Exercise is well known for its broad health benefits, from strengthening muscles and bones to supporting heart and immune health. Now, a team of engineers from MIT has uncovered a new benefit: exercise can directly promote neuron growth.



Led by <a href="https://www.mit.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIT</a>’s Ritu Raman, a recent study shows that contracting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/muscles-defy-aging-with-remarkable-resilience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">muscles</a> release biochemical signals, or myokines, which significantly enhance neuron growth.&nbsp;



When neurons were exposed to these muscle-generated signals, they grew four times farther than those without exposure. This discovery could pave the way for new therapies focused on nerve repair and regeneration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-muscle-nerve-communication">Muscle-nerve communication</h2>



This study provides the first evidence that physical activity itself can stimulate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-a-way-to-regenerate-old-neurons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neuron growth</a> as effectively as biochemical signals from muscles.&nbsp;



While prior research hinted at a connection between muscles and nerve growth, MIT’s study goes further, revealing the powerful role both biochemical and physical effects play.&nbsp;



The research, published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202403712" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advanced Healthcare Materials</a>, highlights the essential link between muscle and nerve health and could have applications for therapies aimed at restoring nerve function.



“Now that we know this muscle-nerve crosstalk exists, it can be useful for treating things like nerve injury, where communication between nerve and muscle is cut off,” said Raman, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at MIT.&nbsp;



“Maybe if we stimulate the muscle, we could encourage the nerve to heal, and restore mobility to those who have lost it due to traumatic injury or neurodegenerative diseases.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-muscles-influence-nerve-growth">Muscles influence nerve growth</h2>



In previous work, Raman’s team helped restore mobility in mice with traumatic muscle injuries by implanting new muscle tissue at the site of the injury and then stimulating it with light.&nbsp;



Over time, this exercised muscle tissue produced certain biochemicals that promoted blood vessel and nerve growth, restoring function in injured areas. 



This finding suggested muscles could influence nerve growth, and it led Raman’s team to explore whether muscle-generated signals might directly support nerve growth.



To isolate muscle responses, they engineered mouse muscle tissue that would contract when exposed to light. 



Using a special gel mat that supports muscle tissue without detachment, the team stimulated muscle contractions, allowing the tissue to release a blend of myokines - biochemical messengers including proteins and RNA.



“Muscles are pretty much always secreting myokines, but when you exercise them, they make more,” Raman explained. After collecting this solution, the team introduced it to motor neurons to observe how they might respond.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biochemical-signals-and-neuron-growth">Biochemical signals and neuron growth</h2>



The team applied the myokine solution to motor neurons derived from mouse stem cells. 



Observing their behavior, the experts found that the neurons quickly extended, growing four times faster and farther than those not exposed to myokines.



“They grow much farther and faster, and the effect is pretty immediate,” Raman said.



A closer genetic analysis of the neurons showed that the myokines stimulated genes not only related to growth but also to neuronal maturation and function.



“We saw that many of the genes up-regulated in the exercise-stimulated neurons were not only related to neuron growth, but also neuron maturation, how well they talk to muscles and other nerves, and how mature the axons are,” Raman explained.&nbsp;



“Exercise seems to impact not just neuron growth but also how mature and well-functioning they are.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-physical-movement-alone-promotes-growth">Physical movement alone promotes growth</h2>



The researchers next wondered if neurons could respond similarly to exercise’s mechanical impacts without biochemical cues.&nbsp;



“Neurons are physically attached to muscles, so they are also stretching and moving with the muscle,” Raman said.&nbsp;



Using a gel mat embedded with tiny magnets, the team simulated mechanical stretching on a different set of neurons, “exercising” them by gently moving the mat back and forth.



Remarkably, this mechanical stimulation resulted in neuron growth similar to that induced by myokines. The findings suggest that exercise’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-in-a-pill-is-now-closer-to-reality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">physical impacts</a> may directly encourage neuron growth. 



“That’s a good sign because it tells us both biochemical and physical effects of exercise are equally important,” Raman said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-restoring-mobility">Implications for restoring mobility</h2>



This breakthrough in understanding how muscles influence neurons opens new therapeutic possibilities for nerve repair and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-grounds-could-help-prevent-neurodegenerative-diseases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neurodegenerative conditions</a>.&nbsp;



By using targeted muscle stimulation, researchers hope to develop treatments for conditions such as ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases that affect nerve function. 



“This is just our first step toward understanding and controlling exercise as medicine,” Raman said.



With growing evidence that exercise supports nerve health on multiple levels, researchers are now focused on exploring the potential for exercise-based therapies to restore function and mobility for those affected by nerve damage or degeneration.&nbsp;



These findings highlight the powerful role exercise could play in future neurotherapeutic approaches.



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Exercise fuels neuron growth through muscle signals

Exercise is well known for its broad health benefits, from strengthening muscles and bones to supporting heart and immune health. Now, a team of engineers from MIT has uncovered a new benefit: exercise can directly promote neuron growth. Led by MIT’s Ritu Raman, a recent study shows that contracting muscles release biochemical signals, or myokines, which significantly enhance neuron growth.&nbsp; When neurons were exposed to these muscle-generated signals, they grew four times farther than those without exposure. This discovery could pave the way for new therapies focused...

Populations of migratory bird <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/managing-invasive-species-can-improve-climate-resilience/">species</a> have been declining more than non-migratory birds. Now, researchers have set out to identify the problem in a new study published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14668238">Global Ecology and Biogeography</a>.&nbsp;



“We know that migratory birds are in greater decline than non-migratory species, but it’s not clear why. We wanted to find out where in their life cycles these migratory species are most exposed to human impacts," said Dr. James Gilroy from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a>’s (UAE) School of Environmental Sciences.



The research shows that migratory birds passing through human built environments suffer the most losses. Impacts with wind turbines, dangerous roads, buildings and power lines are all taking their toll.



“We found that human modification of the landscape in the birds’ distribution ranges in Europe, Africa and Western Asia is associated with declining numbers of over 100 Afro-Eurasian migratory birds," said Dr. Claire Buchan.



"When we talk about modification of the landscape, we mean things like roads, buildings, powerlines, wind turbines – anything that isn’t naturally there."



“One of the biggest impacts seems to be caused by things that would kill a bird outright – for example flying into a wind turbine, a building, being electrocuted on a powerline, hit by a vehicle or hunted. We found that exposure to these human-induced ‘direct mortality’ threats in the bird’s wintering ranges are reflected in population decreases in breeding birds.”



The scientists found 16 different human created factors that negatively impact migratory bird populations across Europe, Asia and Africa, including are collisions, destruction of natural habitat and climate change.&nbsp;



“Our findings are important because we need to understand where declining species are being most impacted by humans across their seasonal migrations," said Dr. Aldina Franco. "Pinpointing where birds are most exposed to these threats could help us target conservation actions."



The scientists hope that their research will help create better conservation plans for birds and improve their survival in the future.&nbsp;



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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

Human modifications create deadly traps for migratory birds

Populations of migratory bird species have been declining more than...

In a new study from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ural_Federal_University">Ural Federal University</a>, experts have demonstrated that flowers and tobacco can thrive on polluted land. These plants can adapt to copper in the soil by limiting the accumulation of the metal to the stem and leaves.&nbsp;



“Plants of the Asteraceae and Nightshade families, namely zinnia and tobacco, are copper-exclusive, their root system performs the function of copper accumulation,” explained study co-author Anastasia Tugbaeva. "Biotechnologies for maintaining and restoring components of natural and transformed biosystems", UrFU.&nbsp;



“Using zinnia as an example, we have shown for the first time that it can grow in copper-contaminated soils and even flower faster than in pure soils. That is, it can be used for landscaping areas, it will grow well. Tobacco, an important agricultural crop and useful fertilizer, also adapted to long-term exposure to copper in our experiments and grew comparable to control plants, despite the high content of copper in the substrate.”



For the investigation, the scientists recreated realistic levels of humidity and temperature0. They tested the effect of various concentrations of copper sulfate on growth, and analyzed various physiological characteristics of the plants.



“We conducted experiments for 20, 40, 60 days and used substrates in which the content of copper could even exceed its content in urban soils,” said Tugbaeva. “Under the influence of copper in the root and stem of plants, the expression of five genes responsible for the synthesis of phenolic compounds and lignin is enhanced. Lignin is one of the components of the plant cell wall, which makes it stronger. It is lignin that is the mechanism of plant adaptation, which limits the transfer of metals from the cell wall and the effects of metals on the intracellular structure of the plant.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/horticulturae">Horticulturae</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

Tobacco and zinnia can thrive in polluted land

In a new study from Ural Federal University, experts have...

Microplastics are the breakdown products of the plastic objects we use in everyday life – wrappings, packaging, bottles, synthetic clothing, and kitchen ware, for example. None of these plastics is biodegradable but, in the presence of sunlight and normal environmental conditions, they perish into small fragments that find their way into the oceans, rivers, foods, drinking water and even the blood of humans and other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-clues-about-disease-transmission-among-animals/">animals</a>. They are one of the world’s biggest environmental problems because, once dispersed, they are very difficult to remove.



Scientists have previously proposed the use of soft robots to collect up these microscopic particles of plastic, but soft robots are commonly made of hydrogels or silicone rubber, which are mechanically inferior and easily damaged in ocean conditions. In a new study, published by the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> in the journal Nano Letters, scientists from China and Germany have used nanotechnology to develop a light-activated fish robot that is made of composite sheets of graphene and can ‘swim’ around quickly and remove microplastics from the environment.



“It is of great significance to develop a robot to accurately collect and sample detrimental microplastic pollutants from the aquatic environment,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=zh-CN&amp;user=qBiAvxkAAAAJ">Yuyan Wang</a>, a researcher at the Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University and one of the lead authors on the study. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of such soft robots.”



The experts used a substance called nacre, also commonly known as mother-of-pearl, upon which to base the design of a new material. Nacre is strong and flexible, and is found on the inside surfaces of clam shells. Nacre layers have a microscopic gradient, going from one side with lots of calcium carbonate to the other side with mostly a silk protein filler. Inspired by this substance, Xinxing Zhang, also from the Polymer Research Institute, Sichuan University, and colleagues wanted to try a similar type of gradient structure to create a durable and bendable material for soft robots.



The team created this new material by layering various microscopic sheets of molecules according to nacre’s specific chemical gradient. They developed an elastomer actuator with sulfonated graphene-based gradient nanostructures that produced a stretchy, flexible material which is tough and can tolerate high temperatures.&nbsp;



From this material, the researchers made robo-fish that can bend and twist, and even pull along a weight of up to 5kg. Most importantly, the bionic fish can absorb nearby free-floating bits of microplastics because the organic dyes, antibiotics, and heavy metals in the microplastics have strong chemical bonds and electrostatic interactions with the fish’s materials. In this way, the particles are attracted to the surface of the fish and are then absorbed and removed from the water.&nbsp;



“After the robot collects the microplastics in the water, the researchers can further analyze the composition and physiological toxicity of the microplastics,” said Wang.&nbsp;



The tiny fish robot is only 15mm long (about half-an-inch) but it responds to a near-infrared laser light by flapping its tail and ‘swimming’ forward. It can move at 2.67 body lengths per second, a speed that is about the same as that of active phytoplankton moving in water. At this stage, the robo-fish only functions on the surface of the water, where it would be able to absorb floating microplastics but not those deeper down in the water column.



In addition, the newly developed nanocomposite material from which the robots are made is able to heal itself, said Wang, who specializes in the development of self-healing materials. This means the robot fish can heal itself back to 89 percent of its former ability and continue to absorb pollutants, even if it is damaged or torn – which could happen if it goes looking for microplastics in rocky environments or in rough waters.&nbsp;



At this stage, the fish robot is just a proof of concept, Wang notes, and much more research is needed – especially into how this technology could be deployed in the real world. For example, Wang’s team will soon be working on more functionally complex fish robots that can go below the water surface in search of microplastics in the water column. Still, this bionic design could inspire other, similar projects, Wang said. “I think nanotechnology holds great promise for trace adsorption, collection, and detection of pollutants, improving intervention efficiency while reducing operating costs."



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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

Tiny robotic fish developed to collect microplastics

Microplastics are the breakdown products of the plastic objects we...

Trees are crucial components of ecosystems as they support biodiversity, help ecosystems function and provide important services, such as supplying food, sequestering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marshes-may-soon-flip-from-carbon-sinks-to-carbon-sources/">carbon</a> and contributing to the water cycle. Conserving tree diversity is thus a conservation priority for the functioning of natural ecosystems, for mitigating the effects of climate change, and for use by human societies across the world. Despite these important roles, many tree species are not adequately protected, have become rare and may even be at risk of disappearing altogether.



In a recent large-scale study, an international team of researchers headed by scientists from <a href="https://international.au.dk/">Aarhus University</a> in Denmark, has determined the worldwide distribution of more than 46,000 different species of trees, and estimated the extent to which this distribution falls within protected areas. In addition, they have assessed the intensity of human activity in the areas where the trees are found.&nbsp;



In order to do this, the researchers integrated five large databases, each containing millions of records of tree occurrence. They used these data to calculate the distribution of each tree species and then combined the distributions with a global map of the intensity of human activities. Lastly, they used the world database on protected areas (which includes information of more than 200,000 such areas) to map out the levels of protection for each tree species. Their results are published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



The findings highlight the fact that tree species are poorly protected in general, and some have no protection whatsoever. For the 46,752 tree species included in the study, an average of 50 percent of every tree species’ range falls in landscapes that have no protected areas. For 13.6 percent of the species, there is no protection at all, and most of these species have a limited distribution anyway, making them even more vulnerable.



Furthermore, the authors found that only 17 percent of the species considered are not under pressure from human activities. On average, 14.8 percent of the species are exposed to high or very high human pressure, while 68.5 percent are under moderate pressure.&nbsp;



“By compiling millions of registrations collected by researchers and citizens across the world and shared in open databases, we can calculate where it’s most important to preserve and restore natural areas in order to effectively protect biodiversity,” said Josep M. Serra-Diaz, who was previously affiliated with Aarhus University, and who is now an associate professor at AgroParisTech in France.



The researchers not only quantified the threat to tree species on a global scale, but they also suggested how this situation can be improved by means of the ambitious and smart designation of new protected natural areas.



“We did this by calculating the most suitable locations of potential protection areas if we are to safeguard tree species diversity, not only with regard to the coverage of species, but also with regard to their evolutionary and functional differences,” explained lead author Dr. Wen-Yong Guo, who started the work at the Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), but is now affiliated with East China Normal University in Shanghai.



The researchers have based their work on two existing plans for protecting the world's biodiversity:



<ul><li>According to the UN Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, adopted in 2010, at least 17 per cent of land areas, lakes and watercourses were to be protected by 2020.</li><li>Now, the 2050 Vision of Biodiversity is on the drawing board, and many interest groups are calling for the vision to be brought in line with the Half-Earth Project proposed by Harvard biologist, E.O. Wilson. The Half-Earth Project advocates protecting half the earth’s surface by no later than 2050.</li></ul>



The researchers calculate that, following the above two conservation scenarios, protection of the top 17 percent or the top 50 percent of tree priority areas would make a considerable difference in protecting global tree diversity. They find that protecting 17 percent and 50 percent of the high-priority areas for trees would increase the average protected proportion of each tree species’ range to 65.5 percent and 82.6 percent respectively. This would also leave far fewer species (2,151 and 2,010) completely unprotected.&nbsp;



“But taking a broad-brush approach or just designating the most convenient areas, for example uninhabited tundra and desert areas, will not have the desired effect. Based on our calculations in this study, we’ve identified the areas in which nature conservation makes most sense to safeguard global tree diversity. If we’re smart, protecting 17 per cent of land areas would mean that, on average, a tree species will have protected areas in 66 per cent of the landscapes in which it is found, as opposed to the current 50 per cent. With the Half-Earth vision, the proportion would be 83 per cent. Two-thirds of the tree species that are currently unprotected will have protected areas in the landscapes in which they’re found if we reach the 17 per cent target,” explained Jens-Christian Svenning, professor of Biology at Aarhus University and director of BIOCHANGE.



“But in order to achieve this, we have to look at the distribution of all species across the world, and establish protected areas so that they cover the species and their biological functions and evolutionary differences in the best possible way."



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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

Human activity and poor protection threaten tree diversity worldwide

Trees are crucial components of ecosystems as they support biodiversity,...

A new study published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000044">PLOS Climate</a> paints a grim future for coastal areas in the mid-Atlantic. A modeling simulation predicts that the coastal marsh zones will go from carbon sinks to carbon emitters as the climate warms and ocean levels rise.



The marshes will expand into low-lying forests and freshwater wetlands, killing the trees, which will release carbon as they decompose.&nbsp;



During the study, Katie Warnell of <a href="https://duke.edu/">Duke University</a> collaborated with seven natural resource agencies along the coast. She says her findings are significant for management.&nbsp;



“This research and our conversations with the states raise lots of questions about options for managing coastal landscapes given these changes and emphasizes the importance of&nbsp; reducing greenhouse gases and sea-level rise overall because that's the main driver of all of this."



Warnell also points out that losing marshes is not just a concern for climate change.&nbsp;



“Carbon is one piece of the picture. There are many other reasons to keep marshes around, including coastal protection and nursery habitats for fisheries. We need to weigh all of these different factors in making decisions about managing our coastal habitats.”



Based on the model, a negative outcome is likely. In 16 out of 19 runs, the model forecasted that marshland will transition from carbon sinks to carbon sources, releasing more carbon into the atmosphere than the marshes can capture.&nbsp;



But not all hope is lost, according to Warnell. “There might be some things that can be done to protect key areas from converting. In North Carolina, berms and pumps have been used to protect agricultural land and towns from sea level rise. While these are expensive, they might be worth it in certain areas.”



Another option would be to preemptively cut down trees in vulnerable areas before they are killed by salt water. However, the paper mentions this solution might be risky because the method has not been tested and because of the obvious ecological impacts. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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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

Marshes may soon flip from carbon sinks to carbon sources

A new study published in PLOS Climate paints a grim...

Although much research has already been done to predict the effects of climate change on the land, sea, and ice, the ways in which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/clouds-have-an-amplifying-effect-on-global-warming/">clouds</a> will be affected is less understood. According to a new study published in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2021MS002841">Journal of Advances in Modelling Earth Systems</a>, climate change could either cause low clouds to dry up and shrink like the ice sheets, or they could thicken and become more reflective.



“If you ask two different climate models what the future will be like when we add a lot more CO2, you get two very different answers. And the reason for that is the way clouds are included in climate models,” said study co-author Michael Pritchard, an associate professor of Earth System Science at the <a href="https://uci.edu/">University of California, Irvine</a>.



While clouds and aerosols (particles of soot and dust that nucleate cloud droplets) are a fundamental part of the climate equation, these phenomena occur on a length- and time-scale that current models cannot reliably reproduce. Thus, they are always included in climate models through various approximations.



Some of the most advanced global climate models struggle to approach four-kilometer global resolution. However, in order to manage to capture the fine-scale turbulent eddies which form shallow cloud systems, models would need a resolution of at least 100 meters. Experts estimate that it could take until 2060 before the computing power able to capture this level of detail will be available.



In order to fix this gap, Professor Pritchard and his colleagues have tried to break the climate modelling problem into two parts: a course-grained, 100-kilometer lower-resolution planetary model, and many smaller patches with 100- to 200-meter resolution. These two simulations run independently and exchange data every 30 minutes to ensure that neither simulation goes off-track or becomes unrealistic.&nbsp;



“The model does an end-run around the hardest problem - whole planet modeling,” explained Professor Pritchard. “It has thousands of micromodels that capture things like realistic shallow cloud formation that only emerge in very high resolution.”



This modeling method was made possible by one of the fastest computers in the world, the <a href="https://www.tacc.utexas.edu/systems/frontera">Frontera supercomputer</a> at the Texas Advanced Computing Center, which scientists can use to run models at time- and length-scales accessible only on a few other computer systems in the United States, and test their potential for cloud modeling.



“The use of computation-based methods is critical to our understanding of climate and everything else around us,” said Manish Parashar, director of National Science Foundation’s <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/oac">Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure</a>. “Frontera is inspiring climate scientists to devise new and novel simulation methods for enabling our deeper understanding of climate change.” &nbsp;&nbsp;&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&nbsp;&nbsp;

How will clouds be affected by climate change?

Although much research has already been done to predict the...

Female,Bonobo,With,A,Baby,Is,Sitting,On,The,Grass.

A new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abo3608">Science</a> has argued that, while attempting to mitigate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/science-reporting-can-change-climate-change-beliefs/">climate change</a> is becoming increasingly urgent, so is the concurrent need for proactive stewardship of the Earth’s rapidly changing biosphere. Since oncoming changes will seriously challenge current natural resource management and conservation efforts, new forward-looking conservation approaches to enable the adaptation and resilience to climate change of a variety of species, communities, and ecosystems are absolutely necessary.



“There is actually a lot we can do to help systems cope with oncoming climate change,” said study lead author Jonathan Moore, a professor of Biology at the <a href="https://www.sfu.ca/">Simon Fraser University</a>. “From restoring connectivity to reducing local stressors to conserving future habitats - all of these proactive approaches can help the ecosystems that we rely upon to adapt to climate change.”



According to study co-author Daniel Schindler, an expert in Ecosystem Dynamics at the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a>, in order for species and ecosystems to adapt and be resilient to climate change, preservation-orientated approaches should be complemented by attempts that enable and foster ecological change.&nbsp;



“Local efforts to conserve biodiversity and regenerate habitat complexity will also help maintain a diversity of future options for species and ecosystems in an unpredictable future,” explained Professor Schindler.



Thus, conservation efforts should focus not only on “climate change losers,” but also on the proactive management of emerging opportunities. For instance, while threatening species such as polar bears, warming Arctic oceans and shrinking sea ice may create more fish production in some areas – a phenomenon that needs to be taken into account too when devising proactive approaches to help ecosystems cope with climate change.



“Earth’s systems have an incredible capacity to adapt and be resilient to changes. That is what has allowed some species to persist for millions of years. But our actions are seriously undermining that adaptive capacity,” said Professor Moore. “Natural resource management and conservation efforts will need to embrace the dynamic aspects of the biosphere to help maintain functioning ecosystems and protect biodiversity amid ongoing climate change.”



While it is important and urgent for humanity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to control the pace of climate change, even with the most aggressive reduction strategies further warming will likely persist for decades. Thus, additional strategies to enable adaptation and resilience will be crucial for maintaining functional ecosystems and conserving biodiversity.



“The biosphere has never been static – and we need to embrace management approaches that maintain a dynamic and fluid biosphere. Thus, conservation and management need to be prospective - looking to the future, and proactive - taking action for the future,” Professor Schindler concluded.



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

How can Earth’s ecosystems adapt to climate change?

A new study published in the journal Science has argued...

Hermit,Crab,(decapod,Crustaceans)

Hermit crabs are found in oceans all over the world, occupying habitats that range from shallow coastal waters to the deepest of seas. They have soft, fragile abdomens that need to be protected from damage and are adapted to occupy the empty shells of mollusks, carrying these shells around like mobile homes while they forage on detritus on the ocean floor.&nbsp;



A study, led by Dr. Yoshikawa from the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/">University of Tokyo</a>, has now identified a species of hermit crab off the coast of Japan that carries a specific and previously unknown species of anemone on it back. The anemone, described for the first time in this study, has been named Stylobates calcifer and it is only found on the shells of a single host species of hermit crab, Pagurodofleinia doederlein. In fact, the anemone is so important to the hermit crab that, when the crab moves into a new shell home, it will go to great lengths to take the anemone along.&nbsp;



At least 35 symbiotic sea anemone species have been found living on the legs of hermit crabs or on the shells they inhabit. Symbiosis implies a close physical relationship between organisms of different species, and in the case of hermit crabs and their anemones, this is a mutualistic relationship from which both species benefit. Having an anemone covering one’s back may provide camouflage and protection, while riding through the water on the shell of a crab may ensure access to food, particularly the scraps of food left over after the crab eats dinner.



Dr. Yoshikawa and his team collected 16 specimens of the new, deep-sea anemone from depths of 100 - 400 meters between 2017 and 2020. All the specimens came from the ocean on the Pacific side of Japan, and were used for detailed studies of the anatomy, morphology, histology and genetics of the species. Based on the results of these analyses, the researchers have described and named the new species of anemone, Stylobates calcifer, in a publication in <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/bbl/current">The Biological Bulletin</a>, a journal of the University of Chicago Press.&nbsp;



In addition to describing the new species of anemone, the researchers were able to record live video footage of the process whereby a hermit crab that chose to move house succeeded in coaxing its anemone to detach from the old shell and settle on the new one. This is not an easy task as the anemone occupies the entire top surface of the hermit crab’s shell, and is attached by means of a hard, chitinous secretion called a carcinoecium. This structure helps the anemone cling to the uneven surface of the mollusk shell, but also strengthens and enlarges the shell, which gives the crab extended occupation of its shelter.&nbsp;



Despite this, a hermit crab will eventually outgrow its shell and will need to find new, more spacious accommodation. The researchers were able to observe the behavior involved when a captive hermit crab changed shells, thereby extending the understanding of how this symbiotic relationship between hermit crab and anemone is maintained.&nbsp;



Initially, the hermit crab left its old shell and tested out its new one. Once convinced that the new shell was a better option, it tapped and pinched the anemone (still attached to the old shell) with its walking legs and chelipeds (legs that bear claws). It also climbed on top of the anemone and tapped it with the new shell, continuously trying to encourage the anemone to detach. By this physical stimulation and provocation, the crab was able to peel the base of the anemone off the surface of the old shell, but it took approximately 12 hours of intense activity on the part of the crab.



The crab then tried all means of tactics to get the anemone to attach itself to the new shell, which was now on the crab’s abdomen. The crab dragged the anemone around, manipulating it, presenting it with the new shell and continuously stimulating it with legs and chelipeds. Initially, the anemone did not respond in any way and the crab’s efforts appeared fruitless. However, after the anemone was turned upside-down and placed on its tentacles, the crab maneuvered itself, along with its new shell, into a suitable hollow in the anemone’s foot.&nbsp;



Eventually, 18 hours after the anemone’s detachment from the old shell, it began to show ‘climbing’ behavior and mounted itself onto the new shell. It soon covered the surface of the shell and was positioned vertically, with its tentacles facing upwards, ready to access food particles suspended in the water column. The entire process took 43 hours from the time that the hermit crab initially changed shells.&nbsp;



The study authors acknowledge that all their behavioral observations involved only a single crab-anemone pair because of the difficulties involved with retrieving and maintaining deep-sea species in captivity. Nevertheless, they suggest that their observations reveal details of a remarkable symbiotic relationship between deep-sea organisms. Future research would need to focus on how the anemones recognize the host hermit crabs on the ocean floor and then build and retain their highly specific association with them.&nbsp;



The live video recordings are available at <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/719160#_i32">https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/719160#_i32</a>



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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

Remarkable symbiotic relationship found in the deep sea

Hermit crabs are found in oceans all over the world,...

Climate change has already caused significant damage, including longer and more intense heatwaves, accelerated sea level rise, and the loss of polar sea ice. Now, by performing the first-ever survey of planktonic lipids in the world’s oceans, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a> (WHOI) has found that, as global warming advances, there may be fewer and fewer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omega-3s-seafood-healthy-aging/">omega-3</a> fatty acids produced by plankton at the base of the food web, which will mean less of these lipids available for fish and human beings.



Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that the human body cannot produce on its own. They are regarded by scientists as highly beneficial, increasing cardiovascular health and promoting healthy aging.&nbsp;



“The lipids in the ocean affect your life,” said study co-author Benjamin Van Mooj, an expert in Marine Chemistry at WHOI. “We found that the composition of lipids in the ocean is going to change as the ocean warms. That is a cause for concern. We need those lipids that are in the ocean because they influence the quality of the food that the ocean produces for humanity.”&nbsp;



The researchers collected 930 lipid samples from 146 locations across the world’s oceans during seven oceanographic research expeditions from 2013 to 2018.&nbsp;



“Focusing on ten molecularly diverse glycerolipid classes we identified 1,151 distinct lipid species, finding that fatty acid unsaturation (i.e., number of carbon to carbon double bonds) is fundamentally constrained by temperature. We predict significant declines in the essential fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] over the next century, which are likely to have serious deleterious effects on economically critical fisheries,” the study authors reported.



Although planktonic community lipidomes are affected by a variety of environmental factors, such as nutrient availability, the most fundamental control of their composition appeared to be temperature. “Indeed, it is striking that the relationship between temperature and unsaturation emerges from our dataset despite spanning such diverse and disparate planktonic communities, from the nutrient-depleted subtropical gyres to the highly-productive Antarctic coastal shelf,” the authors wrote.&nbsp;&nbsp;



To determine how the upper and lower limits for the composition of omega-3 fatty acids may shift under future warming conditions, the scientists generated maps using end-of-century sea surface temperature conditions for various climate change scenarios. Under a worst-case scenario with unmitigated greenhouse gas emissions, some ocean regions may witness a drastic decrease of up to 25 percent of these beneficial lipids.



These findings provide examples “of how human activities are perturbing the oceans in ways that we never expected, and of the uncertainty of how the ocean is going to respond to warming,” concluded Dr. Van Mooj.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn7455">Science</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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ocean warming will massively reduce omega-3 fatty acids

Climate change has already caused significant damage, including longer and...

Face,Of,The,Earth.,Imaginary,View,Of,Planet,Earth,In

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a> has found that stretching of the continents is likely to have caused one of the most abrupt and extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-endured-rapid-global-warming-300-million-years-ago/">global warming</a> events in the history of our planet, 56 million years ago. During this episode, the Earth warmed by five to eight degrees Celsius, culminating in the “Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum” (PETM) that lasted about 170,000 years and led to the extinction of many deep-sea organisms, fundamentally reshaping the course of evolution of life on Earth.



According to the experts, the extensive stretching of the continental plates in the Northern Hemisphere critically reduced the pressures in the Earth’s deep interior, driving a short-lived but intense melting in the mantle. The resulting volcanic activity coincided with - and most probably caused - the release of a massive amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that exacerbated global warming.



“Despite the importance and wider relevance of the PETM to global change today, the underlying cause is highly debated,” said study lead author Thomas Gernon, an associate professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Southampton. “It’s generally agreed that a sudden and massive release of the greenhouse gas carbon from the Earth’s interior must have driven this event, yet the scale and pace of warming is very hard to explain by conventional volcanic processes.”&nbsp;



By using archives of rock drilled beneath the seafloor close to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, Professor Gernon and his colleagues found evidence of an abrupt and widespread episode of volcanic activity across the North Atlantic Ocean which lasted over 200,000 years – a duration strikingly similar to that of PETM. This discovery prompted the scientists to investigate a broader expanse of the North Atlantic, including today’s Greenland and Faroe Islands. There, they found that the thick piles of lava that started to erupt before the PETM showed an unusual composition, pointing to a massive increase in melting of the Earth’s mantle.&nbsp;



“This finding is significant, because we know that parts of the continental mantle in this region are enriched in carbonates, a major source of carbon,” said Professor Gernon. “This rapid increase in mantle melting likely released a very large volume of carbon – certainly more than we had previously expected.”



According to the researchers, this intense volcanic activity was likely caused by the stretching by plate tectonic forces of the continental landmass uniting Greenland and Europe, with the final phase of stretching causing substantial melting in the Earth’s mantle, and leading to the release of massive amounts of carbon in the atmosphere and fast global warming.



“Such rapid events cause a fundamental reorganization of Earth’s surface environment, altering vast ecosystems,” Professor Gernon concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-00967-6">Nature Geoscience</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;

Stretching of the continents caused extreme global warming

A new study led by the University of Southampton has...

When a small group of individuals separates from a larger population and subsequently founds a new population, this has an effect on the genetic variation of the descendants, particularly if the group remains genetically isolated. The founder group will carry only a small selection of the total genetic variation of the original population, and this will be evident in the form of reduced genetic diversity in their offspring. In addition, the founding individuals may carry rare, recessive genetic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mutations-in-animals-shed-new-light-on-the-process-of-aging/">mutations</a> that will then become common in their descendants due to inbreeding within the founder population.&nbsp;



Despite the fact that founder events can have profound effects on the genetic diversity, fitness and disease risk of populations, not much is known about the timing, intensity or frequency of these events, or how they have shaped the evolution of the species. This type of evolution is not driven by natural selection, where the individuals with the best adapted genes survive and pass on these genes. Instead, founder events give rise to genetically different populations through the survival of a small group of individuals that become the sole founders of a new population with a drastically reduced genetic diversity.&nbsp;



New research has now led to the development of a method that uses genomic analysis to estimate the timing and intensity of founder events in populations of humans and other species. The method, known as ASCEND, involves the analysis of genome-wide patterns of allele sharing between individuals, particularly in isolated populations. The authors, Rémi Tournebize and Priya Moorjani of the UC Berkeley, have developed and applied this method to study global patterns of founder events in recent human history, as well as to assess the evidence for founder events in the history of 40 modern dog breeds.&nbsp;



There are many instances in human history where founder populations have arrived and settled at new locations. For example, the first settlers in Finland arrived some 9,000 years ago and then remained largely geographically isolated, and populations of Romani people migrated to live in Europe and parts of the Americas, forming founding groups in their new homelands. Some groups remain genetically isolated through cultural and religious practices, such as the Ashkenazi Jews and the Amish, who tend to marry within the group.



In the current study, the authors compared the shared alleles in the genomes of 2,310 individuals from 184 different population groups from around the world. They considered a minimum of 5 individuals from each population group and excluded individuals that were closely related. The results, published today in the open access journal&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/">PLOS Genetics</a>, showed that 61 percent of the population groups considered (113 out of 184) showed genetic evidence of a founder event that had occurred within the past 200 generations.&nbsp;



These findings indicate that a majority of the populations considered have arisen from the genetic input of a small group of ancestors at some time in the recent past. The most extreme founder event was observed in the Onge population from the Andaman Islands, which showed a 10-times greater founder effect than has been found in the Ashkenazi Jews. The Onge are a demographically small and historically isolated population that currently consists of only around 100 individuals.&nbsp;



The researchers found that the highest frequency of founder events occurred in populations from the Oceania region (80 percent out of five groups) and from the Americas (78 percent of nine groups studied). The lowest frequency of founder events was recorded in populations from Europe (38 percent of 30 populations considered).&nbsp;



Furthermore, island populations have experienced more extreme founder events than continental populations, and people with hunter-gatherer or nomadic lifestyles, along with indigenous groups, are also more likely to show genetic evidence of significant founder events in their histories. Analysis of seven Native American groups from Central and South America also showed evidence of significant recent founder events, estimated to be dated to between 200 and 500 years ago, and postdating the European colonization of the Americas.



When the researchers applied their ASCEND technique to the genomes of 52 populations of dogs, representing 40 unique breeds, they found that all of the groups showed evidence of significant founder events within the past 25 generations (75–125 years ago). Unlike the case with human founder events associated with settlement, migration and cultural or religious traditions, dog genomes reflect the influence of dog breeding, a practice that began during Victorian times. Reductions in genetic diversity in dog breeds are likely to be related to inbreeding and the use of a few highly prized males to sire numerous offspring.



Some of the strongest founder events were identified in the boxer and bulldog breeds. These breeds were intensively bred as working dogs, and later as companions. They are known to suffer from high rates of recessive diseases, most likely as a consequence of founder events and subsequent inbreeding in their past histories.



The authors hope that using the new ASCEND analysis technique will help scientists to identify groups that experienced strong founder events and that may consequently be at greater risk of certain genetic diseases. Ashkenazi Jews and Finns, who experienced strong founder events, often undergo genetic screening to learn about their pre-disposition to certain genetic diseases. The current study found that several populations among Native Americans, Oceanians, and South Asians have experienced even more extreme founder events than Ashkenazi Jews, and so these populations may also benefit from genetic screening.



“Some human populations like Ashkenazi Jews or Finns have been extensively studied in population genetics and have helped researchers identify many disease-causing mutations," said the researchers. "Hence, we wanted to study if other populations have a similar history that could enable further progress in medical genetics. We were surprised to see how widespread the history of founder events is in humans, both in present-day and ancient DNA samples, suggesting that investigation of disease-causing variants will be fruitful to identify and reduce disease burden among contemporary groups.”



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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

Human genomes reveal the history of past founder events

When a small group of individuals separates from a larger...

All living creatures get older and ultimately die. However, according to <a href="https://www.sdu.dk/en">University of Southern Denmark</a> researchers, not all organisms age at the same rate. They found that many turtle and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-tortoise-believed-extinct-found-in-the-galapagos/">tortoise</a> species are able to slow down their senescence significantly and, in some cases, nearly turn it off.



Fernando Colchero, Dalia Conde, and Rita da Silva studied 52 turtle and tortoise species and discovered that 75 percent have a very slow rate of senescence. Compared to humans, 80 percent of these long-living species have a slower rate of senescence.&nbsp;



The experts found that the senescence rates of the Aldaba giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) can reach as low as zero, and the black marsh turtle (Siebenrockiella crassicollis) can reduce their rate of aging to below zero. For the black marsh turtle, this means that the risk of death is reduced as the animal ages.&nbsp;



Moreover, the study authors discovered that the animals have flexible senescence rates. When captive animals were presented with improved living conditions, these adaptable creatures were able to reduce their aging rate.&nbsp;



This flexibility does not apply to humans, as research on humans and non-human primates has shown better living conditions don’t significantly reduce the rate of aging.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Although the researchers are not sure why turtles and tortoises age less rapidly, there are theories suggesting it has something to do with growth after sexual maturity. One theory assumes that as the body prepares for reproduction, more energy is diverted into that function, and the matured body begins to deteriorate as a result. Based on this theory, there is no avoiding the aging process.



However, animal species that continue to grow after sexual maturity, including turtles and tortoises, may function differently. Some scientists think that since these species continue to grow after their reproductive years arrive, they can keep investing energy into cell repair, thereby avoiding the damaging effects of aging. 



The researchers made it clear that they are not calling turtles and tortoises immortal. They noted that these animals will eventually succumb to other causes of mortality, such as disease.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</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

Turtles and tortoises can slow their rate of aging

All living creatures get older and ultimately die. However, according...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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...