The development of a big brain in humans and its connection to social bonding has been a hot topic of debate, and secrets found in fossil teeth may hold the answers.



Researchers have been studying the fossilized teeth of an early Homo from Georgia, dating back approximately 1.77 million years. The research was made possible by the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France.



The findings suggest that despite having a small brain and reaching adulthood at a similar pace to great apes, these early humans had a prolonged childhood. 



This could mean that the large brain of modern humans resulted from an extended childhood along with cultural transmission across generations instead of vice versa.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-childhood-big-brains">Long childhood, big brains</h2>



A team of researchers - including specialists from Switzerland's <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Zurich</a>, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and Georgia's National Museum - have challenged the theory that modern humans' extended childhood is directly linked to their large brains.



The team analyzed dental development in an early Homo that was almost an adult. The results suggest that though these early humans reached adulthood at a similar age as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/buronius-manfredschmidi-tiny-great-ape-species-lived-11-million-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">great apes</a>, their tooth development followed a longer timeline similar to modern humans.



This proposes the distinct possibility of a longer dependency on adults and an elongated childhood for these early humans.



Remarkably, the brain size of these early Homo specimens was only marginally larger than that of a chimpanzee. This made the researchers question the link between the prolonged development and cultural transmission across generations.



An extended childhood within a three-generation context might have allowed the immature members of the group to effectively assimilate growing amounts of knowledge. 



Eventually, this led to the development of larger brains and longer life spans, traits characteristic of modern humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dental-development-in-early-homo">Dental development in early Homo</h2>



An enduring assumption has been that humans' extended growth period is a consequence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-sizes-are-growing-possibly-lowering-dementia-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increased brain volume</a> since a larger organ requires more energy resources to grow. But analysis of the fossil's dental growth has caused researchers to question this hypothesis.



The research team used synchrotron imaging to study the dental development of a near-adult fossil of early Homo from the Dmanisi site in Georgia, dated to around 1.77 million years ago. 



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="CWxiqQg039-4024544-12187" type="single"]</div>



“Childhood and cognition do not fossilize, so we have to rely on indirect information. Teeth are ideal because they fossilize well and produce daily rings, in the same way that trees produce annual rings, which record their development,” noted study first author Christoph Zollikofer from the University of Zurich.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-findings-and-a-new-perspective">Unexpected findings and a new perspective</h2>



“Dental development is strongly correlated with the development of the rest of the body, including brain development," explained study co-author Paul Tafforeau, scientist at the ESRF.



"Access to the details of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/search-results/?search=fossil%20hominid&amp;start=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil</a> hominid's dental growth therefore provides a great deal of information about its general growth."



After almost two decades of research beginning in 2005, the initial results startled researchers. 



“We expected to find either dental development typical of early hominids, close to that of the great apes, or dental development close to that of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-genes-still-influence-modern-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modern humans</a>," said Tafforeau.



"When we obtained the first results, we couldn’t believe what we saw, because it was something different that implied faster molar crown growth than in any other fossil hominin or living great ape."



In the following years, the team conducted five series of experiments and completed four full analyses, employing various methods as dental synchrotron imaging technology advanced.



As the consistent results suggested significant implications for the "big brain - long childhood" hypothesis, the scientists needed to think creatively to interpret this fossil's findings.



“It's been a slow maturation, both technically and intellectually, to finally arrive at the hypothesis we are publishing today,” said Tafforeau.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-longer-childhood-evolution-s-early-experiment">Longer childhood: Evolution's early experiment?</h2>



The dental development of the studied fossil suggested that milk teeth were used longer than in great apes, implying that early Homo children were dependent on adult care for a longer duration.



This could be the first experiment evolution took towards a prolonged childhood. Despite having brains only slightly larger than australopithecines or great apes, early Homo are believed to have lived longer.



The survival of a very old individual with no teeth for several years indicates that the group sufficiently cared for him. This alludes to a three-generation structure, a key aspect of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-started-cumulative-culture-around-600000-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cultural transmission in humans</a>.



The new hypothesis begins with children's growth slowing down as cultural transmission increased. 



The accumulation of information from older to younger individuals had an advantageous effect on resource utilization and the development of complex behaviors, thus favoring a longer childhood. 



Once this mechanism was established, natural selection acted on cultural transmission, not just biological traits. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-brains-and-delayed-adulthood">Big brains and delayed adulthood</h2>



As the volume of transferrable information grew, evolution supported a larger brain and delayed adulthood, enabling a longer learning period in childhood and time to grow a bigger brain despite limited food resources.



The large brain of modern humans could be attributed to an extended childhood and a three-generation structure encouraging bio-cultural evolution. These mechanisms may have led to increased brain size, delayed adulthood, and longer lifespan. 



The study of this exceptional fossil could motivate researchers to rethink the evolutionary mechanisms that led to Homo sapiens.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08205-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Image &amp; Video Credit: ESRF/Paul Tafforeau, Vincent Beyrand



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How did humans get big brains? Fossil teeth reveal new clues

The development of a big brain in humans and its connection to social bonding has been a hot topic of debate, and secrets found in fossil teeth may hold the answers. Researchers have been studying the fossilized teeth of an early Homo from Georgia, dating back approximately 1.77 million years. The research was made possible by the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France. The findings suggest that despite having a small brain and reaching adulthood at a similar pace to great apes, these early humans had a prolonged...

A new study led by the <a href="http://www.ufrgs.br/english/home">Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul</a>&nbsp;in Brazil has investigated to what extent the level of emotional closeness between cat owners and their pets is linked to the animals’ <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/repetitive-behaviors-in-dogs-are-influenced-by-many-factors/">behaviors</a>. The experts were surprised to find that cats which have a close emotional bond with their owners are most likely to engage in “unacceptable behaviors” such as scratching the furniture or destroying various objects.



The researchers surveyed a cohort of 500 cat owners in Brazil, asking them questions about their emotional connection to their pets, as well as the animals’ personality traits and behaviors. The vast majority (90 percent) of the participants were women, and exhibited stronger emotional bonds with their pets than men.



“Evidence supports that cats’ behavior influences the level of emotional closeness between the animals and the owners,” wrote the study authors. “In some circumstances, a bad relationship can result in neglecting, mistreating, or abandoning the animal.”&nbsp;



While factors such as having other pets, attributing more characteristics to the animal, and frequent visits to the veterinary were directly linked to higher levels of emotional closeness by the owners, cats’ aggressive behavior, excessive vocalization, or inappropriate elimination did not seem to be correlated to the strength of inter-species emotional bonds.&nbsp;



Most surprisingly though, the results revealed that the level of emotional closeness between cats and their owners also plays a fundamental role in structuring some of the cats’ most destructive behaviors.&nbsp;



“Unexpectedly, in our study, cats with the behavior of scratching furniture or destroying objects were associated with a higher emotional closeness level with the owner,” the experts wrote. “Owners who did not report this behavior had a lower level of emotional closeness than those who did.”



While the reason for such a correlation is not yet clear, the researchers believe that such unacceptable behaviors might be caused by owners’ excessively tolerant attitudes towards their most beloved pets. Further studies are needed to map the complex emotional bonds established between cats and their owners, and to clarify how these bonds structure both human and feline behavior.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1558787822000491">Journal of Veterinary Behavior</a>.



---



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

The most beloved cats are more likely to be destructive

A new study led by the Federal University of Rio...

Regular exercise is known to have many health benefits, including increased metabolic rate, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/getting-more-sleep-can-boost-weight-loss/">weight loss</a> and regulation of appetite. These are important effects, particularly for people who are overweight or obese. But we all know that exercise is hard work and that it can have negative effects on joint health. Some elderly people, as well as those with injuries, may not be able to exercise, despite the desirable effects.&nbsp;



Wouldn’t it be nice if we could simply take a pill and experience these benefits of exercise? Scientists say that they are actually getting closer to this goal.



A team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.bcm.edu/">Baylor College of Medicine</a> has identified a molecule in the blood of mice that is produced during exercise and can effectively reduce food intake and obesity in these animals. This molecule was also identified in the blood of race horses and humans, and could help clarify the relationship between exercise and its effects on the regulation of appetite and weight..



“Regular exercise has been proven to help weight loss, regulate appetite and improve the metabolic profile, especially for people who are overweight and obese,” said Dr. Yong Xu. “If we can understand the mechanism by which exercise triggers these benefits, then we are closer to helping many people improve their health.”



“We wanted to understand how exercise works at the molecular level to be able to capture some of its benefits,” said Dr. Jonathon Long. “For example, older or frail people who cannot exercise enough, may one day benefit from taking a medication that can help slow down osteoporosis, heart disease or other conditions.”



Xu, Long and their colleagues analyzed blood plasma compounds from mice that had exercised intensively by running on a treadmill, and compared these to plasma compounds in mice that had not exercised. The most notable molecular difference was the levels of a modified amino acid called Lac-Phe in the blood of mice that had exercised. Lac-Phe is synthesized from lactate (a byproduct of strenuous exercise that is responsible for the burning sensation in stiff muscles) and phenylalanine (an amino acid that is one of the building blocks of proteins).



When obese mice received a high dose of Lac-Phe over a period of 12 hours, their food intake was suppressed by about 50 percent in comparison to control mice. When this high dose was administered to the obese mice over 10 days, their cumulative food intake decreased, they lost weight and showed improved glucose tolerance.&nbsp;



The researchers also identified an enzyme called CNDP2 that is involved in the production of Lac-Phe, and showed that mice that lacked this enzyme did not lose as much weight on an exercise regime as a control group on the same exercise plan.



Furthermore, the experts found increased levels of Lac-Phe in the blood plasma of race horses and humans, after strenuous exercise. In a human cohort, sprint exercise induced the most dramatic increase in plasma Lac-Phe, followed by resistance training and then endurance training.&nbsp;



“This suggests that Lac-Phe is an ancient and conserved system that regulates feeding and is associated with physical activity in many animal species,” said Long.



“Our next steps include finding more details about how Lac-Phe mediates its effects in the body, including the brain,” Xu said. “Our goal is to learn to modulate this exercise pathway for therapeutic interventions.”



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

Could the benefits of exercise be packaged in a pill?

Regular exercise is known to have many health benefits, including...

An international team of scientists has pioneered a new method to determine where prehistoric warm-water coral <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-coral-reefs-crackle-with-the-sounds-of-busy-inhabitants/">reefs</a> existed. The results of the analysis show that climate can significantly affect where corals grow.&nbsp;



Study co-author Dr. Alex Farnsworth of the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> explained why this was not an easy topic to explore. "Climate has changed significantly throughout geological time, however understanding how it has impacted coral reef ecosystems has been difficult due to a lack of quantifiable data which has significant gaps."



Some of these gaps can be attributed to an incomplete fossil record, while other gaps can be attributed to biased research practices - since most previous coral studies have occurred near wealthy nations.&nbsp;



However, researchers from Spain and the UK found a way to fill in these gaps. By modeling habitats and reconstructing past climates, the researchers were able to predict where corals lived from 250 million to 35 million years ago. They found that corals extended farther from the equator in warmer periods.&nbsp;



"Our work demonstrates that warm-water coral reefs track tropical-to-subtropical climatic conditions over geological timescales. In warmer intervals, coral reefs expanded poleward. However, in colder intervals, they became constrained to tropical and subtropical latitudes," explained study first author Dr. Lewis Jones.



This information may cause some people to assume that global warming benefits warm-water corals, but this is not necessarily the case. "Current anthropogenic climate change will result in the poleward expansion of suitable habitat for coral reefs," said Dr. Jones. "In fact, we are already witnessing the expansion of some tropical reef corals. However, whether coral reef ecosystems – and all the biodiversity they support – can keep pace with the current rapid rate of anthropogenic climate change is another question."&nbsp;



Based on their findings, the researchers believe it is possible that decreasing the acceleration of global warming is more necessary for tropical coral systems than preventing global warming.&nbsp;



The findings are clear evidence that climate and corals have been linked for millions of years. The researchers hope this knowledge will guide further learning.&nbsp;



"Using this new combined data-model approach we can start to better understand reef ecosystems evolution and behavior," said study co-author Dr. Alex Farnsworth.&nbsp;



We can also expect that this research will play a role in preserving these magical rainforests of the ocean.



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



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

Climate played a key role in shifting ancient coral reefs

An international team of scientists has pioneered a new method...

Female southern right whales make massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/assisted-migrations-could-help-species-survive-climate-change/">migrations</a> to give birth in areas that appear to be dangerous. They seem to prefer shallow bay habitats close to humans and with little food, but why? 



It’s long been hypothesized that the whales may choose such counterintuitive habitats to birth and nurse their young because of lack of predators. Now, a study from <a href="https://www.syracuse.edu/">Syracuse University</a>’s Bioacoustics and Behavioral Ecology Lab proposes another theory.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The new research suggests that shallow sandy bay habitats may allow acoustics optimal for whale communications, allowing mother whales to better keep in touch with their babies while not being overheard by distant predators.&nbsp;



“Animals that communicate using sound must balance the need to be heard by their intended audience and the risk of being overheard by eavesdroppers such as predators," explained study lead author Julia Zeh, a PhD candidate in Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences.



The research was carried out in Australia, South America and Africa at three different whale nursery sites.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Southern right whales are already known to avoid being overheard by predators by reducing their call amplitude or being silent entirely. They also sometimes use frequencies of calls that make them harder to locate.&nbsp;



All of these techniques are known collectively as "acoustic crypsis." The scientists suggest that the strategy used by the whales is merely another form of acoustic crypsis - this time focused on habitat selection.



“We found that southern right whale mothers and calves spend time in specific locations where they can hear each other, but other animals can’t hear them,” said Zeh. “These results follow on some interesting recent papers that recorded quiet calls, or essentially whispers, from right whale mothers and calves.”



The scientists plan on following up on this research to investigate how common a habitat selection approach to acoustic crypsis may be.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.220241">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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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

Habitat is important to keep young right whales undetected

Female southern right whales make massive migrations to give birth...

While many people describe dogs as man’s best friends, Dr. Anna Machin – an evolutionary anthropologist at the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> -&nbsp; has argued at the <a href="https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science">Cheltenham Science Festival</a> that the relationship between dogs and their owners is even stronger. She said that the bonds many owners form with their pets are as close as that between parents and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-who-play-team-sports-have-fewer-mental-health-problems/">children</a>.&nbsp;



For instance, in 2014, a team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.massgeneral.org/">Massachusetts General Hospital</a> (MGH) has found that mothers’ brains showed a surprisingly similar response when viewing pictures of their babies and their dogs, suggesting that they were experiencing the same type of emotions.



&nbsp;According to one of the <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/10/mothers-brains-show-similar-responses-to-her-baby-and-her-dog/">study</a>’s authors, Lori Palley, Assistant Director of Veterinary Services at MGH, “levels of neurohormones like oxytocin — which is involved in pair-bonding and maternal attachment — rise after interaction with pets, and new brain-imaging technologies are helping us begin to understand the neurobiological basis of the relationship, which is exciting.”



In other words - as Dr. Machin recently put it when describing the findings of this study - “when we look at the brains of humans with their dogs, we see the fingerprint of love and we also see the parenting areas of the brain light up.”&nbsp;However, she admits that there might be a difference in intensity, suggesting that parents “would probably rescue the kid first in a fire.”



According to scans of dogs’ brains, this feeling of love seems to be reciprocated. Moreover, when interacting with humans, dogs have been found to produce beta endorphins – a type of chemicals that play a fundamental role in social bonding, and many of them exhibit strong feelings of loss at the death of their owners.



However, according to Dr. Machin, there are differences between how love is experienced and how it manifests itself in the case of humans versus dogs. “Obviously they don’t have the reflective elements of love, as far as we know, when you dwell upon your relationship, you daydream about your relationship. If dogs daydream, it’s probably about sausages.”



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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;

Dogs are like surrogate children to their owners

While many people describe dogs as man’s best friends, Dr....

A new study published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c00587">Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry</a> has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evidence-of-beer-drinking-from-9000-years-ago/">beer</a> can have health benefits when consumed in moderation. According to experts from the <a href="https://www.unl.pt/en">Nova University Lisbon</a> in Portugal, men who drink either one alcoholic or one non-alcoholic lager beer daily have a more diverse set of gut microbes, which can reduce the risk of several diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.



Trillions of microorganisms line human gastrointestinal tracts, significantly impacting their hosts’ health and well-being. Prior research has shown that, when more types of bacteria are present, people have lower chance of developing chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular issues or diabetes. And beer contains compounds like polyphenols, as well as microorganisms from its fermentation that could increase the variety of microbes in the human gut.



Previously, researchers found evidence that when both men and women consumed non-alcoholic lager beer for 30 days, their gut microbiome diversity increased. Many of the participants were also in a second group that drank an alcoholic version of the beer, which didn’t have the same effect.&nbsp;



Since few other clinical studies have tested this issue, scientists from Portugal designed a parallel, randomized trial study in which 19 healthy men were randomly divided into two groups who drank 11 fluid ounces of either alcoholic or non-alcoholic lager beer with dinner for one month. During this period, although participants’ weight, body mass index, and serum markers for hearth health and metabolism didn’t change, their gut microbiome diversity significantly increased, indicating an improvement in intestinal health. According to the researchers, these results could differ from those of the previous study because of the different designs of the trials, and due to the fact that participants were living in different communities.



The results suggest that drinking one bottle of beer per day – regardless of its alcohol content – may be beneficial to the gut microbiome and intestinal health of men. However, since alcohol is known to have a negative impact on various health-related issues, non-alcoholic beer may be a better, healthier choice.



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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

Lager beer is beneficial for men’s gut microbiome

A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and...

Life as we knew it immediately changed during the pandemic. Millions of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/good-news-for-active-children-moving-helps-them-learn/">children</a> spent more than a year attending virtual school from kitchen tables, bedrooms and laptops. A new study suggests that the shift to remote learning may have led to negative consequences for younger kids. Elementary school-aged children enrolled in remote learning experienced greater behavioral, learning, and sleep-related difficulties.



The researchers surveyed roughly 300 parents with children ranging from kindergarteners to fifth graders between February and March 2021. Study lead author Dr. Kimberley Levitt is a developmental behavioral pediatrician at <a href="https://www.uofmhealth.org/">University of Michigan Health</a> C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and a researcher at Michigan Medicine.



“In the early days of learning about how the virus spread and who was at risk, everyone made the best decisions they could with the information they had,” said Dr. Levitt. “We wanted to explore differences in parent and child well-being at a time when some school districts had returned to in-person school, while others remained remote or hybrid.”



In the United States, more than 55 million students were impacted by a change in school formats during the spring of 2020, many of which were fully remote that year.&nbsp;



The study is one of few that have examined family well being, compared several areas of health, including behavior problems, school experiences, sleep challenges, potential disparities, and parent stress.



Children in remote schools showed more signs of hyperactivity and problems amongst peers. This is likely a result of fast-changing demands and expectations, adjusting to interactions through screens, and being home with fewer outlets.



“There’s a certain amount of comfort and safety in knowing what to expect and having routines to fall back on. In general, any sudden changes to routines can trigger stress and emotional dysregulation in kids.” said Dr. Levitt.



Virtual school attendees were less likely to be academically motivated or socially engaged and more likely to show defiance and resistance in doing schoolwork.



“Remote learners appeared to be less excited about learning,” said Dr. Levitt. “We know that children’s enthusiasm and engagement in school helps predict how they cope with academic challenges throughout the year.”



Parents of remote learners were less likely to report that the teacher knew their child well, the child knew their classmates well, was motivated to get ready for school in the morning, has enough opportunities to socialize, or has a best friend.&nbsp;&nbsp;



During this time, loss went beyond academics, such as a sense of community, identity and independence, as well as the development of key friendships.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Children were falling asleep later and were more likely to co-sleep with parents. A third of parents said their child took longer to fall asleep, about a seventh reported more overnight awakenings, and more than a fifth said their child had more nightmares.



This is likely due to greater anxiety and stress, increased screen time and exposure to increased family conflict<s>s</s>.



“Providers should consider tailoring interventions for families who would benefit from a sleep hygiene reset. We know disrupted and poor sleep can affect all areas of health, including mood, behavior and both physical and developmental growth as well as academic performance.”



Researchers considered how families with hardships and stressors, such as food or housing insecurity, may have experienced a greater burden of stress.



Nearly a third of families surveyed were from underrepresented racial or ethnic minorities. Underrepresented minority children were more likely to attend a virtual school than non-Hispanic white children.



Surprisingly, the study found that associations between remote learning and behavior difficulties were more challenging for children without material hardships.



“Children with material hardships showed more behavior challenges overall, but less associated with school format. Parents may not have detected a noticeable difference in the home setting during remote learning, but we need further studies to understand how to better support these families,” said Dr. Levitt.



More than two fifths of parents overall reported elevated depressive symptoms. The researchers suggest that providers may consider screening parents for mental health concerns and material hardships to identify those who could benefit from mental health resources and social work assistance.



“Many parents in our sample reported material hardships, such as poverty, job loss, and food insecurity and reported more parent-child conflict. We heard this from families we treat at Michigan Medicine, but our survey showed that the experience was widespread throughout Michigan," said study senior author Dr. Jenny Radesky. “This school year, we hoped that things would improve with consistent in-person learning and increased educational funding."



Sadly, some children are still struggling with behavioral challenges. Some schools are also struggling to hire social support staff. However, the researchers are hopeful that their findings demonstrate the importance of schools to receive the resources they need to help children heal from these pandemic impacts.&nbsp;



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

Remote learning causes sleep and behavior issues

Life as we knew it immediately changed during the pandemic....

The preliminary results of a new study suggest that genetics determine how we perceive different tastes. Our diets are partially determined by our sense of taste, which in turn influences our health.&nbsp;



Study lead author Julie E. Gervis is a doctoral candidate in the Cardiovascular Nutrition Lab at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.&nbsp;



“We know that taste is one of the fundamental drivers of what we choose to eat and, by extension, our diet quality,” said Gervis. “Considering taste perception could help make personalized nutrition guidance more effective by identifying drivers of poor food choices and helping people learn how to minimize their influence.”



For example, if someone finds certain vegetables like cauliflower bitter, a recommendation could be made for different seasonings that would make it more palatable. The researchers claim that most people do not know what drives their food choices, and that this could give them more control.&nbsp;



The analysis is unique in that it investigated all five taste groups across a broad range of adults. This is also the first study to look at whether genetics for taste variations could influence health risk from diets.&nbsp;&nbsp;



To carry out the research, the scientists looked at genetic data associated with the five basic tastes and created a "polygenic taste score." The score takes into account different genes and gives a single number to each taste. For example, the higher the score for "bitter," the more sensitive you are to bitter tastes.&nbsp;



Using data from the Framingham Heart Study, the researchers analyzed the polygenic taste scores, as well as diet quality and cardiovascular risk factors, for 6,230 adults.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The experts found that indeed, some diet choices seem to be correlated to genetics and adults with sensitivity to certain food groups are less likely to eat them. The scientists emphasize that these results may not apply to everyone, and that further research is needed.&nbsp;



Gervis will present the study findings online at <a href="https://nutrition.org/nutrition-2022/">Nutrition 2022 Live Online</a>, the annual meeting of the <a href="https://nutrition.org/">American Society for Nutrition</a> on June 14-16.&nbsp;&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

Your genes may be driving your food choices

The preliminary results of a new study suggest that genetics...

Foods that are available for us to purchase in supermarkets and stores are not all equally healthy. And, although many people keep track of the amounts of fat and sugar in the food they buy, this is not the whole story when it comes to eating healthily. Despite all the information and guidance available, it seems that Americans still struggle to eat a healthy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fishy-diet-may-be-linked-to-increased-melanoma-risk/">diet</a>.



A new study on just how American perceptions of a healthy diet differ from reality is to be presented by Jessica Thomson at <a href="https://nutrition.org/nutrition-2022-live-online/">Nutrition 2022 Live Online</a>, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.



In this study, the researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults conducted every two years. Over 9,700 participants were asked to complete detailed 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires and rate their diet as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor. The researchers then used the questionnaires to assess the quality of each participant’s diet.&nbsp;



In this respect, healthier diets were considered to be those that included fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, lower-fat dairy products, less sugar, and proteins from seafood and plants. Foods considered less healthy included refined grains and foods high in sodium, added sugars or saturated fats.



Apart from assessing diet quality, the researchers wished to find out whether a single, simple question (How healthy is your diet?) could be used as a screening tool to replace the detailed dietary questionnaires currently used in nutritional studies. Previous studies have found that people are accurate at assessing the state of their health overall, and that self-rated health is a strong predictor of morbidity and mortality. Currently, however, there is little research on whether self-rated diet quality is predictive of the actual quality of one’s diet.



The results of the study showed that people’s assessment of the healthiness of their diet did not agree with the researcher-calculated scores obtained from analysis of the detailed diet questionnaires. Participants tended to overrate the healthiness of their diets. Of the over 9,700 participants, about 8,000 (roughly 85 percent) inaccurately assessed the quality of their diet. Of those, almost all (99 percent) overrated the healthiness of their diet.



“We found that only a small percentage of U.S. adults can accurately assess the healthfulness of their diet and, interestingly, it’s mostly those who perceive their diet as poor who are able to accurately assess their diet,” said Thomson, lead author of the study. “Additionally, most adults overrate the quality of their diet, sometimes to a substantial degree.”



Among those who rated their diet as poor, their assessment matched that of the researchers in 97 percent of instances. However, in the other dietary categories the assessment by the participants only matched that of the researchers in 1–18 percent of cases. This represents a significant and concerning disconnect between the researcher-calculated scores and how participants actually perceived their own diets.



“It’s difficult for us to say whether U.S. adults lack an accurate understanding of the components of a healthful versus unhealthful diet, or whether adults perceive the healthfulness of their diet as they wish it to be – that is, higher in quality than it actually is,” said Thomson. “Until we have a better understanding of what individuals consider when assessing the healthfulness of their diet, it will be difficult to determine what knowledge and skills are necessary to improve self-assessment or perception of one’s diet quality.”



Clearly, using a person’s answer to the question ‘How healthy is your diet?’ is not going to provide an accurate assessment, or replace the detailed diet questionnaires currently used in nutritional studies. Thomson said further research could help to elucidate what factors people consider when asked to assess their diet quality. For instance, it would be helpful to know whether people are aware of particular dietary recommendations and whether they take into consideration where their food is purchased or how it is prepared.&nbsp;



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

Most people overestimate the healthiness of their diet

Foods that are available for us to purchase in supermarkets...

A study published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/home">The Lancet Planetary Health</a> argues that as our weather becomes more severe due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-did-not-impact-dinosaur-abundance-in-the-triassic/">climate</a> change, women, girls, and sexual and gender minorities will be increasingly and disproportionally affected by violence.



Extreme weather events often increase food insecurity, mental stress, and economic uncertainty for all those affected. They can also lead to a deterioration in safety programs for women, including law enforcement. Moreover, long-term effects can include unwanted births and exposure to STIs including HIV.&nbsp;



Study co-author Kim Van Daalen is a Gates Cambridge Scholar in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>.



“Extreme events don’t themselves cause gender-based violence, but rather they exacerbate the drivers of violence or create environments that enable this type of behavior,” said Van Daalen.



It’s important to note that Van Daalen is not claiming that the source of violence is due to climate change. The reality is much uglier, she explained.&nbsp;



“At the root of this behavior are systematic social and patriarchal structures that enable and normalize such violence. Existing social roles and norms, combined with inequalities leading to marginalisation, discrimination, and dispossession make women, girls, and sexual and gender minorities disproportionately vulnerable to the adverse impacts of extreme events.”



The researchers identified 41 severe weather events across all six inhabited continents to explore the relationship between climate events and gender-based violence. These events included floods, droughts, and wildfires. Gender-based violence included sexual violence, physical violence, emotional violence, forced marriage, and ‘witch’ killing.



Van Daalen pointed out two case studies to lend credence to her argument. The first case study was Hurricane Katrina in the United States. Researchers found that violence, including sexual violence against women, increased after the hurricane. Furthermore, transgender and LGBTQI individuals experienced physical violence and discrimination at post-disaster shelters.&nbsp;



In Bangladesh, early marriages spiked after flood events in 1998 and 2004. The researchers believe this was due to increased poverty after the floods because marrying off a daughter reduces the financial burden of a family.&nbsp;



Van Daalen says that disaster relief plans need to include infrastructure for women, transgender, and LGBTQI people so they can have safe access to aid. Moreover, she advocates for relief programs that empower women and allows them to be decision-makers.&nbsp;



“Disaster management needs to focus on preventing, mitigating, and adapting to drivers of gender-based violence. It’s crucial that it’s informed by the women, girls, and sexual and gender minority populations affected and takes into account local sexual and gender cultures and local norms, traditions, and social attitudes.”



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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

Severe weather will increase violence against women

A study published in The Lancet Planetary Health argues that...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/domestic-cats-kill-hundreds-of-millions-of-animals-each-year/">Cats</a> go a bit crazy in the presence of catnip (Nepeta cataria) and its Asian counterpart, silver vine (Actinidia polygama). They roll on it, rub their bodies on it, chew it, lick it and play with it. It appears that cats are completely intoxicated by these plants, which induce a bout of this strange behavior that may last as long as 15 minutes. However, new research indicates that their behavior may not be as crazy as it looks.&nbsp;



Previous research has indicated that the leaves of catnip and silver vine plants contain chemicals known as iridoids that act as insect repellents. The unusual but characteristic response that cats have to these plants, including rubbing the head and face on the leaves and rolling on them, has the effect of coating the body in iridoids - which repel mosquitoes and other pests that can potentially transmit diseases. But the reason that cats lick, chew and otherwise damage the plant leaves as part of this characteristic behavioral response has remained a mystery.



Researchers in Japan have now conducted experiments to test whether damaging the leaves of catnip and silver vine by chewing, crumpling and tearing them has any effect on the chemicals that they release, and therefore on their efficacy in protecting cats from insect pests.&nbsp;



Cats have such an unusual reaction to catnip and silver vine, the world over, that lead author Masao Miyazaki, an animal behavior researcher at Iwate University, felt he had to investigate the phenomenon further. “Even in the famous musical ‘Cats’ there are scenes where you see a cat intoxicate another cat using catnip powder."&nbsp;



Miyazaki began his career in veterinary medicine and developed an interest in how chemicals, such as pheromones, drive companion animals’ instinctual behaviors. Catnip and silver vine leaves contain the compounds nepetalactol and nepetalactone, amongst others, which are iridoids that have an insect repellent effect.&nbsp;



The research team started by measuring the concentration and composition of these iridoids in the space above intact leaves, and leaves that had been chewed or crumpled. They used gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for this and found that physical damage to silver vine and catnip leaves promotes an immediate emission of these plant compounds.&nbsp;



“We found that physical damage of silver vine by cats promoted the immediate emission of total iridoids, which was 10-fold higher than from intact leaves,” said Miyazaki.



Not only were more iridoids released by the leaves of both plants, but the chemical composition of the iridoid cocktail released from silver vine leaves also changed. “Nepetalactol accounts for over 90 percent of total iridoids in intact leaves, but this drops to about 45 percent in damaged leaves, as other iridoids greatly increase,” said Miyazaki. “The altered iridoid mixture corresponding to damaged leaves promoted a much more prolonged response in cats.” &nbsp;



According to the results, changes in both the amount of plant iridoid emission (both plant species) and composition (silver vine only) induced significantly longer response behavior by the cats, which included increased self-anointing (rubbing and rolling) that has the effect of transferring plant iridoids onto the cat’s fur.&nbsp;



To test if the felines were reacting to these compounds specifically, the cats were given dishes with pure nepetalactone and nepetalactol. “Cats show the same response to iridoid cocktails and natural plants except for chewing,” said Miyazaki. “They lick the chemicals on the plastic dish and rub against, and roll over on, the dish.”



“When iridoid cocktails were applied on the bottom of dishes that were then covered by a punctured plastic cover, cats still exhibited licking and chewing even though they couldn’t contact the chemicals directly. This means that licking and chewing is an instinctive behavior elicited by olfactory stimulation of iridoids.”



Lastly, the researchers tested the insect repellent properties of the iridoid cocktail from damaged catnip and silver vine leaves against Aedes albopictus, a common mosquito in Japan and China. This species of mosquito is a vector of Dirofilaria immitis, which infects the heart and pulmonary arteries of dogs and cats. Samples of iridoids representing extracts from intact and damaged leaves were introduced to groups of 18 - 26 mosquitoes in acrylic boxes, and the percentage of mosquitoes that moved away from the source and sought refuge in a small shelter about 15 cm away from the source was recorded after 10 and 20 minutes.&nbsp;



The results indicated that the iridoid cocktails from damaged leaves were more effective at repelling the insects than were the intact leaves. The effect of damaged silver vine iridoids was more rapid and occurred at lower concentrations of the cocktail, but the iridoids from damaged catnip leaves also had an effect, albeit at a stronger concentration and over a longer period of time.&nbsp;



The experts conclude that the physical damage of the plant leaves by the cats enhances the release of iridoids that are repellent to arthropods such as mosquitoes. This destructive behavior, in combination with enhanced rubbing and rolling activity, has the effect of enhancing the transfer of iridoids to the cats’ fur.&nbsp; In this manner, the cats obtain stronger chemical pest defense from the leaves of these plants. Their study also provides an insight into how humans could also use plants to obtain potent natural repellents against pest insects.



Next, Miyazaki and his team want to understand which gene is responsible for cats’ reaction to catnip and silver vine. “Our future studies promise to answer the key remaining questions of why this response is limited to Felidae species, and why some cats don’t respond to these plants,” said Miyazaki.



The results of the study are published today in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(22)00726-X">iScience</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

Cats know how to use catnip as a potent insect repellent

Cats go a bit crazy in the presence of catnip...

In a collaboration between BP Angola and deep sea researchers, a survey of wildlife was carried out near pipelines being installed off the coast of West Africa.



“We have a long-running collaboration with BP in Angola to use survey imagery material for science,” explained study co-author Andrew Gates of the National Oceanography Centre.



The research shows that there was an immediate increase in animal life near where the pipes were installed.&nbsp;



“In a short space of time the installation of a pipeline led to increases in the abundance and diversity of marine life in most areas,” said study co-author Daniel Jones. “We believe this could be related to the pipeline providing shelter and trapping organic matter that the animals feed on.”



“It was also surprising to see the huge amount of litter, which consisted of plastic bags, bottles and aluminum cans, as this is a remote area ranging from 700 to 1,400 meters deep.”



The footage was collected using a remote operated vehicle, a type of submarine that is roughly the size of a car and controlled by a cable running to a ship above.&nbsp;



“We realized as soon as we saw the footage that it would allow us to explore how the marine life changed after the introduction of a pipeline. Doing this sort of survey is very difficult and expensive, so we were pleased to be able to make use of the footage to understand the deep-sea biology a bit better. This adds real value to video footage originally collected to inspect the pipeline."



The scientists believe that some of the creatures captured on film may be new species to science, but it is usually impossible to identify deep sea animal species by video. The scientists hope to return to collect specimens soon.



"In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the installation of a pipeline may cause considerable changes in the fauna in some areas of the continental slope," wrote the researchers. "These changes are very depth dependent and likely depend on both the nature of the community and the potential for trapping of organic matter by the pipeline."&nbsp;



"It is likely that the results presented here are only an early stage in a succession of ecological change resulting from installation of a pipeline in deep water, with later stages largely unknown."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.



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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

Pipeline installation boosts diversity of seafloor animals

In a collaboration between BP Angola and deep sea researchers,...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[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

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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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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...