Metabolic syndrome affects many people who struggle with obesity, high blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol. This health issue may increase the likelihood of other serious conditions, including heart disease or stroke.



In a recent study, researchers investigated whether plant extracts can help address metabolic syndrome.



Hammad Ullah, an expert in the Department of Pharmacy at the <a href="https://www.unina.it/home;jsessionid=D2791051CD70D173B32795B5F05F0D73.node_publisher12" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Napoli Federico II</a>, is the study's lead author. He and his colleagues explored scientific evidence on botanical compounds and their potential effects on factors linked to metabolic syndrome.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-at-metabolic-syndrome">Looking at metabolic syndrome</h2>



Many people are not familiar with what metabolic syndrome really involves. It typically includes several issues like high blood pressure, large waist size, and elevated glucose.



“Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes,” stated a representative from the <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/metabolic-syndrome/about-metabolic-syndrome" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Heart Association (AHA)</a>. This combination worries physicians because it may lead to further complications if left unmanaged.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-plant-extracts-boost-metabolic-health">Can plant extracts boost metabolic health?</h2>



Certain herbs or fruit-derived compounds appear to influence blood sugar or inflammatory processes. Researchers have looked into phytochemicals, which are compounds produced by plants, for their effects on metabolic health.



Those same compounds might help the body respond better to insulin or maintain balanced lipid levels. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cinnamon-boost-metabolism-obesity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cinnamon</a>, for instance, has been studied for its possible role in lowering blood glucose in those with type 2 diabetes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-safety-matters-in-plant-extracts">Why safety matters in plant extracts</h2>



Plant-based solutions sometimes contain chemicals that can interact with conventional medicines. Not everything labeled as herbal is automatically safe.



The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) acknowledges that some herbal and dietary <a href="https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/using-dietary-supplements-wisely" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supplements</a> may offer health benefits but warns that scientific evidence varies considerably.



This advice encourages people to check reliable sources or trained professionals before considering certain supplements and plant extracts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-technology-and-extraction-methods">New technology and extraction methods</h2>



Improved laboratory approaches now allow scientists to isolate purified parts of plants. One primary goal is to enhance absorption, which could make these plant extracts more effective.



Modern processes rely on fine-tuned conditions to maintain stability. This precision might open new options for those who need consistent results from plant-derived supplements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-science-and-tradition">Balancing science and tradition</h2>



Some cultures have used <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/4000-year-old-skulls-reveal-ancient-egyptian-attempts-cancer-treatment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">herbal remedies</a> for many generations. In those communities, people sometimes rely on local resources to manage health concerns.



Today, clinical trials add a scientific lens. By testing formulas in controlled settings, researchers can see whether specific extracts or doses truly benefit groups of people dealing with metabolic syndrome.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-steps-for-better-metabolic-health">Steps for better metabolic health</h2>



Weight control, balanced nutrition, and regular activity can work together to support metabolic health. Plant extracts may act as an extra tool.



Studies have suggested that fenugreek seeds, for instance, might help with glucose regulation and cholesterol levels. Still, experts recommend combining sensible lifestyle measures with any nutritional approach.



The hope behind these botanical investigations is to identify ways to address key elements of metabolic syndrome. Early interventions often yield better long-term outcomes.



Some individuals might experience benefits if they incorporate these compounds under professional guidance. Over time, more data can clarify how best to use these extracts responsibly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-extracts-need-further-testing">Plant extracts need further testing</h2>



Global teams continue to evaluate these nutritional possibilities. Publishers, universities, and medical institutes come together to share findings.



Credible research organizations offer a platform for vetting proposals and confirming any positive outcomes. Transparency and repeat experiments serve as vital checkpoints for quality.



Many of these botanical products await further testing. Researchers remain interested in how specific plant-based chemicals work in diverse populations.



Better insights may come from large-scale projects that follow volunteers over months or years. Such efforts might reveal who benefits most and what side effects may occur.



Some experts urge caution, especially when it comes to unproven claims around plant extracts. Trustworthy sources back up their statements with verifiable data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lifestyle-strategies-still-count">Lifestyle strategies still count</h2>



Consumers can safeguard their health by asking for credentials and checking peer-reviewed studies. A balanced approach avoids oversimplified promises that lack real support.



Patients with metabolic syndrome should also focus on improving their health through physical activity, stress management, and a nutrient-rich plan. Healthcare teams generally agree that daily habits shape long-term progress.



While a supplement might help, it usually does not replace medical advice or medications. Everything works best in harmony with proper care and monitoring.



Communities worldwide face growing numbers of individuals dealing with metabolic risk factors. Researchers are investigating cost-effective, accessible strategies for the future.



Plant extracts fit into a bigger plan for promoting healthy living. They do not stand alone but may support existing practices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-p-lant-extracts-and-metabolic-syndrome">Plant extracts and metabolic syndrome</h2>



Examining how plant extracts can complement treatment for metabolic syndrome is an ongoing conversation. Simple adjustments may bring hope to some readers who wish to explore natural alternatives.



Experts continue to refine formulas and safety guidelines. This ensures that any recommendations come from real evidence rather than guesswork.



Two essential questions remain: how well do these plant-based options work over time, and which populations are likely to benefit most? Scientists continue to seek answers.



Such efforts aim to offer clarity in a medical world that sometimes overlooks gentle interventions. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/5/877">Nutrients</a>.

Plant extracts may help treat metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome affects many people who struggle with obesity, high blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol. This health issue may increase the likelihood of other serious conditions, including heart disease or stroke. In a recent study, researchers investigated whether plant extracts can help address metabolic syndrome. Hammad Ullah, an expert in the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Napoli Federico II, is the study's lead author. He and his colleagues explored scientific evidence on botanical compounds and their potential effects on factors linked to metabolic syndrome. Looking...

ORACLES mission is studying the impact that smoke has on clouds. NASA scientists and two research aircraft are on their way to a unique natural laboratory off the Atlantic coast of southwest Africa to study a major unknown in future climate prediction.

The coast of Namibia is one of three places on Earth with persistent low-level clouds, and the only such location with a steady supply of tiny aerosol particles in the form of smoke from inland fires that mix with the clouds. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=nasa&amp;cvid=f5d2be46214d40faa1be8c225c3a1373&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">NASA's</a> Observations of Aerosols Above Clouds and their Interactions ORACLES mission will observe and measure how these particles interact with clouds and change their ability to warm or cool the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/every-planet-in-our-solar-system-is-visible-this-month/">planet</a>. ORACLES mission is studying the impact that smoke has on clouds

"This is the perfect natural laboratory to study aerosol-cloud interactions, which are some of the largest uncertainties in the prediction of future climate," said Jens Redemann, ORACLES principal investigator at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California.

Some aerosols, such as dust and sea salt, have a natural origin. But others, such as soot and smoke released by fires and industry, are the result of human activities. Once aerosols enter the atmosphere, they can cause either a warming or cooling effect.

"Human activities currently are estimated to be responsible for perhaps half of all the aerosol particles in the atmosphere," said Robert Wood, a cloud scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle and ORACLES deputy principal investigator. "Smoke particles both reflect sunlight back to space, thus cooling the Earth, and absorb sunlight, which has the opposite effect of warming the Earth. When aerosols encounter clouds, they also change the properties of the clouds they are ingested into."

Understanding which effect is dominant, and under what conditions, is essential for improving the regional and global computer models that predict what may occur with future climate change. Changes in the properties of the cloud layer caused by aerosols could also have an effect on regional coastal fisheries by altering the amount of sunlight reaching the ocean surface that drives currents and ocean upwelling.

The initially separate cloud and aerosol layers off the Namibian coast are relatively stable. As the cloud layers thicken away from shore like a wedge, it gradually mixes with the aerosol layer. The result is a range of steadily changing conditions that allow the ORACLES science team to probe several different types of cloud-aerosol interactions.

The ORACLES field campaign is based out of Walvis Bay in Namibia, where faculty and students from Namibian universities will be working alongside the ORACLES team. The project team has built new relationships with African colleagues, in particular, the Namibia University of Science and Technology in Windhoek. University personnel support logistics for ORACLES field work and will collaborate in data analysis and modeling. The Gobabeb Research and Training Centre in the Namib Desert, which previously has worked with NASA using the desert as an analog for the surface of other planets, is providing ground-based remote sensing of the atmosphere.

"Science is a great unifier," said Bernadette Squire Luna, ORACLES project manager at Ames. "We are building relationships with Namibian scientists that will outlast this project and will lead to yet more science and more interactions. We're connecting our countries in a very grassroots way."

NASA's P-3 aircraft, managed by the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia, carries five remote sensing instruments and flies through the cloud and aerosol layers at up to 20,000 feet to gather direct measurements from more than a dozen cloud and aerosol probes attached to the wings and inlets on the windows. NASA's ER-2 aircraft, managed by the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, will fly at 65,000 feet with instruments that make measurements similar to those acquired from satellites.

ORACLES flights will complement and validate current satellite observations of aerosols and clouds, and test instruments that may fly on future satellites, by making detailed observations that are impossible to make from space with current capabilities.

Unlike a satellite, which generally gets one pass per day over a certain location, both aircraft will be able to sample clouds and aerosols throughout the day over the entire study area to see how they evolve. Together, data from the two aircraft will provide a comprehensive picture of how aerosols behave in the presence of clouds – and how aerosols directly or indirectly change how clouds behave.

ORACLES is a collaborative research effort that involves more than a hundred scientists from five NASA centers, two national laboratories, 10 U.S. universities, and five African research institutions. It’s a multi-year NASA Earth Venture suborbital investigation to probe Earth system processes that are not completely understood. These flights from Namibia are the first of several planned field seasons for the mission. Earth Venture investigations are part of NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder program managed at the agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

For more information about ORACLES, visit:
<a href="https://espo.nasa.gov/oracles">https://espo.nasa.gov/oracles</a>
NASA collects data from space, air, land and sea to increase our understanding of our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. NASA develops new ways to observe and study Earth's interconnected natural systems with long-term data records. The agency freely shares this unique knowledge and works with institutions around the world to gain new insights into how our planet is changing.

For more information about NASA Earth science, visit:
<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/earth">http://www.nasa.gov/earth</a>

ORACLES mission is studying the impact that smoke has on clouds

ORACLES mission is studying the impact that smoke has on...

New England is running out of mussels.
The Gulf of Maine's once strong population of wild blue mussels is disappearing, scientists say. A study led by marine ecologists at the University of California at Irvine found the numbers along the gulf coastline have declined by more than 60 percent over the last 40 years.
Once covering as much as two-thirds of the gulf's intertidal zone, mussels now cover less than 15 percent.
"It would be like losing a forest," said biologist Cascade Sorte, who with her colleagues at the university conducted the study and recently published their findings in the Global Change Biology journal.
The Gulf of Maine stretches from Cape Cod to Canada and is a key marine environment and important to commercial fishing. Blue mussels are used in seafood dishes and worth millions to the economy of some New England states, but are also important in moving bacteria and toxins out of the water.
"It's so disheartening to see it (the loss) in our marine habitats. We're losing the habitats they create," she said. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>
Disheartening, and also sometimes a smelly nuisance. Thousands of dead mussels washed up last week on the shores of Long Island, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-2080-new-york-arkansas/">New York</a>, and a Stony Brook University professor said the die-off could be attributable to warm water temperature.
The Sorte study focused on 20 sites along the gulf, using historical data to compare today's mussel populations to those of the past. She said the decline of mussels isn't due to just one factor - warming ocean water, increases in human harvesting and the introduction of new predatory invasive species all appear to play a role.
The marine environment will suffer, she said, if they continue to decline, and it's possible they could become extinct in some areas.
Scott Morello, a researcher who has studied mussels with The Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research &amp; Education in Maine, said Sorte's work reflects observations that people who work on the water have made in recent years.
"It's not just scientists," he said. "I can tell you that most residents I've talked to, most fishermen I've talked to will point out the same dramatic decrease in mussels."
The nationwide value of wild blue mussels has reached new heights in recent years, peaking at more than $13 million at the dock in 2013 - more than twice the 2007 total. They were worth more than $10 million in 2014, when fishermen brought nearly 4 million pounds of them ashore.
Maine and Massachusetts are by far the biggest states for wild mussel harvesting, and many are also harvested in Washington state. They are also farmed in aquaculture operations. The vast majority of the mussels that people eat are farmed, and most that are available to U.S. consumers are imported from other countries, such as Canada.
Mussel farming is dependent on wild mussels, which produce the larvae needed for the farmed shellfish to grow. Andrew Pershing, chief scientific officer of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, said the loss of wild mussels is troubling for aquaculture because if wild populations decline further, it could constrain the growth of the industry.
Pershing also said Sorte's study shows there is a need to get better data about the abundance of mussels and how they are affected by warming waters and commercial harvesting.
"If we had a record of how mussels changed from year to year, it would be possible to see whether declines were more pronounced during particularly warm years or are related to some other event or process," he said.
© 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Mussels are disappearing from New England waters

New England is running out of mussels. The Gulf of...

<div>Tropical Depression 9 forms in the Gulf of Mexico The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite analyzed Tropical Depression 9 after formed in the Gulf of Mexico after a slow crawl over the last week.</div>
<div>

The frequency of tropical cyclone formation has definitely increased in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/phytoplankton-blooms-persist-in-the-north-atlantic-ocean/">Atlantic Ocean</a> basin. A tropical wave that the National Hurricane Center (NHC) had been monitoring for development since it left the African coast almost two weeks ago was upgraded to Tropical Depression Nine (TD9) on August 28, 2016. The low pressure became a little better organized after moving into the Florida Strait and that led to the upgrade. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>

The GPM core observatory satellite passed above the still relatively poorly organized tropical depression on Aug. 29 at 2:56 a.m. EDT (0656 UTC). Maximum sustained wind speeds were estimated to be only 34.5 mph (30 knots). Since then deep convection associated with the tropical cyclone has increased. Rainfall measurements within TD9 were derived from GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments. These measurements showed that precipitation was intense in convective storms over the western side of Cuba. GPM revealed that some showers were coming down at a rate of greater than 7.6 inches (193.514 mm) per hour. Tropical Depression 9 forms in the Gulf of Mexico

GPM's radar (DPR Ku Band) data were used to examine the 3-D structure of precipitation within storms associated with TD09L. Most thunderstorm tops around the tropical depression were found to reach heights of less than 8.7 miles (14 km). However, GPM's radar found that some storm tops in powerful convective storms in the Caribbean Sea south of Cuba were pushing up to heights above 9.9 miles (16 km).

&nbsp;

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) the center of Tropical Depression Nine was located near 23.6 degrees north latitude and 84.3 degrees west longitude. That puts the center about 170 miles (275 km) west-southwest of Key West, Florida and 125 miles (200 km) west-northwest of Havana, Cuba.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that the depression is moving toward the west near 7 mph (11 kph). A turn toward the west-northwest is forecast today, followed by a slow northwestward motion on Tuesday. A turn toward the north is expected Tuesday night. On the forecast track, the center of the depression will be passing north of the north coast of western Cuba today, Aug. 29, and moving farther into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico tonight and Tuesday, Aug. 30. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 millibars.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and the depression is likely to become a tropical storm later today or tonight.

The NHC predicts that TD9 will become a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico this evening but moderate vertical shear over the next couple days is predicted to keep the tropical depression from significantly strengthening. TD9 is expected to move toward the northwest for a couple days and then made a turn toward the northeast. It is then expected to pass over northern Florida as a strong tropical storm.

For updated forecasts, visit the NHC website: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>


</div>
<div></div>

Tropical Depression 9 forms in the Gulf of Mexico

Tropical Depression 9 forms in the Gulf of Mexico The...

<div>Tropical Depression 8 forms off the coast of North Carolina The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or <a href="http://www.earth.com/product/low-flow-faucet-aerator-1-0-gpm-2-pack/">GPM</a> core satellite passed over Tropical Depression 8 as it formed off the coast of North Carolina in the Atlantic Ocean. GPM measured rainfall rates and analyzed the heights of storm cloud tops to assess the storm's strength.</div>
<div>

On Aug. 28, 2016 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) the National Hurricane Center (NHC) upgraded a low pressure center west of Bermuda to Tropical Depression Eight. Convection near the center of the low had increased markedly since the GPM core observatory passed above the area on Aug. 28 at 2:11 a.m. EDT (0611 UTC). GPM made horizontal and vertical measurements of rainfall within the developing tropical depression. GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instrument measured precipitation falling at a rate of over 4.9 inches (124.8 mm) per hour in a few towering tall convective thunderstorms in the middle of the developing tropical cyclone. Tropical Depression 8 forms off the coast of North Carolina

GPM Radar (Ku Band) examined the 3-D structure of rainfall within the forming tropical depression and found that a few storm tops were reaching heights above 9.7 miles (15.7 km). GPM is a joint mission between <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a> and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA.

On Aug. 29 a Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the coast of North Carolina from Cape Lookout to Oregon Inlet

The NHC noted at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Eight (TD8) was located near 32.9 degrees north latitude and 73.2 degrees west longitude. That's just 201 miles (340 km) southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. TD8 was moving toward the northwest near 9 mph (15 kph). This general motion with a slower forward speed is expected later today, Aug. 29, with a turn toward the north forecast on Tuesday, Aug. 30 or Tuesday night. On the forecast track, the center of the depression will be near the Outer Banks of North Carolina late Tuesday.

[ooyala code="hoZmtsNTE6tgaT_hT0nRWhm5s2AAez9-" player_id="ce75157bc770441eaf5e849ae4d1d21f" auto="true" width="896" height="504"]

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. Slow strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and the depression is expected to become a tropical storm by tonight. The minimum central pressure reported by the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter is 1011 millibars.

That heavy rainfall that GPM observed is expected to affect the North Carolina coast. The NHC noted that TD8 is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 1 to 3 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 5 inches over far eastern North Carolina, including the Outer Banks.

The NHC forecast indicated that the depression is expected to become a tropical storm. The current forecast track takes the center of TD8 just off the coast of North Carolina's Outer Banks before being pushed northeast from an approaching cold front.
###
For updated forecasts, visit the NHC website at <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.

</div>

Tropical Depression 8 forms off the coast of North Carolina

Tropical Depression 8 forms off the coast of North Carolina...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Typhoon Lionrock seen approaching Japan Tropical Storm Lionrock continued crawling toward the main island of Honshu, Japan, as NASA's Aqua and NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellites passed overhead and gathered data on the storm.</div>
When <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over Lionrock it was weakening and moving slowly toward Japan's big island. On Aug. 28 at 11:10 p.m. EDT (Aug. 29 at 0310 UTC), the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible image of the storm that showed the eye had become filled with clouds. The storm also appeared somewhat elongated.

When NASA's Aqua satellite passed over the northwestern <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dust-asia-fertilizes-north-pacific/">Pacific Ocean</a> it gathered temperature data on Tropical Storm Lionrock. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard Aqua looked at Lionrock in infrared light on Aug. 29 at 12:11 a.m. EDT (0411 UTC). AIRS infrared data showed that Lionrock still had powerful thunderstorms with high cold cloud tops (as cold as minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 53 degrees Celsius). The strongest storms were located around the center of circulation and in a thick band extending southeast of the center. Typhoon Lionrock seen approaching Japan as shown above in image.

On Aug. 29 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Typhoon Lionrock was located near 32.7 degrees north latitude and 143.4 degrees west longitude. That's about 281 nautical miles southeast of Yokosuka, Japan. Maximum sustained winds were near 80.5 mph (70 knots/129.6 kph). Lionrock's typhoon-strength winds extend out 35 nautical miles from the center, while tropical storm-force winds have a much larger reach, out to 215 nautical miles from the center.

Typhoon Lionrock is moving to the northeast at 13.8 mph (12 knots/22.2 kph) and generating waves up to 26 feet (7.9 meters) high.

Lionrock is weakening and is expected to make landfall in northern Honshu on Aug. 30 as it becomes extra-tropical. Once it crosses northern Japan it is forecast to make final landfall in extreme southeastern Russia on Wednesday, Aug. 31.


</div>
<div></div>

Typhoon Lionrock seen approaching Japan

Typhoon Lionrock seen approaching Japan Tropical Storm Lionrock continued crawling...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">As Hurricane Lester in the Eastern Pacific Ocean strengthened into a major hurricane, Tropical Storm Madeline in the Central Pacific became a hurricane. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured an image as Madeline was transitioning and organizing.</div>
On Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) Tropical Storm Madeline developed just east of the 140 degree longitude line in the Eastern Pacific Ocean located near latitude 15.2 degrees north latitude and 138.5 degrees west longitude. Since that time, it crossed that longitude line and entered the Central Pacific Ocean Basin.

When <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over Madeline it was strengthening into a hurricane. On Aug. 28 at 6:05 p.m. EDT (2205 UTC) the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of Tropical Storm Madeline as it was strengthening and organizing.The image showed the system had a good circulation and a band of strong thunderstorms wrapping tightly into the low-level center from the west. Madeline had taken on a comma shape.

When NASA's Aqua satellite passed over the Central <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dust-asia-fertilizes-north-pacific/">Pacific Ocean</a> it gathered temperature data on Tropical Storm Madeline. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard Aqua looked at Madeline in infrared light on Aug. 28 at 7:11 p.m. EDT (2311 UTC). AIRS infrared data showed that the depression had some powerful thunderstorms with high cold cloud tops (as cold as minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 53 degrees Celsius).

On Aug. 29 at 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC), Madeline strengthened into a hurricane. At 11 a.m. EDT (5 a.m. HST/1500 UTC), the center of Hurricane Madeline was located near 18.2 degrees north latitude and 144.6 degrees west longitude. Maximum sustained winds are near 100 mph (155 km/h) with higher gusts. Slight strengthening is expected later today and Tuesday, followed by slight weakening early Wednesday. The estimated minimum central pressure is 975 millibars.

Madeline is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph (17 kph) and this motion is expected to become westerly later today through early Wednesday.

Forecaster Powell at NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) mentioned in the discussion issued at that time that "Madeline's cloud-covered eye re-emerged by 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC) with a cooler-topped and increasingly well-formed eyewall. Organization continues to improve, with little or no [vertical wind] shear deformation present."

CPHC noted that there are no coastal watches or warnings in effect, however, interests in the Hawaiian Islands should monitor the progress of Madeline.

For updated forecasts on Madeline, visit the CPHC website: <a href="http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc</a>


</div>
<div></div>

Tropical Storm Madeline becomes a hurricane

As Hurricane Lester in the Eastern Pacific Ocean strengthened into...

<div>Hurricane Gaston strengthens into a major hurricane in the Atlantic NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Hurricane Gaston as it was strengthening into a major hurricane, almost 600 miles away from Bermuda in the<a href="http://www.earth.com/image/phytoplankton-blooms-persist-in-the-north-atlantic-ocean/"> Atlantic Ocean</a>. Aqua provided a visible look at the powerful hurricane.</div>
<div>

On Aug. 28 at 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 UTC) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA's</a> Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Hurricane Gaston. At the time, Gaston had maximum sustained winds near 105 mph and was a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Gaston had developed a clear eye about 15 nautical miles wide that was surrounded by powerful thunderstorms. The storm later strengthened into a major hurricane. Hurricane Gaston strengthens into a major hurricane in the Atlantic

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on Monday, Aug. 29 the center of Hurricane Gaston was located near 30.8 degrees north latitude and 55.2 degrees west longitude. Gaston is about 575 miles (925 km) east of Bermuda.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Gaston is currently drifting northward. A turn toward the northeast and a faster forward speed are expected later today, Aug. 29 or tonight, and an east-northeastward motion is expected on Tuesday. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 115 mph (185 kph) with higher gusts. Gaston is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Additional slow weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours. The estimated minimum central pressure is 960 millibars.

NHC Forecaster Jack Beven stated in the 5 a.m. NHC Discussion, "Gaston remains a well-organized hurricane. However, the satellite appearance is slightly less impressive than 6 hours ago, with the eye becoming less distinct and the deep convection eroding in the northwestern quadrant."

By 5 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, Aug. 30, Gaston is expected to move over decreasing sea surface temperatures and into increasing vertical wind shear. Both of those factors should cause a gradual weakening.
###
For updated forecasts on Gaston, visit the NHC website: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.

</div>

Hurricane Gaston strengthens into a major hurricane in the Atlantic

Hurricane Gaston strengthens into a major hurricane in the Atlantic...

<div>Hurricane Lester becomes fourth major Eastern Pacific hurricane When NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over hurricane Lester it was on the verge of becoming a major hurricane. That happened less than 12 hours later.</div>
<div>

On Aug. 28 at 6:05 p.m. EDT (2205 UTC) the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of Hurricane Lester as it was strengthening and organizing in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The image showed the system was developing a well-defined circulation and a cloud-filled eye. The image also revealed strong thunderstorms wrapping tightly into the low-level center.

Less than 12 hours later by 5 a.m. EDT on Aug. 29, Lester became a major hurricane hitting Category 3 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. At that time the ragged eye that had formed earlier had cleared out, exposing the eye to satellites. Lester has become the fourth major hurricane of the 2016 eastern North Pacific hurricane season.

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Lester was located near 18.0 degrees north latitude and 127.8 degrees west longitude, about 1,205 miles (1,940 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Lester is moving toward the west near 15 mph (24 kph), and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 115 mph (185 kph) with higher gusts.

NHC forecasters noted that little change in strength is expected today, but slow weakening is expected to begin by Tuesday, Aug. 30.
###
For updates on Lester, visit the NHC website: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.

</div>

Hurricane Lester becomes fourth major Eastern Pacific hurricane

Hurricane Lester becomes fourth major Eastern Pacific hurricane When NASA-NOAA's...

<div>Climate change has smaller impact on drought than expected As a multiyear drought grinds on in the Southwestern United States, many wonder about the impact of global climate change on more frequent and longer dry spells. As humans emit more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, how will water supply for people, farms, and forests be affected?</div>
<div>

A new study from the University of California, Irvine and the University of <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/mount-rainier-in-washington/">Washington</a> shows that water conserved by plants under high CO2 conditions compensates for much of the effect of warmer temperatures, retaining more water on land than predicted in commonly used drought assessments. Also the Climate change has smaller impact on drought than expected

According to the study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the implications of plants needing less water with more CO2 in the environment changes assumptions of climate change impacts on agriculture, water resources, wildfire risk, and plant growth.

The study compares current drought indices with ones that take into account changes in plant water use. Reduced precipitation will increase droughts across southern North America, southern Europe and northeastern South America. But the results show that in Central Africa and temperate Asia -- including China, the Middle East, East Asia and most of Russia -- water conservation by plants will largely counteract the parching due to climate change.

"This study confirms that drought will intensify in many regions in the future," said coauthor James Randerson, UCI professor of Earth system science. "It also shows that plant water needs will have an important influence on water availability, and this part of the equation has been neglected in many drought and hydrology studies."

Recent studies have estimated that more than 70 percent of our planet will experience more drought as carbon dioxide levels quadruple from pre-industrial levels over about the next 100 years. But when researchers account for changes in plants' water needs, this falls to 37 percent, with bigger differences concentrated in certain regions.

The reason is that when Earth's atmosphere holds more carbon dioxide, plants actually benefit from having more of the molecules they need to build their carbon-rich bodies. Plants take in carbon dioxide through tiny openings called stomata that cover their leaves. But as they draw in carbon dioxide, moisture escapes. When carbon dioxide is more plentiful, the stomata don't need to be open for as long, and so the plants lose less water. The plants thus draw less water from the soil through their roots.

Global climate models already account for these changes in plant growth. But many estimates of future drought use today's standard indices, like the Palmer Drought Severity Index, which only consider atmospheric variables such as future temperature, humidity and precipitation.

"New satellite observations and improvements in our understanding hydrological cycle have led to significant advances in our ability to model changes in soil moisture," said Randerson. "Unfortunately, using proxy estimates of drought stress can give us misleading results because they ignore well-established principles from plant physiology."

Planners will need accurate long-term drought predictions to design future water supplies, anticipate ecosystem stresses, project wildfire risks and decide where to locate agricultural fields.

"In some sense there's an easy solution to this problem, which is we just have to create new metrics that take into account what the plants are doing," said lead author Abigail Swann, a University of Washington assistant professor of atmospheric sciences. "We already have the information to do that; we just have to be more careful about ensuring that we're considering the role of the plants."

Is this good news for climate change? Although the drying may be less extreme than in some current estimates, droughts will certainly increase, researchers said, and other aspects of climate change could have severe effects on vegetation.

"There's a lot we don't know, especially about hot droughts," Swann said. The same drought at a higher temperature might have more severe impacts, she noted, or might make plants more stressed and susceptible to pests.

"Even if droughts are not extremely more prevalent or frequent, they may be more deadly when they do happen," she said.
###
Other co-authors are Forrest Hoffman at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Charles Koven at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit <a href="http://www.uci.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.uci.edu</a>.

Contact:

Brian Bell
949-824-8249
<a href="mailto:bpbell@uci.edu">bpbell@uci.edu</a>

</div>

Climate change has smaller impact on drought than expected

Climate change has smaller impact on drought than expected As...

<div>Biodiversity in the Amazon forests helps mitigate climate change risks "Plant trait diversity may enable the Amazon forests, the world's greatest and maybe most fascinating tropical ecosystem, to adjust to some level of climate change - certain trees dominant today could decrease and their place will be taken by others which are better suited for the new climate conditions in the future," says Boris Sakschewski from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), lead-author of the study to be published in Nature Climate Change. Tree survival for instance depends on what the scientists call 'leaf economics': their different size, thickness, longevity or density defines how well the plant can deal with higher temperatures and water scarcity. "Biodiversity shows not to be a nice-to-have but indeed a must-have," says Sakschewski. "We find it could be functional for the long-term survival of<a href="http://www.earth.com/image/aerosols-swirling-around-the-earth/"> Earth's</a> large reservoirs of biomass, such as the forests of the Amazon region. "Biodiversity in the Amazon forests helps mitigate climate change risks</div>
<div>

However, this depends on the level of stress. Only in a scenario of moderate climate change, high biodiversity can, after a sharp decline of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass">biomass,</a> contribute to substantial recovery in vast areas across the Amazon region after a few hundred years. Here, more than 80 percent of the Amazon area would show substantial regrowth, according to the study. In contrast, in a business-as-usual scenario of greenhouse-gas emissions leading to massive climate change, less than 20 percent of the area would show this positive effect.

A significant step forward in Earth system modelling

Never before have these dynamics been integrated in a biogeochemical vegetation simulation of climate effects, so this is a significant step forward in Earth system modelling. "To explain how plant trait diversity contributes to the resilience of rainforest we first investigated an experimental site in Ecuador and then extended the simulations to the Amazon basin," says team leader Kirsten Thonicke from PIK. "We've been working on this for years. While it is well-known that biodiversity is relevant for ecosystem productivity and biomass storage, up to now it could not be shown in a large-scale quantitative way. We're glad to advance previous research by closing this important gap."

"This is good news for the Amazon forest - still, it doesn't mean that climate change would not harm this unique ecosystem substantially, quite the contrary," says Wolfgang Lucht, co-chair of PIK's research domain Earth System Analysis. While high biodiversity enables the forest to eventually regain much of its biomass, there is a huge disruption in the transition and the species composition would be different afterwards even under moderate global warming. "Despite the encouraging findings on biodiversity's functional value, the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/amazon-rainforest-burning/">Amazon rainforest</a> unfortunately remains one of the critical hotspots on the planet that demand very rapid decreases in CO2 emissions."

Article: Sakschewski, B., von Bloh, W., Boit, A., Poorter, L., Peña-Claros, M., Heinke, J., Joshi, J., Thonicke, K. (2016): Resilience of Amazon forests emerges from plant trait diversity. Nature Climate Change (Advance Online Publication) [DOI:10.1038/nclimate3109]

&nbsp;

</div>
<div></div>

Biodiversity in the Amazon forests helps mitigate climate change risks

Biodiversity in the Amazon forests helps mitigate climate change risks...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Tropical Depression 9 photographed in the Gulf of Mexico Although the center of Tropical Depression 9 moved away from Cuba and into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, western Cuba was still getting drenched from the system. A visible image from NOAA's GOES-East satellite showed the reach of the large depression.</div>
The National Hurricane Center said at 11 a.m. EDT that torrential rains continue over western Cuba and that a tropical storm watch likely to be issued for a portion of the Florida Gulf Coast later today, Aug. 30.

An infrared look at Tropical Depression 9 on Aug. 30 at 3:05 a.m. EDT (0705 UTC) from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite showed that the strongest storms were more concentrated around the center of circulation than the visible cloud imagery showed.

Infrared data takes temperatures, and the colder the cloud tops, the higher they are in the troposphere. Cloud tops around the center of Tropical Depression 9 were as cold as or colder than minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 degrees Celsius), indicating they were high in the troposphere. Storms with cloud tops that cold have been shown to generate heavy rainfall. Tropical Depression 9 photographed in the Gulf of Mexico

Visible satellite imagery on Aug. 30 at 10:45 a.m. EDT from NOAA GOES-East showed the extent of the large depression. The southwestern extent of the depression's clouds were over the northeastern part of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, while the northeastern extent of the depression's clouds stretched over Cuba and the Florida Keys. The GOES image was generated at the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Nine was located near 24.0 degrees north latitude and 87.2 degrees west longitude. That's about 340 miles (550 km) west of Key West, Florida, and 310 miles (495 km) west of Havana, Cuba.

The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph (11 kph). NHC forecasts a turn toward the northwest is expected later today, Aug. 30, followed by a turn toward the north-northwest tonight. A turn toward the north-northeast is expected on Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of the depression will continue to move slowly away from western <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/cubas-twilight-zone-reefs/">Cuba</a>, and move over the eastern Gulf of Mexico during the next 48 hours.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and the depression is expected to become a tropical storm today.

For updated forecasts, visit the NHC website at <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.


</div>
<div></div>

Tropical Depression 9 photographed in the Gulf of Mexico

Tropical Depression 9 photographed in the Gulf of Mexico Although...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Tropical Storm Lionrock is quickly weakening. Tropical Storm Lionrock moved over Honshu, the big island of Japan and then proceeded over the Hokkaido, the northernmost island, when <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a> Terra satellite passed overhead and analyzed the storm's cloud top temperatures.</div>
On Aug. 30 at 8:55 a.m. EDT (1255 UTC) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured an infrared image of Tropical Storm Lionrock when it was centered over southern Hokkaido, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nearly-complete-duck-billed-dinosaur-fossil/">Japan</a>. Infrared data showed some strong thunderstorms remained as cloud top temperatures were as cold as minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the clouds the colder the cloud tops and typically the stronger the storms. Also Tropical Storm Lionrock is quickly weakening has shown in the image above how serious it can be.

On Aug. 30 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Lionrock was located near 40.6 degrees north latitude and 140.2 degrees west longitude. That's about 47 nautical miles west-northwest of Misawa, Japan. Maximum sustained winds dropped to 51.7 mph (45 knots/83.3 kph). Lionrock is moving to the north-northwest at 36.8 mph (32 knots/59.6 kph).

Lionrock is weakening rapidly and is forecast to track across the Sea of Japan to Manchuria, where it will dissipate.


</div>
<div></div>

Tropical Storm Lionrock is quickly weakening

Tropical Storm Lionrock is quickly weakening. Tropical Storm Lionrock moved...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.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

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" 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.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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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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

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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

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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

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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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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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

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