We might like to think of ourselves as autonomous entities but, in reality, we're more like walking ecosystems, teeming with bacteria, viruses, and other microbes. It turns out that differences in these microbes might be as crucial to evolution and natural variation as genetic mutations are.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-biological-variation">Understanding biological variation</h2>



This novel perspective was discussed in a recent publication by Seth Bordenstein, director of Penn State’s One Health Microbiome Center, who is a professor of biology and entomology and holds the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Endowed Chair in Microbiome Sciences.



He, along with 21 colleagues from around the globe, collectively known as the Holobiont Biology Network, propose that understanding the relationships between microbes and their hosts will lead to a more profound understanding of biological variation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbes-in-the-process-of-evolution">Microbes in the process of evolution</h2>



We've all heard the term evolution before, but what does it really mean? 



"The longstanding definition of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-laid-the-foundation-for-early-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evolution</a> is the process by which living things change over time due to gradual mutations and adaptations to their environments," Bordenstein explains.



These adaptations are commonly driven by natural selection, a process that involves advantageous traits being passed on down the lineage. 



However, when we incorporate the microbiome, the collection of all microbes in and on a host organism, the process of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-evolution-not-random-gene-families-pangenome-influence-called-revolutionary/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evolution</a> becomes a whole lot more interesting and complex.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-paradigm-holobiont-biology">New paradigm: Holobiont biology</h2>



Traditionally, we've kept the visible and invisible forms of life separate in the way we consider and study them. Many scientists still think of microbes in terms of background noise or minor contaminants.



But it turns out that this approach may have been selling the microbes short.



"Microbes are the base of the biosphere," Bordenstein explains. "Every host organism lives in contact and association with microbes, and those microbes can cause variation in traits."



This realization has given birth to a new concept - holobiont biology; a multidisciplinary and holistic understanding of how life's forms and functions depend upon relationships between microorganisms and their hosts.



Holobiont biology considers organisms and the microbes with which they are inseparably linked as a whole, rather than as separate entities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-does-the-biology-impact-classification">How does the biology impact classification?</h2>



The field of biology traditionally categorizes living things into taxa. But holobiont biology poses a challenging and exciting opportunity to rethink this framework.



"We’re making the case that organisms are not autonomous. They exist, by definition, always in association and in contact with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-found-alive-inside-a-rock-after-2-billion-years-beneath-earth-surface/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbes</a>," Bordenstein states.



This novel way of thinking could open doors to harness the power of the microbiome to improve health, resilience in environmental sustainability, and advancements in agriculture. 



Think of it: what if we could use microbes to combat chronic diseases like cancer or make agriculture more resistant to climate change?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revisiting-microbes-and-evolution">Revisiting microbes and evolution</h2>



Darwin's famous treatise, Origin of Species, is a cornerstone of modern biology. However, it was written with species of animals and plants in mind and did not consider the multitude of invisible microbes that are part of every individual macro-organism.



Now that we know so much more about the fundamental role of microbes in the biosphere, we can add a new layer to our understanding of evolution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-diversity-and-evolution">Genetic diversity and evolution</h2>



In the 1920s to 1940s, biology witnessed a revolution known as the Modern Synthesis, where Mendel's genetic laws were merged with Darwin's theory of evolution. This created a comprehensive explanation for how new variations of form and function develop over time.



We may well currently be at the cusp of another revolution, a post-Modern Synthesis. As Bordenstein points out, we're now factoring in the role of microbes in our understanding of genetics and evolution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-paradigms-in-life-sciences">Shifting paradigms in life sciences</h2>



How do we incorporate this new understanding of the importance of microbes in the biology and evolution of all organisms? The Holobiont Biology Network authors state that this needs to start with redefining and re-teaching biology.



"We’re thinking of animals and plants as a consortium of host and microbial cells that influence anatomy and physiology," explains Bordenstein.



There's also a need for new analytic tools to determine the contribution of microbes and how they interact with genetics to explain traits. Once we have these analytic tools in place, we can engineer microbes and microbiomes as much as we can engineer genes to yield better outcomes for organisms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbes-shaping-our-evolution">Microbes shaping our evolution</h2>



Microbes have been here for four billion years, and they outnumber the stars in the universe by orders of magnitude. There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people on the planet. They have shaped our world in ways we are only just beginning to understand.



Research shows that they may also play a role in determining who is more likely to develop colon cancer, have high cholesterol levels or an average body mass index. After all, we contain not only our own genes, but also those of the billions of micro-organisms that live in and on us.  



"What we're learning today and over the past decade, is that sometimes microbes explain more biological trait variation in organisms than the genes do," Bordenstein says.



The future of biology lies not just in our genes, but in the characteristics of our associated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-microbes-are-finding-surprising-new-ways-to-survive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbes</a> too. As we move forward, remember this: we're not lone entities. We're ecosystems.



So next time you brush your teeth, remember, you're not just maintaining dental hygiene; you're also managing an ecosystem!



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado2152" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Humans are walking ecosystems and microbes rule their evolution

We might like to think of ourselves as autonomous entities but, in reality, we're more like walking ecosystems, teeming with bacteria, viruses, and other microbes. It turns out that differences in these microbes might be as crucial to evolution and natural variation as genetic mutations are. Understanding biological variation This novel perspective was discussed in a recent publication by Seth Bordenstein, director of Penn State’s One Health Microbiome Center, who is a professor of biology and entomology and holds the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au/">Curtin University</a> has found that Generation Z – those born after 1995 – overwhelmingly believe that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-debate-is-over-humans-caused-climate-change/">climate change</a> is caused by humans through activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and waste. However, only a third of the respondents seemed to understand how livestock and meat consumption are contributing to emissions and, consequently, global warming – despite the fact that over a quarter of the world’s emissions are linked to meat and livestock production.



The scientists conducted an online survey of Australian participants between the ages of 18 and 26 from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, and Adelaide. When asked about the main contributors to climate change, 85 percent of them stated that coal, fossil fuels, and other unsustainable forms of energy contributed the most, followed by deforestation and biodiversity loss (59 percent), plastic, food, and rubbish waste (58 percent), consumption and lifestyle practices, such as services and goods (55 percent), transportation (54 percent), large industries (53 percent), and global population growth (45 percent). However, only a third of the respondents (38 percent) claimed that livestock and agriculture – including meat production and consumption and unsustainable animal farming practices – have a significant contribution to climate change.



“Young people will be most impacted by climate change, and already they are paying the price for historic emissions. A steep reduction in emissions will be required to curb climate change, so it is vital our future decision-makers understand which activities contribute most and make informed choices,” said study lead author Diana Bogueva, an expert in meat consumption at the University of Sydney.



&nbsp;“There is a clear disconnect at play –&nbsp;while global warming is high on the Gen Z radar, the nexus between climate change and food is yet to be properly understood by young Australians.”



Moreover, the survey also revealed that Generation Z does not generally engage with food provenance and don’t pay attention to food labelling.



“Without urgent changes to Generation Z’s food choices, now and in the future, meat consumption and livestock production will continue to drive global emissions, and I don’t think that’s a future young people want,” Dr. Bogueva concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/19/2512">MDPI Animals</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

Generation Z doesn't recognize the climate impact of meat consumption

A new study led by the University of Sydney and...

A new study published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurjpc/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/eurjpc/zwac189">European Journal of Cardiology</a> suggests that drinking two to three cups of coffee per day may prolong your life. The research findings apply to instant, ground and decaffeinated coffee.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“In this large, observational study, ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee were associated with equivalent reductions in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease or any cause,” said study co-author Professor Peter Kistler of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia. “The results suggest that mild to moderate intake of ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle.”



The researchers used data from the UK Biobank to investigate the associations between coffee and arrhythmias, cardiovascular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/night-owls-may-have-greater-risk-of-heart-disease/">disease</a> and death in 449,563 people between the ages of 40 and 69 years. The median age of study participants was 58, with 55.3 percent being women.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study participants were questioned about whether they usually drank instant, ground, or decaffeinated coffee. They were then grouped into six consumption categories ranging from zero to more than five cups a day.&nbsp;



The data showed that 198,062 (44.1%) of the participants drank instant, 82,575 (18.4%) drank ground, and 68,416 (15.2%) drank decaffeinated coffee. The analysis also included 100,510 (22.4%) non-coffee drinkers as a control group. Age, sex, ethnicity and various health issues were controlled for in the study.&nbsp;



Overall, 6.2 percent of participants died before follow up and 9.6 percent were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. The median follow up was 12.5 years. All types of coffee consumption were shown to lower the chances of death by any cause, with two to three cups being the most effective. 



Two to three cups a day of decaffeinated, ground and instant coffee were associated with a lower risk of premature death by 14, 27, and 11 percent respectively.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Caffeine is the most well-known constituent in coffee, but the beverage contains more than 100 biologically active components," said Professor Kistler. "It is likely that the non-caffeinated compounds were responsible for the positive relationships observed between coffee drinking, cardiovascular disease and survival. Our findings indicate that drinking modest amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged but can be enjoyed as a heart healthy behavior.”



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Coffee lowers risk of premature death from all causes

A new study published in the European Journal of Cardiology...

Fruit,Fly

In the fight for love, the male members of a species usually take center stage. However, a group of scientists at the <a href="https://www.fchampalimaud.org/champalimaud-foundation/champalimaud-centre">Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown</a> have demonstrated that female fruit flies aren't spectators when it comes to sexual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sexual-competition-makes-animal-populations-more-resilient/">competition</a>.



"It is well known that female fruit flies display aggression over food and territory. So we asked, 'what about mating?" said study senior author Maria Luisa Vasconcelos.



When the team placed one male with two virgin females, everything seemed fine while the male was courting both females. But if the male began copulating with one of the flies, the spurned female began attacking the other female.



"This is curious because when the situation is reversed - when two males are in the same chamber with one female - both vigorously court the female simultaneously. But once mating is in progress, the 'losing' male doesn't attack. Instead, it courts the female even though she is otherwise engaged," explained Vasconcelos.&nbsp;



However, if a male had not previously courted a female, she would not attack. This piqued the researchers' curiosity.



"We wanted to understand what were the exact circumstances that gave rise to this behavior. For example, was it important that the females were virgins? Also, were there any external signals involved, like particular odors?" explained study first author Miguel Gaspar.



The researchers confirmed that the sexual status of the female influenced her behavior. "Mating triggers a series of physiological changes in females, which are known to have a dramatic effect on their behaviour as well," Gaspar explained. "And indeed, we found that while virgins quickly became aggressive, mated females were indifferent to the copulating pair."



The presence of food also played a role. "This was very interesting," said Vasconcelos. "We know that mated females become aggressive towards each other in the presence of food. Probably because they need nourishment to support the pregnancy. However, here the females were virgins. A possible explanation might be that mating in an environment with food is perceived as conducive to a successful pregnancy."



"We report here how female aggression towards mating pairs can be elicited. These findings add to the growing body of evidence that fruit fly females display rich, complex behaviors that are sensitive to social, environmental, and internal states. Now, we can use the extensive genetic and molecular tools available in fly research to investigate the neural underpinnings of this newly-discovered behavior."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(22)01453-1?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982222014531%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">Current Biology</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

Scorned female fruit flies attack their sexual competitors

In the fight for love, the male members of a...

Honeydew is a sugary solution produced by several different types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-struggle-to-adjust-to-high-temperatures/">insects</a>, particularly those that feed by inserting their proboscis into the phloem vessels of a plant. These vessels carry dissolved sugars and other nutrients all over the plant, and the sucking insects use their spike-like mouthparts to access the flow of goodies. Strangely, when an insect taps into the liquid and begins to suck, the high pressure in the phloem vessel causes a big droplet of honeydew to emerge from the insect’s anus. It is a valued source of food for other insects, including different species of ants.&nbsp;



Although the chemical composition of honeydew has been studied from the perspective of its nutritional value to ants and other species that feed on it, the nature of the volatile (or smelly) components has not been investigated. It is possible that scents from honeydew secretions are used by insects to communicate with each other, especially around the time of reproduction. A new study, published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2022.982965">Frontiers in Insect Science</a>, has now shown that the honeydew produced by spotted lanternflies gives rise to many airborne organic molecules that are attractive to other members of the species, and probably play an important role in the behavior of the insects.&nbsp;



Spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula) are not native to the U.S., but have been introduced inadvertently from China, where they are indigenous. The first individual was recorded in Pennsylvania in September 2014. Unfortunately, this species is invasive and feeds on a wide range of fruit, ornamental and woody trees. Individuals can spread long distances with the help of people who translocate infested material or items containing egg masses. It is critical that this pest be controlled before it spreads too widely, or it could do serious damage to the country’s grape, orchard, and logging industries.



“This research is important because the first step to managing any pest is to understand their biology and behavior,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1710547/overview">Dr. Miriam Cooperband</a>&nbsp;of the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine Division (USDA APHIS PPQ) in the U.S. “As we learn more about the behavior of the spotted lanternfly, we hope to find a vulnerability that we can use to develop pest management tools to reduce its population and spread.”



It seems that spotted lanternflies do have one rather unusual behavior that may prove a vulnerability. Not only do they leave their honeydew secretions dotted onto the understory of trees in their habitat, but they also form mass aggregations on the trunks of select trees. There, they secrete so much honeydew that the surface of the tree trunk becomes white and frothy, and begins to smell like fermenting fruit. Multitudes of lanternflies gather at these sites and add to the secretions, while neighboring tree trunks are left untouched.



Cooperband and her collaborators wondered whether the honeydew that is excreted in these copious quantities perhaps contains semiochemicals, pheromones that convey signals to other lanternflies and modify their behavior. In previous studies the researchers had fixed small samples of either male or female spotted lanternflies to the trunk of a tree, enclosed in a fine mesh sleeve. These groups soon generated large aggregations of free lanternflies on the tree trunks, suggesting to the researchers that pheromones were indeed involved in attracting the lanternflies to each other.



To find out whether the honeydew contains any behaviorally active components that could influence lanternfly behavior, the researchers collected honeydew samples separately from male and female lanternflies in the field, to test in the lab. They found numerous semiochemicals present, including four ketones, six esters, and three alcohols, all of which existed in both sexes but at different ratios. Two compounds occurred at ratios over 1.5 times higher in male than in female honeydew, whereas five other compounds were found at higher concentrations in female than in male secretions.&nbsp;



The researchers then investigated how the honeydew influenced lanternfly behavior by giving captive lanternflies a choice to move to areas with or without the different types of honeydew. Their results showed that male flies were strongly attracted to male honeydew, while both males and females were only slightly attracted to female honeydew. Although it is not clear what would cause this behavior, this is consistent with observations of how these insects behave in the field.



The team went on identify which components of the honeydew produced the strongest signals. Five molecules were tested for attraction and found to have specific sex-attractant profiles. Two molecules called benzyl acetate and 2-octanone attracted both sexes, one molecule called 2-heptanone attracted only males, one molecule, 2-nonanone, attracted only females, and one molecule, 1-nonanol, repelled females but not males. All five of these compounds also serve as pheromone components for species across multiple insect orders, including bees and bed bugs.



These findings are just the initial steps to obtaining a better understanding of how, potentially, to control this invasive pest. The authors suggest that their findings can help develop non-insecticide control measures, such as the development of semiochemical lures for detecting lanternfly presence, or to use as mass trapping tools. There are many more questions to answer, such as whether there are seasonal variations in this behavior, and whether there are interactions with microbes in the honeydew that produce the necessary chemicals.&nbsp;



“Spotted lanternfly behavior and communication is quite complex, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. In addition to our work studying chemical signals, such as those in honeydew, we are also interested in the role of substrate vibrations in their communication system,” said Cooperband. “Future research might focus on understanding how they locate each other when they gather and find mates using multiple types of signals.”



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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

Honeydew secretions could be used to manage crop pests

Honeydew is a sugary solution produced by several different types...

Blood,Sample,Positive,With,Lassa,Virus,Test

The Lassa <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/viruses-have-eyes-and-ears-on-their-hosts/">virus</a> is a zoonotic virus, spreading to humans from Natal multimammate rats (Mastomys natalensis), most likely via their droppings. Although about 80 percent of infections are mild or even asymptomatic, the remaining 20 percent are quite severe, with symptoms including hemorrhaging from the mouth and gut, shock due to low blood pressure, and potentially permanent hearing loss. For patients hospitalized with Lassa fever, the fatality rate can reach a staggering 80 percent. So far, there are no approved vaccines or effective therapies against this virus.



Currently, several hundred thousand infections occur annually, mainly in Nigeria and other West African countries. However, by analyzing decades of environmental data associated with Lassa virus outbreaks, a team of scientists from <a href="https://www.scripps.edu/">Scripps Research</a> has estimated that, due to changes in temperature, rainfall, and land-use, the virus may spread from West Africa into Central and East Africa over the next few decades. With this expansion and estimated African population growth, the human population living in areas where Lassa might circulate may rise by more than 600 million.



“Our analysis shows how climate, land use, and population changes in the next 50 years could dramatically increase the risk of Lassa fever in Africa,” said study first author Raphaëlle Klitting, a postdoctoral fellow at Scripps. “We found that several regions will likely become ecologically suitable for virus spread in Central Africa, including in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and even in East Africa, in Uganda.”



By considering projections of African population growth, the researchers discovered that the number of people potentially exposed to the virus could increase from approximately 92 million today to 453 million by 2050, and 700 million by 2070 – a more than 600 percent spike.



Fortunately, analyses of the dynamics of the spread of Lassa revealed that virus dispersal is rather slow, which may imply that – unless transmission dynamics change drastically in the new locations where the virus will circulate – its spread into new ecologically suitable areas over the following decades may also be slow.



According to the scientists, these findings should inform African public health policies by encouraging officials to add Lassa virus to lists of viruses under epidemiologic surveillance in parts of Central and East Africa.



“With the ongoing climate change and increasing impact of human activities on the environment, further comprehensive studies of the ecology and spread of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases are needed to anticipate possible future changes in their distribution as well as their impact on public health,” concluded senior author Simon Dellicour, an expert in Population Dynamics at the <a href="https://www.ulb.be/en">University of Brussels</a>.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</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

Lassa fever risk could increase dramatically in Africa

The Lassa virus is a zoonotic virus, spreading to humans...

Much research has gone into identifying links between our risks of developing serious ailments as we age and the lifestyle choices we make, such as our day-to-day selection of foods, beverages and physical activities. A new study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1000/xyz123">Aging-US</a>, has now identified that aging is influenced by mental health just as much as lifestyle choices. People who feel happy, fulfilled and socially connected experience slower aging and less of the debilitating effects of the aging process.



As we grow older, molecular damage accumulates within our cells and tissues, and contributes to the development of aging-related frailty and serious diseases. In some people these molecular processes are more intense than in others, which leads to a condition commonly referred to as accelerated aging.&nbsp;Fortunately, the increased pace of aging may be detected, using digital models of aging (aging clocks), before its disastrous consequences manifest. Such models can also be used to derive anti-aging therapies on individual and population levels.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The new study was an international collaboration between U.S. and Chinese scientists, and led by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.deeplongevity.com/">Deep Longevity</a>, an AI company that is focused on developing customized predictions of human biological age using specific aging biomarkers. It aimed to measure the effect that being lonely or unhappy, or having restless sleep, has on the pace of aging. 



The researchers used data from 11,914 Chinese adults and succeeded in developing a new aging clock that was trained and verified with blood and biometric data from the participants. This is the first aging clock to be trained exclusively on a Chinese cohort of such magnitude.&nbsp;



Accelerated aging was detected in those participants with a history of stroke, liver and lung diseases, in smokers, and most interestingly, in people who manifested a vulnerable mental state. In fact, feeling hopeless, unhappy, and lonely was shown to increase one’s biological age more significantly than smoking did. Other factors linked to aging acceleration include being single and living in a rural area (due to the low availability of medical services).&nbsp;



The authors of the article conclude that the psychological aspect of aging should not be neglected either in research or in practical anti-aging applications. “Mental and psychosocial states are some of the most robust predictors of health outcomes - and quality of life - yet they have largely been omitted from modern healthcare," said Manuel Faria from Stanford University.



<a href="https://twitter.com/biogerontology">Alex Zhavoronkov</a>, the CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://insilico.com/">Insilico Medicine</a>, points out that the study provides a course of action to slow down or even reverse psychological aging on a national scale.



Earlier this year, Deep Longevity released an AI-guided mental health web service,&nbsp;<a href="https://futurself.ai/">FuturSelf.AI,&nbsp;</a>which is based on a previous publication in Aging-US. The service offers free psychological assessment that is processed by an AI and provides a comprehensive report on a user’s psychological age as well as his or her current and future mental well-being.&nbsp;<a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/deepankar-nayak-6339855?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F">Deepankar Nayak</a>, the CEO of Deep Longevity affirms, “FuturSelf.AI, in combination with the study of older Chinese adults, positions Deep Longevity at the forefront of biogerontological research."&nbsp;&nbsp;



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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

Feeling lonely and unhappy can age you faster than smoking

Much research has gone into identifying links between our risks...

Looking,Up,The,Trunk,Of,A,Giant,Rainforest,Tree,To

The ability of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-largest-rainforests/">rainforests</a> to store carbon may significantly decrease due to climate change, according to a new doctoral thesis written by Maria Wittermann, a postgraduate student at the <a href="https://www.gu.se/en">University of Gothenburg</a>. This problem is caused by the fact that photosynthesis rates in the leaves of rainforest tree species are falling at higher temperatures and the trees’ natural cooling systems are failing during droughts.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Some species of fast-growing rainforest trees which established themselves early as the forests had been growing – called “early successional trees” - are able to handle rising heat by sucking up large quantities of water to their leaves and transpiring through wide-opened pores in the leaves. However, this does not seem to hold for trees that make up the canopy of rainforests in old growth forests (“late successional trees”), and grow slower, but get bigger and taller, thus losing their ability to cool themselves via transpiration.



“The tropics have not experienced Ice Ages and have thus had a relatively stable climate historically as well as seasonally. With climate change, it has started to get warmer and then we have seen that some species of trees are showing increased mortality rates, but we have not really known why before,”&nbsp;Wittermann said.



While early successional trees open the pores wider in their leaves, and transpire large amounts of water that helps them keep down the temperature in their leaves (much like an air conditioning system), the late successional species have more difficulties to stay cool since they don’t open their pores so much.



“We found large temperature differences in the leaves in our measurements. There could be a difference of 10 degrees Celsius between late successional species and early successional species growing in the same location. The late successional species had more difficulty coping with abnormally high temperatures. These trees had a higher mortality rate,”&nbsp;Wittermann reported.



Unfortunately, the early successional trees’ profuse transpiration requires a lot of water – which is not available during droughts. By contrast, late successional species’ reduced consumption of water makes them more resistant to droughts.



“Our results show that photosynthesis rates in rainforest trees falls when the temperature rises in their leaves, which occurs mainly in late successional species. The proteins and membranes in their leaves, that are essential for photosynthesis, fail, and eventually the trees die due to carbon starvation because they cannot convert enough carbon dioxide from the air. This affects the entire ecosystem. We know, for example, that some animals eat the fruits of the late successional species,” she added.



In her conclusion, Wittermann argued that, while this situation is currently worse in the Amazon – a carbon sink that might turn into a carbon source by as early as 2035 - in African rainforests climate change has fortunately not gone as far yet.&nbsp;



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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

Trees are overheating in warmer rainforests

The ability of rainforests to store carbon may significantly decrease...

The larger African carnivores, such as lions, leopards and cheetahs, have populations that are predictably constrained within the borders of nature reserves and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildlife-crossings-save-lives-and-money-in-washington-state/">wildlife</a> areas. They have suffered range contractions in the past because they were in conflict with humans and their livestock. But a new study, led by scientists from the <a href="https://environment.yale.edu/">Yale School of the Environment</a>, has found that all 91 different species of African carnivores investigated are facing range loss, and the smaller, less conspicuous carnivores are no exception.



The study, published in&nbsp;the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2201942119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a> and led by YSE Knobloch Family Associate Professor of Wildlife and Land Conservation Nyeema C. Harris, found that many carnivore species that are currently classified as being of “least concern” in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species had ranges that are at risk of significant contraction.&nbsp;



For example, the common slender mongoose (Herpestes sanguineus) and serval (Leptailurus serval) both face the risk that 16 percent of their current range area will be lost, while it was as much as 70 percent for the Egyptian weasel (Mustela subpalmata).&nbsp; Harris says the most important finding of the study, which analyzed additional data not previously assessed, is that all the species studied have some portion of their range at risk of contraction due to burgeoning threats. The average range contraction risk for the species studied was 15 percent.&nbsp;



“There’s a growing interest in relying on geospatial data to make conservation decisions but the range maps are flawed,” said Harris. “Traditional gap analyses do not consider both threats and assets, across the range, that influence population persistence. We are introducing a novel approach by assessing these different variables.”



Most surprising, she said, is that the team’s model was able to determine the potential range contraction risk for so many of the different species. Filling in these gaps in the current understanding will help forecast range contractions in African carnivores in future. The study reported that the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) and the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), large carnivores that are classified as endangered in the IUCN Red List, were facing range losses of 33 percent and 3 percent, respectively.&nbsp;



“We were able to get new insights about species that are largely unknown or understudied, and we identified that there are some conservation concerns because they have very small ranges containing more threats than assets,” said Harris. “The model is giving us a broader understanding and a different approach to anticipating biodiversity losses, especially for species with limited information, classified as ‘data deficient’ in the IUCN Red List, such as the Ethiopian Genet (Genetta abyssinica, a catlike mammal) and Pousargues’s mongoose (Dologale dybowskii), also known as African tropical savannah mongoose.”&nbsp;



Approximately one third of the world’s carnivore species are to be found in Africa, but these animals are under pressure from many different anthropogenic factors. Conflict with humans is a persistent problem, especially in parts where farmers depend on livestock that can fall prey to predators. Africa also has a rich biocultural diversity, with many groups of that value carnivores as part of their heritage.&nbsp;



The study examines possible assets to conservation, such as distribution of Indigenous lands and cultural diversity, and threats to carnivores, such as drought risks and exposure to urbanization or&nbsp;agriculture. It highlights some anthropic factors that are helping conservation efforts. For example, customary laws and traditional ceremonies of the Nharira community in central Zimbabwe include biodiversity protection.



“The blanket inclusion of human density as inherently and exclusively an environmental stressor is not accurate,” the authors noted. “By seeking, incorporating, and respecting traditional ecological knowledge of people in places, conservation can progress to a more inclusive practice and promote species ranges under varying global change scenarios.”



According to Harris, more work needs to be done to fill out the full extent of variables distributed across species ranges – an idea she calls textured range maps. She noted that such efforts can complement existing frameworks such as the IUCN Red List. She said their model will be used for a global carnivore assessment, and she hopes other researchers will apply similar approaches to study different groups of conservation interest, such as primates and amphibians around the world. “It will allow us to set a very explicit agenda around conservation strategy."



The study was co-authored by YSE doctoral student Siria Gámez; Asia Murphy, postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz; Aalayna R. Green, doctoral student in natural resources at Cornell University; Daniel M. Mwamidi, doctoral student at the Institution of Environmental Science and Technology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona; and Gabriela C. Nunez-Mir, assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Illinois, Chicago.



“I’m very proud of the collaborators and the partners involved in this work who bring different expertise and experiences,” said Harris, noting the team of all Black and Latina scientists. “We are helping to change the narrative of who gets to ask the questions&nbsp;



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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

African carnivores face range losses in the future

The larger African carnivores, such as lions, leopards and cheetahs,...

An important aspect of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-houseplants-can-poison-children-and-pets/">plant</a> development is gravitropism, the directional growth of organisms in response to gravity. This process allows plants to compete for limited resources. For example, if crop roots could be directed to grow down at a steeper angle, the plants could gain access to deeper water and nutrient reserves and potentially become more drought resistant.



A new study led by the <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin</a> has revealed four genes that are involved in gravitropism in corn and the model plant Arabidopsis. The research will help explain why some plant roots make a steeper turn towards gravity than others.&nbsp;



In collaboration with experts at the University of Illinois, the team used advanced techniques to observe subtle differences in root gravitropism in thousands of seedlings. This data was combined with genetic information for each seedling. The results allowed the researchers to map the likely positions of gravitropism genes in the genome.



“Because we had previously performed the same experiment with the distantly related Arabidopsis plant, we were able to match genes within the relevant regions of the genome in both species. Follow-up tests verified the identity of four genes that modify root gravitropism," explained study lead author Professor Edgar Spalding. "The new information could help us understand how gravity shapes root system architectures."



“We looked at an under-researched trait in maize that is important for a number of reasons, especially in the context of climate change. And we did it by making the evolutionary differences between plants work in our favor," said study co-author Professor Matt Hudson.



Corn and Arabidopsis evolved about 150 million years apart. Although both species share basic plant functions, the genes controlling them have likely been jumbled within the genome over time, explained Professor Hudson.



“I thought it was super cool that we could identify genes we wouldn’t have found otherwise just by comparing genomic intervals in unrelated plant species. We were pretty confident they were the right genes when they popped right out of this analysis, but Spalding’s group then spent seven or eight more years getting solid biological data to verify they do, indeed, play a role in gravitropism. Having done that, I think we’ve validated the whole approach such that in future, you could use this method for many different phenotypes," said Professor Hudson.



According to Professor Spalding, the method was probably particularly successful because precise measurements were made in a common environment. “Often, maize researchers will measure their traits of interest in a field, whereas Arabidopsis researchers tend to raise their plants in growth chambers. We measured the root gravitropism phenotype in a highly controlled way. These seeds were grown on a petri plate, and the assay lasted just hours, as opposed to traits you might measure in the real world that are open to all sorts of variabilities.”



“Gravitropism may be especially amenable to study through this approach because it would have been key to the original specialization of shoots and roots after the successful colonization of land."



Professor Hudson pointed out that gravitropism will be key to colonization of a different landscape, as well. “NASA is interested in growing crops on other planets or in space and they need to know what you'd have to breed for to do that. Plants are pretty discombobulated without gravity.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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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

Study reveals genes that help plant roots grow toward gravity

An important aspect of plant development is gravitropism, the directional...

A,Woman,Collecting,And,Separating,Recyclable,Garbage,Plastic,Bottles,Into

All the proteins, carbohydrates and fats that we eat consist of polymers – very large molecules that are made up of smaller units or building blocks. These repeated small molecules are known as monomers and the function of our digestive system is to break down the large molecules into their small units so that they may be absorbed into our blood. Thereafter, these monomers are available in our bodies to be reassembled into our own protein, carbohydrate and fat polymers. Just like Lego blocks, the units are broken apart and then put back together again to produce something useful.



Plastics are also made of polymers, with their monomers being derived from petrochemicals resulting after the fractional distillation of crude oil. Currently, some of the plastics can be <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-waste-can-be-recycled-into-construction-materials/">recycled</a>, but this involves turning them into a powdered form and melting them for reuse in another form. A team of scientists from the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> has now taken a different approach to the problem of recycling plastic polymers and attempted to break down the chemical bonds between the monomers so that they can be used again to build something new, just as we do with our digested food.&nbsp;



“We are thinking outside the box, about different ways of breaking chemical bonds,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.colorado.edu/chemistry/wei-zhang">Wei Zhang</a>, lead author of the study and chair of the Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado. “Our chemical methods can help create new technologies and new materials, as well as be utilized to help solve the existing plastic materials crisis.”



The research focused on a class of durable plastics that is widely used in the aerospace and microelectronics industries, and is very challenging to recycle because it is designed to keep its shape in conditions of extreme heat. Instead of trying to recycle the plastic, the researchers investigated techniques to break down the bonds between the monomers chemically, so that they are available as building blocks to produce new items of the same material.&nbsp;



It’s a major step in the development of repairable and fully recyclable network polymers and the study, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41557-022-01046-4">Nature Chemistry</a>, documents how this type of plastic can be perpetually broken down and remade, without sacrificing its desired physical properties. In fact, the new chemical methods developed by the scientists could potentially be applied to other plastic materials and could lead to similar discoveries about how to break down the chemical bonds fully and rebuild them, enabling the circular production of more plastic materials in our daily lives.



This means that the plastics in our satellites, cars and electronic devices, not to mention all those used in everyday life for packaging, textiles, toys and household goods, may soon be reprocessed to live another life – over and over again – rather than ending up in a landfill or contributing to the great garbage gyres in the oceans.&nbsp;



In the mid-20th century, plastics were ubiquitously adopted in almost every industry and part of life as they are extremely convenient, functional and cheap. But half a century later, after exponential demand and production, plastics pose a major problem to the health of the planet and to people. Plastics don’t biodegrade, but perish to form smaller and smaller fragments, known as microplastics. These have become ubiquitously present in land and sea environments, in our drinking water, our food and ourselves.&nbsp;



Conventional recycling currently involves breaking down the plastics mechanically into powders, and then melting them, burning them or using bacterial enzymes to digest them. The products can then be used to make something new and useful. For example, shoes may be made from recycled rubber tires, and certain clothing products can be made from plastic bottles. The material is not the same as the original, but at least the plastic does not end up in a landfill or an ocean – for the moment.&nbsp;



Unfortunately, a very small proportion of the world’s plastic waste currently gets recycled. The large majority of plastic items so beloved by us end up being thrown away, which results in hundreds of millions of tons of waste being generated every year.&nbsp; These slowly fragment and form microplastics, but they never really go away. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could simply break the plastic polymers up into their building blocks again and use them to make a brand new item of the same type? Plastics would then go round and round, being reincarnated into new products of the same material and potentially becoming immortal …&nbsp;



This is exactly what Zhang and his colleagues have managed to engineer. They reversed a chemical method and discovered they can both break existing chemical bonds and form new ones. This approach is based on the concept of reversible or dynamic chemistry, whereby chemical reactions can proceed forwards but can also go backwards.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This chemistry can also be dynamic, can be reversible, and that bond can be reformed,” said Zhang. “We are thinking about a different way to form the same backbone, just from different starting points.”&nbsp;



What’s especially novel about this latest method is that it has not only created a new class of polymer material that, like Legos, is easy to build, break apart and rebuild over and over, but the method can be applied to existing, especially hard-to-recycle polymers. These new chemical methods are also ready for commercialization and can plug and play with current industrial production.



“It can really benefit future design and development of plastics to not only create new polymers, but it’s also very important to know how to convert, upcycle and recycle older polymers,” said Zhang. “By using our new approach, we can prepare many new materials – some of which could have similar properties to the plastics in our daily life.”



This advance in the closed-loop recycling of plastics is inspired by the natural world, as plants, animals and human beings alike are currently part of a planetary-level, circular system of recycling, said Zhang. “Why can’t we make our materials the same way?”&nbsp;



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.



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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

Plastics may live an immortal life thanks to new techniques

All the proteins, carbohydrates and fats that we eat consist...

According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, the structure of family groups – defined in terms of “relatedness,” or the strength of genetic links to members of a social group - gives <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivalry-has-helped-drive-intelligence-among-animals/">animals</a> incentives to help or harm their social group as they age. The experts found that, when living in a group of close genetic relatives, it is in an animal’s best interest to behave in ways helping the whole group. By contrast, when living among less related, or unrelated individuals, the best strategy for individual animals often appears to be selfish or even harmful behavior.



“We wanted to know how an individual’s relatedness to their group changes as they age, and what consequences this might have for behavior,” said study lead author Sam Ellis, a research fellow in Animal Behavior at Exeter.



“We made a model to predict these changes and then tested it using data on banded mongooses, chimpanzees, badgers, killer whales, spotted hyenas, rhesus macaques, and yellow baboons. Our model fitted the real data. This is exciting is because it allows us to make predictions about how and why social behaviors can change with age.”



For instance, while male and female killer whales both remain in the same group as their mothers, with females thus having a growing number of close relatives around them as they age, female spotted hyenas usually live among fewer close relatives as time passes – features which structure these animals’ behavior towards their group members.



“Across a wide range of species, we see age-related changes in helping and harming behavior which can also differ between males and females,” explained study co-author Darren Croft, an expert in Social Evolution at the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a>.



“Our new work shows that understanding how relatedness to the family group changes with age is key in understanding how the incentives to help or harm the group changes across the lifespan, which can potentially explain these differences across species and between the sexes.”



“This research opens the door for future studies by providing testable predictions for how patterns of helping and harming will change across the lifespan and we eagerly anticipate new work testing these predictions,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01872-2">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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.



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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

Genetic ties influence the social behavior of aging animals

According to a new study led by the University of...

Patients who have suffered from heart failure are often placed on diuretic drugs to help them control the fluid levels in their bodies. Since the heart does not pump as efficiently in these patients, waste products accumulate in the body, causing shortness of breath and a build-up of fluid in the lungs, legs and abdomen. Diuretic drugs increase the production of urine in these patients so that they can avoid the negative effects of fluid retention. However, this gives rise to a potentially dangerous situation if these patients are exposed to the hot and dehydrating conditions of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-marine-heatwave-persists-in-the-mediterranean-sea/">heatwave</a>.



Care of heart failure patients involves close monitoring of their weight on a daily basis in order to detect sudden swelling or edema, which is the main reason for hospital admission. The <a href="https://www.escardio.org/">European Society of Cardiology</a> (ESC) guidelines recommend educating patients to increase their diuretic dose or alert their healthcare team if they experience an increase in breathlessness or swelling, or a sudden unexpected weight gain of more than 2 kg in three days. &nbsp;These conditions could indicate that the heart is under strain or that the dosage of diuretic medication needs to be increased.&nbsp;



Heart failure patients are not commonly instructed to look out for instances of weight loss, a situation that could be dangerous in times of hot temperatures, state the authors of a new study. “When healthy people drink more fluids during hot weather, the body automatically regulates urine output. This does not apply to patients with heart failure because they take diuretics,” explained study author Professor François Roubille of Montpellier University Hospital, France.



The nationwide study conducted in France linked hot temperatures during the 2019 heatwave with weight loss in heart failure patients. This may potentially indicate dehydration and is associated with a worsening condition in these patients who will not be aware of the danger if they are focused on monitoring their weight for increases only. The findings are published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.14129">ESC Heart Failure</a>,&nbsp;the open access journal of the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Sub-specialty-communities/Heart-Failure-Association-of-the-ESC-(HFA)">Heart Failure Association</a>&nbsp;(HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology.



“This study is the first to show a strict relationship between ambient temperature and body weight in heart failure patients,” said Professor Roubille. “The finding is timely given the heatwaves again this year. The weight loss we observed in people with heart failure may lead to low blood pressure, especially when standing up, and renal failure, and is potentially life-threatening. With rising temperatures forecast for the future, clinicians and patients should be ready to reduce the dose of diuretics when weight loss occurs.”



The study made use of a national telemonitoring system to examine the relationship between body weight and air temperature in heart failure patients between 1 June and 20 September 2019. During this time, two heatwaves occurred, one at the end of June and the other at the end of July. The participants included 1,420 patients with chronic heart failure who weighed themselves every day using a connected scale that automatically sent their data to the clinic. They also reported daily symptoms such as edema, fatigue, breathlessness and coughing by answering questions on a personal device (e.g. smartphone, tablet) that also sent their answers automatically to the clinic.



Data that was collected remotely in this way was combined with measurements of daily noontime temperatures from the closest weather station to each patient’s home. The researchers analyzed the association between patient weight, ambient temperature on the same day, and temperature two days prior to the weight measurement. The negative relationship between temperature and weight was very strong, with weight decreasing as temperature increased. The strongest relationship was found between a patient’s weight and the ambient temperature two days prior to the weight measurement.&nbsp;



“The weight loss we observed during the heatwave was clinically relevant. Patients weighing 78 kg lost 1.5 kg in a short period of time. We were surprised to see that weight dropped with hot temperatures, as we had expected the opposite. For this reason, the telemonitoring system was programmed to alert clinicians when patients gained weight," said Professor Roubille.



“Given the expectation of more heatwaves, telemonitoring systems also need to alert clinicians of weight loss in heart failure patients. In addition, systems could notify patients losing weight that it may be due to the heat and they should contact their healthcare provider about reducing the dose of diuretics. For heart failure patients not monitored remotely, a good rule of thumb would be to contact a healthcare professional if weight drops by 2 kg during a heatwave for advice on adjusting diuretic medication. Reacting early should help us to prevent complications.”



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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

Heatwaves have life-threatening effects on heart failure patients

Patients who have suffered from heart failure are often placed...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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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



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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

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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