Scientists have long looked to oxygen when searching for signs of life beyond Earth. This gas sustains breathing and enables animals and plants to flourish. Now, researchers suggest that oxygen might also point to advanced technology. 



If an exoplanet’s atmosphere holds enough oxygen, it may not only support organisms but also help them spark fire, build structures, and craft machinery.



A study in Nature Astronomy presents this view, highlighting oxygen’s value as more than just a sign of biology. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oxygen-civilization-and-technology">Oxygen, civilization, and technology</h2>



Leading this research are <a href="https://www.pas.rochester.edu/people/faculty/frank_adam/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adam Frank</a>, the Helen F. and Fred H. Gowen Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester, and <a href="https://www-en.fisica.uniroma2.it/phone-directory/balbia_en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amedeo Balbi</a>, an associate professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Roma Tor Vergata, Italy.



Together with their team, they set out to explore whether oxygen is a key factor in allowing extraterrestrial civilizations to emerge and thrive through the development of technology.



“We are ready to find signatures of life on alien worlds,” Frank says. “But how do the [oxygen] conditions on a planet tell us about the possibilities for intelligent, technology-producing life?” 



This question drives efforts to examine oxygen’s role beyond respiration and metabolism, especially in relation to large-scale industrial activities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-oxygen-matters-for-civilizations">Why oxygen matters for civilizations</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animal-cells-capable-of-photosynthesis-created-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Photosynthesis</a> on Earth accounts for the bulk of our oxygen on our planet, thanks to countless organisms that use sunlight to make food. 



Because this process produces so much oxygen, it has been considered a biosignature. A planet with significant oxygen levels hints that life may be present, but Frank and Balbi argue that oxygen also has a second function.



“<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-023-02112-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In our paper</a>, we explore whether any atmospheric composition would be compatible with the presence of advanced technology,” Balbi says. “We found that the atmospheric requirements may be quite stringent.”



The link to technology comes from open-air combustion. Smelting metals, cooking food, and powering engines all rely on oxygen. 



Any alien civilization that forges metals would need a certain percentage of oxygen in its air to keep fires burning reliably. That percentage, according to Earth’s history, appears to be around 18 percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fire-and-the-18-threshold">Fire and the 18% threshold</h2>



“You might be able to get biology -- you might even be able to get intelligent creatures -- in a world that doesn’t have oxygen,” Frank says, “but without a ready source of fire, you’re never going to develop higher technology because higher technology requires fuel and melting.” 



He calls attention to fire’s role in shaping tools, infrastructure, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-wellbeing-is-a-more-effective-focus-area-when-discussing-energy-solutions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy production</a>. Metalworking, for instance, depends on sustaining flames hot enough to melt ore and craft refined structures.



Frank and Balbi refer to this requirement as an “oxygen bottleneck.” A planet might host life forms of various kinds, yet remain stuck without the combustion needed to fuel industrial breakthroughs. 



“The presence of high degrees of oxygen in the atmosphere is like a bottleneck you have to get through in order to have a technological species,” Frank says. 



“You can have everything else work out, but if you don’t have <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/it-took-200-million-years-for-earth-to-get-its-oxygen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oxygen in the atmosphere</a>, you’re not going to have a technological species.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oxygen-technology-create-technosignatures">Oxygen + technology create "technosignatures"</h2>



Frank thinks that exoplanets with oxygen levels at or above 18 percent should be at the top of our search list. 



“Targeting planets with high oxygen levels should be prioritized because the presence or absence of high oxygen levels in exoplanet atmospheres could be a major clue in finding potential technosignatures,” Frank says. 



Planets that exceed this level may have the capacity for factories, infrastructure, or communication networks.



Balbi notes that interpreting any possible signal of intelligent life will be challenging. 



“The implications of discovering intelligent, technological life on another planet would be huge,” adds Balbi. “Therefore, we need to be extremely cautious in interpreting possible detections. 



Their study suggests that astronomers should be skeptical of potential technosignatures from a planet with insufficient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-ancient-breath-study-links-atmospheric-oxygen-and-mantle-chemistry/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheric oxygen</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-technosphere-vs-biotechnosphere">Technosphere vs. biotechnosphere</h2>



Frank and Balbi’s perspective also covers the idea of a technosphere, which is the collective output of an advanced civilization. 



Factories, vehicles, and power grids all fit under this label. They rely on resources provided by the planet’s biosphere but stretch beyond purely natural processes. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bronze-age-technology-is-a-modern-solution-for-clean-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Burning fuels in open air</a> has been central to every major industrial leap, from forging steel to generating electricity.



When these technologies reach a global scale, they form a biotechnosphere. This term applies to the interplay of living systems and technology -- essentially, how organisms and machines coexist. 



On Earth, that includes everything from smartphones to farms, all running side by side. A well-established biotechnosphere might produce clear signals in the atmosphere: waste gases, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mapping-2024s-record-heat-unveiling-earths-climate-danger-zones/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unusual heat patterns</a>, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-found-in-tap-and-bottled-water-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chemicals not normally found in nature</a>.



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



History shows that as technology expands, it can sometimes damage or alter environments. Factories might pump pollutants into the air, while deforestation removes habitats that produce oxygen. 



Yet there is an ongoing move toward cleaner energy and more efficient resource use. If any alien civilization follows a similar path, we might detect certain byproducts in the form of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2023-climate-change-report-record-high-temperatures-greenhouse-gases-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greenhouse gases</a> or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/banning-forever-chemicals-may-threaten-us-national-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">engineered molecules</a>.



Though the focus is on oxygen, other factors matter too, such as temperature and access to metals or fuels. A planet may need stable conditions for life to progress to a point where industry becomes possible.



That said, Frank and Balbi’s findings highlight how oxygen stands out among these factors, because it directly enables combustion processes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fire-and-progress-in-earth-s-past">Fire and progress in Earth’s past</h2>



Earth’s own development through advances in technology offers insight into how vital oxygen has been for technical achievements.



Once our atmosphere had enough of it, humans learned to manipulate fire for cooking and for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-wooden-structure-completely-rewrites-early-human-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">making stronger materials</a>. 



From simple smithing to modern manufacturing, every stage of growth involved open-air combustion.



“You can have everything else work out, but if you don’t have oxygen in the atmosphere, you’re not going to have a technological species,” Frank says. 



This idea underlines how a single factor -- oxygen -- can open or close the door to industrial progress, altering a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/decarbonizing-worlds-industrial-emissions-possible-with-current-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet’s entire future path</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oxygen-technology-and-next-steps">Oxygen, technology, and next steps</h2>



Observatories now in the works may soon gather data about exoplanet atmospheres in detail. Detecting a high oxygen content could mark a world that supports advanced living organisms. 



The next task is to look for proof of industry or technology, sometimes called technosignatures. These might appear as chemical emissions, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-space-radio-signal-reaches-earth-after-8-billion-years-frb-20220610a/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radio signals</a>, or specific spectral lines.



If these two checks-- oxygen above 18 percent and evidence of artificial activity -- both yield results, we will have a strong indication that we share the universe with another technological civilization. 



That reality could reshape how we see ourselves and our place among the stars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter-0">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



Understanding the significance of atmospheric oxygen can also inspire reflection on our home planet. Human industries <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-from-fossil-fuels-kills-5-million-people-each-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rely heavily on combustion</a>, from running cars to powering factories. This has changed Earth’s ecosystems. 



As we learn more about how oxygen in an atmosphere enables or limits technology, we might gain new ideas on how to manage our own balance between growth and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-calls-for-global-change-to-stop-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental health</a>.



Ultimately, Frank and Balbi’s argument shows that oxygen may do far more than keep living cells alive. It might be the clearest signal of whether a planet can support the technologies that shape modern societies. 



By recognizing the 18 percent threshold, scientists can refine their search for advanced life and possibly move closer to answering the age-old question: Are we alone, or is someone else using fire to reshape their world?



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-023-02112-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Astronomy</a>.



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Oxygen levels on exoplanets reveal presence of alien technology

Scientists have long looked to oxygen when searching for signs of life beyond Earth. This gas sustains breathing and enables animals and plants to flourish. Now, researchers suggest that oxygen might also point to advanced technology. If an exoplanet’s atmosphere holds enough oxygen, it may not only support organisms but also help them spark fire, build structures, and craft machinery. A study in Nature Astronomy presents this view, highlighting oxygen’s value as more than just a sign of biology. Oxygen, civilization, and technology Leading this research are...

In a new study from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a>, researchers have discovered that progress on land conservation and sustainable development has outpaced efforts in marine environments, raising concerns about global inequality between high-income and low-income countries.&nbsp;



The study, published in the open-access journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.106420">iScience</a>, aimed to evaluate the progress made towards the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015, which seek to encourage global partnerships for sustainable development.



According to senior author Jianguo "Jack" Liu, MSU Rachel Carson Chair in Sustainability, keeping score of sustainability is important. "Making progress to maintain and improve life on Earth is a delicate balance in the telecoupled world," said Liu.



In the study, titled "Global Decadal Assessment of Life below Water and on Land," the researchers observed positive results in conservation efforts and the sustainable use of natural resources on land, especially in biodiversity hotspots such as Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Indonesia.



<h2 id="h-what-the-researchers-learned">What the researchers learned</h2>



However, contrary to expectations, progress in ocean sustainability slowed after 2015. Study lead author Yuqian Zhang, a PhD student at MSU's Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability (CSIS), explained that "a closer look shows that low-income countries lagged, and the gap between high-income and low-income countries became wider over time."&nbsp;



Zhang noted that efforts to prevent and reduce marine pollution and to share the economic benefits of sustainable marine resource use with small island developing states had barely improved.



Between 2010 and 2020, global biodiversity conservation and sustainable development achieved positive progress on both land and sea. The sustainable use of natural resources and the prevention of resource degradation and biodiversity loss doubled the sustainable development goal estimates for that decade.&nbsp;



However, the widening gap between wealthy and less affluent countries demands attention. High-income countries such as Croatia, Gambia, and Lithuania saw significant increases in metrics for life below water, while countries like Pakistan, Fiji, and Tonga experienced major decreases in water metrics.



The study highlights the importance of vigilance in understanding global progress at local and national levels and determining why some countries succeed while others falter.&nbsp;



Zhang emphasized the need to "take a holistic look and discover the drivers for sustainability successes." By gaining such insights, policymakers can design better-informed institutions for global biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.



Yingjie Li, a former MSU-CSIS PhD student now at Stanford University, joined Liu and Zhang in writing the article. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation and Michigan AgBioResearch.



<h2 id="h-more-about-sustainable-development">More about sustainable development</h2>



Sustainable development is a concept that aims to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is a holistic approach that integrates economic, social, and environmental aspects to promote long-term prosperity, wellbeing, and ecological balance. Sustainable development is critical to humanity and the environment for several reasons:



<h3 id="h-resource-management">Resource management</h3>



As the global population continues to grow, the demand for natural resources such as water, land, and energy also increases. Sustainable development encourages responsible use and management of these resources to ensure their availability for future generations.



<h3 id="h-climate-change-mitigation">Climate change mitigation</h3>



Sustainable development practices often promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. By adopting cleaner energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and promoting sustainable transportation, we can help mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on the environment and human life.



<h3 id="h-biodiversity-conservation">Biodiversity conservation</h3>



Biodiversity, or the variety of life on Earth, provides essential services to humanity, such as food, medicines, and ecosystem stability. Sustainable development practices aim to reduce habitat loss, overexploitation, and pollution, thereby conserving biodiversity and the benefits it provides.



<h3 id="h-social-equity">Social equity</h3>



Sustainable development is not just about environmental protection but also about ensuring social equity and justice. It seeks to address issues such as poverty, income inequality, and access to education and healthcare, promoting a more inclusive and equitable society.



<h3 id="h-economic-growth">Economic growth</h3>



By fostering innovation, creating green jobs, and encouraging resource efficiency, sustainable development can drive long-term economic growth. It can help transition economies toward more sustainable industries and consumption patterns, ensuring stability and prosperity for future generations.



<h3 id="h-improved-quality-of-life">Improved quality of life</h3>



Sustainable development practices can lead to better health, education, and overall wellbeing for individuals and communities. By reducing pollution, providing access to clean water, and promoting healthy lifestyles, sustainable development contributes to a higher quality of life for all.



<h3 id="h-resilience">Resilience</h3>



Sustainable development strengthens the ability of communities and ecosystems to adapt to change and recover from shocks, such as natural disasters or economic downturns. By promoting resilience, sustainable development helps ensure the long-term survival and wellbeing of both people and the environment.



In summary, sustainable development is a critical approach to securing the future of our planet and its inhabitants. By balancing economic, social, and environmental needs, sustainable development fosters long-term prosperity, wellbeing, and ecological balance, creating a better world for current and future generations.



—-



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Wealthy nations are making more progress toward sustainable development

In a new study from Michigan State University, researchers have...

Air pollution has long been considered a significant environmental concern, but its impact on human health is now coming to the forefront with new research.&nbsp;



A recent study published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.220929">Canadian Medical Association Journal</a> (CMAJ) has demonstrated a link between acute exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat.&nbsp;



This research comes from an analysis of data from 2025 hospitals across 322 Chinese cities, where air pollution levels are well above the <a href="https://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a>'s guidelines for air quality.



Arrhythmia, specifically atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, affects an estimated 59.7 million people worldwide and can progress to more severe heart disease. While air pollution has been recognized as a modifiable risk factor for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frequent-cannabis-use-can-lead-to-heart-disease/">heart disease</a>, its connection to arrhythmia has remained unclear.&nbsp;



To address this knowledge gap, Dr. Renjie Chen from the School of Public Health at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, along with his co-authors, embarked on a comprehensive analysis of this potential link.



The study included 190,115 patients with acute onset of symptomatic arrhythmia, encompassing atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, premature beats, and supraventricular tachycardia.&nbsp;



By evaluating hourly exposure to air pollution and the sudden onset of arrhythmia symptoms, the researchers were able to identify patterns and connections.



<h2 id="h-results-of-the-study">Results of the study</h2>



"We found that acute exposure to ambient air pollution was associated with increased risk of symptomatic arrhythmia," said Dr. Chen.



The risks associated with this exposure appear within the first few hours after exposure and could persist for up to 24 hours. The study also revealed that the relationship between six pollutants and four subtypes of arrhythmias was approximately linear, with no discernable thresholds of concentrations.



Among the six pollutants examined, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) had the strongest association with all four types of arrhythmias. Furthermore, the researchers found that the greater the exposure to air pollution, the stronger the association with arrhythmia.&nbsp;



The study's findings were most pronounced for atrial flutter and supraventricular tachycardia, followed by atrial fibrillation and premature beats.



The researchers acknowledge that the exact mechanisms behind this association remain unclear, but they suggest that air pollution may alter cardiac electrophysiological activities by inducing oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, affecting multiple membrane channels and impairing autonomic nervous function.&nbsp;



As the link between air pollution and acute onset of arrhythmia is immediate, the authors emphasize the need to protect at-risk populations during heavy air pollution.



In conclusion, the study highlights the importance of reducing exposure to air pollution and providing timely protection for susceptible populations worldwide.&nbsp;



This research adds to the growing body of evidence pointing to the adverse cardiovascular effects of air pollution, further underlining the urgency of addressing this global health risk.



<h2 id="h-more-about-air-pollution-and-human-health">More about air pollution and human health</h2>



Air pollution, human health, and the environment are intricately linked, with each aspect directly affecting the others. Air pollution refers to the presence of harmful substances in the atmosphere, which can result from both natural processes and human activities. Major sources of this type of pollution include emissions from industries, power plants, vehicles, and agricultural activities.



The connection between air pollution and human health has been well-established through numerous studies. Air pollution can lead to various short-term and long-term health issues, ranging from mild respiratory irritation to severe cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and even cancer.&nbsp;



Some of the primary pollutants that impact human health include particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ground-level ozone (O3), and lead (Pb).



Exposure to these pollutants can have serious health consequences, such as:



<h3 id="h-respiratory-issues">Respiratory issues</h3>



Air pollution can cause or aggravate respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. Inhaling particulate matter, for example, can lead to inflammation in the lungs and airways, making it difficult to breathe.



<h3 id="h-cardiovascular-problems">Cardiovascular problems</h3>



As seen in the study on arrhythmia mentioned earlier, air pollution can increase the risk of heart diseases. It can lead to inflammation in blood vessels, elevated blood pressure, and the formation of blood clots, potentially resulting in heart attacks and strokes.



<h3 id="h-neurological-disorders">Neurological disorders</h3>



Emerging evidence suggests that air pollution may also affect the nervous system, increasing the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in adults.



<h3 id="h-premature-death">Premature death</h3>



Long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with a higher risk of premature death. A 2015 study estimated that outdoor air pollution contributed to 4.2 million premature deaths globally.



The environment also suffers from the effects of air pollution. Some of the key environmental impacts include:



<h3 id="h-acid-rain">Acid rain</h3>



Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) released into the atmosphere can react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form acid rain. This acidic precipitation can harm aquatic life, soil quality, and vegetation, ultimately disrupting ecosystems.



<h3 id="h-eutrophication">Eutrophication</h3>



Nitrogen oxides released from human activities can contribute to eutrophication, a process where excessive nutrients accumulate in water bodies. This can lead to algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and the death of aquatic organisms.



<h3 id="h-ozone-depletion">Ozone depletion</h3>



Some air pollutants, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), can damage the ozone layer, which protects Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Increased UV radiation can have adverse effects on human health, such as skin cancer and cataracts, and disrupt ecosystems.



<h3 id="h-climate-change">Climate change</h3>



Air pollutants like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) are greenhouse gases that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change. Climate change can lead to more frequent and severe weather events, sea-level rise, and loss of biodiversity.



To mitigate the adverse effects of air pollution on human health and the environment, it is crucial to implement effective air quality management strategies, reduce emissions from various sources, and promote sustainable practices such as the use of renewable energy and public transportation.



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More research proves that air pollution causes heart problems

Air pollution has long been considered a significant environmental concern,...

Amidst the chaos of ever-changing diet trends, determining which ones genuinely promote heart health can be a daunting task. But now, a recent scientific statement published in the American Heart Association journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001146">Circulation</a>, offers valuable insight and guidance.



The researchers evaluated the heart-healthy elements of ten popular diets, revealing that while many align closely with the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association</a>'s dietary guidance, some fall short.



Dr. Christopher D. Gardner is the chair of the writing committee for the new scientific statement and a professor of Medicine at Stanford University. He noted that the multitude of diets and the misinformation surrounding them have reached unprecedented levels.



"The public - and even many health care professionals - may rightfully be confused about heart-healthy eating, and they may feel that they don’t have the time or the training to evaluate the different diets. We hope this statement serves as a tool for clinicians and the public to understand which diets promote good cardiometabolic health,” said Dr. Gardner.



The term "cardiometabolic health" refers to a group of factors that affect metabolism - the body's processes for breaking down nutrients in food and building and repairing tissues to maintain normal function - and the risk of heart and vascular disease. These factors encompass blood glucose, cholesterol and other lipids, blood pressure, and body weight. Abnormal levels of one factor can increase the risk for heart disease, but when multiple factors are abnormal, the risk of heart disease is compounded, often leading to more severe disease.



The statement evaluates the alignment of popular dietary patterns with the American Heart Association's Dietary Guidance. This guidance includes ten key features of a dietary pattern designed to improve cardiometabolic health, with a focus on limiting unhealthy fats and reducing the intake of excess carbohydrates.&nbsp;



The study is the first of its kind to analyze how closely popular dietary patterns conform to these features. Importantly, the guidance is designed to be adaptable to individual budgets, personal tastes, and cultural preferences.



<h2 id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



The experts reviewed the defining characteristics of several long-term dietary patterns, which were grouped by similarity into ten categories:&nbsp;



<ol>
<li>DASH-style</li>



<li>Mediterranean-style</li>



<li>Vegetarian-style/Pescatarian</li>



<li>Vegetarian-style/Ovo/Lacto</li>



<li>Vegetarian-style/Vegan&nbsp;</li>



<li>Low-fat&nbsp;</li>



<li>Very low-fat&nbsp;</li>



<li>Low-carbohydrate</li>



<li>Paleolithic</li>



<li>Very low-carbohydrate/ketogenic diets</li>
</ol>



Each diet was assessed against nine of the ten features of the American Heart Association's guidance for a heart-healthy eating pattern. The defining features of the diets were assigned points based on their alignment with the Association's guidance.



<h2 id="h-results-of-the-analysis">Results of the analysis&nbsp;</h2>



<h3 id="h-tier-1-comprised-the-highest-rated-eating-plans-with-scores-surpassing-85">Tier 1 comprised the highest-rated eating plans with scores surpassing 85</h3>



Among the top performers were the DASH-style eating pattern, which earned a perfect score by meeting all the AHA's guidance. These top-tier diets are flexible, offering a broad array of healthy foods, low in salt, added sugar, alcohol, tropical oils, and processed foods. They're rich in non-starchy vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. Protein sources in these patterns tend to be mostly plant-based, supplemented with fish, seafood, lean poultry and meats, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products.



The Mediterranean-style diet also received high marks, though it fell slightly short of the DASH pattern as it doesn't explicitly address added salt and includes moderate alcohol consumption. Vegetarian-style diets, including Pescatarian and those that incorporate eggs and dairy, also ranked highly.&nbsp;



“If implemented as intended, the top-tier dietary patterns align best with the American Heart Association’s guidance and may be adapted to respect cultural practices, food preferences and budgets to enable people to always eat this way, for the long term," said Dr. Gardner.



<h3 id="h-tier-2-with-scores-between-75-and-85-included-vegan-and-low-fat-diets">Tier 2, with scores between 75 and 85, included Vegan and low-fat diets</h3>



These diets also emphasize consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and nuts while limiting alcohol and added sugars. However, the restrictions in the vegan eating pattern may make it challenging to follow long-term, potentially increasing the risk of vitamin B-12 deficiency, leading to anemia.&nbsp;



Low-fat diets often treat all fats equally, whereas the AHA guidance recommends replacing saturated fat with healthier fats. Those following a low-fat diet may risk overconsuming less healthy carbohydrates, but these factors can be mitigated with proper counseling and education.



<h3 id="h-tier-3-with-scores-between-55-and-74-included-very-low-fat-and-low-carb-diets">Tier 3, with scores between 55 and 74, included very low-fat and low-carb diets</h3>



Although some people may be drawn to very low-fat diets due to their potential to slow the progression of fatty artery buildup, and while healthy low-carb diets have been shown to affect weight loss, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol similarly to healthy low-fat diets, these patterns do restrict food groups emphasized in the AHA's guidance.&nbsp;



Very low-fat diets may lead to deficiencies of vitamin B-12, essential fatty acids, and protein, while low-carb diets often result in decreased fiber intake and increased saturated fat consumption. The statement suggests that loosening restrictions on certain food groups may promote long-term adherence and heart health.



<h3 id="h-tier-4-with-scores-less-than-55-included-paleolithic-and-very-low-carb-ketogenic-diets">Tier 4, with scores less than 55, included Paleolithic and very low-carb/Ketogenic diets</h3>



These diets, often followed for weight loss, align poorly with the AHA's guidance. Despite their emphasis on consuming non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and fish, and minimizing alcohol and added sugar, these diets restrict fruits, whole grains, and legumes, leading to reduced fiber intake. Additionally, they are high in fat without limiting saturated fat, which is linked to the development of cardiovascular disease.



“There really isn’t any way to follow the Tier 4 diets as intended and still be aligned with the American Heart Association’s Dietary Guidance,” said Dr. Gardner. “They are highly restrictive and difficult for most people to stick with long term. While there will likely be short-term benefits and substantial weight loss, it isn’t sustainable. A diet that’s effective at helping an individual maintain weight loss goals, from a practical perspective, needs to be sustainable.”



<h2 id="h-more-tips-for-healthy-eating">More tips for healthy eating</h2>



Maintaining a balanced diet is essential for promoting good health and well-being. Here are some additional tips for healthy eating:



<h3 id="h-eat-a-variety-of-foods">Eat a Variety of Foods</h3>



No single food contains all the essential nutrients needed by the body. Therefore, consuming a wide range of different foods including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and dairy (or dairy alternatives) is key to maintaining good health.



<h3 id="h-stay-hydrated">Stay Hydrated</h3>



Water plays a vital role in nearly every bodily function. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. However, needs can vary based on activity level, age, and climate.



<h3 id="h-control-portion-sizes">Control Portion Sizes</h3>



Pay attention to portion sizes to avoid overeating. Even healthy foods can lead to weight gain when consumed in excessive amounts.



<h3 id="h-limit-added-sugars">Limit Added Sugars</h3>



Foods and drinks with added sugars can contribute to weight gain and tooth decay. Try to limit consumption of these products and opt for natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables instead.



<h3 id="h-eat-regular-meals">Eat Regular Meals</h3>



Skipping meals, especially breakfast, can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in helpless overeating. Regular meals help maintain energy levels and control appetite.



<h3 id="h-consume-healthy-fats">Consume Healthy Fats</h3>



Not all fats are bad. Unsaturated fats, like those found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and fish, are beneficial for heart health.



<h3 id="h-limit-salt-intake">Limit Salt Intake</h3>



High sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Aim to consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, which is about one teaspoon of salt.



<h3 id="h-plan-your-meals">Plan Your Meals&nbsp;</h3>



Planning meals ahead of time can help ensure a balanced diet and avoid last-minute unhealthy food choices.



<h3 id="h-include-fiber-in-your-diet">Include Fiber in Your Diet</h3>



Dietary fiber can help maintain a healthy weight and lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer. Good sources include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.



<h3 id="h-read-food-labels">Read Food Labels&nbsp;</h3>



Understanding food labels can help you make healthier choices. Check for ingredients, serving sizes, and nutrient information.



Remember, a healthy diet is most effective when combined with regular physical activity. Always consult with a healthcare professional or dietitian if you need specific dietary advice or have any health concerns.



—-



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Scientists break down the best heart-healthy diets

Amidst the chaos of ever-changing diet trends, determining which ones...

As the western North American forests, particularly those adapted to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/repeated-fires-reduce-the-ability-of-forests-to-store-carbon/">fires</a>, experience a drastic shift in their fire regimes, the effects on the various species that call these forests home are starting to emerge. This shift, characterized by a deviation from historic norms, has seen an increase in large, high-severity fires.&nbsp;



The impacts of wildfire on some species have been devastating, while the responses of others remain largely unknown, particularly over longer time scales. The mountain quail, a widely distributed species in California's Sierra Nevada, is one such creature whose response to wildfires has been ambiguous, until now.



The mountain quail is not just a unique presence in the Sierra Nevada, but also a recreationally-valued management indicator species. These birds have an elusive nature, largely attributed to their preference for dense habitats, high elevations and steep slopes, which makes them notoriously difficult to study.&nbsp;



A recent study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s42408-023-00180-9">Fire Ecology</a>, has investigated the relationship between mountain quail habitats and fire ecology. The research was a collective effort of scientists from the <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/">Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a>, the University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Montana.



In an effort to map the distribution and habitat preferences of the mountain quail, the experts deployed 1,636 autonomous recording units across approximately 22,000 square kilometers of the Sierra Nevada.&nbsp;



The analysis revealed that mountain quail are more common than previously assumed, with their mean occupancy hovering around 50 percent across the study sites. The researchers were surprised to find positive associations between areas that had been subjected to high-severity fires and mountain quail occupancy.



Interestingly, mountain quail seemed most positively associated with areas that had experienced high-severity fire in the last six to ten years. However, positive associations were also found in areas with high-severity fires that had occurred anywhere between one and 35 years prior.



These results come at a time when future fire regimes in the Sierra Nevada are expected to see more frequent and larger high-severity fires. While this has been projected to adversely affect many iconic Sierra Nevada species, it appears the mountain quail may prove to be an exception.



"Our work demonstrates that high-severity fire is strongly and positively related to mountain quail occupancy, which is a markedly different response than previously studied species that are also of management concern in the Sierra Nevada. Taken together, our results suggest that mountain quail may actually be 'winners' in the face of altered fire regimes in the Sierra Nevada," wrote the researchers.



"Given the forecasted intensification of large, severe wildfires in many fire-adapted forests, understanding the ecology and nuanced fire responses of species beyond those that have been historically considered is an important and time-sensitive effort. The relationship between mountain quail and high-severity fire is a reminder that there will be both winners and losers as the dynamics of wildfire change in the era of climate change."



<h2 id="h-more-about-fires-in-the-western-united-states">More about fires in the Western United States</h2>



The Western United States has a long-standing relationship with wildfires, largely due to its climate and vegetation types. Over the last few decades, however, the severity and frequency of these fires have been on the rise, largely attributed to climate change and human activities.



The region's Mediterranean climate, characterized by warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters, provides the perfect conditions for fires to ignite and spread. This is especially true in areas dominated by fire-prone vegetation such as chaparral and conifer forests.



In recent years, the region has been grappling with prolonged periods of drought, which have been exacerbated by rising global temperatures. These harsh conditions cause vegetation to dry out, making it easier for fires to ignite and spread rapidly.



Human activities have also played a role in the escalating wildfire crisis. Urban expansion into wildland areas, known as the wildland-urban interface, has increased the risk of fire ignitions. Simultaneously, decades of fire suppression policies have resulted in an accumulation of vegetation in many forests, effectively providing more fuel for fires when they do occur.



The impact of these wildfires can be devastating, leading to loss of life, property, and extensive damage to ecosystems. They also contribute to air pollution, which can have far-reaching effects on human health.



However, it's important to note that fire, in its natural state, plays a crucial role in many western ecosystems. It helps recycle nutrients, encourages the growth of certain plant species, and can help control pests and diseases. Some species, such as the lodgepole pine, even require fire for their seeds to germinate.



Going forward, experts suggest that managing this escalating wildfire crisis will require a combination of strategies. These could include forest management practices that reduce the accumulation of vegetation, designing and planning communities to be more fire-resistant, and adapting firefighting strategies to deal with the realities of a changing climate.



The situation underscores the delicate balance that exists between human activities, natural ecosystems, and the changing climate. As we continue to see the effects of climate change, understanding and managing wildfires in the Western United States will remain a significant challenge.



<h2 id="h-the-future-of-wildfires">The future of wildfires</h2>



The future of wildfires, particularly in the context of the Western United States, is a topic that's increasingly gaining attention from scientists, policymakers, and communities alike. As climate change continues to intensify, it's likely that the patterns of wildfire we're seeing today will change, potentially becoming more frequent and severe.



One of the most significant factors influencing the future of wildfires is climate change. Rising global temperatures have already been linked to more prolonged periods of drought and higher rates of evaporation, causing vegetation to dry out and become more susceptible to burning. This trend is expected to continue, making fire seasons longer and potentially more destructive.



Additionally, climate change is influencing weather patterns, leading to more extreme weather events, including high winds and lightning storms, which can quickly ignite and spread wildfires. It's predicted that such weather events will become more frequent and intense in the future, further escalating the risk of wildfires.



Human activities will also continue to shape the future of wildfires. Urban development is encroaching further into wildland areas, creating what's known as the wildland-urban interface, where the risk of wildfires is significantly higher. This interface is expected to expand as population growth and housing demand continue, resulting in more human-started fires.



However, the future of wildfires is not entirely bleak. There's growing recognition of the need to adapt our practices and policies to the new wildfire reality. For instance, forest management practices are evolving to incorporate controlled or "prescribed" burns that reduce the buildup of vegetation and mitigate the risk of larger, uncontrolled fires. These practices are inspired by Indigenous land management techniques that have been used for thousands of years.



Fire-resistant construction and landscaping are also becoming more prevalent, particularly in high-risk areas. Community planning and development regulations are starting to reflect the need to live more safely with fire.



Finally, advancements in technology are providing us with better tools for predicting, detecting, and responding to wildfires. For example, improved climate modeling can help anticipate future fire seasons, satellite technology can quickly detect new fires, and machine learning algorithms can help predict a fire's path.



While the future of wildfires is a significant concern, it's a challenge that we're not facing blindly. By combining our growing understanding of fire behavior, climate change, and forest ecology with advancements in technology and evolving policy, we can hope to mitigate the worst effects of future wildfires.



—-



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Severe wildfires could prove beneficial for mountain quail

As the western North American forests, particularly those adapted to...

Over the past few decades, a large number of Germany’s animal populations in agricultural landscapes have experienced sharp declines, both in the number of individuals and species. According to a recent study published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14400">Journal of Applied Ecology</a>, fallow land – arable land left without sowing for one or more vegetative cycles – appears to be an effective method for slowing this decline and promoting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-diversity-suffers-in-urban-environments/">bird diversity</a>.



The experts investigated the correlation between the proportion of fallow land and the number and abundance of farmland birds during a period of nine years. They discovered that areas of fallow land have contributed to a significant increase in these birds’ populations.&nbsp;



Nevertheless, the benefits of fallow land were found to depend on the complexity of the surrounding landscape, measured by the density of boundary lines between fields, as well as between fields and adjacent woody structures such as hedges or forest edges.



The analysis revealed that establishing areas of fallow land is most effective in agricultural landscapes with a medium level of structural complexity, with an average density of around 65 meters per hectare of agricultural land.&nbsp;



“Our research enabled us to identify regions where fallow land should preferably be established in order to have the greatest effect,” said study co-author Sebastian Klimek, an expert in the conservation of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes at the <a href="https://www.thuenen.de/en/">Thünen Institute of Biodiversity</a>.



“In order to stop declining populations of farmland birds nationwide, it is necessary to maintain a minimum proportion of fallow land in the agricultural landscape,” added senior author Johannes Kamp, a landscape ecologist and conservation scientist at the <a href="https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/1.html">University of Göttingen</a>.



The total area of fallow land in Germany is largely determined by EU’s <a href="https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy/cap-overview/cap-glance_en">Common Agricultural Policy</a> (CAP). Due to changes in this policy, the amount of fallow land in Germany has decreased substantially since the early 2000s, leading to a lack of suitable breeding sites and food for a variety of bird species. 



Although the “greening” of the last CAP funding period has slightly increased the area of fallow land from 2015, the current amount of such land remains far below the levels observed before 2007.



Fortunately, in the new CAP support period starting this year, farms will be obliged to set aside four percent of their arable land, which could contribute to increases in farmland bird populations. However, in order to restore their pre-2007 levels and thus enhance biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, a further increase would be required.



—



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Fallow land can help save farmland birds

Over the past few decades, a large number of Germany’s...

As global temperatures continue to rise, urban areas are facing increased levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/at-what-point-does-heat-stress-become-dangerous/">heat stress</a>. While cities are generally warmer and drier than rural areas, in the Global South, humidity represents another complicating factor. By using observational data and an urban climate model calculation, a team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> has recently investigated the combined impact of temperature and humidity on urban heat stress.&nbsp;



The analysis revealed that heat stress is highly dependent on local climate, and humidity can erase the cooling effect that would come from trees and other vegetation.



“A widely held view is that urban residents suffer more heat burden than the general population owing to the urban heat island phenomenon. This view is incomplete because it omits another ubiquitous urban microclimate phenomenon called the urban dry island - that urban land tends to be less humid than the surrounding rural land,” said study senior author Xuhui Lee, a professor of Meteorology at Yale.



“In dry, temperate, and boreal climates, urban residents are actually less heat-stressed than rural residents. But in the humid Global South, the urban heat island is dominant over the urban dry island, resulting in two to six extra dangerous heat stress days per summer.”



Since a large percentage of the population currently lives in urban settings (about 55 percent of the world’s population), and many people do not have access to air conditioning while temperatures continue to rise, clarifying which factors affect urban climates is necessary.&nbsp;



According to the experts, urban land modifies both air temperature and air humidity, which have equal weight in heat stress as measured by the so-called “wet-bulb temperature index,” which does not weigh temperature more heavily than humidity as other heat indexes.



These findings raise a series of important questions. “Green vegetation can lower air temperature via water evaporation, but it can also increase heat burden because of air humidity. The question then is to what extent this humidifying effect erases the cooling benefit arising from temperature reduction. We hope to answer this question in a follow-up study, where we are comparing observations of the wet-bulb temperature in urban greenspaces (with dense tree cover) and those in built-up neighborhoods,” said Lee.



Further research is needed to find efficient ways of mitigating heat stress in urban settings. “Our diagnostic analysis on the urban wet-bulb island found that enhancing urban convection efficiency (the efficiency in dissipating heat and water) and reducing heat storage at night can reduce daytime and nighttime urban humid heat, respectively. We hope that our work will promote more research on optimizing urban shapes and materials for better thermal comforts,” concluded lead author Keer Zhang, a PhD student in Environmental Sciences at Yale.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05911-1">Nature</a>.



—



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Humidity increases urban heat stress

As global temperatures continue to rise, urban areas are facing...

A recent study from the <a href="https://web.ub.edu/en/web/ub/">University of Barcelona</a> has revealed new details about the cognitive skills of ungulates, a group of mammals that includes dromedaries, horses, and goats. These creatures are known for walking on the tips of their toes or hooves, and their innovative ability has been largely unexplored compared to more common study subjects like primates.



The researchers, led by Álvaro López Caicoya, found that ungulates who were less integrated into their social groups and exhibited a greater fear of new objects were more adept at solving the challenge of opening a food container.&nbsp;



"These findings are in line with recent scientific literature about wild and captive primates, and they show that less socially integrated individuals are less likely to obtain resources such as food, but they are more likely to overcome neophobia - aversion to new things - to improve their situation," explained Caicoya. "Also, this confirms that ungulates are a promising taxon to test evolutionary theories with a comparative approach."



Caicoya explained that most comparative studies on the evolution of cognitive abilities have focused on birds and primates. However, the evolutionary pressures faced by animals are not always the same. Exploring the cognitive abilities of other species like ungulates is "essential for understanding the limits and the generalization of specific evolutionary hypotheses."



The research, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.2384">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>, also involved Montserrat Colell of <a href="http://www.neurociencies.ub.edu/">UBneuro</a>, as well as experts from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of Leipzig in Germany.



The investigation was focused on 111 animals from 13 different species of ungulates, including goats, dromedaries, Przewalki horses, giraffes, llamas, sheep, and deer, which lived in captivity in zoos. Each group of animals was tasked with opening a container filled with their favorite food, a challenge designed to test their problem-solving abilities.



In the experiment, the researchers found that dromedaries and goats were the most skilled at opening the container, with 86 and 69 percent of individuals succeeding, respectively.&nbsp;



“Most of them opened the containers using their nose, muzzle or lips; only nine out of these forty animals used more than one strategy to solve the challenge, such as lifting the cover gently with their lips or throwing the cup to the floor," explained the researchers.



This groundbreaking study is one of the first of its kind to investigate the cognitive abilities of ungulates, and Caicoya emphasizes the importance of conducting more research that includes a wider variety of species, both captive and wild, as well as more complex challenges. "The ungulates are an exceptional model for comparative research, and this study is only a first approach to the cognition of these species," said Caicoya.



As our understanding of animal cognition expands, it is crucial to consider the unique characteristics and cognitive abilities of various species to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary pressures and adaptations that shape animal behavior. This research serves as an important step in broadening the scope of comparative cognitive research and shedding light on the fascinating world of ungulates.



<h2 id="h-more-about-ungulates">More about ungulates&nbsp;</h2>



Ungulates are a diverse group of large mammals that are most distinguished by their hooves, which are essentially the tips of their toes. The term "ungulate" comes from the Latin word "ungula", which means "hoof". They are spread across several orders and are found all around the world. The group includes several well-known and diverse species such as horses, cattle, pigs, giraffes, camels, deer, and hippopotamuses.



Historically, ungulates were divided into two groups: the odd-toed ungulates (Perissodactyla), which include horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs, and the even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla), which include cattle, pigs, giraffes, camels, deer, and hippopotamuses.&nbsp;



However, modern taxonomic understandings based on genetics rather than physical characteristics have reorganized these groups. For instance, whales and dolphins are now classified as even-toed ungulates due to genetic similarities with this group.



Ungulates play vital roles in their ecosystems. Many are herbivores and are key in controlling vegetation and shaping landscapes. Some are prey for large predators, and their movements and population dynamics can influence predator populations. Many ungulates are also significant to humans economically and culturally, as sources of meat, milk, leather, and as beasts of burden.



Despite the diversity within this group, there are some common traits that many ungulates share. They tend to be large-bodied and have barrel-shaped bodies adapted to processing large amounts of food, particularly plant matter. They often have long legs, which allow them to outrun predators, and they have well-developed senses to detect threats. Many ungulates also have complex social structures and can exhibit a wide range of behaviors.



<h2 id="h-animals-and-innovation">Animals and innovation&nbsp;</h2>



Innovation is often associated with human endeavors, particularly in technology and business. However, animals also display innovative behaviors, primarily as adaptations for survival, foraging, and social interactions. These innovations are often triggered by changes in the environment, competition for resources, or changes in social structure.



<h3 id="h-animal-innovation-can-take-many-forms">Animal innovation can take many forms:</h3>



<h4 id="h-tool-use">Tool Use</h4>



Certain animals use tools innovatively to acquire food and other resources. The most famous example is probably the New Caledonian crow, which can shape plant matter into hooks to extract insects from tree bark. Similarly, chimpanzees use sticks to extract termites from mounds and rocks to crack open nuts. Dolphins have been observed using sponges to protect their noses while foraging on the sea floor.



<h4 id="h-foraging-strategies">Foraging Strategies</h4>



Animals often develop new foraging strategies in response to changes in their environment or the availability of food. For example, urban foxes and raccoons have adapted to life in human cities, developing new strategies to find and exploit food resources. Another example is humpback whales, who use a technique known as bubble-net feeding, which involves blowing a ring of bubbles around a school of fish to trap them.



<h4 id="h-social-interactions">Social Interactions</h4>



In social species, innovative behaviors can also occur in the context of social interactions. For example, in meerkat societies, older siblings have been observed teaching younger ones how to handle dangerous prey like scorpions. This teaching behavior is not innate but learned, showing a kind of cultural innovation.



<h4 id="h-problem-solving">Problem Solving</h4>



Many animals are capable of innovative problem-solving. A famous example is Alex, the African Grey Parrot, who was trained by animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg. Alex could understand and use human language to an extent, and he was capable of solving relatively complex problems. Cephalopods like octopuses also show significant problem-solving abilities, such as escaping from closed containers or manipulating objects to obtain food.



<h4 id="h-adaptation-to-human-environments">Adaptation to Human Environments</h4>



Many animals have shown the ability to adapt to human-made environments, often in innovative ways. For example, pigeons in urban areas often use human traffic to help them crack open nuts, while some birds have been known to use cigarette butts in their nests as a form of pest control.



Studying animal innovation can provide insights into animal cognition, the evolution of intelligence, and the adaptability of species to changing environments. It also raises interesting questions about the nature of culture and invention beyond the human species.



—-



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Animals that are the least social may be the most innovative 

A recent study from the University of Barcelona has revealed...

The global decline of insect populations has become increasingly evident in recent years, with not just a decrease in individual insect numbers but also a collapse in insect diversity. A special issue of the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2023.0007">Biology Letters</a> has been published to provide a comprehensive understanding of the causes and consequences of this alarming trend.



The special issue was edited by Dr. Florian Menzel from the Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), Professor Martin Gossner of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), and Dr. Nadja Simons of TU Darmstadt.



The experts concluded that the primary drivers of the worldwide insect decline are land-use intensification, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-affects-ground-squirrels-in-unexpected-ways/">climate change</a>, and the spread of invasive animal species due to human trade.&nbsp;



"Our aim was not to document insect population declines but to better understand their causes and consequences," said Dr. Menzel. The researchers also aimed to prompt new studies on the subject by collaborating with international researchers to gather information on insect declines.



The results suggest that not only do land-use intensification, global warming, and the dispersal of invasive species contribute individually to the disappearance of insects, but they also interact with one another.&nbsp;



"Ecosystems deteriorated by humans are more susceptible to climate change and so are their insect communities," explained Dr. Menzel.



Additionally, invasive species can more easily establish themselves in habitats damaged by human activity, displacing native species. As a result, while many insect species decline or become extinct, a few others, including invasive species, thrive and increase. This decreases diversity among insect communities across habitats.&nbsp;



Specialized insect species suffer the most from these changes, while more generalized species tend to survive. "This is why we are now finding more insects capable of living nearly anywhere while those species that need specific habitats are on the wane," said Dr. Menzel.



The consequences of this development are far-reaching and generally detrimental for ecosystems. A decline in insect diversity threatens the stability of ecosystems, as fewer species are available to pollinate plants and control pests. This, in turn, means there is less food available for insect-eating birds and other animals, placing their continued existence at risk due to the decline in insect numbers.



To address this issue, Menzel, Gossner, and Simons propose standardized techniques to monitor insect diversity across multiple habitats and countries, particularly in regions where little is known about insect populations.&nbsp;



The experts also advocate for the creation of a network of interconnected nature reserves to allow species to move from one habitat to another. This would enable less heat-tolerant insects to migrate from areas affected by global warming to higher elevations or cooler regions in the north.



Moreover, the researchers emphasize the importance of implementing measures to reduce the dispersal of invasive animal and plant species through globalized trade and tourism.&nbsp;



"This is another problem that has become extremely serious in the last decades," concluded Dr. Menzel. The special issue highlights the invasion of non-native insectivorous fishes in Brazil as an example, which has led to a significant decline in freshwater insects.



<h2 id="h-which-insects-are-disappearing">Which insects are disappearing?</h2>



As of September 2021, the most rapidly declining insects include bees, butterflies, and moths, largely due to habitat loss, pesticide exposure, and climate change.



<h3 id="h-bees">Bees</h3>



Bees, particularly honeybees and bumblebees, are facing significant declines across the globe. These pollinators are essential for many ecosystems and for agricultural production. Reasons for their decline include loss of flower-rich habitats, exposure to harmful pesticides (neonicotinoids, in particular), diseases, parasites, and climate change.



<h3 id="h-butterflies-and-moths">Butterflies and Moths</h3>



These are also experiencing rapid declines, with many species becoming increasingly rare. Habitat loss, intensive agriculture, pesticides, light pollution, and climate change all contribute to their dwindling numbers.



<h3 id="h-beetles">Beetles</h3>



Some species of beetles, such as certain types of dung beetles, are also facing significant declines. These insects play a crucial role in decomposition and nutrient recycling, and their loss can have profound effects on ecosystem functioning.



<h3 id="h-aquatic-insects">Aquatic insects</h3>



Freshwater ecosystems are under great pressure from pollution, habitat destruction, invasive species, and climate change. This has led to declines in many species of aquatic insects, such as dragonflies and mayflies.



<h3 id="h-insectivorous-insects">Insectivorous insects</h3>



Certain species that rely on other insects for food, like certain types of ants and ladybugs, are also seeing their numbers decline as their food sources become less abundant.



It's important to note that while some insect species are declining, others may be increasing, potentially leading to a shift in community composition and ecosystem function. Also, data on insect declines is much stronger for some regions (like Europe and North America) compared to others, so global patterns may vary.



<h2 id="h-climate-change-and-global-insect-decline">Climate change and global insect decline </h2>



Climate change affects insects in several ways, primarily through alterations in temperature, precipitation patterns, and the timing of seasonal events. Here are some key impacts:



<h3 id="h-temperature-changes">Temperature Changes</h3>



Many insects are ectotherms, meaning their body temperature and metabolic rates are directly influenced by the environment. Warmer temperatures can accelerate their life cycles, but extreme heat can also be lethal. Conversely, some insects may expand their range into previously cooler regions as those areas warm up.



<h3 id="h-altered-seasonal-timing">Altered Seasonal Timing</h3>



Many insects synchronize their life cycles with specific seasonal events, like the blooming of certain plants or the availability of prey. Changes in the timing of these events due to climate change, a phenomenon known as phenological mismatch, can have detrimental effects. For example, if insects hatch after their primary food sources are available, it can lead to high mortality rates.



<h3 id="h-habitat-loss">Habitat Loss</h3>



Climate change can lead to habitat loss for certain insects. For example, insects adapted to cold mountain environments may "run out of mountain" as their habitable zones shift upward with warming temperatures. Similarly, insects living in coastal areas may lose habitat due to sea-level rise.



<h3 id="h-drought-and-precipitation-changes">Drought and Precipitation Changes</h3>



Changes in rainfall patterns can affect insect populations. Drought can reduce food availability and breeding sites, while increased rainfall can drown insects or lead to disease outbreaks.



<h3 id="h-changes-in-plant-communities">Changes in Plant Communities</h3>



Climate change can lead to shifts in plant communities, which can affect plant-dependent insects. For example, changes in plant nutritional quality due to elevated CO2 levels can impact herbivorous insects.



<h3 id="h-increased-extreme-events">Increased Extreme Events</h3>



More frequent and intense extreme weather events, such as storms, floods, and heatwaves, can directly kill insects or destroy their habitats.



<h3 id="h-interactions-with-other-stressors">Interactions with Other Stressors</h3>



Climate change can exacerbate the impacts of other stressors like habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species, leading to additive or multiplicative effects on insect populations.



The specific impacts of climate change on insects can vary widely depending on the species and its particular ecology, life history, and geographical location.



—-



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Global insect decline: What are the causes and consequences?

The global decline of insect populations has become increasingly evident...

A recent study led by <a href="https://www.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a> has found that sections of the Chesapeake Bay are sinking at a rate of nearly seven millimeters per year. Unfortunately, up-to-date knowledge of where the ground is sinking and by how much is currently not included in the official planning maps which authorities use to assess the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-flood-risks-plague-the-us-housing-market/">flooding risk</a> from rising sea levels.&nbsp;



This phenomenon poses a significant challenge to present and future management efforts, which are likely to either underestimate or overestimate flooding risk to coastal communities from the Virginia shoreline.



The scientists used interferometric imaging with synthetic aperture radar from the Earth’s orbit to measure how much the land along the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/ice-in-the-chesapeake-bay/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chesapeake Bay’s shoreline</a> had sunk between 2007 and 2020. By using this data, they estimated potential flooding through the 21st century caused by land elevation changes, sea level rise, and storm surges.



“Although we found that most of the bay is sinking by less than 2 millimeters a year, in several areas we discovered subsidence rates of 4 to 5 millimeters per year and more,” said study lead author Sonam Futi Sherpa, a doctoral student in Geosciences at Virginia Tech.&nbsp;



Some hotspots of land subsidence occurring at a relatively higher rate and further exacerbating the effects of sea level rise and storm surges include Norfolk, Newport News, and Virginia Beach (parts of Chesapeake Bay's Hampton Roads). While many of these hotspots are sites of intense anthropogenic activity, such as groundwater pumping causing the compaction of aquifer systems, some of them are areas where land is lost due to erosion.



When examining various sea-level rise scenarios compounded with the effects of land subsidence, the scientists found that, by the end of the century, between 454 and 600 square kilometers will face a significant risk of flooding. In addition, massive storm surges such as 2003’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/hurricane-isabel-north-atlantic-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hurricane Isabel</a> could increase the flooded area from 849 to 1,117 square kilometers under a very high greenhouse emissions scenario.



“There are many estimates and models for sea-level rise, but they all fall short because they don’t take into account land elevation changes,” said co-author Manoochcher Shirzaei, an associate professor of Radar Remote Sensing Engineering and Environmental Security at Virginia Tech.&nbsp;



“When formerly dry land becomes flooded, it causes saltwater contamination of surface and underground water, and it accelerates coastal erosion and wetland losses. The flooding hazards maps of the Chesapeake Bay area need to be updated with the measurements of land elevation changes and updated projections of sea level rise.”



According to the researchers, sinking ground along the shoreline significantly magnifies the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-level-rise-will-cause-widespread-impacts-sooner-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea level rise</a>: as the ground goes down and the sea level comes up, flood waters will go much further inland. However, since various locations face different rates of land subsidence, long-term solutions to mitigate emergent problems should be tailored to each individual situation.



“Adaptation to relative sea level rises comprises three main categories of defense: protection, accommodation, and retreat. And coastal communities can choose and pick from a long list of options, such as upgrading protection facilities (e.g. dams), raising lands, maintaining and restoring wetlands protection, controlling subsidence, improving flood resiliency, selective relocation of important infrastructure, and installing flood warning systems,” Shirzaei concluded.



<h2 id="h-more-about-sea-level-rise">More about sea level rise</h2>



Sea level rise refers to the increase in the average global sea level, primarily driven by the melting of ice sheets and glaciers, as well as the expansion of seawater due to rising temperatures. This phenomenon is a significant consequence of climate change and poses substantial challenges to both human societies and the environment.



<h3>Impacts on humanity</h3>



<h4>Coastal flooding</h4>



As sea levels rise, the frequency and intensity of coastal flooding events increase, threatening the lives and properties of millions of people living in low-lying coastal areas.



<h4>Erosion and loss of land</h4>



Shorelines recede due to increased erosion, leading to the loss of valuable land, including agricultural fields, residential areas, and infrastructure.



<h4>Displacement of populations</h4>



Rising sea levels can lead to the permanent inundation of coastal areas, forcing millions of people to relocate. Climate refugees may face social, economic, and political challenges as they seek new homes.



<h4>Damage to infrastructure</h4>



Critical infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and power plants, can be damaged or destroyed by rising sea levels and the resulting increased flooding.



<h4>Economic impact</h4>



The loss of land, displacement of populations, and damage to infrastructure can significantly impact regional and global economies, disrupting trade, tourism, and other economic activities.



<h3>Impacts on the environment</h3>



<h4>Loss of coastal ecosystems</h4>



Rising sea levels can lead to the loss of critical coastal habitats such as wetlands, mangroves, and salt marshes. These ecosystems serve important ecological functions, including providing habitat for numerous species, filtering pollutants, and acting as natural buffers against storms and flooding.



<h4>Saltwater intrusion</h4>



As sea levels rise, saltwater can infiltrate freshwater aquifers and estuaries, affecting the quality and availability of drinking water and harming freshwater ecosystems.



<h4>Changes in ocean chemistry</h4>



Rising sea levels can lead to changes in the distribution and concentration of nutrients and pollutants in the ocean, which can impact marine life and ecosystems.



<h4>Altered species distribution</h4>



Sea level rise can affect the distribution of marine species by altering their habitats, potentially leading to shifts in the composition and structure of ecosystems.



<h4>Impacts on coral reefs</h4>



Coral reefs, which are essential for the survival of many marine species, can be negatively affected by sea level rise, as increased water depth can reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the reefs, hindering the growth of the coral-building algae.



Mitigation and adaptation strategies are essential to minimize the impacts of sea level rise on humanity and the environment. These can include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, investing in renewable energy, improving coastal infrastructure, implementing managed retreat strategies, and restoring and preserving critical coastal ecosystems.



The study is published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JB025993">Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth</a>.



—



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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

Sinking ground amplifies flood risk from sea level rise

A recent study led by Virginia Tech has found that...

Fungi communicate in a way that is still a bit of a mystery to scientists, yet incredibly important to ecosystems. Several species of fungi play an important role in the ecological sustenance of forest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/non-native-trees-have-enormous-value-in-urban-areas/">trees</a>. 



For instance, ectomycorrhizal fungi – commonly found on oak, pine, and birch trees – form a sheath around the outside regions of tree roots, while their mycelial body develops into vast underground networks absorbing crucial nutrients from the soil and transferring them to the trees.



Various studies have examined the possibility of electrical signal transfer between fungi and across trees via these mycelial networks, and hypothesized that fungi generate electrical signals in response to external stimuli to communicate with each other and coordinate growth and other behaviors. Some scientists have argued that these signals can even be used to help transfer nutrients to plants and trees.&nbsp;



However, the current scientific evidence for these hypotheses remains sparse, and most of the previous studies have been limited to the laboratory, thus failing to properly recreate what happens in the wild.



To address these shortcomings, a team of researchers led by <a href="http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/">Tohoku University</a> in Japan has conducted a field study in which they examined the behavior of small, tan-colored ectomycorrhizal fungi known as&nbsp;Laccaria bicolor in the wild. By attaching electrodes to six fungi in a cluster, they discovered that the electrical signals emitted by these fungi increased after rainfall.



“In the beginning, the mushrooms exhibited less electrical potential, and we boiled this down to the lack of precipitation,” said study lead author Yu Fukasawa, an assistant professor of Forest Microbial Ecology at Tohoku. “However, the electrical potential began to fluctuate after raining, sometimes going over 100 mV.”



The scientists managed to correlate the way fungi communicate through these electrical fluctuations with precipitation and temperature, and causality analysis revealed that the post-rain electric potential showed signal transport among fungi, which was particularly strong between spatially close mushrooms and exhibited clear directionality.



“Our preliminary results bring a call for studies on fungal electrical potentials in a more ecological context under field conditions,” the authors concluded.



<h2 id="h-more-about-how-fungi-communicate">More about how fungi communicate</h2>



Fungi, being an incredibly diverse group of organisms, have evolved various methods of communication with each other. Some of the main ways they communicate include chemical signaling, electrical signaling, and through physical connections called mycelial networks.



<h3>Chemical signaling</h3>



Fungi communicate by releasing chemical signals called pheromones and extracellular signaling molecules. These molecules are used to communicate with other fungi and organisms in their environment. In response to these signals, fungi can change their growth patterns, initiate sexual reproduction, or activate defense mechanisms. Quorum sensing is a common chemical communication strategy used by fungi, where they release and detect signaling molecules to monitor their population density and coordinate collective behaviors.



<h3>Fungi communicate through electrical signaling</h3>



Recent research has shown that some fungi can generate and transmit electrical signals similar to those found in animal nerve cells. This type of communication is not yet fully understood, but it's believed to help fungi coordinate their growth, respond to environmental changes, and interact with other organisms.



<h3>Mycelial networks</h3>



The mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a network of thread-like structures called hyphae. Mycelial networks can connect individual fungi and act as a communication and resource-sharing system. Through these networks, fungi communicate, exchange nutrients, water, and signaling molecules, allowing them to coordinate their growth, reproduction, and defense strategies.



Mycorrhizal associations, which are symbiotic relationships between fungi and plant roots, provide another example of fungal communication. In these associations, fungi help plants absorb nutrients and water, while plants provide fungi with sugars produced during photosynthesis. 



This exchange of resources and signaling molecules helps both organisms to thrive and adapt to their environment.



While research into fungal communication is still in its early stages, the discoveries made so far provide fascinating insights into the complex interactions that govern fungal behavior and ecology.



<h2>More about Fungi</h2>



Fungi are a diverse group of eukaryotic organisms that include yeasts, molds, and mushrooms. They are distinct from plants, animals, and bacteria, and form their own kingdom, the Fungi kingdom. 



Fungi play essential roles in various ecosystems as decomposers, symbionts, and even pathogens. Fungi communicate through a network of chemical and electrical signals. Here are some key features and aspects of fungi:



<h3>Structure</h3>



Fungal cells have a rigid cell wall made of chitin, a polysaccharide also found in the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans. Most fungi grow as filamentous structures called hyphae, which together form a larger network called mycelium. Some fungi, like yeasts, grow as single-celled organisms.



<h3>Reproduction</h3>



Fungi reproduce both sexually and asexually. Asexual reproduction occurs through spore formation, budding, or fragmentation of the mycelium. Sexual reproduction typically involves the fusion of specialized cells called gametes, which can result in the production of genetically diverse spores.



<h3>Nutrition</h3>



Fungi are heterotrophic organisms, meaning they obtain nutrients by absorbing organic compounds from other organisms. Most fungi are saprophytic decomposers, breaking down dead organic material and recycling nutrients in the ecosystem. Some form symbiotic relationships with other organisms, such as mycorrhizal associations with plant roots or lichens formed between fungi and algae. There are also parasitic fungi that can infect plants, animals, and even humans.



<h3>Ecological roles</h3>



Fungi are crucial in maintaining ecosystem balance as decomposers, nutrient cyclers, and mutualistic symbionts. They help break down complex organic materials like cellulose and lignin in plant matter, making nutrients available for other organisms. Fungi also form symbiotic relationships with plants, enhancing their nutrient uptake and providing protection from pathogens.



<h3>Economic and medical importance</h3>



Fungi have numerous applications in food production, medicine, and biotechnology. They are used in the production of bread, beer, cheese, and various fermented foods. Some fungi, like the Penicillium species, produce antibiotics that are critical in treating bacterial infections. However, fungi can also cause diseases in plants, animals, and humans, and spoil food and other products.



<h3>Biodiversity</h3>



There are an estimated 2.2 to 3.8 million fungal species, but only about 120,000 have been formally described. Fungi can be found in diverse habitats, from terrestrial ecosystems like forests and grasslands to aquatic environments and even extreme environments like deserts and polar regions.



Our understanding of the fungal world is still growing, with new species and their ecological roles being discovered regularly. As research continues, the importance of fungi in maintaining the health and balance of ecosystems becomes increasingly apparent.



The research findings are published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2023.101229">Fungal Ecology</a>.



—



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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

Fungi communicate and engage in more “conversations” after rainfall

Fungi communicate in a way that is still a bit...

In&nbsp;a new book published by Routledge called <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Empathic-Leadership-Lessons-from-Elite-Sport/Sear/p/book/9781032349459">Empathic Leadership: Lessons From Elite Sport</a>, psychologist and consultant Peter Sear argues that the time of dictatorial leaders in sports, screaming from the side-lines and insulting their players, has ended. He says we are currently witnessing the emergence of emotionally intelligent and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-humans-empathize-more-with-people-or-other-animals/">empathic</a> coaches who, by proving a deeper understanding of their players, manage to get efficient results.



By carrying in-depth interviews with coaches of nine different elite sports across the globe, and backing them up with the latest research, Sear has found that empathic leadership motivates teams, encourages loyalty, and significantly improves changes of success.



“The head coaches who are leading with empathy are getting more out of athletes. The consensus is that to have success as a leader in elite sport in the modern era, you must have an empathic approach,” he explained.



Elite sports are frequently a setting for turbulent emotions, and factors such as performance, fans’ reactions, and media interpretations can place significant pressure on athletes, who are also required to remain physically and mentally fit, injury-free, and at a certain weight to perform properly.&nbsp;



According to Sear, in order for athletes to manage to cope with all these stressors and maximize their changes of success, empathic leadership – characterized by relationship management, building trust, and establishing strong lines of communication – is essential.



“There is no advantage to ruling with fear – you are just losing out on powerful knowledge of your team and your athletes. Success as a leader&nbsp;depends on your knowledge and understanding of people, their emotions, perspectives, and intentions, as well as the relationships you have with them. It is in these vital areas that empathy will give you an advantage,” he argued.



“Understanding what motivates your players and what hinders them will improve the quality of your decision-making as a leader. If you can understand when to push your players and when to support them, and identify who has potential and who is no longer emotionally invested, you’ll make better decisions. Understanding the unique character of each athlete allows you to develop them effectively according to their needs, and get the best from them.”



Thus, necessary skills for a successful leader should include effective communication, understanding body language, having clear boundaries to be able to make difficult decisions such as when to bench players, as well as a strong sense of self-empathy, or understanding of one’s own emotions and how they may impact others. However, Sear stresses that empathy should not always be equated with being soft and gentle. “Sometimes you need to recognize that one person might need to be pushed while that other player might need a friendly ear,” he explained.



Finally, Sear argues that humans are innately more prone to respond to empathic leaders. “This way of leading suits humans better psychologically. Through empathic communication and empathic relationships, emotions can be managed and needs met. The experience of work is valued, with high levels of wellbeing, which manifests in confidence and peak performance,” he concluded.



—



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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

Sports coaches are more effective when they lead with empathy

In&nbsp;a new book published by Routledge called Empathic Leadership: Lessons...

Arbor Day: A celebration of trees and their unrivaled importance to the Earth

Hey there, tree-huggers and nature lovers! Today we're going to...

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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;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

[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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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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