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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

Picture this for a moment - a wind that sweeps across southern Africa, picking up tiny particles of dust and hurling them across the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean.



This seemingly common act of nature had surprising and unexpected effects in 2019, causing the largest phytoplankton bloom in two decades, and at a time of year when these blooms are rarely seen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-traveling-nutrient-buffet">Traveling nutrient buffet</h2>



Dust, though often regarded as nothing more than a household nuisance, has hidden virtues. Dust clouds can <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saharan-dust-supports-ocean-life-far-from-the-desert/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">voyage great distances</a>, even crossing oceans. 



A significant example of this is the Sahara Desert's dust which frequently voyages across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. 



As these minute particles settle on land or water, they deliver essential nutrients which spur plant growth and enhance ocean productivity - a much-needed buffet for marine phytoplankton.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-dust-deserts-and-oceans-connect">How dust, deserts, and oceans connect</h2>



Despite recognizing the voyages of dust and its potential effects, the intricate relationship between desertification, dust emissions, and ocean fertilisation still remains somewhat of a mystery. 



A research paper recently published in the journal PNAS Nexus, however, marks notable progress in unlocking these complex links.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-and-remarkable-bloom">Rare and remarkable bloom</h2>



A team of scientists from ESA's Living Planet Fellowships Poseidon and Pyroplankton traced an exceptional phytoplankton bloom off the eastern coast of southern Africa.



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="Drhl62eyp0-3891132-12187" type="single"]</div>



This proliferation, triggered by "dust wet deposition" (or rain), occurred in the nutrient-scarce waters southeast of Madagascar.



The study was led by Dr. John Gittings from the <a href="https://en.uoa.gr" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Athens</a>. The research has contributed immensely in shedding light on this extraordinary event.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trail-of-dust-to-the-ocean">Trail of dust to the ocean</h2>



Dr. Gittings and his team employed an array of satellite data from multiple projects led by ESA, including the Climate Change Initiative Ocean Colour project, the Climate Change Initiative Soil Moisture project, and the Science for Society Biological Pump and Carbon Exchange Processes project.



Further contributing to the research were the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service and the Copernicus Marine Service. 



This rich pool of satellite data enabled the team to accurately trace the expanse of this colossal bloom and identify the dust events that caused it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-anomalies-oceans-and-climate-change">Dust anomalies, oceans and climate change</h2>



Dr. Gittings noted that although this extensive phytoplankton bloom was highly unusual, recent trends of increasing air temperatures, aridity, and dust emissions in southern Africa could signify that such events may become more common in the future.



Together with recent discoveries of ocean fertilization caused by mega-fire induced droughts in Australia, these findings hint at a possible link between climate change, drought, aerosols, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/zinc-plays-an-overlooked-role-in-ocean-processes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean blooms</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dual-role-of-dust-in-ecosystems">Dual role of dust in ecosystems</h2>



While dust plays a pivotal role in natural fertilization processes, it also poses challenges to both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. 



On the one hand, nutrient-rich dust contributes to plant growth on land and supports plankton blooms, which form the foundation of the marine food web. 



On the other hand, excessive dust can lead to oppressive air pollution, impacting human health and reducing visibility. 



Recognizing this dual role of dust is crucial in understanding its comprehensive impact on ecosystems and developing strategies to mitigate the adverse effects while leveraging its benefits.



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



The study by Dr. Gittings and his team marks significant progress in understanding the complex interactions between dust, climate change, and oceanic ecosystems.



However, more research is needed to investigate the long-term implications of dust-related events and their potential to alter ecological and climatic dynamics.



Expanding international collaboration, enhancing satellite monitoring capabilities, and incorporating more sophisticated climate models will be vital to unraveling the intricacies of dust's influence on our planet's future. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-interconnectedness-of-our-world">Interconnectedness of our world </h2>



Marie-Helene Rio of ESA emphasized the critical role of our oceans. Covering two-thirds of our planet, oceans are integral to the health of our ecosystems.



Unraveling how climate change is altering their biological processes is not a mere scientific curiosity - it's a matter of survival for life on Earth.



"Having access to such rich satellite datasets enabled us to clearly track the extent of this massive bloom and pinpoint the dust events responsible for it," said Dr. Gittings.



This research highlights the interconnectedness of our world, reminding us that even the smallest of particles can have massive, <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-brilliant-sombrero-galaxy-hints-at-an-expanding-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surprising effect</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-brilliant-sombrero-galaxy-hints-at-an-expanding-universe/">s</a> in the grand scheme of things.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/3/10/pgae386/7795948?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PNAS Nexus</a>.



Video Credit: ESA



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Dust from Africa sparked a massive phytoplankton bloom

Picture this for a moment - a wind that sweeps...

The captivating, brilliantly green night parrot, Pezoporus occidentalis, was once a common sight in the outback across the Australian continent.



However, due to external factors such as the arrival of colonists and pervading feral predators, the once thriving species witnessed a near-catastrophic decline by the late 19th century.



This decline was so drastic that for about a century, this vibrant parrot was thought to have been completely wiped out. It was only in 1990 when a dead specimen was found in western Queensland that hope was rekindled. 



However, it wasn't until 2013 that we got to witness the first living population of the elusive night parrot.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pezoporus-occidentalis-in-the-great-sandy-desert">Pezoporus occidentalis in the Great Sandy Desert</h2>



Fast forward to the present, a dedicated team of Indigenous rangers and scientists, after intensive observation and research, have discovered as many as 50 night parrots. 



This discovery took place on the land managed by the Ngururrpa people in Western Australia’s Great Sandy Desert. 



The project received support from the Indigenous Desert Alliance and funding from the Australian National Environmental Science Program’s <a href="https://nesplandscapes.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Resilient Landscapes Hub</a>.



Why is this discovery monumental? 



Well, because this population is the largest known gathering of night parrots in the world, making it a significant step in the continued conservation efforts for this endangered species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-night-parrot-s-frequency">Night parrot's frequency </h2>



The key to this discovery was sound-data. The team used sound recorders to listen for the bird's distinctive calls in 31 potential roosting areas. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/bird_night-parrot_Pezoporus-occidentalis_credit-Arianna-Urso_Western-Australian-Museum_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/bird_night-parrot_Pezoporus-occidentalis_credit-Arianna-Urso_Western-Australian-Museum_1s.webp" alt="Specimen of the green night parrot, Pezoporus occidentalis, long thought to be extinct. This is the best-preserved on display in the world, is now open to public viewing at the WA Museum. Credit: Arianna Urso / Western Australian Museum" class="wp-image-1946480"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Specimen of the green night parrot, Pezoporus occidentalis, long thought to be extinct. This is the best-preserved on display in the world, is now open to public viewing at the WA Museum. Credit: Arianna Urso / Western Australian Museum</figcaption></figure>



After the data was acquired, it was analyzed meticulously, sifting through countless sounds at the night parrot's frequency range. 



This precision and tenacity paid off when they identified night parrot calls in 17 of the 31 sites.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-night-parrot-s-secret-habits">Night parrot's secret habits</h2>



Nick Leseberg, an ecologist at the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Queensland</a> and a co-author of the study, shared insights into the unique vocalizations of the night <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-have-regional-accents-just-like-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">parrot</a>. 



"One of the night parrot’s&nbsp;diverse array of calls&nbsp;sounded like “didly dip, didly dip,” like a telephone, explains <a href="https://cbcs.centre.uq.edu.au/profile/954/nick-leseberg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leseberg</a>. Another sounded like “dink dink,” resembling a bell.



Beyond just tracking these elusive birds, the study also revealed intriguing data on predators and threats to the species. 



For instance, camera traps revealed dingoes as the most visible predators. Interestingly, they were caught in the act of preying on feral cats, which are suspected to be the actual threat to the night parrots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-unspoiled-ecosystems">Role of unspoiled ecosystems</h2>



The Great Sandy Desert, being one of the world’s most uninfluenced ecosystems, plays a crucial role in harboring and protecting the night parrot. 



This unspoiled environment allows species such as the night <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-migratory-birds-navigate-with-such-accuracy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">parrot</a> to adapt to a changing climate, facilitating their survival and keeping their populations healthy, states James Watson, a biogeographer at the University of Queensland.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community-stewardship">Community stewardship</h2>



Community involvement proves to be a cornerstone in the conservation of the night parrot. The collaboration between Indigenous communities and scientific teams exemplifies a successful model of custodianship and biodiversity preservation. 



The Ngururrpa people, with their profound traditional knowledge and intrinsic connection to the land, have contributed invaluable insights into the night parrot's ecological patterns. 



This partnership not only enhances conservation outcomes but also supports the sustainability of local customs and livelihoods, fostering a shared responsibility for protecting Australia's unique natural heritage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-night-parrot-conservation">Night parrot conservation</h2>



Looking ahead, several innovative strategies could bolster the conservation of night parrots. Expanding the use of technology, such as drones and advanced acoustic monitoring systems, could offer more precise tracking of parrot populations and their movements. 



Additionally, implementing predator control measures to safeguard these birds from feral cats remains a priority. 



Increased funding and international collaborations could facilitate these efforts, ensuring that conservation actions are grounded in cutting-edge science while respecting Indigenous knowledge systems. 



Ultimately, a concerted approach that blends tradition with innovation can sustain night parrot populations for future generations to appreciate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-road-ahead-for-pezoporus-occidentalis">Road ahead for Pezoporus occidentalis</h2>



The rediscovery of the parrot is only the first step. Now, we must act urgently to protect this newly discovered population. 



The scientists express their fervent hope that, with continuous <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/the-12-endangered-birds-most-at-risk-of-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conservation efforts</a>, the night parrot doesn’t slip back into obscurity a second time. 



This tale of resilience and rediscovery shows us just how much we still have to learn about our planet and its incredible inhabitants. Isn't it our responsibility to preserve it for generations to come?



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/WR/WR24083" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wildlife Research</a>.



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Beautiful and elusive bird thought to be long-extinct recently rediscovered

The captivating, brilliantly green night parrot, Pezoporus occidentalis, was once...

Researchers have revealed fascinating new information about the extinct Caribbean monkey, Antillothrix bernensis, thanks to the discovery of rare, well-preserved fossils in the Dominican Republic. 



The fossils were analyzed by a team of experts at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 



The research offers a deeper understanding of the anatomy and ecological history of these long-extinct primates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extraordinary-monkey-fossils">Extraordinary monkey fossils</h2>



This extraordinary find at the Cueva Macho fossil site has made it the most significant source of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-earliest-relatives-from-the-arctic-have-been-discovered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">primate fossils</a> on Hispaniola, the Caribbean island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.



Dr. Siobhán Cooke is an associate professor of functional anatomy and evolution at <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine</a>.



“These fossils help us to better understand the anatomy of Antillothrix, which can help us identify ecological factors that might have predisposed it to extinction," said Dr. Cooke. 



"These data can ultimately guide policy for preserving the remaining mammalian diversity on the Caribbean islands and elsewhere.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-into-the-caribbean-monkey-s-past">Looking into the Caribbean monkey's past</h2>



The study, published in the Journal of Human Evolution, suggests that Antillothrix bernensis likely went extinct within the last 10,000 years.



Dr. Cooke and her team first uncovered the fossils in 2009, with additional discoveries made in collaboration with the Dominican Republic Speleological Society.



By 2018, the latest fossil findings were unearthed, providing a rare opportunity to study a larger collection of South American and Caribbean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/primates-who-are-facially-expressive-make-the-best-leaders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">primates</a>. These fossils are now housed at the National Museum of Natural History in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.



“The number and quality of the Antillothrix crania outlined in this paper allow us to describe the skull completely and understand variation between individuals. This can tell us about the diet and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/females-wield-more-power-in-primate-societies-than-previously-believed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">social systems</a> of these animals," said Dr. Cooke.



She further note that obtaining a large collection of South American and Caribbean monkey fossils is rare. The only other recorded instance of a comparably large sample is the extinct <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/south-american-monkeys-face-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">South American monkey</a>, Homunculus patagonicus (an animal that lived in Patagonia).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lifestyle-of-the-extinct-monkey">Lifestyle of the extinct monkey</h2>



Using virtual three-dimensional models, the experts were able to thoroughly study the fossils. Antillothrix bernensis was monomorphic, meaning the males and females were about the same size, weighing up to five pounds.



"This indicates that there was little competition for mates among males. They may have lived in small family groups consisting of a female, male, and dependent offspring," noted Dr. Cooke.



The research suggests that their diet consisted mainly of fruits, inferred from the rounded teeth and relatively small canines.



Interestingly, Antillothrix might have a contemporary relative, the South American Titi monkey. With its short canine teeth and weighing just over two pounds, this monkey offers the closest glimpse of what the extinct Hispaniolan monkey may have looked like in the wild.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-the-monkeys-end-up-in-a-cave">How did the monkeys end up in a cave?</h2>



The mystery remains as to how several of these tree-dwelling primates ended up at the bottom of a cave approximately 10,000 years ago. 



Dr. Cooke offers a potential explanation: predation by a now-extinct owl. Injuries evident in the jaw fossils of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monkeys-use-names-for-each-other-in-their-communication-systems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">monkeys</a> suggest owl attacks.



Fossils missing portions of their jaws align with owls’ preference to consume the masseter, a major muscle attached to the jaw, leading to the theory of owls transporting monkeys back to caves. 



“When owls feed, they will sometimes preferentially consume the masseter, a major muscle attached to the jaw, and these injuries are consistent with that," explained Dr. Cooke. 



"It could be possible that a now extinct owl, which would have been quite large, caught these monkeys and brought them into the cave where it was living - rather than the monkeys falling in at random.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unique-window-into-the-past">Unique window into the past</h2>



Ultimately, this study unlocks a unique window into the past, offering invaluable information about the extinct species that once called the Dominican Republic and Haiti home.



"These new specimens, in combination with those previously described, will allow for a detailed study of population- and species-level variation, an exceedingly rare opportunity for any fossil primate," said the researchers.



The study is published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103589" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Human Evolution</a>.



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Fossils reveal the lifestyle of an extinct Caribbean monkey

Researchers have revealed fascinating new information about the extinct Caribbean...

Has it ever hit you that the far-reaching grip of COVID-19 was more than just terrestrial? Well, a recent study has stirred quite the scientific debate, suggesting that our moon felt the ripples of the lockdown. The twists and turns of this tale are as exciting as they are perplexing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-lockdown-and-the-moon-s-surface">Global lockdown and the moon's surface</h2>



In a world where shutdowns became the norm, researchers were left scratching their heads over a peculiar discovery. The moon's surface, it seems, was chilling out in response to our global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/we-can-prevent-future-pandemics-by-protecting-nature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lockdown</a> during April-May 2020. The nighttime temperatures, science sleuths found, had taken an unexpected nosedive.



What's the connection? Our collective pause on activities, resulting in a dramatic drop in greenhouse gas emissions, could be the invisible hand tinkering with the lunar thermostat, so to speak.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lunar-standstill">The lunar standstill</h2>



Experts in the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, India, turned their focus to six different sites on the moon's nearside - the side always facing Earth.



They found, to their surprise, that the nighttime temperatures at these six spots during the lockdown period had become significantly cooler.



The ever-watchful eyes of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) served as their guide. This spacecraft, launched in 2009, comes equipped with a thermal temperature mapping instrument, ready to capture the lunar surface's hot and cold secrets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-intriguing-anomaly">The intriguing anomaly</h2>



The researchers dissected the temperatures recorded from 2017 to 2023, and stumbled upon something strange in the April-May 2020 data.



All six sites showed an unusual dip in temperatures, dropping by 8 to 10 degrees Kelvin (or about 14 to 18 degrees Fahrenheit). This curious chill seemed to align with our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-makes-a-virus-capable-of-causing-a-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global lockdown</a>.



The most significant drop was recorded in Oceanus Procellarum - a dark plain on the moon's nearside - where temperatures plummeted to as low as 96.2 K (-286 F).



To put these numbers into perspective, the same spot registered as high as 131.7 K (-222 F) in 2022. Do the math, and you'll see it's quite the drop.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-of-lockdown-on-the-moon">Impact of lockdown on the moon</h2>



The scientists couldn't shake off the thought: could the sudden dip in lunar temperatures be connected to the global lockdown that brought human activity to a grinding halt? This pause resulted in less radiation being emitted from Earth - less heat escaping our atmosphere.



Of course, such a conclusion needed backstory. And so, we travel back to March 2020, when the first wave of COVID-19 made landfall around the world. 



With no vaccines in sight, governments across the world decided to hit the pause button on normal life. By April, approximately half of the human race was indoors, and our planet was less busy radiating heat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ripple-effects-of-the-global-lockdown">Ripple effects of the global lockdown </h2>



Lockdowns equal less commuting, less industrial activity, and less mining. The result was a significant drop in greenhouse gases and, consequently, less terrestrial radiation. Research suggests that daily global CO2 emissions fell around 17 percent by early April 2020 compared to 2019 levels.



When the sun showers Earth with sunlight, our planet absorbs part of this radiation, heating up to create terrestrial infrared radiation.



However, during the lockdown, the lack of emissions led to less cloud cover and atmospheric pollutants - meaning less heat radiated from Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-casting-shadows-on-theories">Casting shadows on theories</h2>



The notion that terrestrial changes could extend their impact to the moon is a profound implication for our understanding of planetary systems. 



If lockdown or human activity on Earth can indeed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moons-entire-surface-is-covered-with-water-and-hydroxyl-not-just-the-poles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">affect moon temperatures</a>, it raises questions about the interconnectedness of celestial bodies. This fascinating link urges a reevaluation of atmospheric and environmental models, potentially opening up new avenues for research. 



Some scientists offer alternative explanations, pointing to natural lunar events or solar activities as potential factors. The debate remains open, and further exploration is essential to unravel the complexity of this interplanetary relationship.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-far-reaching-impacts-of-human-activity">Far-reaching impacts of human activity</h2>



Scientific pursuit takes time and precision, and as researchers go deeper, their quest remains to validate or refute this extraordinary hypothesis. 



The ongoing research offers a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration among climatologists, astronomers, and environmental scientists. Future missions to the moon could incorporate instruments designed specifically to study its thermal dynamics.



Meanwhile, the phenomenon serves as a poignant reminder of the vast impact human behavior can have, even beyond Earth, encouraging a global dialogue on sustainable practices and their cosmic consequences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gauging-the-impact-of-lockdown-on-the-moon">Gauging the impact of lockdown on the moon</h2>



This tale of earthly lockdown and the moon's temperature is not just about answering a "what happened?" It's also about exploring the "why?" and "how?" of this intricate cosmic dance.



Our world's emitted heat does seem to have an impact on the lunar surface, warming it up a notch. So, it stands to reason that when Earth's emissions decreased, the moon felt the chill.



The findings pose an intriguing question: Could the moon's surface temperatures offer a novel way to study Earth's climate change impacts?



The study is published in the journal <a class="" href="https://academic.oup.com/mnrasl/article/535/1/L18/7760380" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters</a>.



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COVID-19 lockdown linked to dramatic changes on the moon

Has it ever hit you that the far-reaching grip of...

The moment someone steps into a new environment - whether it's walking into a restaurant, attending an event, or settling in to watch TV - the brain essentially starts a new “chapter” in their day.&nbsp;



These mental shifts happen all day long, with the brain constantly dividing experiences into individual events that we can later understand and remember.&nbsp;



But what exactly causes the brain to mark these moments as new “chapters”? This is what a new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.09.013" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> set out to explore.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mental-chapters-in-the-brain">Mental chapters in the brain</h2>



The research was led by Christopher Baldassano, an associate professor of psychology at <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Columbia University</a>, and Alexandra De Soares, a former member of his lab.



The team sought to understand what prompts the brain to form boundaries around experiences, organizing them as distinct events in our day.&nbsp;



The researchers explored two main possibilities: one being that these mental chapters are triggered by big changes in our surroundings, such as moving from the outdoors into a restaurant.&nbsp;



The other possibility is that our brain might be guided more by internal scripts based on past experience and goals, so even significant changes in the environment might be ignored if they aren't relevant to our current focus.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-research">Focus of the research</h2>



To test their hypothesis, the researchers created a set of 16 audio narratives, each about three to four minutes long.&nbsp;



The stories took place in one of four locations (a restaurant, an airport, a grocery store, or a lecture hall) and dealt with one of four social situations (a breakup, a proposal, a business deal, and a romantic meeting).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-chapters-shaped-by-focus">Brain chapters shaped by focus</h2>



The researchers discovered that the way the brain organizes experiences into distinct events is shaped by what a person is currently focused on.&nbsp;



For instance, when participants listened to a story about a marriage proposal at a restaurant, their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prefrontal-cortex-treating-alcoholism/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prefrontal cortex</a> typically grouped the story around the progression of the proposal, leading up to the hopeful “yes.” 



However, when participants were asked to focus on other aspects - such as the couple’s dinner orders - their brains began dividing the experience into new chapters based on those details.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-passive-response-of-the-brain-nbsp">The passive response of the brain&nbsp;</h2>



“We wanted to challenge the theory that the sudden shifts in brain activity when we start a new chapter of our day are only being caused by sudden shifts in the world - that the brain isn’t really ‘doing’ anything interesting when it creates new chapters, it’s just responding passively to a change in sensory inputs,” Baldassano said.&nbsp;



“Our research found that isn’t the case: the brain is, in fact, actively organizing our life experiences into chunks that are meaningful to us.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-chapters-in-the-brain">Measuring chapters in the brain</h2>



The experts measured how the brain created these chapters by examining MRI scans to track brain activity, and by asking a separate group of participants to press a button when they felt a new part of the story had begun.



They found that depending on the perspective participants were told to adopt, the brain divided the story differently.&nbsp;



For instance, a person listening to a breakup story at an airport might register new chapters when they passed through security or arrived at the gate if they were asked to focus on airport-specific details.&nbsp;



But if their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/information-overflow-attention-spans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">attention</a> was directed toward the emotional side of the breakup, the brain might register new chapters based on the unfolding of the relationship. 



Similarly, in a story about a business deal happening in a grocery store, participants could either focus on the stages of the business deal or the steps of grocery shopping, which influenced what their brain perceived as new chapters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-experiences-and-memories">Life experiences and memories</h2>



The researchers are also interested in how these shifting perspectives affect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-our-brain-form-long-term-memories/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long-term memory</a>. They asked participants to recall as much as they could about each story, and they are still analyzing that data to understand how different perspectives shape memory. 



More broadly, this study contributes to an ongoing effort to build a comprehensive theory of how real-life experiences are divided into event memories, suggesting that prior knowledge and expectations play a crucial role in how our brains organize and recall these events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meaningful-stories-and-mathematical-models-nbsp">Meaningful stories and mathematical models&nbsp;</h2>



For Baldassano, this project has been a rewarding journey. “Tracking activity patterns in the brain over time is a big challenge that requires using complex analysis tools,” he said.&nbsp;



“Using meaningful stories and mathematical models to discover something new about cognition is exactly the kind of unconventional research in my lab that I am most proud of and excited about.”



The findings provide insight into the way the brain processes and organizes our experiences, highlighting that it's not just changes in the external world that shape how we perceive new events, but also our internal focus, expectations, and goals.



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How does our brain divide the day into different ‘chapters'?

The moment someone steps into a new environment - whether...

An FDA-approved synthetic version of THC (the main ingredient in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/recreational-cannabis-use-protects-against-cognitive-decline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a>) reduces agitation in patients with Alzheimer's disease by an average of 30 percent, according to the results of an eight-year clinical trial. 



Compared to current treatments like antipsychotics, the synthetic drug dronabinol produced similar calming effects without adverse results such as delirium or seizures.



The results of the research were presented at the <a href="https://www.ipa-online.org/events/2024-international-congress" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Psychogeriatric Association</a> conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-agitation-in-alzheimer-s-patients-nbsp">Agitation in Alzheimer’s patients&nbsp;</h2>



Dr. Paul Rosenberg is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine</a> and co-principal investigator for this study. 



“These new findings represent eight years of work dedicated to people who have Alzheimer’s as well as their caregivers,” said Dr. Rosenberg.&nbsp;



“Agitation is one of the most distressing symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia, and we are pleased to make positive strides forward in treatment of these patients.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-severe-agitation-with-alzheimer-s">Severe agitation with Alzheimer’s </h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-why-some-brains-resist-alzheimers-disease-symptoms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s disease</a> is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the United States, affecting an estimated 6.7 million Americans aged 65 and older. This number is predicted to grow to 13.8 million by 2060. 



Agitation, characterized by excessive motor activity (like pacing or repetitive movements), verbal aggression, and physical aggression, affects approximately 40% of people with Alzheimer’s and is difficult to manage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-providing-relief-to-caregivers-nbsp">Providing relief to caregivers&nbsp;</h2>



Although mild agitation can sometimes be moderated by behavioral interventions, moderate to severe cases typically require medication to manage symptoms and provide relief for caregivers.&nbsp;



Dr. Brent Forester is the chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at <a href="https://www.tuftsmedicine.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tufts Medical Center</a> and co-principal investigator on the study. 



“It is the agitation, not the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lack-of-sexual-satisfaction-linked-to-rapid-memory-decline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">memory loss</a>, that often drives individuals with dementia to the emergency department and long-term-care facilities,” said Dr. Forester.



“Dronabinol has the potential to both reduce health care costs and make an important, positive impact on caregivers’ mental and physical health.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-clinical-studies">Focus of the clinical studies</h2>



For the clinical trials, the researchers recruited 75 patients with severe Alzheimer’s agitation across five sites, including 35 patients admitted to the Johns Hopkins Hospital between March 2017 and May 2024.&nbsp;



To qualify, patients had to have a formal clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and exhibit at least one major symptom of agitation for at least two weeks. Prior to treatment, patients were tested for agitation using the Pittsburgh Agitation Scale (PAS) and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Agitation/Aggression subscale (NPI-C).



Participants were randomly assigned to receive either five milligrams of dronabinol in pill form or a placebo twice daily for three weeks.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-synthetic-cannabis-and-alzheimer-s">Synthetic cannabis and Alzheimer's</h2>



After the treatment period, patients were retested using the PAS and NPI-C. The results from the dronabinol group showed an average PAS starting value of 9.68 and an end value of 7.26 after three weeks - a 30% decrease - compared to the placebo group, which did not change.&nbsp;



Additionally, the synthetic cannabis was well tolerated by Alzheimer's patients compared to current treatments for agitation.



“Results like this are encouraging. We are thrilled that FDA-approved dronabinol was robustly effective and appeared safe for treatment of agitation,” Rosenberg said. “This adds another tool in our efforts to improve the care of our loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease.”



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



The researchers plan to conduct longer-term studies of dronabinol for Alzheimer’s disease with larger sample sizes. They also hope to explore other ways medical cannabis can benefit both patients and caregivers.



Dronabinol is a synthetic form of THC, the psychoactive main ingredient in cannabis (marijuana). The drug was approved by the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a> in 1985 to treat loss of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disadvantaged-stimulate-appetite/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">appetite</a> in patients with HIV/AIDS and is currently prescribed to treat nausea and vomiting in those undergoing cancer chemotherapy.



The investigators caution that the results of their current study are not intended to encourage or inform the use of other forms of medical marijuana, which are available in 38 states and the District of Columbia.



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Synthetic cannabis reduces agitation in Alzheimer’s patients

An FDA-approved synthetic version of THC (the main ingredient in...

No one leaves this world unscathed; life's hardships can frequently follow us to the very end. But what if traumas such as parental abuse, repeating a school year, or even participating in armed combat could impact our pain and overall health in our final years? 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lasting-impression-of-trauma-on-pain">Lasting impression of trauma on pain</h2>



Researchers from the University of California San Francisco and the University of Michigan have found that traumatic experiences can amplify pain, depression, and loneliness during the last chapter of life.



"After deep analysis, we found that early-life <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childhood-trauma-can-cause-muscle-decline-adult-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trauma</a>, particularly parental physical abuse, showed a strong correlation with end-of-life pain, loneliness, and depressive symptoms," said study senior author Dr. Ashwin Kotwal from the <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCSF</a> Division of Geriatrics and the San Francisco VA Medical Center.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-echoes-of-trauma">Echoes of trauma</h2>



According to Kotwal, the impact of childhood traumas may ripple throughout a person's lifespan. "They may contribute to social and emotional isolation, poor health habits, and an increased risk of subsequent trauma."



The findings are based on the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), which monitored roughly 6,500 Americans over the age of 50. 



This long-term study followed the participants from 2006 to 2020, concluding with data from exhaustive questionnaires and final "exit interviews" with a close family member or friend.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-trauma-manifests-as-pain">How trauma manifests as pain</h2>



Lead author Dr. Kate Duchowny of the Institute for Social Research at the <a href="https://umich.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a> explained that trauma effectively "gets under the skin." It's linked with depression and anxiety that may foster a pro-inflammatory environment, leading to chronic conditions.



Interestingly, the researchers found that some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childhood-maltreatment-fuels-mental-health-crisis-in-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">traumas</a> are more commonplace than others. Two in five participants reported childhood traumas, whereas the experience of repeating a school year was indicated as the most common potentially traumatic event in childhood.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-lifetime-of-trauma">A lifetime of trauma</h2>



The study revealed some stark figures. Those who hadn't experienced trauma were less likely to suffer from pain or loneliness during their last days. But for those who had gone through five or more traumatic events, both pain and loneliness were dramatically heightened.



Depression, too, showed a significant increase among those with a history of trauma. These individuals had a 40% probability of end-of-life depression, compared to just 24% for those with no traumatic experiences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-perspective-for-healthcare-providers">New perspective for healthcare providers</h2>



Dr. Kotwal sees these findings as a wake-up call for healthcare providers. "Near the end of their lives, people may experience 'total pain' - a mix of spiritual, psychological, and physical pain. Lifetime trauma may shape that total experience of pain."



In situations like these, seeking help from a psychologist, chaplain, or social worker may prove the most effective route to alleviating pain. It's not just about treating symptoms; it's about addressing the underlying causes of suffering.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trauma-and-loss-of-control">Trauma and loss of control</h2>



"For a person who has experienced trauma, the loss of control that often accompanies disease can serve as a painful reminder of previous harmful experiences," explained Chelsea K. Brown, a former social worker with the UCSF Division of Palliative Medicine.



"It's not only about disease-related symptoms, but also the ongoing anxiety and distress from experiencing a loss of control over one's body."



The study reveals a pressing need for more research on the links between early-life trauma and end-of-life experiences. Future studies should use a broad approach that considers different cultures and socio-economic backgrounds to understand how environments affect trauma.



Long-term studies could offer better insights into the lasting effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/child-maltreatment-triples-the-risk-of-substance-use/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trauma</a> over a person's life. By deepening our understanding, researchers can create targeted interventions to improve the quality of life for those dealing with trauma in their later years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trauma-and-pain-in-older-adults">Trauma and pain in older adults</h2>



Trauma is not a blank slate; it can mark us, shape us, and, as this study suggests, even affect us in our final years. The memories we carry aren't simply mental constructs; they can have physiological impacts that reach far into our future. 



As we strive to understand trauma's effects better, we must remember to treat the whole individual, not just the disease. It's a crucial step towards intentional, compassionate, and holistic care.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1060173">Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.</a>



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Childhood trauma can cause physical pain in late life

No one leaves this world unscathed; life's hardships can frequently...

As we advance through the varying seasons of the year, one common predicament we've often faced is the fluctuating temperatures -something squid have mastered handling in nature.



One moment it's too hot with a jacket, the next too chilly without it. Sportswear brands are continuously making claims of temperature-regulating materials, yet imagine having a piece of clothing that actually adjusts to your unique thermal needs.



This concept is no longer a futuristic aspiration, thanks to a technological innovation inspired by the captivating attributes of the squid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-adjusting-material-inspired-by-squids">Heat-adjusting material inspired by squids </h2>



A dynamic group of researchers has developed an adaptable heat-adjusting material that is breathable, washable, and can seamlessly blend into flexible fabric.



"Within the context of thermal management technologies, our laboratory has developed heat-managing composite materials by drawing inspiration from the color-changing skin of the longfin inshore (and related) squid," wrote the researchers.



Diving into the intriguing science behind this, the evolutionary marvel - squid skin - has a complex organization. It is composed of multiple layers that collaboratively manipulate light, altering the creature's overall coloration and patterns.



“Some of the layers contain organs called chromatophores, which transition between expanded and contracted states (upon muscle action) to change how the skin transmits and reflects visible light," said study co-author Alon Gorodetsky. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-controlling-a-garment-s-temperature">Controlling a garment's temperature</h2>



Rather than controlling visible light, this novel team from the <a href="https://uci.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Irvine</a>, constructed a composite material functioning in the infrared spectrum. 



Essentially, as people <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/at-what-point-does-heat-stress-become-dangerous/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heat</a> up, some of that heat is released as invisible, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquitoes-use-thermal-infrared-vision-to-track-and-bite-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infrared</a> radiation (the principle that thermal cameras operate on). This revolutionary material, therefore, manipulates and adapts to these emissions, which gives it thermoregulatory features.



This design enables the wearer's clothing to adjust microscopically to the desired temperature, improving comfort and functionality.



The composite material comprises a polymer covered in copper islands. The real magic starts when you stretch the material, causing the islands to separate and consequently changing how it transmits and reflects infrared light. It opens up new horizons of controlling a garment's temperature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-on-previous-research">Building on previous research </h2>



In a previous publication, the team modeled their composite material's adaptive infrared properties. But they didn't stop there. The experts have now augmented the material to enhance its functionality, making it washable, breathable, and easily incorporated into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robotsweater-a-new-fabric-enables-robots-to-feel-and-react-to-human-touch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fabric</a>.



"Our laboratory has previously developed heat-managing composite materials by drawing inspiration from the color-changing skin of the common squid," said the researchers.



"The combined findings directly advance the performance and applications scope of our bioinspired thermoregulatory composites and ultimately may guide the incorporation of desirable multifunctionality into other wearable technologies."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-the-material-durable-and-versatile">Making the material durable and versatile </h2>



To make the composite withstand washing without degradation, the experts added a thin film onto it. To ensure breathability, they perforated it, creating an array of holes.



This modification led to an end-product that exhibited air and water vapor permeability similar to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-do-polyester-clothes-stink-more-than-cotton/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cotton fabrics</a>. 



The material was then attached to a mesh to demonstrate straightforward fabric integration, marking the actual proof-of-concept of this versatile material.



Through rigorous testing, the team confirmed the material's adaptive infrared properties and dynamic thermoregulatory qualities. Despite simultaneous thin-film layering, perforations, and fabric integration, the material's thermal performance was not compromised.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-squid-skin-to-wearable-technology">From squid skin to wearable technology </h2>



"Our advanced composite material now opens opportunities for most wearable applications but may be particularly suited for cold weather clothing like ski jackets, thermal socks, insulated gloves, and winter hats," said Gorodetsky.



However, the potential of this new material and the manufacturing process extends beyond clothing to several other sectors of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electric-eels-inspire-wearable-tech-with-jelly-batteries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wearable technology</a>.



The strategies used to impart breathability, washability, and fabric compatibility to these materials could be translated to other wearable systems such as washable organic electronics, stretchable e-textiles, and energy-harvesting triboelectric materials.



"Advanced thermal management technologies, such as wearable materials, personal cooling/heating devices, and portable ventilation systems, represent an important research frontier because of their potential for enhancing personal physiological comfort and reducing building energy consumption," noted the study authors. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.aip.org/aip/apb/article/8/4/046101/3314964/Manufacturing-of-breathable-washable-and-fabric" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">APL Bioengineering</a>.



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Squids inspire clothing with temperature control

As we advance through the varying seasons of the year,...

Are the foods lining the shelves of your kitchen cupboards as harmless as they seem? A concerning new study led by researchers from UCL (University College London) suggests otherwise. Research published in the European Journal of Nutrition reveals that toddlers in the UK obtain a shocking 47% of their calories from ultra-processed foods. 



This percentage amplifies to a hefty 59% by the age of seven. Notably, the data for this study comes from the eating habits of 2,591 children born in 2007 and 2008, as recorded by their parents over three days.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deceptive-healthiness-of-ultra-processed-foods">Deceptive "healthiness" of ultra-processed foods</h2>



At 21 months of age, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-baby-food-isnt-nutritious-despite-what-the-label-says/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">toddlers</a>' go-to ultra-processed foods were flavored yogurts and wholegrain breakfast cereals - foods often perceived as healthy. Unfortunately, by the age of seven, white bread, sweet cereals, and puddings took the spotlight.



"Ultra-processed foods are not all bad for our health, and the foods typically eaten by the toddlers in our study are ones that are seen as quite healthy," noted Dr. Rana Conway of the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology-health-care/ucl-institute-epidemiology-and-health-care-advancing-health-across-populations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCL Institute of Epidemiology &amp; Health Care</a> and the lead author of the study.



However, Dr. Conway also emphasized that these foods carry high levels of added sugar and salt, causing concern.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-navigating-a-processed-food-landscape">Navigating a processed food landscape</h2>



The impact extends beyond sugar and salt intake. "A diet that includes a lot of ultra-processed food is less likely to get children used to the natural flavours of whole foods and, therefore, less likely to encourage healthy eating later in life,” said Dr. Conway.



Professor Clare Llewellyn, senior author of the study, noted that the significant influence of early eating habits often persist through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-use-their-mothers-scent-to-see-faces/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">childhood</a> and into adulthood.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consuming-ultra-processed-foods">Consuming ultra-processed foods</h2>



The researchers sorted the foods consumed into four groups using the Nova classification: unprocessed or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods.



The study further divided toddlers into five groups based on ultra-processed food intake. Unsettlingly, toddlers in the highest UPF group consumed a whopping 69% of their calories from UPFs - more than double the 28% of those in the lowest UPF group.



What's more, the foods consumed at 21 months predicted UPF consumption at seven years old. 



The most frequent consumers of UPFs as toddlers were 9.4 times more likely to be in the highest UPF-consuming group at seven years old. This statistic is attributable to the "hyperpalatable" nature of these high fat, sugar, and/or salt foods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sweeping-sugary-concerns">Sweeping sugary concerns</h2>



In all UPF groups, toddler sugar intake exceeded the UK government recommended maximum of 5% of daily calorie intake. For the two highest UPF groups, added sugar intake averaged over 10 percent.



The research team suggests policies that swing children's diets towards a lower proportion of UPFs. This could include restricting the promotion of unhealthy foods marketed towards children, adding warning labels to high-sugar products, and subsidising fresh and minimally processed food.



"It’s not easy to feed children healthily in our current food environment," said Dr Conway, noting the often-higher cost of healthier alternatives and the misleading labels on ultra-processed foods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-parents-and-caregivers">Role of parents and caregivers</h2>



Equally crucial in shaping dietary habits are parents and caregivers, who can play a proactive role in reducing reliance on ultra-processed foods. 



Practical changes at home can include prioritizing fresh produce, offering healthier snack alternatives, and involving children in meal preparation to cultivate an interest in whole foods. Importantly, modeling healthy eating behaviors will greatly influence children's own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-fathers-diet-impacts-the-health-of-his-future-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food choices</a>. 



Furthermore, understanding and navigating food labels can empower parents to make better-informed decisions that align with nutritional goals. 



Supporting caregivers with resources and strategies will be essential in fostering an environment where children's health is prioritized amidst a challenging food landscape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-setting-the-stage-for-future-consumption">Setting the stage for future consumption</h2>



The researchers also highlight the potential negative impact of early exposure to commercial products mimicking ultra-processed foods in terms of texture, even when these offer a healthy nutritional content - as this is unlikely to encourage vegetable consumption.



The researchers caution that their findings may not fully represent the UK population as a whole, as people of white ethnicity and of higher socioeconomic status were over-represented in their sample.



The study is published in the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-024-03496-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Journal of Nutrition</a>. 



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Toddlers get half their calories from ultra-processed foods

Are the foods lining the shelves of your kitchen cupboards...

Do you hear the call of the wild? That's Mother Nature and millions of animal advocates asking you to mark your calendars - World Animal Day is celebrated annually on October 4th. 



And it's not just for pet lovers or zoologists. It's a day for all of us to honor, respect, and protect our planet's incredible biodiversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-standing-for-animal-rights-and-welfare">Standing for animal rights and welfare</h2>



World Animal Day, also known as World Animal Welfare Day or World Animal Protection Day, is a significant annual event on the 4th of October. It's been celebrated since 1925, garnering an ever-growing international community dedicated to putting an end to the pointless suffering of all animals.



This day is focused on acknowledging that animals, whether they're your beloved pooch or a buffalo roaming the plains, are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-day-using-technology-to-protect-our-natural-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sentient beings</a> with thoughts, feelings, and unique personalities. Their treatment and welfare practices must reflect this recognition.



World Animal Day's international reach enables us to unite voices worldwide, standing for animal rights and welfare. It paves the way for everyone, businesses and individuals alike, to celebrate this day in various ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-history-of-world-animal-day">History of World Animal Day</h2>



World Animal Day was first celebrated on March 24th, 1925 in Germany. 



A man named Heinrich Zimmermann, a cynologist, charted its course. Zimmermann, whose love for animals led him to organize the first celebration at the Sports Palace in Berlin, sparked a movement that continues to shape our approach to animal welfare today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-celebrate-world-animal-day">Why celebrate World Animal Day?</h2>



World Animal Day serves a dual purpose: it educates the public about the importance of animal welfare and unifies global efforts to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-animal-species-will-soon-vanish-from-cities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">improve animal lives</a>.



Now, here's where you come in. How will you make this day count?



It's an all hands on deck situation. Individuals, businesses, everyone can lend their voice to the cause. How about a fundraising event for charities safeguarding animal rights? 



A goods donation drive or education sessions? There are countless ways to jump in and get involved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-observe-world-animal-day">How to observe World Animal Day</h2>



There are many ways to show your support for animal rights during World Animal Day. From awareness &amp; educational events like conferences &amp; workshops to fundraising events like concerts, sponsored walks, bake sales, or gala balls, the options are endless.



World Animal Day's impact reverberates across societies and governments, prompting collective introspection about our responsibilities towards all earth's creatures. 



Each year, this day generates increased engagements with policymakers to advocate for stronger animal welfare laws, enhances educational outreach, and fosters community collaborations aimed at sharing resources and knowledge for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mass-extinctions-can-be-prevented-by-protecting-key-sites/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">better animal care</a>. 



The celebration acts as a catalyst for initiating critical changes in legislation, guiding societies to more ethical practices, and recognizing the intrinsic value of animals in ecosystems, conservation efforts, and human well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-legacy-of-compassion">A legacy of compassion</h2>



While World Animal Day is a significant date on the calendar, the mission to improve animal welfare must persist beyond just one day. 



It is imperative to cultivate a culture of continuous commitment, whereby individuals and groups advocate for systemic changes throughout the year. 



Participation in local and international wildlife protection initiatives, supporting sanctuaries, rescues, and sustainably minded organizations, and influencing policy through informed dialogue, are all vital steps. 



Together, we hold the power to create a lasting legacy of compassion and action that respects the dignity and diversity of animal life globally.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-world-animal-day-important">Why is World Animal Day important?</h2>



World Animal Day is a beacon of hope for living creatures across the globe. It raises awareness about ecosystem protection - striving to sustain the delicate balance necessary for all lifeforms to thrive. It transcends boundaries, uniting minds and hearts across the globe in a shared mission to improve animal lives.



Over the years, World Animal Day has garnered significant victories for animals. In Egypt, the day’s events led to additional clauses in the Egyptian constitution offering rights to animals. Similarly, in Sudan, parliament introduced new legislation designed to protect animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-get-involved">How to get involved</h2>



So, are you ready to chip in and make this world a better place for our furry, feathery, or scaly friends? Here are some ways you can get involved:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Contribute to organizations focused on animal protection, wildlife conservation, or pet rescue. For example, PETA’s <a href="https://headlines.peta.org/peta-global-compassion-fund/?en_txn7=redirect::closed-id38547&amp;supporter.appealCode=IXXXWBXXGCF#donate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Compassion Fund</a> helps animals around the world. You could also donate food, toys, or volunteer at your local animal shelter.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Create habitats for local wildlife in your garden by planting native trees or flowers. Native plants provide food and shelter for birds, insects, and snail mammals. </li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Support wildlife friendly businesses that prioritize sustainable practices and avoid those that harm wildlife or their habitats.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Use social media to share information about animal welfare issues, endangered species, or the importance of responsible pet ownership.</li>
</ul>



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World Animal Day 2024: Building a legacy of compassion

Do you hear the call of the wild? That's Mother...

Flask,In,Scientist,Hand,With,Dropping,Liquid,To,Test,Tube

Have you ever wondered what it takes to generate water? Scientists have been at it for years. But now, it seems, we are really on to something.



For the first time ever, scientists have observed the birth of water right from its atomic constituents - hydrogen and oxygen -- joining hands to form tiny bubbles of water.



This all happened in a <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northwestern University</a> lab where a team of scientists was trying to unravel the secret of how a metallic element, palladium, aids the gases in reacting to form water. 



The exciting part? They noticed all this at a nanoscale.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-optimal-conditions-for-water-generation">Optimal conditions for water generation</h2>



What's even more astonishing is that this reaction doesn't require harsh conditions, making it a potentially useful tool to generate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-discovery-water-molecules-will-force-chemistry-textbooks-to-be-rewritten/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a> quickly in dry areas, even including other planets.



The study is set to be published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. So, what's all the excitement about?



Study senior author Vinayak Dravid is a professor at Northwestern’s <a href="https://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McCormick School of Engineering</a> and founding director of NUANCE Center.



"By directly visualizing nanoscale water generation, we were able to identify the optimal conditions for rapid water generation under ambient conditions," explained Dravid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-applications-of-rapid-water-generation">Applications of rapid water generation </h2>



According to Dravid, the findings have significant implications for practical applications, enabling rapid water generation in deep space environments using gases and metal catalysts, without requiring extreme reaction conditions.



“Think of Matt Damon’s character, Mark Watney, in the movie ‘The Martian.’ He burned rocket fuel to extract hydrogen and then added oxygen from his oxygenator," said Dravid. 



"Our process is analogous, except we bypass the need for fire and other extreme conditions. We simply mixed palladium and gases together.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-secret-of-palladium">Hidden secret of palladium</h2>



In the early 1900s, scientists knew that palladium could help generate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collecting-water-from-the-air-to-tackle-a-global-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a> quickly. However, the exact process remained a mystery, noted study first author Yukun Liu, a PhD candidate in Dravid’s laboratory.



“It’s a known phenomenon, but it was never fully understood,” said&nbsp;Liu. “Because you really need to be able to&nbsp;combine the direct visualization of water generation and the structure analysis&nbsp;at the atomic scale in order to figure out what’s happening with the reaction and how to optimize it.”



And that was impossible until nine months ago when Dravid’s team introduced a method to analyze gas molecules in real time. They essentially created a super-thin glassy membrane with a honeycomb design to hold gas molecules so they could be viewed within high-vacuum transmission electron microscopes.



The result was remarkable. Researchers could now look at samples in atmospheric pressure gas at a resolution of just 0.102 nanometers - a significant leap from the 0.236-nanometer resolution offered by other leading tools.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-the-smallest-bubble">Breakthrough: The smallest bubble!</h2>



Using their new technique, the team observed the reaction on palladium. As hydrogen atoms entered the palladium, expanding its square lattice, they saw <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planets-are-hiding-much-more-water-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tiny water bubbles</a> forming at the metal's surface.



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"We think it might be the smallest bubble ever formed that has been viewed directly. It's not what we were expecting. Luckily, we were recording it, so we could prove to other people that we weren't crazy," said Liu.



"We were skeptical. We needed to investigate it further to prove that it was actually water that formed," another researcher, Kunmo Koo, points out.



The researchers used electron energy loss spectroscopy to analyze these bubbles. By examining the energy loss of scattered electrons, they detected oxygen-bonding characteristics unique to water. 



To confirm that the bubbles were indeed water, they were heated to evaluate the boiling point.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fastest-way-to-generate-water">Fastest way to generate water</h2>



After the experts confirmed that the palladium reaction was generating water, the next challenge was to optimize the process. They tried different combinations of hydrogen and oxygen to determine the quickest rate of water generation.



The team discovered that adding hydrogen first, followed by oxygen, led to the fastest reaction rate. After filling the palladium with hydrogen, they then introduced oxygen gas - resulting in a swift reaction.



"When we stored hydrogen in the palladium first, and then added oxygen, the reaction started. Hydrogen comes out of the palladium to react with the oxygen, and the palladium shrinks and returns to its initial state," explained Liu.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sustainable-system-for-space-exploration">Sustainable system for space exploration</h2>



The Northwestern team envisions a future where this process could be put to good use. The idea is to prepare hydrogen-filled palladium before traveling into space and then add oxygen to generate water for drinking or watering plants.



Although the study focused on studying bubble generation at nanoscale, larger sheets of palladium would generate much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-water-day-a-focus-on-prosperity-and-peace/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">larger quantities of water</a>.



"Palladium might seem expensive, but it's recyclable," said Liu. "Our process doesn't consume it. The only thing consumed is gas, and hydrogen is the most abundant gas in the universe. After the reaction, we can reuse the palladium platform over and over."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2408277121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



Video Credit: Vinayak Dravid/Northwestern University



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Water captured on video forming out of thin air for the first time

Have you ever wondered what it takes to generate water?...

Picture this: astronauts landing on Mars or the Moon, growing their own homes using mycelium bricks made from fungi. Straight out of a science fiction novel, right? Wrong. 



This concept is currently being investigated by NASA, and it might not be as far-fetched as it initially seems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nasa-s-fungi-frontier">NASA's fungi frontier</h2>



Steering this unique research is Lynn Rothschild, a senior scientist at NASA's <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/ames/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ames Research Center</a>, found in the heart of California's Silicon Valley. 



Rothschild and her team have been pushing the envelope on space habitat construction with their project, lovingly dubbed "<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/ames/could-future-homes-on-the-moon-and-mars-be-made-of-fungi/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mycotecture Off Planet</a>." 



The project has recently been given a financial fillip through the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/stmd-the-nasa-innovative-advanced-concepts-niac/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NIAC</a>) program.



As Walt Engelund, associate administrator for Programs in the NASA's <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/space-technology-mission-directorate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Space Technology Mission Directorate</a>, puts it, "We are committed to advancing technologies to transport our astronauts, house our explorers, and facilitate valuable research." 



This commitment is reflected in the $2 million Phase III NIAC award that Rothschild's team has garnered, which will support their research for the next couple of years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-not-building-moon-homes">Growing, not building, Moon homes</h2>



Interested in how this concept works? It's quite simple really. Instead of lugging hefty building materials from Earth, astronauts would bring along lightweight structures imbued with dormant fungi. 



Upon reaching their final destination, a touch of water is all it takes to wake up the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-engage-in-more-conversations-after-rainfall/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fungi</a> and stimulate it to grow, forming a robust habitat around the framework. 



This ingenious method could potentially save a ton of resources and lighten the load for space missions.



The mycelia, the thread-like structures that form the bulk of fungi, are the MVPs here. They can grow into robust, intricate shapes that are just <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mycocrete-new-material-made-of-fungi-hopes-to-replace-concrete-in-construction-projects/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">perfect for constructing habitats</a>. 



They can also be safely contained to avoid any contamination of the alien environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fungi-will-keep-the-moon-green">Fungi will keep the Moon "green"</h2>



NASA Administrator Bill Nelson sums it up, "As NASA prepares to explore farther into the cosmos than ever before, it will require new science and technology that doesn't yet exist." 



The Mycotecture Off Planet project imbibes this forward-thinking approach. How do you live sustainably off-Earth? Grow your habitats!



But it's not just about building homes; it's about developing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mushroom-leather-mycelium-latest-eco-friendly-fashion-trend/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multi-purpose materials</a> that can perform various functions in space. 



For example, mycelia could be utilized for water filtration and even for extracting minerals from waste water, vital for supporting astronauts' life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



So, where are we now? The team has already made massive leaps. 



Through previous NIAC funding, they've demonstrated the feasibility of the concept, creating <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/a-beginners-guide-to-mycology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fungal-based biocomposites</a>, testing prototypes, and even contemplating enhancements like radiation protection.



NASA's commitment to innovative thinking shines through in this project. 



"NASA's space technology team and the NIAC program unlock visionary ideas -- ideas that make the impossible, possible," Bill Nelson says.



With the recently secured funding, Rothschild and her team can focus on improving the material properties of their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-distribute-enormous-amounts-of-co2-to-mycorrhizal-fungi/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fungal habitats</a> and move onto testing in low Earth orbit, a vital step before potential application in Moon or Mars missions.



John Nelson, NIAC Program Executive, highlights the value of these projects, "Mycotecture Off Planet exemplifies how advanced concepts can change how we envision future exploration missions." 



As NASA preps for Artemis, aiming for the moon and beyond to Mars, projects like these could have an instrumental role.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fungi-homes-aren-t-just-for-astronauts">Fungi homes aren't just for astronauts</h2>



Why should you care about growing fungi in space? Beyond<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mushroom-is-given-a-robot-body-and-runs-wild-in-fascinating-video/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> the "wow" factor</a>, this research can impact us right here on Earth. 



With our eyes set on sustainable building materials, the technology being developed for space could trigger eco-friendly practices at home.



Moreover, the success of such projects fuels inspiration and ignites scientific interest in the next generation. It's about pushing boundaries, reimagining possibilities, and finding solutions that profit all.



Could mycelia-based construction be our future, in space and on Earth? These are intriguing times for space exploration, and what once seemed outrageous is now within reach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fungi-and-the-future-of-growing-homes-0">Fungi and the future of growing homes</h2>



To sum it all up, NASA's investment in this unprecedented research into the use of <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/understanding-fungi-characteristics-and-function/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fungi and mycelium</a> to build bricks for space homes underscores the agency's commitment to developing technologies that could make long-term space living a reality. 



By "growing the box," scientists like Lynn Rothschild are morphing visionary ideas into tangible solutions.



So the next time you spot a mushroom popping up in your backyard, think about its distant cousin possibly helping humans live on the Moon or Mars.



 The fusion of biology and technology is unlocking doors we never thought possible, and the journey is only just beginning.



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NASA will use mushrooms to ‘grow homes’ on Mars and the Moon

Picture this: astronauts landing on Mars or the Moon, growing...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" 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 the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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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



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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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...