For decades, scientists have been grappling with what is considered to be the most fundamental question about the cosmos: How fast is our universe expanding? 



The rate of expansion influences everything from how galaxies form to how they might one day drift apart.



Determining the expansion rate of the universe, a number called the "Hubble constant," shapes our entire understanding of the cosmos, its age, and its ultimate fate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-tension-expansion-conundrum">"Hubble tension" expansion conundrum</h2>



Unfortunately, though many brilliant minds have dedicated their lives to finding the answer to this riddle, all who have tried thus far have failed, running repeatedly into a brick wall that has come to be known as the "Hubble tension."



Adam Riess, a physicist at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a> in Baltimore, has been at the forefront of this debate. "With measurement errors negated, what remains is the real and exciting possibility that we have misunderstood the universe," Riess admitted.



Riess, who won a Nobel Prize for discovering that the universe's expansion is accelerating due to dark energy, has been working tirelessly to resolve what's known as the Hubble Tension.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-hubble-constant-matters">Why the Hubble constant matters</h2>



But before diving deeper, let's consider why the expansion rate -- called the Hubble constant -- is so crucial. 



Named after Edwin Hubble, who first observed that galaxies are moving away from us, this constant helps us map out the history and future of everything we see in the night sky. 



Determining it with precision has been a major goal of astronomers for decades.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/hubble-constant_3-steps_illustration_nasa_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/hubble-constant_3-steps_illustration_nasa_1s.webp" alt="This illustration shows the three basic steps astronomers use to calculate how fast the universe expands over time, a value called the Hubble constant. All the steps involve building a strong &quot;cosmic distance ladder,&quot; by starting with measuring accurate distances to nearby galaxies and then moving to galaxies farther and farther away. Credit: NASA" class="wp-image-1951709"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This illustration shows the three basic steps astronomers use to calculate how fast the universe expands over time, a value called the Hubble constant. All the steps involve building a strong "cosmic distance ladder," by starting with measuring accurate distances to nearby galaxies and then moving to galaxies farther and farther away. Credit: NASA</figcaption></figure>



When the <a href="https://hubblesite.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hubble Space Telescope</a> was launched in 1990, one of its main objectives was to pin down the universe's expansion rate. 



Before Hubble, estimates of the universe's age ranged wildly from 10 to 20 billion years -- a huge uncertainty. 



Thanks to Hubble's observations of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/expansion-rate-of-the-universe-confirmed-by-jwst/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cepheid variable stars</a> -- stars that pulsate at regular intervals and serve as cosmic mileposts -- we now have a more precise age of about 13.8 billion years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-webb-telescope-to-the-rescue">Webb telescope to the rescue?</h2>



Some scientists wondered if the discrepancies in measurements were due to errors in Hubble's data. Maybe, they thought, the way Hubble measured distances had some hidden flaws. 



Then came the James Webb Space Telescope (<a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Webb</a>), launched to great fanfare as the successor to Hubble. Webb's infrared observations of Cepheids matched Hubble's optical data perfectly. 



"Combining Webb and Hubble gives us the best of both worlds. We find that the Hubble measurements remain reliable as we climb farther along the cosmic distance ladder," Riess explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-vs-webb-vs-expansion">Hubble vs. Webb vs. expansion</h2>



Despite the new data, the tension between measurements remains. The Hubble and Webb telescopes confirm one universe expansion rate, based on observations of the local universe.



Meanwhile, observations from the early universe, like those from the Planck satellite's mapping of the cosmic microwave background radiation, suggest another. 



This leaves cosmologists scratching their heads. Is there something about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/universe-expansion-rate-dark-energy-measured-11-billion-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fabric of space</a> we don't yet understand? Does resolving this discrepancy require new physics, or is there another explanation?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brenda-frye-tackles-hubble-and-expansion">Brenda Frye tackles Hubble and expansion</h2>



In October 2024, <a href="https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2024/10/01/webb-researchers-discover-lensed-supernova-confirm-hubble-tension/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">as reported by NASA</a>, Brenda Frye from the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona</a> and an international team took a different approach. 



They used <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-telescope-finds-a-second-lensed-supernova-in-a-distant-galaxy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gravitationally lensed supernovae</a> to measure the Hubble constant -- a method independent of previous techniques. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/hubble-constant_galaxy-cluster-G165_supernova-H0pe_gravitational-lensing_jwst_UArizona_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/hubble-constant_galaxy-cluster-G165_supernova-H0pe_gravitational-lensing_jwst_UArizona_1s.webp" alt="NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) image of the galaxy cluster PLCK G165.7+67.0, also known as G165, on the left shows the magnifying effect a foreground cluster can have on the distant universe beyond. The foreground cluster is 3.6 billion light-years away from Earth. The zoomed region on the right shows supernova H0pe triply imaged (labeled with white dashed circles) due to gravitational lensing. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, B. Frye (University of Arizona)" class="wp-image-1951711"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) image of the galaxy cluster PLCK G165.7+67.0, also known as G165, on the left shows the magnifying effect a foreground cluster can have on the distant universe beyond. The foreground cluster is 3.6 billion light-years away from Earth. The zoomed region on the right shows supernova H0pe triply imaged (labeled with white dashed circles) due to gravitational lensing. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, B. Frye (University of Arizona)</figcaption></figure>



While observing a densely populated cluster of galaxies, they noticed something unusual. "What are those three dots that weren’t there before? Could that be a supernova?" the team wondered. 



It turned out to be a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-travels-back-in-time-to-better-understand-supernovae-science/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Type Ia supernova</a>, an explosion of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-stars-may-be-billions-of-years-older-than-estimated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">white dwarf star</a>, magnified and split into multiple images by the gravitational lensing effect of the intervening galaxy cluster.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-gravitational-lensing">What is gravitational lensing?</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-carousel-lens-galaxy-alignment-reveals-dark-matter-secrets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gravitational lensing</a> is important to this experiment. The lens, consisting of a cluster of galaxies situated between the supernova and us, bends the supernova's light into multiple images. 



This effect not only magnifies the supernova but also allows scientists to measure the time delays between the images, providing another way to calculate the Hubble constant.



Their analyses confirmed that these dots corresponded to an exploding star with rare qualities. 



The team's work provided a Hubble constant value of 75.4 kilometers per second per megaparsec, plus 8.1 or minus 5.5. For context, one megaparsec is about 3.26 million light-years. 



"Our team’s results are impactful: The Hubble constant value matches other measurements in the local universe, and is somewhat in tension with values obtained when the universe was young," Frye concluded.



Another strikeout... add Brenda Frye to the long list of brilliant minds still probing the universe for an answer to Hubble tension.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-is-getting-sad-now-what">This is getting sad, now what?</h2>



So, where does this leave us? 



The Hubble Tension isn't going away. It might be telling us that there's new physics waiting to be discovered. 



Perhaps our understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-energy-could-explain-the-rapid-expansion-of-the-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark energy</a>, dark matter, or other fundamental forces needs to be revised. 



"We need to find out if we are missing something on how to connect the beginning of the universe and the present day," Riess pointed out. 



It's possible that new theories or modifications to existing ones could bridge the gap.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shaking-things-up-with-new-theories">Shaking things up with new theories</h2>



Could the solution lie in something entirely unexpected? Perhaps there's a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-may-consist-of-particles-that-travel-faster-than-light/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new particle or force</a> that affects the expansion rate. Or maybe the nature of dark energy changes over time. 



Some theories even propose the existence of extra dimensions or modifications to gravity at large scales. It's also worth considering that the universe might not be uniform in all directions. 



If there are variations in the density of matter and energy across vast distances, this could affect expansion rates in ways we haven't fully accounted for. 



Maybe everyone is completely off base and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-dark-matter-does-not-exist-and-the-universe-is-27-billion-years-old/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark matter doesn't even exist</a>? Or maybe we're looking in the wrong place -- what if the answers can be found by looking for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-now-searching-for-dark-matter-inside-old-earth-rocks-minerals-crystals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark matter in rocks on Earth</a>?



One thing's for sure: the cosmos isn't giving up its secrets easily. But that's part of the thrill of science. Every answer leads to new questions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-constant-hubble-tension-mysterious-universe">Hubble constant, Hubble tension, mysterious universe</h2>



In the end, the universe is reminding us that there's still so much we don't know. The quest to figure out how fast our universe is expanding has led to some fascinating discoveries and even more intriguing questions. 



Scientists like Adam Riess and Brenda Frye have used powerful tools like the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes to measure the Hubble constant with increasing precision. 



Their efforts confirm that the local universe is expanding at a certain rate, but this doesn't quite line up with measurements from the early universe.



This mismatch, known as the Hubble Tension, suggests there might be something we’re missing in our understanding of the cosmos. Maybe there are new physics to uncover, or perhaps our current models need some tweaking. 



What's clear is that the universe isn't giving up its secrets easily, and that keeps things exciting for astronomers and physicists alike.



As we look ahead, upcoming missions like NASA's <a href="https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope</a> and ESA's <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Euclid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Euclid mission</a> offer hope for new insights. Until then, we can marvel at the fact that we're part of an ever-expanding universe that's still full of surprises.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ad1ddd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



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Webb telescope confirms: What we think we know about the universe is very wrong

For decades, scientists have been grappling with what is considered to be the most fundamental question about the cosmos: How fast is our universe expanding? The rate of expansion influences everything from how galaxies form to how they might one day drift apart. Determining the expansion rate of the universe, a number called the "Hubble constant," shapes our entire understanding of the cosmos, its age, and its ultimate fate. "Hubble tension" expansion conundrum Unfortunately, though many brilliant minds have dedicated their lives to finding the answer to...

A surprising discovery of "mummified" bees dating back to the time of the pharaohs has been unearthed in southwest Portugal. The bees, preserved in their cocoons, were in a magnificent state of conservation.



The specimens’ pristine condition allowed the team of researchers to determine not only the type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bee-evolution-occurred-tens-of-millions-of-years-earlier-than-previously-believed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bee</a> they found, but also their gender and the specific type of pollen left by the mother when forming the cocoon.



The study, led by Professor Fernando Muñiz of the <a href="https://ics-seville.org/university-of-seville/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Seville</a>, was recently published in the international journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/spp2.1518" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Papers in Palaeontology</a>. Within its pages, the bees are described as being on the brink of emerging from their nests or cells when they met their mysterious end.



<h2>Evidence of ancient pollen preferences</h2>



Interestingly, the food discovered within the mummified bee cocoons has been identified as Brassicaceae pollen. This pollen comes from common herbaceous species, indicating the bees' inclination towards a specific monofloral variety.



<h2>Rare insight into the past</h2>



The high degree of fossilization in which the bees were found is unique. Typically, the skeletal structure of insects like these would deteriorate rapidly. This preservation has granted researchers unparalleled access into the lives of these ancient <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/are-bees-endangered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a>.



Bees, vital pollinators in our ecosystem, comprise more than 20,000 species. Around 75% of all wild <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-threatens-solitary-bees-and-global-food-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bee species</a> make their homes in the soil, largely contributing to the conservation of their nesting structures. 



The study speaks of the discovery of dense collections of thousands of these fossil nests in southwest Portugal, with the majority being linked to the ichnogenera Palmiraichnus.



<h2 id="h-what-killed-these-mummified-bees">What killed these mummified bees?</h2>



As per the research, the exact cause of the mummified bees' death remains uncertain. However, potential factors like a sudden shortage of oxygen due to rapid flooding or a drop in nocturnal temperatures might have played a role. 



It's noted that during the Neoglacial interval, the southwest coast of Portugal underwent colder spells with increased winter precipitation. This climate offered the ideal conditions for fossil preservation.



<h2>Importance of studying these mummified bees</h2>



Professor Muñiz emphasized the pivotal role <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bees-emerge-from-hibernation-6-5-days-earlier-for-each-degree-of-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a> play in our ecosystem, with them being responsible for the pollination of 70% of the crops humans consume. However, current threats like intensive farming, pesticide use, and climate change put these insects at risk. In Europe, one in ten bee species is on the verge of extinction.



According to the lead investigator, Carlos Neto de Carvalho, understanding the ecological reasons behind the existence and mysterious end of this bee population 3,000 years ago might provide crucial insights. 



These insights could pave the way for strategies that ensure resilience amidst climate change, drawing comparisons between ancient ecological imbalances and current challenges threatening today's bee species.



This recent discovery of mummified bees in Portugal not only offers a captivating glimpse into the past but also underscores the urgent need to understand and protect our bee populations for the future.



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Mummified bees unearthed that date back to the time of the pharaohs

A surprising discovery of "mummified" bees dating back to the...

Post-tropical cyclone Lee, while no longer classified as a hurricane, is still generating considerable concern as it continues to wield the power of "hurricane-force winds." Both the United States and Canada are on high alert, bracing for severe storms and substantial rainfall.



<h2>Track and trajectory</h2>



Currently traveling north at a speed of approximately 25mph, Lee's path has parts of the U.S and Canada making necessary preparations. The <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S National Hurricane Center</a> (NHC) reports that the cyclone will likely slow down in its northward trajectory later today. 



By around noon, the center of Lee is projected to reach western Nova Scotia. From there, it is expected to shift towards the north-northeast and northeast, sweeping across Atlantic Canada between tonight and Sunday.



<h2>Weather conditions to expect</h2>



Regions in Atlantic Canada currently under a hurricane watch face potential hurricane conditions. Meanwhile, tropical storm conditions have already manifested along the coastlines of New England and Nova Scotia, with indications they may progress further north.



Residents in the far eastern sections of Massachusetts, Maine, western Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick should prepare for rainfall estimates between 1 to 4 inches.



<h2>Emergency measures in place</h2>



In a notable move, Maine's Governor, Janet Mills, declared a state of emergency last Thursday. This marks the first time in 15 years that Maine has been placed under a hurricane watch. Through a social media post, Governor Mills urged Mainers, especially those in Downeast, to exercise extreme caution. She emphasized the importance of residents ensuring they have adequate resources and supplies as the storm approaches.



Adding to the state's efforts, President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration specifically for Maine. Alongside this, he has also extended federal assistance to bolster state resources. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the situation, saying, "We encourage all of those in the path of this large and dangerous storm to remain alert."



<h2>Canada on alert</h2>



Further north, Canadian authorities are sounding the alarm for residents in southern New Brunswick and western Nova Scotia, particularly concerning potential flooding and power outages over the weekend. New Brunswick's Minister of Public Safety, Kris Austin, strongly advised citizens to assemble a 72-hour safety kit. Such kits should contain essentials like batteries, food, water, necessary medication, and a radio.



In a statement on his official X page, the Canadian Federal Minister for Emergency Preparedness, Harjit Sajjan, emphasized that authorities are closely watching Lee's movements. He assured residents that the government stands ready to provide necessary support to vulnerable areas.



<h2 id="h-a-deja-vu-for-canada">A deja vu for Canada</h2>



For Canada, this isn't the first time it's facing the wrath of a hurricane in recent memory. Last year, Hurricane Fiona wreaked havoc, demolishing houses, causing widespread power outages across eastern Canada, and tragically sweeping a 73-year-old woman out to sea.



As both countries make preparations and closely monitor Lee's movements, residents are reminded of the need for vigilance and the importance of adhering to safety guidelines.



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Post-tropical cyclone Lee takes aim at New England and Canada

Post-tropical cyclone Lee, while no longer classified as a hurricane,...

Elephant,And,Giraffe,Stands,On,Thin,Branch,Of,Withered,Tree

It's that time of the year again, when scientists gather to celebrate the unusual, quirky, and downright weird. This year's 33rd <a href="https://improbable.com/ig/2023-ceremony/?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ig Nobel Prize ceremony</a>, held virtually on September 14, did not disappoint.



<h2 id="h-rock-licking-and-geology">Rock licking and geology</h2>



The Ig Nobel Prizes are renowned for honoring research that makes people both "LAUGH and THINK." Leading the pack this year was the <a href="https://le.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leicester</a>’s Jan Zalasiewicz.&nbsp;



He secured both the Chemistry and Geology Prizes for his intriguing exploration of why scientists have a penchant for licking rocks.&nbsp;



In his essay “Eating Fossils,” Zalasiewicz enlightens us that wetting a rock's surface with a lick can highlight fossil and mineral textures. A simple yet ingenious way to bypass the confusing maze of intersecting micro-reflections and micro-refractions on a dry rock surface.



<h2 id="h-smart-toilets-and-public-health">Smart toilets and public health</h2>



On the innovative end of the spectrum, <a href="https://www.stanford.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a> urologist Seung-min Park received the public health prize for inventing the "Stanford toilet."&nbsp;



This isn't just any toilet, but a smart one. It assesses a user's health by scrutinizing their waste.&nbsp;



From checking for infections and diabetes using a dipstick test strip to employing a computer vision system that quantifies urine, it does it all. And the cherry on top? It recognizes users by their unique “analprint."



<h2 id="h-the-mystery-of-jamais-vu">The mystery of "jamais vu"</h2>



The literary award went to a team exploring the puzzling phenomenon of jamais vu. Opposite to déjà vu, this is when familiar things suddenly seem strange.&nbsp;



Akira O’Connor from the <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of St. Andrews</a> explained that it’s possible to induce this sensation in a laboratory by having subjects repeat a single word many, many, many, many, many times, until the word starts to sound unrecognizable.



O’Connor and his colleagues were initially hesitant about the Ig Nobel recognition. O'Connor said this was due to the risk their research appearing “quirky and frivolous,” and therefore easily dismissed. Now, he hopes the award will bring more attention to their study.



<h2 id="h-nostril-hair-earns-an-ig-nobel">Nostril hair&nbsp;earns an Ig Nobel</h2>



Other notable mentions include a team from the <a href="https://uci.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Irvine</a>, who ventured into the unknown territory of counting human nostril hairs.&nbsp;



The goal was to determine whether there are an equal number of hairs in each nostril. “The information we needed was not available in anatomy texts, so we decided to find out on our own,” said team lead Natasha Mesinkovska.



The findings have significant implications for alopecia patients, who often lose nasal hair, which defends against allergens and infections.



<h2 id="h-zombie-spiders">Zombie spiders</h2>



Furthermore, in the eerily fascinating realm of "necrobotics," a team was awarded for their attempts to reanimate dead spiders as mechanical tools.&nbsp;



The researchers converted the corpses of wolf spiders into mechanical grippers that can manipulate objects.



Faye Yap, a mechanical engineer at <a href="https://www.rice.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rice University</a> in Houston, said the study was born out of a simple question: Why do spiders curl up when they die? Yap said that the next big step is to individually control the spider's legs.



In the end, the Ig Nobel Prizes remind us that sometimes, the simplest and quirkiest questions lead to the most profound discoveries.



As is tradition, all winners received a humorous fake $10 trillion Zimbabwean bill and a 3D trophy diagram.&nbsp;



Marc Abrahams, the founder of the awards, concluded, “If you didn’t win an Ig Nobel Prize tonight - and especially if you did - better luck next year.”



<h2>More about the Ig Nobel Prize</h2>



In the world of scientific recognition, one award ceremony stands out not for lauding groundbreaking discoveries, but for celebrating the most eccentric and unusual scientific endeavors. Enter the Ig Nobel Prize awards, a unique and often humorous event that honors achievements that make people laugh and then think.



<h3>Origins and purpose</h3>



As mentioned above, Marc Abrahams, the co-founder and mastermind behind the awards, started the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony in 1991. Unlike its more prestigious counterpart, the Nobel Prize, the Ig Nobel's purpose is not to celebrate the most revolutionary contributions to humanity, but instead to highlight research that at first glance seems bizarre, amusing, or even outright ridiculous. 



However, upon closer inspection, these research topics often encourage a deeper level of contemplation, questioning, and sometimes even awe.



<h3>The award ceremony</h3>



Every year, at <a href="https://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/harvard-box-office/ticketing-services/sanders-theatre" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard University's Sanders Theatre</a>, a lively and entertaining ceremony unfolds. Genuine Nobel laureates often present the awards to the Ig Nobel winners, emphasizing the intersection of genuine respect and playful mockery that the event embodies. The ceremony includes a variety of comic sketches, operatic performances, and other light-hearted segments, all centered around science.



Each award recipient gets 60 seconds to explain their research. If they exceed this time, a young girl, affectionately known as "Miss Sweetie Poo," repeatedly cries out, “Please stop, I’m bored,” ensuring that speeches remain concise and to the point.



<h3>Notable winners and research topics</h3>



Over the years, the Ig Nobel Prize has recognized a wide array of curious research. Some notable examples include:



Physics (2000): Awarded to David Schmidt for answering the question of why shower curtains billow inwards.



Peace (2006): Granted to Howard Stapleton for inventing an electromechanical teenager repellant – a device that makes an annoying sound only audible to teenagers.



Biology (2016): Awarded to Charles Foster for living in the wild as several different animals, including a badger, an otter, and a deer.



<h3>Reception and impact</h3>



The Ig Nobel awards often walk a fine line between mockery and admiration. While critics argue that the awards may trivialize science, many in the scientific community see the value in humor and believe that the awards highlight the creativity and curiosity inherent in scientific endeavors.



These awards underscore the fact that science isn't always about grand revelations or world-changing technologies. Sometimes, it’s about asking odd questions and following one's curiosity, no matter how quirky it may seem.



In summary, the Ig Nobel Prize awards serve as a reminder that science is as much about exploration and curiosity as it is about serious research. They emphasize the joy of discovery, the humor inherent in the scientific process, and the idea that every question, no matter how seemingly absurd, has its place in the vast landscape of human knowledge.



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Ig Nobel Prize: Honoring the most ludicrous research studies of the year

It's that time of the year again, when scientists gather...

A spacecraft from Russia, the Soyuz MS-24, successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) following its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-launches-new-space-station-crew-today/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">launch</a> from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. 



Onboard were an American astronaut, Loral O'Hara, and two Russian cosmonauts, Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub. According to Russia’s Roscosmos space agency, the connection was achieved just three hours after take-off.



The arrival of the trio has expanded the number of inhabitants on the ISS. They were warmly welcomed by the current residents: NASA's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-astronaut-sets-record-for-longest-space-mission-by-an-american/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frank Rubio</a> and Jasmin Moghbeli, Russians Dmitry Petelin, Konstantin Borisov, and Sergei Prokopyev, Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and European Space Agency representative Andreas Mogensen. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a> stated, “With the new crew members joining, Expedition 69's population has temporarily swelled to 10."



The space expedition holds varying durations for the new members. While both Kononenko and Chub are prepped for a year-long stay on the ISS, O'Hara's mission will span six months. It's a momentous journey for O'Hara and Chub, as both are embarking on their maiden space mission. Kononenko, however, is a seasoned traveler. By the culmination of this mission, he will have spent over a thousand days in space, establishing a groundbreaking record.



<h2 id="h-expedition-69-crew-ready-to-come-home">Expedition 69 crew ready to come home</h2>



It's noteworthy that the new crew is replacing the current Expedition 69 team, who had initially planned a six-month research endeavor but ended up spending a year in space. Their stay was prolonged owing to a coolant leak in their Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, likely caused by a minuscule meteoroid impact. 



As their extended sojourn concludes, they're preparing to head back to Earth on September 27 aboard the Soyuz MS-23. Rubio and his colleagues have been diligently gathering blood, water, saliva, and urine samples for scientific analysis—a task the incoming crew will seamlessly pick up and continue.



The Soyuz MS-24's successful launch holds additional significance for Russia. It marks the country's first launch since the unfortunate loss of its Luna-25 module last month. This spacecraft had tragically crashed during an attempted landing near the moon’s south pole, bringing to a halt Russia’s first lunar endeavor in almost five decades.



To provide some historical perspective, the Kremlin's previous mission to the moon was Luna-24 in 1976. After that expedition, their attention shifted towards missions targeting Venus and the construction of the famed Mir space station.



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New space station crew aboard Russian Soyuz MS-24 successfully docks with ISS

A spacecraft from Russia, the Soyuz MS-24, successfully docked with...

Researchers from the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/admissions/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa</a> have revealed that high energy electrons in Earth's plasma sheet are influencing the Moon's weathering processes, and might be pivotal in the formation of water on the moon.



<h2 id="h-significance-of-water-on-the-moon">Significance of water on the moon</h2>



Understanding the Moon's <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/moon_water-content-map_credit-UofHawaii_1big-scaled.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water content</a> -- its concentration, distribution, and origin -- is paramount. Not only does it offer insights into the Moon's formation and evolution, but it's also a potential resource for human exploration missions. 



The newfound correlation might even shed light on the mysterious water ice found in the Moon's <a href="https://www.soest.hawaii.edu/soestwp/announce/news/first-direct-evidence-of-surface-exposed-water-ice-on-the-moon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">perpetually shaded regions</a>.



<h2>The protective magnetosphere</h2>



The Earth is surrounded by a protective force field called the magnetosphere, a result of its <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/earths-magnetic-field-origin-structure-and-impact-on-humanity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnetic field</a>. This magnetosphere acts as a shield against space weather and harmful solar radiation.



The Sun’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-solar-wind-which-creates-beautiful-auroras-on-earth-is-now-less-mysterious/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solar wind</a> -- a stream of charged particles -- affects the magnetosphere, reshaping it and creating an extended tail on its night side, known as the magnetotail. This tail consists of the plasma sheet, which is a region teeming with high-energy electrons and ions possibly sourced from both Earth and the solar wind.



Historically, scientific discourse largely revolved around the role of high-energy ions, primarily from the solar wind, in the space weathering of the Moon and other airless celestial bodies. 



The solar wind is mostly comprised of high-energy particles like protons. It is believed to be a main mechanism that forms water on the Moon.



<h2>Earth’s magnetotail: A natural laboratory</h2>



Shuai Li, the assistant researcher at the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (<a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/catalog/schools-colleges/soest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SOEST</a>) and the study's lead, previously highlighted how oxygen in Earth's magnetotail contributes to the <a href="https://www.soest.hawaii.edu/soestwp/announce/news/has-earths-oxygen-rusted-the-moon-for-billions-of-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rusting of iron</a> in the Moon's polar regions. 



Building on that work, Li wanted to explore how lunar surface weathering changed as the Moon passed through the Earth’s magnetotail. This area nearly shields the Moon from solar wind but doesn't block sunlight.



Li explained that the magnetotail offers a "natural laboratory" for their investigations. When the Moon is outside the magnetotail, it is continuously bombarded by the solar wind. However, when inside the magnetotail, the presence of solar wind protons significantly diminishes, leading to an assumption that water formation would decrease dramatically.



However, upon analyzing remote sensing data from India's <a href="https://www.isro.gov.in/Chandrayaan_1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chandrayaan 1 mission</a> between 2008 and 2009, the results were startling. The observations revealed that water formation inside Earth's magnetotail is nearly identical to periods when the Moon was outside this region. 



Li noted, "This indicates that, in the magnetotail, there may be additional formation processes or new water sources not directly linked to solar wind protons." Specifically, the radiation effects of high-energy electrons within the magnetotail are remarkably similar to those of the solar wind protons.



Li further emphasized the intertwined relationship between Earth and its Moon, stating, "Altogether, this finding and my previous findings of rusty lunar poles indicate that the mother Earth is strongly tied with its Moon in many unrecognized aspects."



<h2>Future lunar water research</h2>



Looking ahead, Li hopes to collaborate on a lunar mission under NASA’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/artemisprogram" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Artemis programs</a>. The goal? To closely monitor the plasma environment and water content on the lunar polar surface as the Moon undergoes various phases while traversing Earth's magnetotail.



This study underscores the intricate relationship between Earth and its celestial companion. It broadens our understanding of the dynamic processes that shape and influence our natural satellite.



The study was recently published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-023-02081-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Astronomy</a>.



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Water found on the Moon may actually come from Earth

Researchers from the University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa have...

Scientists at <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Riverside</a> have exposed what could be the most significant vulnerability of the COVID virus. The experts have determined that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cdc-only-a-fraction-of-covid-deaths-directly-attributed-to-the-virus/">virus</a> relies heavily on certain human proteins to replicate itself.&nbsp;



This discovery may pave the way for treatments that can prevent the COVID virus from causing illness in people.



<h2 id="h-covid-virus-replication">COVID virus replication&nbsp;</h2>



Published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v15071600" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Viruses</a>, the research paper highlights the key role of the protein named "N" in the COVID virus.&nbsp;



This protein, responsible for the virus's replication process, cannot function independently. It requires the support of human cells to achieve its purpose.



<h2 id="h-biological-process">Biological process</h2>



The significance of this finding involves a basic biological process. In humans, genetic information stored in DNA gets transcribed into messenger RNA.&nbsp;



This RNA then gets translated into functional proteins, essential for various cellular activities like growth and inter-cellular communication. After this, proteins undergo post-translational modifications, further refining them for their specific roles.



<h2 id="h-sumoylation-and-the-covid-virus">SUMOylation and the COVID virus</h2>



This is where the COVID virus gets clever. It utilizes a specific human post-translation process, termed SUMOylation. The process directs the N protein of the virus to an appropriate location inside human cells.&nbsp;



Once positioned correctly, the protein starts replicating the virus's genes, creating new infectious particles, and propelling the invasion.



<h2 id="h-proteomics-core-laboratory">Proteomics core laboratory&nbsp;</h2>



“In the wrong location, the virus cannot infect us,” said study co-author Quanqing Zhang, the manager of the proteomics core laboratory at UCR’s Institute for Integrative Genome Biology.&nbsp;



Proteomics is the study of all the proteins that an organism makes, how they are modified by other enzymes, and the roles they play in a living organism.&nbsp;



“If someone gets an infection, maybe one of his or her proteins will appear differently than it was before. That’s what we’re looking for in our facility,” Zhang said.



<h2 id="h-interactions-between-proteins">Interactions between proteins&nbsp;</h2>



Using innovative techniques involving fluorescent glow, the researchers were able to visually track interactions between the virus and human proteins.



“We used fluorescent glow to show us where the virus is interacting with human proteins and making new virions - infectious viral particles,” explained study co-author Professor Jiayu Liao.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This method is more sensitive than other techniques and gives us a more comprehensive view of all the interactions between the human and viral proteins."



<h2 id="h-similar-dependency-in-influenza">Similar dependency in influenza</h2>



Remarkably, earlier research from the same team identified a similar dependency in Influenza A and Influenza B viruses. Both of these common flu strains also rely on the SUMOylation process for replication.



This recent study reaffirms the idea that blocking COVID's access to these human proteins can empower our immune systems to neutralize the virus.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-covid-virus-study-implications">COVID virus study implications&nbsp;</h2>



Currently the most effective treatment for COVID is Paxlovid, which inhibits virus replication. But patients need to take it within three days following infection.&nbsp;



“If you take it after that it won’t be so effective,” said Liao. “A new medication based on this discovery would be useful to patients at all stages of infection.”



The similarities between viruses may enable a whole new class of antiviral medication. With sufficient support, Liao estimates these can be developed within five years.



“I think other viruses might work this way as well,” Liao said. “Ultimately, we would like to block the flu as well as COVID, and potentially other viruses such as RSV and Ebola. We are making new discoveries to help make this happen."



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COVID has a weakness, and this could be a game-changer

Scientists at UC Riverside have exposed what could be the...

Bumblebees, Europe’s key pollinators, face an uncertain future due to habitat loss and rising <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-hit-a-record-high-this-week-with-the-worst-heat-still-to-come/">temperatures</a>. A recent study suggests that by the 2060s, over 75% of European bumblebees will lose at least one-third of their habitats.&nbsp;



The outlook is even grimmer for Arctic species, with their living environments predicted to almost disappear entirely as they face the dual threat of climate change and habitat degradation.



<h2 id="h-consistent-global-concern">Consistent global concern</h2>



‘For several decades, scientists have been sounding the alarm about the decline of pollinators, and bumblebees in particular," said study lead author Dr. Guillaume Ghisbain, a conservation biologist at <a href="https://www.vub.be/en/vrije-universiteit-brussel" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Free University of Brussels</a> in Belgium.



"Their decline has been pronounced in many different countries, so we were only moderately surprised, although deeply saddened, by our findings."



"As conservation biologists, we closely observe nature and communicate with colleagues around the world, all arriving at similar conclusions - pollinators are declining, often more severely than previously thought."



<h2 id="h-roots-of-the-decline">Roots of the decline</h2>



While multiple factors contribute to European bumblebee decline, including pesticides and pollution, the primary concern is land use change.



Modern farms, with their intensive farming practices and reduced diversity, have diminished native flowers that these insects rely on for nectar.&nbsp;



The once-common nesting grounds like dense vegetation or unused burrows have also become rarities on these farms.



<h2 id="h-dozens-of-species-are-dwindling">Dozens of species are dwindling&nbsp;</h2>



Research from 2014 indicated that nearly half of Europe’s 68 bumblebee species are dwindling, with a quarter facing potential extinction.&nbsp;



Alarmingly, in countries like the UK and Belgium, several bumblebee species have already vanished locally.



<h2 id="h-rising-temperatures">Rising temperatures&nbsp;</h2>



Moreover, their vulnerability to climatic changes amplifies the problem. As creatures adapted to temperate climates, rising temperatures negatively impact their fertility, cognitive functions, and overall survival.&nbsp;



Data from 2020 revealed a 17% decline in bumblebee populations compared to the previous century, primarily due to the adverse effects of increasing temperatures.



<h2 id="h-anticipating-the-future">Anticipating the future</h2>



The researchers used a series of models, validated by past and present data, to predict potential changes in Europe's ecosystems and climate over the next two to six decades.&nbsp;



These models predict significant habitat losses for European bumblebees, especially in areas south of Helsinki.&nbsp;



Although some species might increase in numbers, the overall pollination is expected to plummet. This will jeopardize crops like tomatoes, strawberries, and aubergines that rely heavily on bumblebees.



<h2 id="h-study-implications">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



"Regions such as Scandinavia, with its relatively cool climate and mountainous landscape, could potentially be a place for some species to live in the future if it is not excessively altered by human activities," said Dr. Ghisbain.



"However, for this to happen, it will be essential to ensure that the region remains free of other factors of decline that we didn’t account for in our models, such as the effects of extreme weather, pesticides, and disease."



Even if regions like Scandinavia are kept free of human intervention, there’s still no guarantee that bumblebees will be able to migrate there.



The future of these critical pollinators is closely tied to habitat restoration. Introducing small patches of nectar-rich plants in window boxes or small gardens could be helpful.&nbsp;



"While these steps can help bumblebees, their survival will ultimately depend on how we protect our natural habitats and climates at a large scale," said Dr. Ghisbain.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06471-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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European bumblebees face extinction as their habitats vanish

Bumblebees, Europe’s key pollinators, face an uncertain future due to...

Black,Rhino,In,The,Bush,Of,Kruger,National,Park.

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/black-rhinoceros_africa-sunset_illustration_2big.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">African black rhinoceros</a> has long held the world's fascination and concern. Historically, this iconic creature roamed vast expanses of sub-Saharan Africa. But rampant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-rhinos-are-in-greater-danger-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">poaching</a>, which decimated 98% of its population between 1960 and 1995, has left the species clinging precariously to existence. 



Today, they are confined to mere pockets of protected areas. However, promising new research offers not only profound insights into the rhino's past but a clarion call for its future conservation.



<h2>An evolving story</h2>



In the recent study titled “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msad180" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historic Sampling of a Vanishing Beast: Population Structure and Diversity in the Black Rhinoceros</a>”, published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, researchers delve deep into the rhinoceros's genetic history. 



Thomas Gilbert, one of the study's lead authors, lamented that the very tragedy of the black rhinoceros, which has long been a target for hunters and poachers, makes it a prime candidate for such research.



But the intent of this exploration wasn't mere scientific curiosity. Co-first author Binia De Cahsan Westbury highlights that understanding the rhino's genetic history is instrumental for devising potent conservation strategies.



<h2>Genetic tapestry of the black rhinoceros</h2>



To accomplish this, the researchers sequenced the genomes of 63 museum specimens from 1775 to 1981 and 20 contemporary black rhinoceroses. This comprehensive genetic dataset significantly advances prior research. As Yoshan Moodley, another lead author, pointed out, the application of whole genome sequences has unearthed a wealth of details previously obscured by traditional markers.



Remarkably, the data unearthed six historical black rhinoceros populations, and four subpopulations. One significant revelation was the impact of tectonic rifts in Africa during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-mammoths-survived-longer-than-initially-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pleistocene</a>. 



These geological upheavals fostered the evolution of previously unknown populations. Some of these ancient populations, Moodley notes, likely persist within the current Kenyan metapopulation.



Furthermore, the study identified patterns of isolation shaped by temporary removals of gene flow barriers, leading to varying levels of genetic divergence across different geographic regions.



<h2>Black rhinoceros offer a stark warning</h2>



The effects of population contraction were also evident, with samples showing profound genetic drift. Notably, southern African rhinoceroses suffered the most severe consequences, exhibiting the highest levels of inbreeding across all populations.



Some genetic markers revealed inbreeding even before the colonial era, pointing towards the enduring human impact on the rhinoceroses.



Consequently, the study makes an impassioned plea for immediate, targeted conservation action. Yoshan Moodley stresses the paramount importance of protecting the newly identified populations in East Africa. He also urges for meticulous genetic testing of black rhinoceroses in Kenya and Tanzania. 



Moreover, distinct evolutionary groups like the Ruvuma and Maasai Mara-Serengeti should receive individual conservation focus to preserve their unique genetic profiles.



<h2 id="h-a-legacy-of-conservation">A legacy of conservation</h2>



Lastly, the study poignantly remembers Professor Mike Bruford of <a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cardiff University</a>. A stalwart in conservation genetics, Bruford's untimely demise has been felt keenly by both his family and the wider conservation community. Yet, his legacy endures, reminding the world of the unending quest to understand and protect our planet's diverse genetic heritage.



In summary, while the African black rhinoceros's past is fraught with challenges, its future remains in our hands. With rigorous research and concerted conservation efforts, there's hope yet for this majestic creature to once again thrive in the wild expanses of Africa.



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The majestic and endangered black rhinoceros: past, present and unknown future

The African black rhinoceros has long held the world's fascination...

Researchers recently revealed that the psychedelic drug MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, has the potential to ease symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/assistance-dogs-improve-mental-health-of-veterans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PTSD</a>). 



Published on Thursday, this study offers a fresh perspective on treating PTSD, a condition that has seen little innovation in therapeutic approaches over the past two decades. The work was sponsored by <a href="https://mapsbcorp.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MAPS Public Benefit Corporation</a>.



<h2 id="h-possible-us-approval">Possible US approval&nbsp;</h2>



The research could revolutionize PTSD treatment. Amy Emerson, CEO of MAPS Public Benefit Corporation, expressed her optimism.&nbsp;



“It’s the first innovation in PTSD treatment in more than two decades. And it’s significant because I think it will also open up other innovation," said Emerson.



The company is set to approach U.S. authorities later this year to obtain approval for marketing MDMA in combination with talk therapy as a viable treatment for PTSD.



<h2 id="h-global-acceptance">Global acceptance</h2>



This is not the first instance of psychedelic drugs gaining traction in medical circles. Earlier in the year, Australia set a precedent by authorizing psychiatrists to prescribe both MDMA and psilocybin, which is the psychoactive component in magic mushrooms.&nbsp;



This move, alongside the proactive endeavors of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a nonprofit advocacy group, has driven a broader cultural acceptance of such drugs in the U.S.



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study&nbsp;</h2>



For the current study, 104 PTSD patients were observed. The participants were randomly designated to receive either MDMA or a placebo pill across three sessions spaced a month apart, with all participants receiving talk therapy.



While there were some side effects noted in the MDMA group – including muscle tightness, nausea, decreased appetite, and sweating – only one participant from this group opted to withdraw from the study.



<h2 id="h-encouraging-results">Encouraging results</h2>



Post-treatment, a notable 86% of participants in the MDMA group exhibited improvement on a standard PTSD assessment.&nbsp;



This was significantly higher than the 69% improvement rate observed in the placebo group. The assessment gauged symptoms characteristic of PTSD, such as nightmares, flashbacks, and insomnia.



Perhaps the most promising outcome was that by the conclusion of the study, 72% of the participants in the MDMA group no longer fit the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. This was a marked contrast to the roughly 48% in the placebo group.



<h2 id="h-a-new-horizon">A new horizon&nbsp;</h2>



This research holds immense promise for the future of PTSD treatment. With MDMA's potential benefits, combined with talk therapy, many patients may soon have a renewed hope for a life without the debilitating effects of PTSD.&nbsp;



As the world moves towards greater acceptance of psychedelics for therapeutic purposes, this study serves as a significant stepping stone.



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Psychedelic drug MDMA shows promise for reducing post traumatic stress

Researchers recently revealed that the psychedelic drug MDMA, commonly known...

NASA has green-lighted the journey of three crew members aboard the Soyuz MS-24 to the International Space Station (ISS). This announcement has sparked excitement and anticipation in the scientific community and among space enthusiasts.



<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/loral-o-hara" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Loral O’Hara</a>, a NASA astronaut, will spearhead this mission, and she will be flanked by Russian cosmonauts, Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub. Their primary goal? A rigorous six-month research mission on the ISS. Their time in space is not only a testimony to international cooperation but also to the dedication of these astronauts to expand the frontiers of human knowledge.



<h2>Out with the old space station crew</h2>



Expedition 69, which is already stationed on the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ISS</a>, will be at the forefront to welcome the new arrivals. Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitri Petelin, members of the current space station crew, have taken on the task of overseeing the trio's safe arrival. Furthermore, an elaborate welcoming ceremony has been arranged to mark this occasion, followed by a crucial safety briefing.



Logistics on the space station are just as important as they are on Earth. Prokopyev and Petelin will be busy setting up the crew quarters for Kononenko and Chub. Interestingly, the task of prepping the crew quarters for O'Hara falls upon another NASA astronaut on the ISS, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-astronaut-sets-record-for-longest-space-mission-by-an-american/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frank Rubio</a>.



Rubio's journey is a tale in itself. Part of the Expedition 69 mission, Rubio, alongside his Russian colleagues, was initially scheduled for a six-month mission. But, as space missions often go, they encountered unexpected challenges, leading to a prolonged stay. Their mission was extended by another six months, marking their voyage on a replacement Soyuz spacecraft.



While this extension might sound taxing, it gave the team the opportunity to delve deeper into their research, including collecting and analyzing samples like blood, urine, and saliva. This research will now be handed over to O'Hara, Kononenko, and Chub to be continued.



<h2 id="h-frank-rubio-sets-an-american-record">Frank Rubio sets an American record</h2>



One record-breaking outcome of this unexpected extension is that by the time Rubio descends back to Earth on September 27, he would have spent a staggering 371 days in space. This achievement catapults him to hold the record for the longest single spaceflight by a NASA astronaut, eclipsing the previous record set by <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/mark-t-vande-hei" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mark Vande Hei</a>.



Sharing his experience, Rubio, via a video link, recently mentioned to his NASA superiors about the incredible challenge this mission has been. Far from being wearied, he spoke with pride about representing NASA and his country. He also shared tidbits of his life aboard the ISS, expressing how he has cherished his time in the vast expanse of space, but, like all of us, he eagerly awaits to be with his family.



The unfolding stories from the ISS are not just about space exploration but about human perseverance, adaptability, and the spirit of discovery. As Rubio's team prepares for their descent, the new trio is gearing up for their ascent, showcasing the cycle of knowledge transfer and the continuity of exploration.



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NASA launches new space station crew today

NASA has green-lighted the journey of three crew members aboard...

A team of paleontologists led by the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bath</a> has recently discovered a new species of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/link-herbivorous-carnivorous-dinosaurs/">herbivorous dinosaur</a> on the Isle of Wight in southern England.&nbsp;



This species, named <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/dinosaur_Vectidromeus-insularis_Isle-of-Wright_Credit-Emily-Willoughby_1big.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vectidromeus insularis</a>, is the second member of the hypsilophodont family found on the Isle of Wight, suggesting that the European continent had its own group of plant-eating dinosaurs that were distinct from those found in North America and Asia.



<h2 id="h-hypsilophodont-dinosaurs-found-in-europe">Hypsilophodont dinosaurs found in Europe</h2>



Hypsilophodonts were a group of nimble bipedal dinosaurs that roamed around Europe about 125 million years ago, and lived among iconic species such as early tyrannosaurs, spinosaurs, and iguanodons. The recently discovered fossil had the size of a chicken, but was most likely a juvenile and may have grown much larger.



According to the experts, V. insularis was a close relative of Hypsilophodon foxii, a species of dinosaur first described in the Victorian era. Small and graceful, with bird-like hindlimbs, these dinosaurs were used by famous biologist Thomas Huxley as a proof that birds are related to dinosaurs.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-a-distinct-species">A distinct species</h2>



While H. foxii dinosaurs were also found in Europe on the Isle of Wight, its fossils were discovered higher up in the rocks, suggesting that it was two to three million years younger than V. insularis. Moreover, since the latter’s hip bones were slightly different, it was likely a closely related but distinct species.



“Paleontologists have been working on the Isle of Wight for more than a century, and these fossils have played an important role in the history of vertebrate paleontology, but we’re still making new discoveries about the dinosaur fauna as the sea erodes new fossils out of the cliffs,” said lead author Nicholas Longrich, a paleontologist at Bath.



<h2 id="h-evolving-ecosystems">Evolving ecosystems&nbsp;</h2>



Since the Cretaceous strata on this island are hundreds of meters thick and span several millions of years, the fossils found there are likely evidence of a whole series of evolving ecosystems, each with different types of species.



<h2 id="h-amateur-collectors">Amateur collectors </h2>



In finding and describing these new set of fossils, experts from the University of Bath collaborated with researchers from the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Portsmouth</a>, the <a href="https://www.dinosaurisle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dinosaur Isle Museum</a> in Sandown, as well as with amateur local fossil collectors.



“Working with the amateur community is really important,” said Longrich. “It’s good to have a diverse team; everyone brings something different to the table. These guys have spent their lives collecting and preparing these fossils, they know details about the rock, the geology, and the bone that nobody else does. Everyone sees different pieces of the puzzle.”



“It is utterly bizarre that so many new dinosaurs are being discovered on the Isle of Wight,” added co-author David Martill, a paleontologist at Portsmouth. “Vectidromeus&nbsp;is the seventh new species of dinosaur to be discovered in the last four years. This is all down to the amateur collectors.”



<h2 id="h-two-distinct-species">Two distinct species</h2>



Although dozens of small herbivorous dinosaurs have been classified over the years as part of the hypsilophodont family, further revisions have resulted in reclassifying most of them, ultimately leaving Hypsilophodon&nbsp;as the only species in this family.



“We had a curious situation where one of the first dinosaur families to be recognized had just one species. And now, we have two,” said Longrich.



“What’s intriguing is that they’re not particularly closely related to anything found in North America, Asia, or the southern hemisphere. We’re still piecing together how all these dinosaurs are related, and how dinosaurs moved between continents. After Pangaea broke up, there was a lot of isolation, leading to different kinds of dinosaurs evolving on each continent.”



<h2 id="h-exciting-dinosaur-discoveries-in-europe">Exciting dinosaur discoveries in Europe</h2>



“This exciting new find is the latest in a line of new discoveries from the Isle of Wight. We are enjoying an amazing time of collaboration between collectors, researchers, and the museum. New finds are being made on the coast, in private collections, and the museum stores," said co-author Martin Hunt, the curator of Dinosaur Isle Museum.



The museum’s mission is to try and ensure as many new finds remain here on the Island for the benefit of our Island community; we anticipate this dinosaur to be on display at the museum for the October school holidays."&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105707" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cretaceous Research</a>.



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Europe had very unique plant-eating dinosaurs

A team of paleontologists led by the University of Bath...

When you think of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5-degrees-celsius-would-save-billions-of-lives/">global warming</a>, it would seem that we are moving toward a climate that is hotter and drier with more frequent droughts and fires. However, a new study published by the <a href="https://www.agu.org/">American Geophysical Union</a> paints a different picture. The experts report that most communities will experience wetter conditions as temperatures rise. 



<h2 id="h-wet-hot-extremes">Wet-hot extremes&nbsp;</h2>



The research suggests that, instead of drought, most communities will encounter heavy rainfall in correlation with excessive heat. This co-occurrence of precipitation and heat extremes is referred to as "wet-hot" conditions.



The research highlights that such conditions will not only become more frequent but also more severe and widespread due to climate change. Surprisingly, wet-hot extremes pose a higher risk than prolonged periods of hot and dry weather.



“These compound climate extremes have attracted considerable attention in recent decades due to their disproportionate pressures on the agricultural, industrial and ecosystems sectors - much more than individual extreme events alone,” said study lead author Haijiang Wu, a researcher at China’s Northwest A&amp;F University.



<h2 id="h-a-two-fold-problem">A two-fold problem</h2>



During heat waves, the soil rapidly loses its moisture and becomes parched. As a result, its ability to absorb water diminishes significantly. When rainfall follows this, it struggles to penetrate the arid soil. Instead of being absorbed, the water tends to run off along the surface.



<h2 id="h-surface-runoff">Surface runoff</h2>



This inability of soil to absorb rainfall following a heatwave leads to a multitude of issues, including the risk of flooding. As water runs off the surface, there's a potential for it to accumulate in low-lying areas, leading to widespread inundation.



<h3 id="h-landslides">Landslides&nbsp;</h3>



Furthermore, the chances of landslides escalate, particularly in hilly or mountainous regions. This poses a significant threat to local communities, infrastructure, and natural habitats.



<h3 id="h-crop-failures">Crop failures&nbsp;</h3>



Surface runoff can also lead to crop failures. With the soil not retaining the required moisture, crops do not get the necessary water they need to thrive, leading to decreased yields.



<h3 id="h-heavily-populated-areas">Heavily populated areas&nbsp;</h3>



According to the results of the study, the regions likely to be hit hard by wet-hot extremes host many heavily populated areas that are already prone to landslides and mudflows, and produce many of the world’s crops.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



"Compound climate extremes can be disastrous for water-food-energy security. The risk evaluation and quantification of compound climate extremes have emerged as a critical knowledge gap," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



Using a series of climate models, the researchers set out to predict compound climate extremes by the end of the century based on a steady increase in carbon dioxide emissions.



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-discovered">What the researchers discovered&nbsp;</h2>



The analysis revealed that while some regions of the world such as South Africa and the Amazon will become drier as temperatures rise, many regions will become wetter, including the eastern United States, eastern and southern Asia, Australia and central Africa.



The researchers also predict that wet-hot extremes will also cover a larger area and be more severe than dry-hot extremes.



<h2 id="h-precipitation-extremes">Precipitation extremes&nbsp;</h2>



For every one degree Celsius rise in temperature, the atmosphere’s capacity to hold moisture increases by six to seven percent. Since the hotter atmosphere will hold more moisture, there will be more water available for precipitation.



Many parts of the world are already experiencing wet-hot extremes, such as western Europe. The 2021 floods in Germany and Belgium was one of the deadliest flood events in Europe in the past century, claiming more than 200 lives.&nbsp;



Record summer heat had dried out the soil and set the stage for this catastrophe. A storm complex that brought heavy rainfall triggered massive landslides and flash floods that washed away entire houses.



<h2 id="h-risk-management-strategies">Risk management strategies&nbsp;</h2>



“Given the fact that the risk of compound wet-hot extremes in a warming climate is larger than compound dry-hot extremes, these wet-hot extremes should be included in risk management strategies,” said Wu.



“If we overlook the risk of compound wet-hot extremes and fail to take sufficient early warning, the impacts on water-food-energy security would be unimaginable."



The study is published in AGU journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022EF003466">Earth’s Future</a>.



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Wet-hot extremes pose a greater danger than hot and dry weather

When you think of global warming, it would seem that...

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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

[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



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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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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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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



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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



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Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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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

[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"

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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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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...