The,Beast

The volcano eruption at Mount Tambora in 1815, which is in present-day Indonesia, brought with it a climate chill so severe that it ruined harvests and took countless lives. Ash filled the sky, sunlight faded, and global temperatures plunged for months on end.



Today, experts say a large volcanic explosion of similar, or even bigger size, might strike again. This time, because we live in a warmer world, the global aftermath will likely be much worse.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-volcano-eruptions-in-modern-times">Volcano eruptions in modern times</h2>



In 1816, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-cooling-not-warming-caused-a-major-mass-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">intense cold</a> created what some called a <a href="https://www.masshist.org/beehiveblog/2016/11/1815-the-year-without-a-summer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">year without a summer</a>. Crops withered, people starved, and entire communities faced desperate conditions. That moment in history stands out because it reveals how far-reaching a single event can be. 



Modern civilization seems stronger, but the planet’s population has grown to more than eight billion, and climate change has warmed the Earth. We are no longer dealing with the same environment that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tambora" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mount Tambora</a> affected two centuries ago. “The question is not if, but when. The next massive eruption will cause climate chaos, and humanity does not have any plan,” said <a href="https://www.unige.ch/sciences/terre/en/people/dst/professors/markus-stoffel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Markus Stoffel</a>, a climate professor at the <a href="https://www.unige.ch/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Geneva</a>, who also <a href="https://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:167000" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">notes</a> that catastrophic events may be more intense in a warmer world. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-volcano-eruptions-cool-the-planet">How volcano eruptions cool the planet</h2>



Large volcanic explosions have a way of throwing out <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcanoes-can-affect-climate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">huge amounts</a> of debris, including rock fragments, ash, and various gases. 



Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) has the biggest effect on climate cooling, as it travels high into the stratosphere and creates aerosol particles that scatter sunlight. 



Temperature drops can linger for years. As the planet warms, there is also a concern that <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-023-01884-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">faster</a> atmospheric circulation might spread these particles more widely. 



<a href="https://cplb.rutgers.edu/people/alan-robock" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alan Robock</a>, a climate professor at <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rutgers University</a>, believes that shifting wind patterns and changes in ocean currents mean these eruptions may trigger greater temperature swings. 



“As the monsoon in the summer happens because the land warms faster than the ocean,” Robock said, "a massive eruption can tip that balance and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212094722000688" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disrupt</a> the rains that feed millions."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-connections-to-past-volcano-eruptions">Connections to past volcano eruptions</h2>



Mount <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/1510/global-effects-of-mount-pinatubo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pinatubo</a> erupted in the Philippines in 1991, propelling an enormous cloud of sulfur dioxide into the sky. 



Scientists determined that this eruption cooled Earth’s average temperature by about 1 degree Fahrenheit for a few years. It wasn’t on the scale of Tambora, but it illustrated how short-term climate shifts could happen. 



Earlier eruptions like <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0377027322002190" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Samalas</a> (in 1257) and <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6456407/#:~:text=The%20Icelandic%20volcano%20Laki%20erupted,on%20record%20in%20Western%20Europe." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Laki</a> (in 1783-1784) also had strong impacts. Historical records suggest these events caused poor harvests, extreme winters and, in some cases, social upheavals. 



Studies of ice cores and tree rings indicate that giant blasts can lower global temperatures even more than Mount Pinatubo managed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-warming-intensifies-the-threat">Why warming intensifies the threat</h2>



Scientists who study volcanic systems are <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/increase-in-volcanic-eruptions-at-the-end-of-the-ice-age-caused-by-melting-ice-caps-and-glacial" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">looking</a> at how melting ice, heavier rains, and shifting pressures inside the Earth might encourage future eruptions. “The effects might be even worse than we saw back in 1815,” said <a href="https://as.nyu.edu/faculty/michael-rampino.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michael Rampino</a>, a professor at NYU, who suspects that all these factors could magnify the disruption.&nbsp;



Lighter ice sheets reduce the weight pressing down on magma sources, which can make it easier for molten rock to move upward. Meanwhile, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9326289/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heavier rainfall</a> might seep deep underground and affect volcanic processes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-on-daily-life-and-food">Impacts on daily life and food</h2>



A sudden temperature drop of just 1 degree Celsius might not sound like a lot, but it comes as an average. Some places could experience chilling conditions that ruin crops across whole regions. 



A devastating scenario could see farmland in the U.S., Russia, and China all hit at once, which would lead to a decrease in global food supplies. 



More than 800 million people worldwide live <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70148718" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">within about 60 miles</a> of an active volcano. That proximity could put major population centers at risk if the blast sends out pyroclastic flows or thick ash.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-possible-surprises-from-the-past">Possible surprises from the past</h2>



Studies of ancient eruptions show that local climates can shift in striking ways. <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2002722117" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Researchers</a> investigating <a href="https://avo.alaska.edu/volcano/okmok" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Okmok volcano</a> in Alaska discovered that an enormous outburst in 43 BC may have cooled parts of the Mediterranean region by as much as 13 degrees Fahrenheit.&nbsp;



That sort of drastic change, even if temporary, can damage agriculture for multiple seasons. Such disruptions bring disease, hunger, and political tensions, especially if resources become scarce.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-can-be-done">What can be done</h2>



Specialists do not have a method to stop <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/axial-seamount-large-underwater-volcano-off-us-coast-will-likely-erupt-in-2025/">volcanoes from erupting</a>. Efforts focus on monitoring volcanic areas, improving evacuation plans, and modeling scenarios that anticipate how the ash and gases could spread.&nbsp;



Some scientists call for international cooperation to manage food reserves and healthcare services if an event like Tambora happens in today’s era. 



That includes looking at how to distribute supplies on short notice. Local authorities in active regions often conduct drills and share alerts, but experts suggest more investment in preparedness is necessary.



No one can say exactly when a volcano <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supervolcano-italy-solfatara-crater-phlegraean-fields-shows-signs-of-waking-up/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">will produce a colossal blast</a>. Certain sites, like parts of Indonesia or even Yellowstone in the western United States, get attention because they have erupted violently in the past. Yet the signs of unrest may come only a few months or even weeks beforehand. 



Stoffel urges a deeper look at possible future disasters. He advises scenario planning, building stockpiles, and forging rapid-response networks. Such strategies may reduce the shock to global trade and public health.



Details of the research were published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03680-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Earth's next big volcano eruption will 'cause global chaos' because there is no plan

The volcano eruption at Mount Tambora in 1815, which is in present-day Indonesia, brought with it a climate chill so severe that it ruined harvests and took countless lives. Ash filled the sky, sunlight faded, and global temperatures plunged for months on end. Today, experts say a large volcanic explosion of similar, or even bigger size, might strike again. This time, because we live in a warmer world, the global aftermath will likely be much worse. Volcano eruptions in modern times In 1816, intense cold created what...

Debashis Chanda, a researcher with the University of Central Florida’s <a href="https://www.nanoscience.ucf.edu/">NanoScience Technology Center</a>, recently created an environmentally friendly way to produce paints that could aid in the fight against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-transforming-arctic-rivers-in-unexpected-ways/">climate change</a>. He used nature as an inspiration.&nbsp;



“The range of colors and hues in the natural world are astonishing - from colorful flowers, birds and butterflies to underwater creatures like fish and cephalopods,” said Chanda.&nbsp;



The research team created a plasmonic paint using two non-pigmented materials: aluminum and aluminum oxide. Instead of relying on light absorption, Chanda’s paint relies on the structural arrangements of these materials to create color.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Structural color serves as the primary color-generating mechanism in several extremely vivid species where geometrical arrangement of typically two colorless materials produces all colors. On the other hand, with manmade pigment, new molecules are needed for every color present,” explained Chanda.



The paint is considered more environmentally friendly because, unlike pigment-based paint, it does not require artificially synthesized molecules.



Moreover, plasmonic paint is lighter and longer lasting, which could lead to less consumer consumption. For example, just three pounds of paint could cover an entire Boeing 747.



“Normal color fades because pigment loses its ability to absorb photons," said Chanda. "Here, we’re not limited by that phenomenon. Once we paint something with structural color, it should stay for centuries.”



Also, plasmonic paint creates more insulation than pigmented paints by reflecting heat. The research team determined that their paint can keep a structure 25 to 30 degrees cooler than pigmented paints.



“Over 10% of total electricity in the U.S. goes toward air conditioner usage. The temperature difference plasmonic paint promises would lead to significant energy savings. Using less electricity for cooling would also cut down carbon dioxide emissions, lessening global warming.”



Future research will focus on making the paint more accessible in the hopes that more people will embrace this eco-friendly alternative.



“The conventional pigment paint is made in big facilities where they can make hundreds of gallons of paint,” said Chanda. “At this moment, unless we go through the scale-up process, it is still expensive to produce at an academic lab.”



“We need to bring something different like, non-toxicity, cooling effect, ultralight weight, to the table that other conventional paints can’t."



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adf7207?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D81323850695560564783101049967960360104%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1678379454">Science Advances</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Nature inspires the world’s first energy-saving paint

Debashis Chanda, a researcher with the University of Central Florida’s...

As the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth, giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-birds-prefer-native-trees/">trees</a> play an important ecological role in the natural world. Giant trees inspire a sense of awe, as they hold the story to our shared history. Some human societies are known to position giant trees in significant socio-cultural roles with unique identities and names selected by local people.&nbsp;



Giant trees have a spiritual connection with local people by encouraging social cohesion. Attachments with giant trees can also encourage spiritual well-being, but just exactly how this occurs remains unknown.&nbsp;



Geography and climate are known to influence the age, size, and other properties of trees. Previous studies have suggested that trees with extraordinary properties tend to be given unique names and are recognized as sacred. The size and distribution of trees and spiritual ecosystem services may be influenced by macroecological processes (e.g., geography and climate).&nbsp;



In a new study conducted by the <a href="https://www.nies.go.jp/index-e.html">National Institute for Environmental Studies</a>, researchers used structural equation modeling (SEM) on 38,994 giant tree records from 237 species across Japan. The goal was to determine whether climate and geographical variables may drive both probabilities for giant trees to be an object of faith and receive a unique name from local people.&nbsp;



The study revealed that trunk circumference and tree age were the top two variables that influenced the probability of a tree becoming a spiritual object and receiving a unique name. Tree trunk circumference and age were also strongly correlated with climatic factors.&nbsp;



The probability of a tree being an object of faith and receiving a unique name increased with lower annual precipitation. The worship of giant trees in Japan is partly related to the “prayer for rain." Rice cultivation was the foundation of traditional Japanese society. The abundance or failure of rice crops was directly linked to life and death. Drought was the strongest factor in a devastating decline in rice yields. The study's results are strongly consistent with previous empirical findings.



This research is the first to demonstrate the relationship between spiritual ecosystem services and underlying macroecological processes, which have previously been difficult to quantify. The findings provide a starting point for further clarification of the spiritual connection between people and biodiversity, as well as the driving processes behind this connection.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41477-022-01337-1">Nature Plants</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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What drives a spiritual connection with giant trees?

As the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth, giant...

B cells are a vital component in our body’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-pushes-the-immune-system-into-overdrive/">immune system</a>, generating protective antibodies when we have an infection or are vaccinated, as well as harmful antibodies in connection with allergies or autoimmune diseases. For many years, scientists have debated the mechanisms through which these cells are activated, since the predominant model for how immune recognition occurs could not explain all the observations. 



Now, by examining the early step in the activation of B cells, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.au.dk/">Aarhus University</a> in Denmark has found crucial new knowledge about the ways in which our bodies fight pathogens and react to vaccines.&nbsp;



“Previously, it was believed that the antigens from, for example, viruses or vaccines would have to cross-bind a B-cell’s receptors on the cell surface. That’s what it says in all the textbooks. But now we have shown that even antigens that can only bind one receptor at a time are able to activate the B cells,” said study senior author Søren Degn, an associate professor of Biomedicine at Aarhus.&nbsp;



“The result is significant because it represents a breakthrough in our understanding of how these important immune cells ‘recognize’ their enemies. Once we understand what is going on, we can imitate it in the design of new vaccines, to ensure maximum effect. One might say that our findings can make us better at mimicking the pathogenic microorganisms, and thus better at provoking or ‘cheating’ the immune system into generating a good immune response when we vaccinate.”



Since they clarify how receptors on the surface of cells send signal into the cells – a key biological process – these findings are important not only for immunology but also for cell biology in general. Moreover, in the long term, they could have important applications, including the design of better vaccines and the development of potential treatments for allergies and autoimmune disorders.



“We have shown that the way in which the activation of B cells has been explained over the past thirty or forty years is wrong. This is an important finding, because it opens the door to better vaccines and better treatment of a large group of diseases. When we understand how the B cells are activated, we can create better vaccines. In the slightly longer term, we may also be able to switch off B-cell activation in cases where it is harmful,” Degn concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36672-0#Sec2">Nature</a>.



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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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Study changes our understanding of the immune system

B cells are a vital component in our body’s immune...

Ornate,Wrasse,Thalassoma,Pavo,And,Mediterranean,Sea,Star,Echinaster,Sepositus

A team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> has recently investigated how environmental variation drives the distribution of marine species from Southern Portugal to northern Norway. By analyzing 198 marine fish species from 23 surveys, together with 31,502 samples collected by fisheries scientists between 2005 and 2018, the experts found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-ocean-temperatures-are-steadily-rising/">temperature</a> is a critical driver of large-scale spatial variation in fish assemblages across Europe’s marine regions.



“This unique study brings together fisheries survey data from across this vitally important marine ecosystem. Using this information, we are able to conclusively demonstrate the broad scale importance of sea temperature in controlling how fish communities assemble,” said senior author Martin Genner, a professor of Evolutionary Ecology at Bristol.



Although temperature proved to be the most critical variable for determining where marine species are found, water depth and salinity were also important factors. In addition, by combining data on the current distribution of marine fish with future climate projections under multiple emissions scenarios, the scientists provided estimates of how fish will respond to climate change over the coming decades.&nbsp;



The results indicate that, although global warming will lead to shifts in species communities across the entire region, the largest community-level changes are expected at locations with greater warming, with the most pronounced effects most likely at higher latitudes.



&nbsp;“The study adds to a growing body of evidence indicating that future climate-driven warming will lead to widespread changes in fish communities, potentially resulting in changes to the catches of commercial fisheries across the region,” said co-author Stephen Simpson, a marine biologist and fish ecologist at Bristol.



“With further predicted changes to fish communities, evaluating the effects of temperature on stocks may help to support appropriate management, although this may be challenging, given that precise mechanisms by which temperatures affect stocks are typically not clear. Where species distributions are predicted to change, and potentially move between existing management areas, internationally coherent management approaches will be needed to enable sustainable harvesting and conservation under a changing climate,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16633">Global Change Biology</a>.



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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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Sea temperatures drive the distribution of European fish

A team of scientists led by the University of Bristol...

An international team of researchers has recently used a NASA satellite – the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (<a href="https://ocov2.jpl.nasa.gov/">OCO-2</a>)&nbsp;- to track carbon dioxide <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-co2-emissions-hit-record-levels-in-2022/">emissions</a> for over 100 countries across the world, as well as to clarify how much of this gas is removed from the atmosphere by forests and other carbon sinks. The analysis revealed that the world’s largest CO2 emitters are China and the United States, followed by India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, Iran, Japan, and Germany. 



Other nations that significantly contribute to CO2 emissions are the United Kingdom -&nbsp; along with the rest of western Europe - Australia, Kazakhstan, most of northern Africa, South Africa, Chile, Thailand, and the Philippines.



While traditional activity-based (“bottom-up”) approaches to carbon measurement rely on tallying and estimating how much CO2 is emitted across all sectors of the economy, the current “top-down” approach is particularly helpful for countries that lack traditional resources for inventory development. By tracking both fossil fuel emissions and the total carbon stock changes in ecosystems – including soils, trees, or shrubs – such an approach is highly useful for clarifying CO2 fluctuations related to land cover change.



“Our top-down estimates provide an independent estimate of these emissions and removals, so although they cannot replace the detailed process understanding of traditional bottom-up methods, we can check both approaches for consistency,” said study co-author Philippe Ciais, the research director at the <a href="https://www.lsce.ipsl.fr/">Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences</a> in France.



Such an approach provides a highly complex picture of how carbon dioxide is moving through out planet’s land, ocean, and atmosphere. Moreover, besides measuring direct human impacts already accounted for by national inventories, it also helps monitoring the carbon balance of unmanaged ecosystems, such as tropical or boreal forests that can sequester carbon from the atmosphere and thus help mitigate global warming.



“Sustained, high-quality observations are critical for these top-down estimates,” explained lead author Brendan Byrne, a scientist at NASA’s <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> in Southern California. “Continued observations from OCO-2 and surface sites will allow us to track how these emissions and removals change as the Paris Agreement is implemented. Future international missions that provide expanded mapping of CO2 concentrations across the globe will allow us to refine these top-down estimates and give more precise estimates of countries’ emissions and removals.”



The full study can be found <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/15/963/2023/">here</a>.



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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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The world’s CO2 “super-emitters” are led by the U.S. and China

An international team of researchers has recently used a NASA...

Scientists have long known that, after a period of intense physical exertion, vertebrates (including humans) need a period of recovery to lower their heart rates and allow the organism to repair injured muscles. However, more recent studies have shown that intensive physical activity can also affect immune defenses, and that rest is crucial for boosting the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/organ-regeneration-offers-new-clues-about-the-immune-system/">immune system</a> too. Now, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/">Lund University</a> in Sweden has found that this is also true in the case of migratory birds.



When they migrate, birds regularly stop in one place for a few days to eat and rest – a behavior previously thought necessary to build up new fat reserves which provide fuel for the rest of the migration process. However, scientists have now shown that, during such “pitstops,” they also boost their immune systems.



“This is the first time that this has been demonstrated in wild migratory birds. Our study shows that migratory birds’ stops serve other purposes, besides just ‘refueling.’ They also need other physiological systems to recover. You could compare it to pulling off the motorway into a service station. That is not just for the purpose of refueling, you might also need to recover,” said study senior author Arne Hegemann, a biologist at Lund.



Together with his team, Hegemann examined a variety of small migratory birds such as chaffinches, dunnocks, and common redstarts to assess how their immune systems change when they take breaks during migration. By collecting and comparing data from different individuals and species, they discovered that free-flying migratory birds usually restore several parameters of immune function during their stopovers.



“If you see a little bird in your garden or in the park during the autumn and you know that it is heading to southern Europe or Africa, it is fascinating to think about why it is&nbsp;taking&nbsp;a break. If they do not get food or rest, their immune systems cannot recover – which is when they risk becoming ill. This provides an important part of the puzzle of how migratory birds cope with the physiological challenges they are faced with on their long journeys,” Hegemann concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2022.0518">Biology Letters</a>.



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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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Migratory birds take breaks to boost their immune system

Scientists have long known that, after a period of intense...

Jewel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reconstructing-300-million-years-of-beetle-evolution/">beetles</a> are a striking species of insects that can be easily recognized by their metallic sheen and vivid colors. They possess a highly developed visual system that helps them engage in a variety of behaviors, such as finding mates and host plants, and their color vision is different from ours, with special genes allowing them to see ultraviolet (UV), as well as blue and green light.&nbsp;



To shed more light on the complexity of these insects’ vision, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://twin-cities.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota</a> has recently investigated their evolutionary history and discovered that jewel beetles have duplicated some of the ancestral genes responsible for color perception, allowing them to detect more complicated and diverse color signals.



The experts built on a previous study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-00061-7">Nature</a> showing that, before the evolution of modern beetles, their ancestors lost the ability to see blue light around 300 million years ago, most likely because they became nocturnal or started living in low-light conditions. Later on, as they diversified, beetles evolved duplicates of the ancestral genes allowing them to detect the UV and green spectrum.



In the current study, the researchers set to find out whether these duplicate genes have evolved, allowing modern beetles to see colors that their ancestors were not able to detect. Since jewel beetles are notoriously difficult to keep and work with in the laboratory, the scientists copied the genes and inserted them into fruit flies, replacing their normal visual genes. Then, by using electrophysiology, they tested the color sensitivity these genes produced in the flies, focusing on genetic changes underlying the shifts in color sensitivity.



The analysis revealed that jewel beetles have evolved additional blue and orange sensitivity by duplicating their UV and green visual genes, enabling complex tetra-chromatic color sensitivity to UV, blue, green, and orange wavelengths (similar to the color sensitivity of various species of colorful birds). When visual genes were modified and retested, the newly evolved genetic changes related to color detection were not found to shift sensitivities.



In future studies, the scientists aim to better understand the molecular bases of beetles’ color sensitivity and – according to lead author Camilla Sharkey, an expert in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior at Minnesota – “determine if specific types of color vision can be predicted from genes and how color vision is used by insects to better manage pest and pollinator insects, thus improving crop production.”&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msad023">Molecular Biology and Evolution</a>.



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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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How did jewel beetles’ visual systems evolve?

Jewel beetles are a striking species of insects that can...

Cognitive degeneration is one of the most debilitating features of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aging-populations-have-less-cohesive-social-networks/">aging</a>, and considerable research goes into understanding what makes brain cells healthy and why they lose function as people age. Diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, along with traumatic brain injuries, can also cause cognitive decline. A new study by scientists from the <a href="https://www.tcd.ie/biosciences/">Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute</a> (TBSI) has now shed new light on the role of specialized microglial cells in this process.



Microglia are specialized immune cells that are found in the tissues of the nervous system, particularly the brain and spinal cord. Usually, they function to support nerve cells, defend against invading microbes, clear debris and remove dying nerve cells by engulfing and digesting them. They are thus critical to the functioning of healthy brain cells.&nbsp;



However, emerging research indicates that microglia can function differently depending on molecular and biochemical changes occurring within these specialized cells; indeed, once activated by pathological stimuli, microglia can alter their functional states to either contribute to or mitigate disease progression. In this light, they may cause effects that worsen a patient’s condition.



In the current study, published in the leading international journal,&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.add1101">Science Advances</a>, the researchers investigated changes that take place in the microglia in the brains of aging mice and mice that have had traumatic brain injuries. In particular, they considered the presence of autofluorescent microglia and found that this type of cell was more common in aged mice and in mice that had suffered a brain injury.&nbsp;



Autofluorescence is the tendency of cells to emit light of one color after they have absorbed light of another, and it occurs because specific substances inside the cells absorb light. Because the microglia are the garbage collectors of the brain, they gradually accumulate substances that come from the cells and debris they engulf and absorb. These substances include fat molecules, cholesterol crystals, metals and misfolded proteins.&nbsp;



The researchers found that, compared with young mice, one-third of the microglia in the brains of old mice exhibited autofluorescence. These cells were also characterized by profound changes in lipid and iron content, in oxidative stress levels, and in their ability to move around and engulf pathogens and dead cells.&nbsp;



“As the brain ages, these materials build up inside autofluorescent microglia, which increase their autofluorescence as a result. Unfortunately, this accumulation of cellular debris also makes it harder for the microglia to perform their essential garbage collection tasks in the brain and to prevent neurological injury and neurodegenerative disease.," said study lead author Professor David Loane.



“In this study we found – in aged animals – that these microglia adopt a unique, dysfunctional state, which has a number of problematic impacts. For example, there is an increase in cellular stress and damage, an accumulation of fats and iron, alterations to metabolic processes and an increase in production of molecules that over-egg the immune response.”&nbsp;



In addition, the scientists demonstrated that autofluorescent microglia were associated with increased levels of inflammation, and that both of these factors were more pronounced under pathological conditions, such as in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Encouragingly, the effects were reversed when the researchers used medications to remove and replace the autofluorescent microglia in the brains of aged mice. This may give hope that these cells could be targeted in treatments in future.



Mice that had suffered brain injuries still showed increased presence of autofluorescent microglial cells a year after the injury. “Furthermore, environmental exposure to acute traumatic brain injury in animals accelerated the age of onset and tissue-wide distribution of autofluorescent microglia by increasing oxidative stress damage in the brain of injured animals," said Professor Loane.



“As a result, increasing evidence now suggests that the accumulation of autofluorescent microglia contributes to diseases of ageing and neurodegeneration. If these sub-populations of microglia are highly inflammatory and damaging to the brain, then targeting them could be a new strategy for treating aging-related diseases.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</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 Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

New target identified to prevent age-related diseases

Cognitive degeneration is one of the most debilitating features of...

New research led by scientists from the <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> suggests that current climate models may underestimate some of the effects of global warming because they fail to take full account of the role of amplifying feedback loops. Their report, published in the journal <a href="https://www.oneearth.org/">One Earth</a>, calls for urgent action to bring greenhouse gas emissions under control and to provide a roadmap for policymakers aiming to avert the most devastating consequences of climate change.&nbsp;



The researchers considered the roles of 41 climate feedback loops that could either amplify or reduce the effects of climate change. Among these, 27 were amplifying feedback loops that involve a climate-caused alteration which triggers a process that further accentuates the initial alteration. For example, rising temperature leads to the melting of sea ice in the Arctic which, in turn reduces the area of ice able to reflect incident radiation. This leads to further warming because the solar radiation is then absorbed by the dark ocean waters rather than being reflected by the white ice.&nbsp;



Another example involves the effects of wildfires which are becoming more common due to the warm, dry conditions. Combustion of the vegetation introduces a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which then contributes to the greenhouse effect and leads to even higher temperatures.



OSU College of Forestry postdoctoral scholar Christopher Wolf and Professor William Ripple led the study, and were joined by scientists from the University of Exeter, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the Woodwell Climate Research Center, and Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Associates. The researchers considered the role of both biological and physical feedbacks in climate change processes. Biological feedbacks include forest dieback, soil carbon loss and wildfire; physical feedbacks involve changes such as reduced snow cover, increased Antarctic rainfall and shrinking Arctic sea ice.



“Many of the feedback loops we examined significantly increase warming because of their connection to greenhouse gas emissions,” Wolf said. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the most extensive list available of climate feedback loops, and not all of them are fully considered in climate models. What’s urgently needed is more research and modeling and an accelerated cutback of emissions.”



The levels of greenhouse gas emissions have risen substantially over the last century, despite several decades of warnings by climate scientists that these levels need to be drastically reduced. The scientists say the amplifying effect of feedback loops, as well as interactions between different loops could cause Earth systems to cross tipping points and lead to permanent shifts away from the current climate state to one that threatens the survival of many humans and other life forms.



“In the worst case, if amplifying feedbacks are strong enough, the result is likely tragic climate change that’s moved beyond anything humans can control,” Ripple said. “We need a rapid transition toward integrated Earth system science because the climate can only be fully understood by considering the functioning and state of all Earth systems together. This will require large-scale collaboration, and the result would provide better information for policymakers.”



The authors call for urgent and massive reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the possible major threats looming from climate tipping points that are drawing ever-closer due to the activation of many amplifying feedback loops. They say that even comparatively modest warming is expected to heighten the likelihood that the Earth will cross various tipping points, causing big changes in the planet’s climate system and potentially strengthening the amplifying feedbacks even further.



“Transformative, socially just changes in global energy and transportation, short-lived air pollution, food production, nature preservation and the international economy, together with population policies based on education and equality, are needed to meet these challenges in both the short and long term,” Ripple said.&nbsp;



“It’s too late to fully prevent the pain of climate change, but if we take meaningful steps soon while prioritizing human basic needs and social justice, it could still be possible to limit the harm,” he added.



The paper in&nbsp;One Earth&nbsp;has a&nbsp;<a href="https://scientistswarning.forestry.oregonstate.edu/climate_feedbacks">corresponding website</a>&nbsp;that features more about climate feedback loops, including infographics and interactive animations.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Dangerous climate feedback loops have been underestimated

New research led by scientists from the Oregon State University...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a> in Canada has found that, contrary to popular beliefs, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-risk-linked-to-specific-environmental-pollutants/">Covid-19</a> pandemic has taken a relatively limited roll on the mental health of people around the world, suggesting that human resilience is stronger than usually thought.&nbsp;



The experts reviewed data from 137 studies in various countries involving 134 cohorts of individuals from all over the world (75 percent adults and 25 percent children and adolescents). Since most of these studies were conducted in high- or middle-income countries, further research is needed to assess Covid-19’s impact on mental health in lower-income nations.



Surprisingly, the analysis revealed that, regardless of the dramatic stories circulating in the media and other outlets, changes in mental health caused by the pandemic were minimal – a finding that held true whether the studies covered the mental health of the population as a whole or that of specific groups, such as people of particular ages, gender, or with other pre-existent health conditions.



“Mental health in Covid-19 is much more nuanced than people have made it out to be,” said study senior author Brett Thombs, a professor of Psychiatry at McGill. “Claims that the mental health of most people has deteriorated significantly during the pandemic have been based primarily on individual studies that are ‘snapshots’ of a particular situation, in a particular place, at a particular time. They typically don’t involve any long-term comparison with what had existed before or came after.”



“This is by far the most comprehensive study on Covid-19 mental health in the world, and it shows that, in general, people have been much more resilient than many have assumed,” added lead author Ying Sun, a research coordinator at the <a href="https://www.ladydavis.ca/">Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research</a> of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal.



While anxiety and suicide rates did not seem to increase in the general population during the pandemic, depression symptoms worsened by minimal to small amounts in older adults, university students, or people belonging to sexual or gender minority groups. Moreover, women often tended to experience a worsening of mental health symptoms, possibly due to multiple family responsibilities, working in health care or elder care, or, in some cases, family violence.



“This is concerning and suggests that some women, as well as some people in other groups, have experienced changes for the worse in their mental health and will need ongoing access to mental health support,” said co-author Danielle Rice, an assistant professor of Psychiatry at <a href="https://www.mcmaster.ca/">McMaster University</a>. “The Canadian federal and provincial governments along with governments elsewhere in the world have worked to increase access to mental health services during the pandemic, and should ensure that these services continue to be available.”



Further research is needed to examine mental health across different time periods in the pandemic, and to clarify what governments and health agencies can do to ensure that scientists have better-quality and more timely mental health data as the pandemic continues to affect many parts of the world.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-074224">BMJ</a>.



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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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What was the mental health toll of the pandemic?

A new study led by McGill University in Canada has...

Little,Girl,Playing,At,The,Woods.

Since anxiety and depression among school-aged children and teenagers in the United States are currently at an all-time high, in 2021 child and adolescent mental health was declared a national emergency. Although many possible causes are thought to contribute to this worrisome situation, a new study published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.02.004">Journal of Pediatrics</a> has argued that a decades-long decline in opportunities for children and teens to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-who-play-team-sports-have-fewer-mental-health-problems/">play</a>, roam, and engage in various activities independent of direct oversight and control by adults may have been a critical factor in the current mental health crisis, leading to record levels of anxiety, depression, and even suicide among young people.



“Parents today are regularly subject to messages about the dangers that might befall unsupervised children and the value of high achievement in school,” said study co-author David Bjorklund, a professor of Psychology at the <a href="https://www.fau.edu/">Florida Atlantic University</a> (FAU).&nbsp;



“But they hear little of the countervailing messages that if children are to grow up well-adjusted, they need ever-increasing opportunities for independent activity, including self-directed play and meaningful contributions to family and community life, which are signs that they are trusted, responsible, and capable. They need to feel they can deal effectively with the real world, not just the world of school.”



Moreover, children’s freedom to engage in activities that involve a certain degree of risk and personal responsibility (such as climbing trees), which can help protect children from developing phobias and reduces future anxiety by boosting self-confidence in dealing with possible emergencies, has also declined over the past few decades, contributing to the ongoing mental health problems today’s children face.



According to the experts, the increased school time and pressure to achieve may have impacted children’s mental health not only by detracting from time and opportunities to engage in independent activities, but also due to fear of insufficient achievement and academic failure.



To address these issues, adults’ concern for children’s safety has to be tempered by recognizing that, as children grow, they need increasing opportunities to manage their own activities independently.



“Unlike other crises, such as the COVID epidemic, this decline in independent activity, and hence, mental wellbeing in children has crept up on us gradually, over decades, so many have barely noticed it. Moreover, unlike other health crises, this one is not the result of a highly contagious virus, but rather the result of good intentions carried too far – intentions to protect children and provide what many believed to be better (interpreted as more) schooling, both in and out of actual schools,” Bjorklund concluded.



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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 Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Independent play is good for children’s mental health

Since anxiety and depression among school-aged children and teenagers in...

The southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis), also known as the California sea otter, is a threatened subspecies of marine predator that inhabits the coastal waters of central California. Before legal protection of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-bird-species-are-less-competitive/">species</a> was introduced, sea otters were hunted for their fur and their populations plummeted. It is estimated that only 50 individuals of this subspecies remained 1n 1911, when hunting was first prohibited. Since then, their numbers have increased slowly, although they remain endangered.



Sea otters are ecologically important because they prey on marine species that graze algae and kelp. Otter foraging keeps the kelp forests in balance and prevents them from being overgrazed. In the absence of sea otters, sea urchins and other herbivorous invertebrates graze kelp forests to the ground, leaving barren and depauperate ecosystems. The small size of the sea otter population (around 3,000 individuals) means that the subspecies is still threatened and needs all the help it can get.



The <a href="https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/">Monterey Bay Aquarium</a> has a sea otter surrogacy program that helps pair stranded pups with non-releasable female otters, with the aim of preparing the pups to be reintroduced into the wild. In a study published in the journal Biological Conservation, Aquarium researchers have evaluated the success of the program’s methods to help identify approaches that maximize the chances of successful release of young otters and contribute to the recovery of the species.



“These findings describe everyday, life-threatening challenges experienced by sea otter pups, and help us identify optimal conditions for returning orphaned otters to the wild, where they may benefit population and ecosystem recovery,” said lead author Teri Nicholson, Senior Research Biologist for Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter Program. “Because of our surrogate females’ strong nurturing behavior, three-quarters of the orphaned pups in our program reacclimate to the wild after release. What we are learning from this study will increase this success.”



The Program makes use of the fact that female sea otters demonstrate a natural tendency to behave maternally towards orphaned young otters, even when in captivity. These pups learn to groom, socialize, avoid humans, and forage on a variety of hard-shelled invertebrates (including mussels, clams, crabs, and urchins), skills that are essential for surviving in the wild. Over 20 years, the Program has released 64 pups, with a survival rate comparable to that of wild populations.&nbsp;



Along the way, the researchers have learned which approaches maximize the rate of success. In the current study, Nicholson and her colleagues examine 34 key rehabilitation components that make up the five phases of a stranded pup’s journey to release: stranding, stabilization, surrogacy, pre-release and release. The researchers determine the modifications that would contribute most to improving successful outcomes in the wild. These results will inform decisions about when and where to release sea otters within the species’ historical range, in order to maximize their chances for survival.



The results also form a foundation for other aquariums that may wish to start a similar program. For example, the Aquarium of the Pacific joined the surrogacy program in 2020 and has been building a specialized area for pairing stranded sea otter pups with surrogate mothers.



“By sharing more details about sea otters within our program, and our common challenges, we hope to inspire stronger connections with these wildlife populations and stewardship of our shared ocean environment,” Nicholson said.



The study highlights the following key conclusions:



<ul><li>Surrogacy draws from the natural behavior and adaptability of sea otters, resulting in 75 percent success reacclimating orphans to the wild, regardless of their stranding age, origin, early development, surrogate mother idiosyncrasies, weaning age, and pre-release conditioning.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Release conditions – such as favorable seas and mild weather – represented the strongest modeled drivers of success.</li><li>Low daily swimming distances by released individuals, and less competitive local population dynamics were additional factors that contributed to success.</li><li>Comparable success rates among a variety of sites and habitats, such as estuary seagrass meadows and open-coast kelp forests, demonstrate the potential for broader application of these methods throughout California, where release conditions are favorable.</li></ul>



Successful surrogacy methods can give orphaned pups another chance at survival in the wild, which helps benefit wild populations and restore coastal ecosystems. For this reason it is important to evaluate the outcomes to develop the most successful strategies for rearing and releasing the young otters.&nbsp;



The results of this study may also be applied to the recovery of other threatened or endangered species, and may provide a blueprint for nature-based solutions that strengthen ecosystem resilience in the face of increasing impacts from climate change.



“Our surrogacy program is effective, and results from this study build our confidence that we’ll be able to increase the number of animals we can return to the wild through key partnerships,” said Jess Fujii, the sea otter program manager at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. “The study also provides valuable insights for when and where we can release rescued otters with the best chance of success.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</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 Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Strong maternal drive helps sea otters survive

The southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis), also known as...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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