faster than the equatorial air, which means there’s less of a temperature contrast between the two air flows. In addition, land masses are warming faster than oceans, also contributing to the global air movement changes.

“We can limit the risks associated with increases in weather extremes if we limit greenhouse-gas emissions,” said Dr. Dim Coumou, of the Department of Water and Climate Risk at <a href="https://www.vu.nl/en/">VU University</a> in Amsterdam.

The researchers’ findings were published in Inside Climate News.

--

Written by David Searls, Earth.com staff writer

Source:<a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/27032017/climate-change-global-warming-extreme-weather-jet-stream-michael-mann-penn-state"> Inside Climate News</a>

Climate change triggers extreme weather, says new study

Jet airstreams cause weather patterns to move quickly – and...

Medical diagnostic equipment is expensive and might be unavailable in rural areas and developing nations. That’s bad news for undiagnosed cancer victims, since early detection is a critical element of successfully treating illnesses and saving lives. But what if trained <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-mirror-owners-emotions/">dogs</a> could diagnose the existence of cancer cells just about as accurately as the most advanced mammography and MRI technology?

That possibility has excited researchers from <a href="http://www.kdog.fr/">KDOG Cancer Detect Group</a> in Paris, under whose direction dog trainer Jacky Experton spent six months training two German Shepherds to sniff out cancer. The average dog’s nose is thousands of times more sensitive to odors than human sniffers. That’s why Thor and Nikios were taught to identify and alert to the smell of breast cancer cells in bandages previously held to patients’ breasts.

When it came real-deal testing time to detect breast cancer bandages versus the bandages of healthy women, the dogs’ success rate was remarkable. In the first test, Thor and Nikios correctly picked out the bandages of 28 out of 31 cancer patients. In the second test, they did even better, eliciting perfect scores.

This was only the first of many clinical trials the two dogs and other trained canines will undergo. In time, it’s possible that machines can be “trained” to similarly detect cancerous cells based on what we learn with this research. Other projects are underway to test canines' ability to smell different types of cancer in the skin, blood, urine and exhaled breath.

--

By David Searls. <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ushome/index.html"> Daily Mail</a>

Dogs get perfect scores for sniffing out cancer cells

Medical diagnostic equipment is expensive and might be unavailable in...

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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



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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



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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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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

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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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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...