The inclusion of fiber in the diet has been linked to a variety of health perks for decades. The body needs this essential nutrient to keep digestion running smoothly and maintain steady blood sugar levels.&nbsp;



Most experts recommend at least 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men, yet many adults in the United States barely reach half that goal. But there is more to this story than a happy belly or balanced glucose.&nbsp;



A recent study in Nature Metabolism shows that fiber may also leave a mark on our genes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-fiber-still-matters">Why fiber still matters</h2>



Fiber comes in many forms, from the crunchy stems of leafy greens to the chewy shells of beans and nuts. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/want-to-lose-weight-try-eating-more-protein-and-fiber/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dietary fiber</a> travels to the large intestine, where friendly bacteria feast on it.&nbsp;



This feast produces short-chain fatty acids, including propionate and butyrate, which have gained attention recently for their effects on gut health.



Researchers have been eager to see whether these acids from fibers impact genes beyond basic energy production.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fiber-gut-and-fatty-acids">Fiber, gut, and fatty acids</h2>



The science behind short-chain fatty acids and genes has intrigued experts for years, and now <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/michael-snyder" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michael Snyder</a>, Stanford B. Ascherman Professor of Genetics at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a>, has shed more light on it through this project. 



His team traced the biological footprints of propionate and butyrate in both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fiber-rich-diets-reduce-antimicrobial-resistance-in-the-gut/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">normal cells</a> and cancer cells. 



The aim was to see how these acids might switch genes on or off in ways that influence the growth and survival of cells.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-fiber-impacts-genes-nbsp">How fiber impacts genes&nbsp;</h2>



Short-chain fatty acids are generated when gut microbes break down fiber. They move into the bloodstream and can reach different tissues.&nbsp;



The study found that propionate and butyrate attach to certain sites on histones - which are proteins that act like spools for DNA - causing direct modifications on genes related to cell division and cell death.



“We found a direct link between eating fiber and modulation of gene function that has anti-cancer effects,” said Snyder.



Instead of simply describing fiber’s link to good health, the researchers pinpointed the exact molecular changes behind those benefits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preventing-uncontrolled-cell-growth">Preventing uncontrolled cell growth</h2>



Cancer often begins when cells lose their usual checks and balances. Normal cells are expected to grow, specialize, and sometimes self-destruct if there’s a problem.&nbsp;



When those processes go haywire, mutated cells can survive too long or multiply too fast. The study uncovered how certain chemical markers on genes for cell regulation might switch in a protective way when these short-chain fatty acids are around.



It is generally the case that people’s diets are very poor in fiber. Adjusting meal plans to include foods like beans, nuts, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/certain-vegetables-protect-us-from-illness-by-strengthening-the-lung-barrier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cruciferous vegetables</a>, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-one-avocado-each-day-can-add-years-to-your-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">avocados</a> may promote the production of more of these acids, potentially offering some defense against abnormal cell growth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-gut-and-genes-might-need-more-fiber">Why gut and genes might need more fiber</h2>



A diet that skimps on fiber starves the microbes that produce these beneficial fatty acids. Low levels can reduce the supply of butyrate and propionate.



That could leave you short on important chemical signals that appear to help keep unwanted cellular behavior under control.&nbsp;



According to the <a href="https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/carbohydrates/fiber/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a>, most Americans only consume around 15 grams of fiber daily, which falls short of <a href="https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/carbohydrates/fiber/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recommended amounts</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cancer-risk-and-fiber-s-gene-protective-role">Cancer risk and fiber’s gene-protective role</h2>



Colon cancer is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-cooking-oils-in-your-diet-may-be-linked-to-cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">concern for many adults</a>. The <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Cancer Society</a> estimates that about 1 in 23 men and 1 in 25 women will be diagnosed with colon cancer at some point in their lifetime. 



This new study provides a window into how the byproducts of fiber breakdown might influence gene behavior in the colon, and possibly other tissues, in a helpful way.



“By identifying the gene targets of these important molecules we can understand how fiber exerts its beneficial effects,” said Snyder.&nbsp;



Although more work is needed to confirm how each type of fiber interacts with the gut and the rest of the body, this adds to growing evidence that diet and cancer risk are tightly woven together.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-connection-between-diet-gut-and-genes">Connection between diet, gut, and genes</h2>



The research highlights the importance of diet as a modulator of genetic signals. 



It also emphasizes potential opportunities for personalized strategies that combine better eating habits with therapies aimed at correcting harmful gene activity.&nbsp;



Many clinicians see fiber as a key feature of a balanced diet, and these findings may prompt more specific guidelines on how much and which types of fiber are most valuable for long-term health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-foods-can-boost-fiber-intake">What foods can boost fiber intake?</h2>



Whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes remain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ketogenic-diet-may-help-the-body-kill-cancer-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">top options</a> for boosting your daily fiber count. Vegetables like Brussels sprouts and broccoli, as well as fruits such as raspberries, also offer generous amounts.&nbsp;



Even small shifts like opting for a whole-wheat tortilla instead of a white-flour tortilla can push your numbers up. 



For individuals who struggle to reach recommended targets, talking with a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian can point the way to practical changes that nourish both you and your gut bacteria.



People sometimes balk at the thought of adding more plant-based foods to their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/which-dietary-changes-are-best-for-cancer-prevention/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diet</a>. But a gradual introduction may help your gut adjust without uncomfortable bloating or gas.&nbsp;



Your digestive system, along with your genes, could benefit from these simple swaps, especially as ongoing research on fiber clarifies the links between short-chain fatty acids and various cellular pathways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-health-research">Future of health research</h2>



All signs suggest that fiber is more than just a helper for digestion. These insights about short-chain fatty acids may prompt further collaboration between nutrition science and genetics.&nbsp;



By paying attention to what our microbes need, we may discover fresh paths to protect our cells from harm. The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-024-01191-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Metabolism</a>.



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Eating enough fiber prevents cancer in a surprising way

The inclusion of fiber in the diet has been linked to a variety of health perks for decades. The body needs this essential nutrient to keep digestion running smoothly and maintain steady blood sugar levels.&nbsp; Most experts recommend at least 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men, yet many adults in the United States barely reach half that goal. But there is more to this story than a happy belly or balanced glucose.&nbsp; A recent study in Nature Metabolism shows that fiber may...

For young <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heat-exposure-is-worsening-the-issue-of-malnourished-children/">children</a>, a lack of sleep has detrimental effects on brain development, according to a recent study from the <a href="https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/">University of Maryland School of Medicine</a>. 



"Because early adolescence is a crucial period for neurocognitive development, we aimed to investigate how insufficient sleep affects children's mental health, cognition, brain function, and brain structure over 2 years," wrote the researchers.&nbsp;



The study revealed that a lack of sleep among elementary school-age children leads to significant differences in brain regions that are responsible for memory, intelligence and well-being.&nbsp;



These developmental changes correlated with greater mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. Sleep deprivation among children was also linked to difficulties with problem solving and decision making.&nbsp;



The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that children between the ages of six and 12 years of age should get nine to 12 hours of sleep per night for optimal health.&nbsp;



The study was focused on data from more than 8,300 who were enrolled in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The researchers analyzed MRI images, medical records, and surveys completed by the participants and their parents at the time of enrollment and during a two-year follow-up.



“We found that children who had insufficient sleep, less than nine hours per night, at the beginning of the study had less grey matter or smaller volume in certain areas of the brain responsible for attention, memory and inhibition control compared to those with healthy sleep habits,” said study co-author Dr. Ze Wang. “These differences persisted after two years, a concerning finding that suggests long term harm for those who do not get enough sleep.”



According to Dr. Wang and his colleagues, this is one of the first studies to demonstrate the potential long-term impact of lack of sleep on neurocognitive development in children.



“This is a crucial study finding that points to the importance of doing long-term studies on the developing child’s brain,” said Dr. E. Albert Reece. "Sleep can often be overlooked during busy childhood days filled with homework and extracurricular activities. Now we see how detrimental that can be to a child’s development.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/home">The Lancet Child &amp; Adolescent Health</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

Lack of sleep impacts brain development in children

For young children, a lack of sleep has detrimental effects...

The quality of drinking water will suffer as forests disappear due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bioenergy-can-slow-climate-change-but-the-window-is-closing/">climate change</a>, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.ufz.de/">Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research</a> (UFZ). The experts note that the detrimental effects of climate change are particularly apparent in Germany's largest drinking water reservoir, the Rappbode reservoir, which provides drinking water for roughly one million people.



Between 2015 and 2020, long periods of drought severely weakened the tree population in the Harz region, where&nbsp; parasites such as bark beetles had already caused a significant amount of damage. The additional strain of drought was too much for the trees, and they were quickly wiped out.&nbsp;



"Over the past four years, the Rappbode catchment area, characterized by conifers, primarily spruce, has lost over 50 percent of its forest," explained UFZ hydrologist Professor Michael Rode. "This massive forest dieback is advancing rapidly and is dramatic. This will have consequences for the drinking water reservoir."



Forests are needed for good water quality because they filter water and bind nutrients. Water with less nutrients, such as nitrogen or phosphorus compounds, are easier to treat.



"This makes it more difficult for algae to develop, making drinking water treatment in the waterworks more cost-effective and easier," explained study co-author Dr. Karsten Rinke. "Nutrient management in water conservation areas is therefore very important. Over the past decades, long-term concepts with close cooperation between forest and water management have advanced the development of large areas of forest in the Rappbode reservoir catchment area."



The UFZ team set out to investigate the effects of climate-induced deforestation on reservoir water quality. "We were able to access environmental data from a period of over ten years, providing us with a solid set of data," said study lead author Dr. Xiangzhen Kong.



"We first fed these data into a model in order to estimate the climate-related effects on the nutrient balance in the catchment area. The resulting data were then processed in a reservoir ecosystem model with which we were able to determine the effects of different deforestation scenarios on the predicted water quality for 2035."



"We were able to demonstrate that, for an anticipated deforestation of up to 80 percent, the Rappbode predam will experience an 85 percent increase in dissolved phosphorus concentration and a more than 120 percent increase in nitrogen concentration within only 15 years. The Rappbode pre-dam will thus reach nearly the same nutrient levels as the Hassel pre-dam."



This will result in an increase in diatoms of more than 80 percent and an increase in green algae of more than 200 percent in the Rappbode pre-dam. The findings highlight an urgent need for a wide range of adaptations in drinking water management.&nbsp;



"Nutrient input to reservoir catchment areas should be reduced even more than previously, reforestation projects with drought-resistant tree species should be further promoted and waterworks should be adapted to the impending developments with selective water removal strategies," said Professor Rode. "And what remains important and must be further increased: extensive, granular environmental monitoring."



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118721">Water Research</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

Drinking water quality will suffer from climate change

The quality of drinking water will suffer as forests disappear...

In a recent study from <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a>, experts report that organized sports help kids develop the “grit” they need to overcome challenges later in life. 



According to the researchers, grit is defined as the combination of passion and perseverance that helps people achieve their long-term goals. The study reveals that adults score higher on a measurement of grit if they played sports as a kid.&nbsp;



Study lead author Emily Nothnagle said the results suggest that the lessons children learn in sports can have a positive impact on their lives long after they grow up.



“Kids who participate in sports learn what it is like to struggle as they learn new skills, overcome challenges and bounce back from failure to try again,” explained Nothnagle. “The grit they develop playing sports can help them the rest of their lives.”



Study co-author Professor Chris Knoester noted that all is not lost for adults who didn’t play as children, as the study also showed that adults who participated in sports during the past year showed more grit than those who did not.&nbsp;



The study was focused on data from 3,993 adults who participated in the National Sports and Society Survey (NSASS), which is sponsored by the Sports and Society Initiative at Ohio State.&nbsp;



The data analysis showed that those who played sports as a child were substantially more likely to score high on the grit scale. The results also indicated that, in order to achieve the full benefits of sports participation, kids need to play consistently.



“Adults who played youth sports but dropped out did not show higher levels of grit.&nbsp; They actually demonstrated lower levels of grit after we included a proxy measure of how sports mattered for the development of grit while growing up,” explained Professor Knoester.



“Quitting could reflect a lack of perseverance, which is a crucial component of grit. It could also make quitting an activity, and not persevering, easier the next time.”



The experts explained that adults who played sports as kids generally perceived that the team experience helped improve their work ethic - and that perception was linked to their grit scores as adults.



“Sports offer this valuable place in society where you can work hard and practice and take it seriously, but it is also not real life to some extent– typically, sports are thought of as a separate sphere of life and the stakes in sports are not as far-reaching and extreme,” said Knoester.



“But you can take those lessons you learn and practice in sports, such as building grit, and apply them in your life outside of sports in very useful ways.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ulsc20/current">Leisure 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

Kids who play sports have more "grit" to succeed as adults

In a recent study from Ohio State University, experts report...

A remarkable new study published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/">eLife</a> reveals that marmosets begin practicing vocalizations to call for their parents before they are even born. The researchers found that baby marmosets practice the mouth movements needed to call out to their family while they are still in the womb.&nbsp;



According to the experts, the findings may also apply to humans, as ultrasounds have shown developing babies making mouth movements that are used for crying during the third trimester of pregnancy.



"Human and non-human primates produce rhythmical sounds as soon as they are born. These early vocalizations are important for soliciting the attention of caregivers. How they develop, remains a mystery," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



Beyond crying out for help, these early vocalizations and interactions are laying the foundation for more complex communication later in life, noted the researchers.



Study lead author Darshana Narayanan conducted the study as a graduate student in the Department of Psychology at Princeton University. “We wanted to know how those very first neonatal vocalizations develop,” said Narayanan.



For the investigation, the researchers conducted ultrasounds in four pregnant marmosets two or three times per week. The screening started when the face first became visible and ended the day before birth.&nbsp;



The experts used the images to observe the head, face and mouth movements of developing marmosets. These observations were compared with the movements that the marmosets made during vocalizations as newborns.&nbsp;



An analysis of the images showed that the head and mouth movements of the developing marmosets were synchronized at first, but then the mouth movement gradually became distinct.



By the end of the pregnancy, the mouth movements of developing marmosets were nearly identical to those made by crying newborn marmosets when they were separated from their mothers.



“Our experiments show that marmosets begin practicing the movements needed for important social calls even before they can generate a sound,” explained Narayanan. She said that studying these movements further in marmosets may help scientists learn more about the development of social vocalizations in other primates, including humans.



“Marmoset monkeys offer a special opportunity to study primate vocal development,” said study senior author Professor Asif Ghazanfar. “Like humans, marmosets are very social and learn to vocalize through interactions with their parents.”



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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

Marmosets practice crying out for help before they're born

A remarkable new study published in the journal eLife reveals...

Varied,Thrush,Eating,A,Berry,From,A,Crab,Apple,Tree

According to a new study led by the <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> (OSU), old-growth <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-trees-are-vital-to-forest-survival/">forests</a> and managed forests with old-growth features can provide relief from the effects of climate change for some bird species. Building upon <a href="https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/complex-old-growth-forests-may-protect-some-bird-species-warming-climate">earlier research</a> showing that old forests with big trees and a diversity of tree sizes and species offer refuge to some types of birds threatened by a warming climate, the experts investigated how forest “microclimates” – local atmospheric conditions in areas ranging from a few square meters to many square kilometers which differ from those of the surrounding regions – affect bird diversity and abundance.



Since microclimates tend to be most pronounced in areas of rugged and varied topography, such as mountains, coastal areas, or islands, the researchers focused on Oregon’s Cascade Range, home to the&nbsp;<a href="https://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/">HJ Andrews Experimental Forest</a>.&nbsp;



By analyzing eight years of breeding bird abundance data from an HJ Andrews watershed, together with subcanopy temperature readings and vegetation data, the scientists discovered that bird species tend to fare better in cooler microclimates, a phenomenon they describe as the “buffering effect.” Moreover, some bird species were found to do better in regions where the forest had more compositional diversity – referred as the “insurance effect,” since diversity helps ensure the presence of insects the birds feed upon during their breeding season.



“To my knowledge, this is the first empirical evidence of any microclimate effect on songbird populations, and of the insurance effect on free-ranging birds,” said study lead author Hankyu Kim, a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin-Madison</a>. “Each species may have a slightly different range of thermal optima – the range of thermal conditions they feel comfortable with – and it could be the same for the interaction between forest ecosystems and birds.”



In a warming climate, some birds interact with the forest ecosystem to their benefit, but others have difficulty breeding in certain areas due to decreased food availability. While seven of the 20 species that the scientists examined showed overall declines in abundance over the eight-year study period (2011-2018), nine showed increases and four did not display any detectable trends.&nbsp;



Five bird species -the Swainson’s thrush, the chestnut-backed chickadee, the hermit warbler, the varied thrush and Wilson’s warbler - benefited from the buffering effect. The Wilson’s warbler and the red crossbill were found to benefit from the insurance effect.



“If plants leaf out earlier in warm microclimates, causing arthropods to emerge earlier, there is a danger of migratory birds mistiming their breeding with peak food availability,” said study senior author Matthew Betts, an expert in forest ecosystems at OSU. “Since leaf-out timing varies by plant species, forests with more plant diversity often have a longer period of insect availability.”



“Trends of abundance of five species declined at greater rates in warmer locations than in cooler areas. That suggests microclimates within forested landscapes do provide refugia for those species. Declining species that are sensitive to warm conditions, like the Wilson’s warbler, hermit warbler and chestnut-backed chickadee, seemed to benefit the most from refugia effects.” Dr. Kim concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.16353">Global Change Biology</a>.



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

Old-growth forests serve as a refuge in a warming climate

According to a new study led by the Oregon State...

The chemistry of the Arctic Ocean has been rapidly changing, and this region continues to heat up faster than anywhere else on the planet. A recent study led by the <a href="https://www.gu.se/en">University of Gothenburg</a> has found that as the Arctic Ocean loses its sea ice cover, the open water is absorbing more carbon dioxide. The researchers warn that this phenomenon is accelerating the process of acidification, and may ultimately disrupt the entire food chain.&nbsp;



"The Arctic Ocean has experienced rapid warming and sea ice loss in recent decades, becoming the first open-ocean basin to experience widespread aragonite undersaturation," wrote the study authors. "However, its trend toward long-term ocean acidification and the underlying mechanisms remain undocumented."



The team used data from Arctic expeditions to analyze changes in pH north of Alaska and Siberia. They found that pH levels in this region have decreased rapidly since 1994.&nbsp;



“The time-series of pH measurements made in the Arctic Ocean is long," said study co-author Leif Anderson. "The oldest are from an expedition in 1994, when the ice sheet was extensive and thick, and measurements were taken in the leads between the ice floes. On the expedition in 2014, the icebreaker Oden was able to travel in open water half way from Siberia to the North Pole."



The data analysis revealed that between 1994 and 2020, pH in the western Arctic decreased three to four times faster than that of other oceans.



"Sea ice melt exposes seawater to the atmosphere and promotes rapid uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide, lowering its alkalinity and buffer capacity and thus leading to sharp declines in pH and aragonite," wrote the researchers. "We predict a further decrease in pH, particularly at higher latitudes where sea ice retreat is active, whereas Arctic warming may counteract decreases in aragonite in the future."



Since water temperature determines how much carbon dioxide can be dissolved in the ocean, the impacts will be greatest in the coldest water, noted the study authors.&nbsp;



The mixing of freshwater from melted sea ice is also contributing to the issue by altering the chemistry of the Arctic Ocean. These changes will lead to cascading effects across the entire food chain, from phytoplankton to whales. “All of these factors are consequences of climate change, and more open water in the Arctic is amplifying their effects,” said Anderson.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abo0383">Science</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="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Open water is accelerating ocean acidification in the Arctic

The chemistry of the Arctic Ocean has been rapidly changing,...

In a recent study from <a href="http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/">Tohoku University</a>, Professor Kunio Kaiho has identified a disturbing link between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-climate-change-can-increase-resilience/">climate</a> shifts and mass extinction events. According to the research, the severity of an extinction event is directly correlated with the extent of the global temperature change. 



"Major mass extinctions in the Phanerozoic Eon occurred during abrupt global climate changes accompanied by environmental destruction driven by large volcanic eruptions and projectile impacts. Relationships between land temperature anomalies and terrestrial animal extinctions, as well as the difference in response between marine and terrestrial animals to abrupt climate changes in the Phanerozoic, have not been quantitatively evaluated," wrote Professor Kaiho.



"My analyses show that the magnitude of major extinctions in marine invertebrates and that of terrestrial tetrapods correlate well with the coincidental anomaly of global and habitat surface temperatures during biotic crises, respectively, regardless of the difference between warming and cooling."



Throughout the Phanerozoic Eon, which covers 539 million years to the present, there have been five major mass extinction events. The loss of species during these events corresponded with global cooling or warming of greater than seven degrees Celsius, according to the study. 



"These findings indicate that the bigger the shifts in climate, the larger the mass extinction," said Professor Kaiho. "They also tell us that any prospective extinction related to human activity will not be of the same proportions when the extinction magnitude changes in conjunction with global surface temperature anomaly."



"Although predicting the extent of future extinctions is difficult because causes will differ from preceding ones, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that any forthcoming extinction will not reach past magnitudes if global surface temperature anomalies and other environmental anomalies correspondingly change."



Professor Kaiho also found that animals on land have a lower tolerance for global warming events compared to marine animals. On the other hand, marine animals have a lower tolerance for temperature changes in their habitats.&nbsp;



According to Professor Kaiho, the results suggest that climate change and related or coincidental environmental destruction are the main causes of mass extinctions on land and in the sea.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.biogeosciences.net/">Biogeosciences</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

Greater temperature changes linked to worse extinction events

In a recent study from Tohoku University, Professor Kunio Kaiho...

U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/national-parks-endangered-species/">national park</a> traffic has grown steadily over the past decade, with popular parks such as Yosemite or Yellowstone reaching over one million visitors per year. In such heavily used areas, it is expected that animals will change their behavior to avoid humans. However, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> (UW), even in remote, rarely visited national parks, the presence of just a few humans can significantly impact the activity of wildlife residing there.&nbsp;



“There’s been increasing recognition of how much just the presence of humans in these places, and our recreating there, can impact wildlife,” said senior author&nbsp;Laura Prugh, an associate professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at UW. “These results are striking in showing that really any level of human activity can have an effect on wildlife.”



The researchers focused on the Glacier Bay National Park, a coastal area in southeast Alaska which is accessible only by boat or plane, and attracts less than 40,000 visitors per year. They installed 40 motion-activated cameras across 10 sites to examine the behavior of four animal species – wolves, black bears, brown bears, and moose – during two summers.



The investigation revealed that, if humans were present in the areas, the cameras detected less than five animals per week across all the species studied, suggesting that the animals generally avoid areas visited by humans. Moreover, in backcountry areas, wildlife detections dropped to zero when 40 or more humans visited each week.



“It was eye-opening to see the number of wildlife sightings we are ‘missing’ just by recreating in backcountry areas of Glacier Bay,” said study lead author&nbsp;Mira Sytsma, who completed the research as a graduate student at UW. “I was surprised that for all four species, wildlife detections were always highest when there wasn’t any human activity. So many people visit national parks for the chance to view wildlife, and that desire alone may reduce the chance of it happening.”&nbsp;



Although all four animal species showed changes in activity due to humans, wolves appeared to be most affected by human presence, while brown bears were the least affected. Surprisingly, moose were more active during the times of day and locations where people were seen, suggesting that they might be using humans as a protective shield against predators.



These findings could help park managers consider different approaches to making parks more accessible to both humans and wildlife, by concentrating trails and human use in only a few areas, or put restrictions on the time of day or days in which people can visit the parks.



“Our findings lend support to concentrating human activities in some areas, because if you’re going to go above zero human activity and it’s going to have an impact, you might as well go way above zero in some areas and then have other areas where you have almost no human activity. In those areas, then, wildlife can live their natural lives unaffected by people,” Professor Prugh concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/publications/journals/people-and-nature/">People and Nature</a>.&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

Animals in national parks are impacted by human visitors

U.S. national park traffic has grown steadily over the past...

A new study led by the <a href="https://natur.gl/?lang=en">Greenland Institute of National Resources</a> has found that a sub-arctic ecosystem off Southeast Greenland, which has previously been dominated by large amounts of drifting pack ice, has changed during this century to a more temperate system with higher ocean temperatures and less sea ice. According to the experts, changes in summer ocean conditions are currently making this region more attractive for marine species such as fin and humpback whales, as well as other new species.



The driver of such massive ecological changes, or regime shifts, are known in the scientific literature as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/environmental-tipping-points-are-not-predictable/">tipping points</a>, which may be irreversible and have cascading effects throughout various ecosystems.



“In this case, the new regime will likely become permanent for the foreseeable future, unless temperatures cool and the ice export from the north increases again. According to recent IPCC reports, continued 21st century climate change will make this scenario unlikely,”&nbsp;said study author Mads Peter Heide-Jørgensen, a marine biologist at the Greenland Institute.



“One of the main findings is that this event is so unusual in the past 200 years of summer ice observations in the region. We have seen big changes in some of the upper trophic levels. There are likely many other changes in the ecosystem and food web that have not yet been described and might be part of the reason why highly migratory species are coming to the region,” added Brian MacKenzie, an oceanographer at the <a href="https://www.aqua.dtu.dk/english">National Institute of Aquatic Resources</a>.



These shifts in the sub-Arctic have already started to occur since 2012, when, for the first time, bluefin tunas were accidentally caught in a trawl fishery in waters off East Greenland. Afterwards, unexpectedly large numbers of fin and humpback whales were found in the previously ice-packed waters of East Greenland, along with temperate species such as dolphins, killer whales, and pilot whales. At the same time, high Arctic marine species like narwhals and walruses, were dwindling in Southeast Greenland.



This ecological shift in the dominating regime in East Greenland was triggered by the decline in summer drift ice - particularly after 2000 - which opened the region to large predators that depend on open water for air breathing.



“The recent disappearance of summer pack ice along East Greenland demonstrates how meteorological perturbations are connected to changes in marine ecological conditions over distances several thousand kilometers apart,” Heide-Jørgensen concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16494">Global Change Biology</a>.&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



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Dramatic regime shift observed in Arctic marine ecosystems

A new study led by the Greenland Institute of National...

According to a series of new studies presented at <a href="https://www.sfn.org/meetings/neuroscience-2022">Neuroscience 2022</a>, the annual meeting of the <a href="https://www.sfn.org/">Society for Neuroscience</a>, SARS-CoV-2 may impact the brain for months after infection. The experts argued that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-long-covid-cases-started-out-as-mild-infections/">long Covid</a> – a lingering constellation of symptoms ranging from breathing difficulties to brain fog – could also damage the central nervous system long after the acute symptoms of the virus have passed.



Scientists estimate that one in five to one half of all adults who were infected with the novel coronavirus experience at least one long Covid symptom, including mood disorders and concentration problems. While researchers are still learning how the virus can change the brain, it is becoming increasingly clear that its long-term effects are wide ranging across a variety of age groups.



In one study, for instance, scientists discovered that the sensorimotor brain regions of children who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 months ago now showed a higher demand for resources, a problem triggered by higher temporal correlations in three clusters of the brain, including the precentral and postcentral gyrus and the supplementary motor area.&nbsp;



In another study focused on the effect of Covid-19 on mice, experts found that the virus activates the immune system via Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) such as TLR3, TLR4, TLR7, and TLR8. By using a mouse model, they showed that TLR7-triggered inflammation may cause brain fog and other cognitive and memory impairments, and that, eight months after infection, both male and female mice experienced hippocampus-related impairments of novel object recognition. Moreover, in male mice, the scientists observed decreased context-dependent fear conditioning.



Finally, a third study found that roughly one-fourth of adults who had mild Covid-19 four months prior had specific visuoconstructive deficits associated with molecular and clinical changes, suggesting that cognitive deficits caused by neuroinflammation may emerge from even mild Covid infections.



“This isn’t the first time that a flu-like viral infection has been linked to an increased risk for dementia. But one of the most important aspects of this work is the magnitude of people potentially affected by this — millions upon millions,” said Robyn Klein, a professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Immunology at the <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University</a>.



“We need to move on to alternative hypotheses for these neurologic diseases; we also need to inform the public and physicians that this is a real illness and that they should be proactive in addressing it.”



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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

Covid-19 could have long-term effects on the brain

According to a series of new studies presented at Neuroscience...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.ochsner.org/services/heart-vascular-services">John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute</a>, experts have identified a link between unhealthy lifestyles and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-infection-rates-are-much-higher-than-previously-reported/">COVID-19</a> deaths. The researchers found that a higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection was associated with obesity, sedentary behavior, diabetes, and smoking.



"Tragically, the United States (US) surpassed one million documented deaths due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A convincing association between unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and poorer outcomes associated with COVID-19 infection has already been demonstrated and communicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in public health messaging," wrote the researchers.



"The US is experiencing not a pandemic, but a syndemic, specifically an unhealthy lifestyle behaviors–chronic diseases–COVID-19 syndemic. This syndemic has almost certainly significantly contributed to the more than one million deaths the United States has experienced during the pandemic."



Study senior author Dr. Carl Lavie noted that experts have long been aware of the link between increased mortality rates and unhealthy lifestyles. “Individuals who live sedentary lives with poor eating habits and multiple chronic conditions are always more prone to negative health outcomes.”



The researchers analyzed geographic maps of the United States focusing on COVID-19 deaths. They compared this data with lifestyle behaviors, obesity, and chronic conditions, and a clear pattern emerged.



“The reality of this comparison should be quite eye-opening for many,” said Dr. Lavie. “The only way to combat the syndemic we are experiencing is to promote healthy lifestyles and address the health needs of all, especially those in underserved communities who have been disproportionately impacted by poor outcomes related to chronic conditions and COVID-19.”



"At this time, it is important not only to look ahead but also to reflect on challenges faced and patterns that have emerged during the pandemic," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"Perhaps, as we reflect on the now more than one million lives lost in the United States and apparent differences in mortality rates across states, lessons can be learned from comparing similar mapping patterns for other major health issues we face."



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2022.06.006">American Journal of Medicine</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



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COVID-19 deaths linked to unhealthy lifestyles

In a new study from the John Ochsner Heart and...

In a study led by <a href="https://www.ecu.edu.au/">Edith Cowan University</a> (ECU), experts have demonstrated that you can cut your gym routine in half by simply "lowering" weights instead of lifting them. The research pinpoints the type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-hibernating-bears-could-help-humans-prevent-muscle-loss/">muscle</a> contraction that is most effective at strengthening muscles.



According to Professor Ken Nosaka, the results confirm that eccentric muscle contractions are more important than concentric contractions for increasing the strength and size of muscles. An eccentric contraction occurs during the lowering phase of a biceps curl, when the activated muscles are lengthened.



“We already know only one eccentric muscle contraction a day can increase muscle strength if it is performed five days a week - even if it’s only three seconds a day - but concentric (lifting a weight) or isometric muscle contraction (holding a weight) does not provide such an effect,” explained Professor Nosaka.



“This latest study shows we can be far more efficient in the time we spend exercising and still see significant results by focusing on eccentric muscle contractions."



“In the case of a dumbbell curl, many people may believe the lifting action provides the most benefit, or at least some benefit, but we found concentric muscle contractions contributed little to the training effects.”



Study participants were divided into three groups who performed dumbbell curls twice a week for five weeks. One group performed only eccentric muscle contractions by lowering weights, another performed only concentric muscle contractions by lifting weights, and the third performed both eccentric and concentric muscle contractions.



While the participants in all three groups gained concentric strength, this was the only improvement for the individuals who exclusively lifted weights. In the two groups that lowered weights, the volunteers also gained isometric and eccentric strength.



The most interesting finding of the study was that individuals who only lowered weights - despite performing just half as many reps as those lifting and lowering weights - experienced the greatest improvement in muscle thickness.



“Understanding the benefits of eccentric-focused training can allow people to spend their time exercising more efficiently,” said Professor Nosaka. “With the small amount of daily exercise needed to see results, people don’t necessarily even have to go to the gym — they can incorporate eccentric exercise into their everyday routine.”&nbsp;



The international research team also included experts from Niigata University, Nishi Kyushu University, and Londrina State University.



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-05035-w">European Journal of Applied Physiology</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

Cut your gym time in half by "lowering" weights

In a study led by Edith Cowan University (ECU), experts...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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