Using the extraordinary capabilities of NASA’s Webb Telescope and the natural phenomenon of gravitational lensing, astronomers have achieved an unprecedented feat: observing individual stars in a galaxy called Dragon Arc that is 6.5 billion light-years away.



This breakthrough offers a unique opportunity to study the evolution of galaxies, the nature of dark matter, and the life cycle of distant stars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dragon-arc">The Dragon Arc</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Dragon-Arc.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The galaxy</a>, known as the Dragon Arc, was observed along the line of sight to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/titanic-galaxy-cluster-collision-defies-all-current-understanding-of-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy cluster</a> Abell 370, which acts as a cosmic magnifying glass. 



The cluster’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-galaxy-jwst-er1g-dark-matter-einstein-ring-mystery-solved/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gravitational field stretches</a> and amplifies the light from the Dragon Arc, transforming its spiral structure into an elongated arc.



This macrolensing effect enabled astronomers to resolve individual stars in the distant galaxy for the first time.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dragon-arc-galaxy_abell-370_macrolens-illustration_credit-Yoshinobu-Fudamoto_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dragon-arc-galaxy_abell-370_macrolens-illustration_credit-Yoshinobu-Fudamoto_1s.webp" alt="The massive, yet invisible halo of dark matter of a galaxy cluster works as a &quot;macrolens,&quot;, while lone, unbound stars drifting through the cluster act as additional &quot;microlenses, multiplying the factor of magnification. Credit: Yoshinobu Fudamoto" class="wp-image-1955944"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The massive, yet invisible halo of dark matter of a galaxy cluster works as a "macrolens,", while lone, unbound stars drifting through the cluster act as additional "microlenses, multiplying the factor of magnification. Credit: Yoshinobu Fudamoto</figcaption></figure>



“Inside the galaxy cluster, there are many stars floating around that are not bound by any galaxy,” explained co-author Eiichi Egami, a research professor at the <a href="https://astro.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona's Steward Observatory</a>.&nbsp;



“When one of them happens to pass in front of the background star in the distant galaxy along the line of sight with Earth, it acts as a microlens, in addition to the macrolensing effect of the galaxy cluster as a whole.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-44-individual-stars-identified">44 individual stars identified</h2>



The study, led by Yoshinobu Fudamoto of <a href="https://www.chiba-u.ac.jp/e/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chiba University</a> in Japan, identified 44 individual stars in the Dragon Arc, the largest number ever detected in such a distant galaxy. 



These findings represent a significant leap in the study of distant galaxies, where stars typically appear as a blended glow due to the immense distance.



“To us, galaxies that are very far away usually look like a diffuse, fuzzy blob,” said Fudamoto. “But actually, those blobs consist of many, many individual stars. We just can't resolve them with our telescopes.”



Thanks to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/expansion-rate-of-the-universe-confirmed-by-jwst/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JWST</a>’s incredible sensitivity and the combined effects of macro- and microlensing, the team was able to track brightness variations in these stars over time. 



These changes occurred because the relative motion of stars in the galaxy cluster altered the alignment and magnification of the distant stars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-distant-stars-of-the-dragon-arc-nbsp">Distant stars of the Dragon Arc&nbsp;</h2>



The stars observed within the Dragon Arc were predominantly red supergiants - massive stars nearing the end of their lives, similar to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/betelgeuse-one-of-our-brightest-stars-will-vanish-from-sight-next-week/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Betelgeuse</a> in the Orion constellation. 



This contrasts with earlier discoveries that primarily identified blue supergiants, thanks to JWST’s ability to detect cooler stars through its infrared capabilities.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dragon-arc-galaxy_abell-370-galaxy-cluster_JWST_UArizona_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dragon-arc-galaxy_abell-370-galaxy-cluster_JWST_UArizona_1s.webp" alt="Abell 370, a galaxy cluster located nearly 4 billion light-years away from Earth features several arcs of light, including the &quot;Dragon Arc&quot; (lower left of center). These arcs are caused by gravitational lensing: Light from distant galaxies far behind the massive galaxy cluster coming toward Earth is bent around Abell 370 by its massive gravity, resulting in contorted images. Credit: NASA" class="wp-image-1955946"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Abell 370, a galaxy cluster located nearly 4 billion light-years away from Earth features several arcs of light, including the "Dragon Arc" (lower left of center). These arcs are caused by gravitational lensing: Light from distant galaxies far behind the massive galaxy cluster coming toward Earth is bent around Abell 370 by its massive gravity, resulting in contorted images. Credit: NASA</figcaption></figure>



“This groundbreaking discovery demonstrates, for the first time, that studying large numbers of individual stars in a distant galaxy is possible,” said Fengwu Sun, a co-author and postdoctoral scholar at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard &amp; Smithsonian (<a href="https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CfA</a>). 



The ability to identify and study different stellar types provides valuable insights into star formation and the chemical composition of distant galaxies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dark-matter-and-galactic-evolution">Dark matter and galactic evolution</h2>



The findings have profound implications for our understanding of the universe. Observing individual stars in distant galaxies allows scientists to probe the structure of gravitational lenses, offering a novel way to study <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/existence-of-dark-matter-confirmed-by-new-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark matter</a>, which is believed to shape the formation of galaxies.&nbsp;



Moreover, the alignment of microlensing stars opens a window into the physical properties and behaviors of distant stellar populations.



By studying the brightness and color changes of these stars, astronomers can gain insights into the dynamics of galaxy clusters and the conditions that influence star formation and survival in the early universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



The Dragon Arc is just the beginning. Future observations using JWST are expected to uncover even more stars in distant galaxies, enabling detailed studies of their life cycles and interactions. 



These efforts could yield hundreds of individual stellar profiles, expanding our understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-galactic-explosion-provides-clues-about-galaxy-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy evolution</a> over billions of years.



“By observing the same galaxy multiple times, we can spot stars in distant galaxies because they appear to pop in and out of existence,” Fudamoto explained.&nbsp;



This technique, combined with the natural magnification effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-telescope-finds-a-second-lensed-supernova-in-a-distant-galaxy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gravitational lensing</a>, could revolutionize our approach to studying the cosmos.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unlocking-the-mysteries-of-the-universe">Unlocking the mysteries of the universe</h2>



This landmark discovery demonstrates the immense potential of JWST and gravitational lensing to push the boundaries of observational astronomy.&nbsp;



By resolving individual stars billions of light-years away, scientists are unraveling some of the universe's greatest mysteries, from the nature of dark matter to the intricate dynamics of galactic evolution.



This study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02432-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Astronomy</a>, paves the way for a deeper exploration of the cosmos, providing a foundation for future studies that will continue to expand humanity’s understanding of our place in the universe.



Image Credit: NASA



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Dragon Arc: Webb telescope captures the most distant stars ever seen

Using the extraordinary capabilities of NASA’s Webb Telescope and the natural phenomenon of gravitational lensing, astronomers have achieved an unprecedented feat: observing individual stars in a galaxy called Dragon Arc that is 6.5 billion light-years away. This breakthrough offers a unique opportunity to study the evolution of galaxies, the nature of dark matter, and the life cycle of distant stars. The Dragon Arc The galaxy, known as the Dragon Arc, was observed along the line of sight to the galaxy cluster Abell 370, which acts as a...

A new survey by The Harris Poll on behalf of <a href="https://www.orlandohealth.com/">Orlando Health</a> finds that men are likely to be skipping a simple yet critical step in a healthy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hummingbirds-cannot-maintain-an-energetic-lifestyle-at-high-altitudes/">lifestyle</a>: an annual checkup with their doctor.&nbsp;



The survey found a third of men (33%) don’t think they need annual health screenings and almost two-thirds (65%) believe they are naturally healthier than others in general. This is statistically impossible, argues Dr. Thomas Kelley, a family medicine specialist at Orlando Health Physician Associates.&nbsp;



“Even if you think you’re healthy and you’re not experiencing any symptoms, there can be developing issues that often go unnoticed and can also be life-threatening if left unchecked. Some of those include rising blood pressure that can be a ticking time bomb for a heart attack or stroke, as well as colon cancer, which is one of the most deadly yet preventable cancers that exist.”



As a primary care physician, Dr. Kelley has heard many excuses from his male patients as to why they skip appointments. He believes the underlying reason is often fear.



“If you're a man and you haven't been to the doctor in a while, you don't really know what to expect.” said Dr. Kelley. “One of the big things that makes it less scary is having that great relationship with a primary care physician, and most men find the process to be easier than they thought. It takes about half an hour and by the end of the appointment you have the big picture about where you stand, what you’re at risk for and what you need to do for your health in the future.”



Kelley says building trust with your doctor can reduce nerves and help make conversations comfortable, which often creates confidence in returning.&nbsp;



But first, doctors need to get patients in the door. The survey found that 38 percent of men often get medical advice from social media, which can be extremely problematic without reputable medical sources.&nbsp;



Nearly two in five men admit that they focus on their pet’s health more than their own. This wasn’t surprising to Kelley, who argues that taking care of yourself first and foremost is how you can provide care to the others in your life.&nbsp;



It’s never too late to get caught up on routine appointments and screenings. However, starting as soon as possible is key to taking control of your health.&nbsp;



Combining annual exams with regular exercise, a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and finding ways to reduce stress can make a big difference in your overall health.&nbsp;



“It’s much easier to go to the doctor once a year for a wellness checkup and make certain that you’re not developing diabetes, high blood pressure or a heart problem, than to find yourself in an intensive care unit needing heart bypass surgery because you didn't look into those things,” said Dr. Kelley.



This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Orlando Health from May 9 - 11, 2022 among 893 U.S. adult men ages 18 and older.&nbsp;&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

Most men think they are naturally healthier than others

A new survey by The Harris Poll on behalf of...

According to new rules proposed by the Biden Administration on June 9, 2022, electric vehicles charging stations should be placed along Interstates every 50 miles, leading to half a million public charging stations by the end of the decade. These stations should be able to recharge cars quickly, and be located no more than a mile from a major highway. Moreover, they will be prohibited from requiring customers to have a membership or be part of a club in order to use them. 



“EV drivers should be able to count on finding a place to recharge easily wherever they go,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Everyone should be able to find a working charging station when and where they need it without worrying about paying more or getting worse service because of where they live.”



These proposed regulations outlined by Buttigieg and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm are part of the Biden administration’s efforts to incentivize widespread use of zero-emissions vehicles, with the goal of having half of all new vehicles sold in the United States electric by the end of this decade. If this initiative turns out to be successful, the country’s dependence on foreign oil will be reduced and emissions contributing to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-viruses-may-help-slow-climate-change/">climate change</a> could be significantly curbed.  



Each state will be required to provide at least four of the fastest types of recharging ports (known as “DirectCurrent fast chargers”)&nbsp;in order to allow multiple drivers to recharge their cars at the same time. Moreover, companies that build charging stations should provide a standard facility which can accommodate all models of electric vehicles.&nbsp;



These standards will apply to federally funded charging station in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and are designed to ensure that rural areas and communities would have equal access to electric charging stations as urban regions.



The government promised that it will provide $7.5 billion to create this nationwide network of charging stations until 2030. “If we’re going to build out infrastructure like we haven’t done since the Eisenhower era, we have to do it right,” said Mrs. Granholm.



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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

Biden lays out plan for electric vehicle charging stations

According to new rules proposed by the Biden Administration on...

According to a new study presented at <a href="https://endo2022.endocrine.org/">ENDO 2022</a> (the <a href="https://www.endocrine.org/">Endocrine Society</a>’s annual meeting), encouraging moderation, balance, and real-life engagement may help combat the overuse of wireless mobile devices, such as cell phones or tablets, and the subsequent adverse health effects such behaviors cause.



By reviewing existing data on the neuroscience underlying addiction to mobile devices, Dr. Nidhi Gupta – the founder of <a href="https://kapendocrine.com/">KAP Pediatric Endocrinology</a> in Franklin, Tennessee – has discovered that extensive screen time increases the prevalence of obesity, dyslipidemia, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes. This study is an extension of Dr. Gupta’s previous research, in which she examined the role of mobile devices overuse in health care settings, and found that devices such as smartphones or tablets are often a source of distraction, errors, procrastination, and inefficiency for clinicians, often leading to an increased risk of burnout.



In the new study investigating the impact of mobile devices overuse on the general population, Dr. Gupta has found that each hour per day increase in screen time was correlated with a 0.05 to 0.07 increase in body mass index (BMI), most likely caused by online food marketing, distracted eating, and procrastination of physical activities. Moreover, sleep disturbances, daytime tiredness, depression, the odds of using illegal substances, and various cognitive and behavioral issues were also linked to the overuse of mobile devices.



“As a pediatric endocrinologist, the trend in smartphone-associated health disorders (obesity, sleep, and behavior issues) worries me. I often get asked by my patients, ‘What can we do about the screen time?’ A simple but loaded question. It opens multiple avenues to educate and inspire my patients and their families,” Dr. Gupta explained.&nbsp;&nbsp;



In order to reduce screen time, Dr. Gupta recommended turning off excessive notifications, deleting social media apps, using traditional alarm clocks, promoting “green time” instead of screen time, and closely supervising children’s use of wireless mobile devices.&nbsp;



In the case of clinicians, wearing a wristwatch instead of relying on mobile devices as timekeepers, setting boundaries for checking emails, decreasing reliance on text messages, and placing devices in a drawer for 30-minute intervals to work without distractions could significantly boost productivity and safeguard against a wide range of health issues linked to mobile devices overuse.



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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

Moderation is key to avoiding addiction to mobile devices

According to a new study presented at ENDO 2022 (the...

Prey often avoids predators by fleeing in seemingly random directions. Scientists have hypothesized that this unpredictable and sporadic behavior may help prey animals escape. Now, research published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">PNAS</a> has tested this theory.



For the study, researchers at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> observed robotic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/overfishing-is-wiping-out-large-bodied-fish-in-the-amazon/">fish</a> with pre-programmed escape patterns that were either predictable or unpredictable. These robot prey fish were then presented to predatory blue acara cichlids. The robots initially remained still, like a prey fish momentarily paralyzed by fear. Then, the robots fled.&nbsp;



“Using robotic prey allowed us to present individual predators with one of two prey escape strategies: ‘predictable’ prey which repeatedly escaped in the same direction from one interaction with the predator to the next, or ‘unpredictable’ prey which escaped in random directions," explained study lead author Dr. Andrew Szopa-Comley.



The predators seemed to quickly adjust to the different types of prey robots. With the predictable prey, the predators adjusted their own speed upon approach, speeding up if the prey was expected to flee directly away but maintaining a slower speed for prey that fled sideways.&nbsp;



Interestingly, these speed adjustments were done from memory of past encounters, before the prey even moved. Unsurprisingly, the predators didn’t adjust their speed when approaching unpredictable prey.&nbsp;



The strange part of the results is that predators had very similar levels of success whether encountering an unpredictable prey robot or a predictable one. This flies in the face of the hypothesis that unpredictable behavior aids in escape.&nbsp;



“Our results suggest that the predators in our study were able to overcome the potential downsides of facing prey which behave unpredictably. From the prey’s point of view, this raises the question of whether unpredictable behaviour is as widely beneficial as was originally thought," explained study senior author Dr. Christos Ioannou.



The study shows how important it is for a predator to be able to adjust its own behavior to the success of the hunt or the failure of the hunted.&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

Robots reveal how fish hunt down unpredictable prey

Prey often avoids predators by fleeing in seemingly random directions....

According to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.18262">New Phytologist</a>, Lantana strigocamara&nbsp;– a highly invasive horticultural herb or shrub native to Central and South America - is the second-ever documented case of a plant creating blue-colored fruits with layered fat molecules, using a trick of light called “structural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/true-color-ancient-insects/">color</a>.”



Structural color is very common among animals. It is what gives many butterflies their bright blue coloring, or the peacock’s otherwise brown feathers their brilliant greens. This optical illusion of sorts is produced by microscopically structured surfaces fine enough to interfere with light, and is very rare in the plant world. Until now, only six species of plants have been found to produce their fruits’ hues using structural color.



What makes L. strigocamara special is that it creates this structural color in the skin of its berries by using layers of lipid molecules, or fats – a phenomenon previously documented in only one other plant species, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/11/science/blue-fruits-viburnum.html">Viburnum tinus</a>. To create their unique colors, L. strigocamara’s blue fruits use microscopic structures in their skin to manipulate light and reflect the wavelengths human eyes perceive as blue, giving them a distinctive metallic finish.&nbsp;



Thus, structurally-colored berries have no color within themselves: when they are peeled and held up to the light, for instance, they look completely translucent. However, when placed against a dark background, they look blue again, due to nanostructures on their surface that are responsible for reflecting the color.



The scientists argue that, in evolutionary terms, structural coloring may help with seed dispersal, which could explain the fact that the handful of plants known to use this strategy are highly invasive and spread all over the world. By providing a strong contrast with the surrounding foliage, the mechanic, shiny nature of their fruit perhaps attracts animals to eat them and spread their seeds. Moreover, this theory could also fit with the fact that humans are highly interested in using these plants in horticulture.&nbsp;



“The fact that they made their way into horticulture suggests that we are susceptible to the same things are that other animals find attractive about them,” explained study co-author Stacey Smith, a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado, Boulder</a>. “We're like, oh, look at that sparkly, cute thing. I should put that in my garden.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



However, another evolutionary explanation could be that the thick, fatty layer that creates the color is a protective mechanism for the plant, providing defenses against pathogens or improving the structural integrity of the fruit.



Scientists hope that, as more structurally colored fruits are discovered, they will manage to learn more about the evolutionary prompts for this fascinating mechanism. According to study lead author Miranda Sinnott-Armstrong, a postdoctoral fellow at UC Boulder, so few of such plants have been found until now simply because people were not actively looking for them. “They're out there. We just haven’t seen them all yet,” she 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

Blue berries found to manipulate light using structural color

According to a new study published in the journal New...

Antarctica is dominated by ice, mainly two massive glacial ice sheets called the East and West Antarctic Ice Sheets. Unsurprisingly, these ice sheets have been losing mass in recent years.&nbsp;Two glaciers within these ice sheets - the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers - are especially threatened. Scientists estimate that at the current melt rates, the ice sheets together will add as much as 3.4 meters to rising sea levels in the coming centuries.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Now, new research led by the <a href="https://umaine.edu/">University of Maine</a> and the British Antarctic Survey has measured the rates of sea level change around Antarctica. The research shows something disturbing. The glaciers have been retreating at rates not seen for 5,500 years. Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers have lost 192,000 square kilometers and 162,300 square kilometers, respectively. These glaciers alone could add significantly to global sea level rises.&nbsp;



“We reveal that although these vulnerable glaciers were relatively stable during the past few millennia, their current rate of retreat is accelerating and already raising global sea level," said study co-author Dr Dylan Rood, an expert in the Department of Earth Science and Engineering at <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a>.



"These currently elevated rates of ice melting may signal that those vital arteries from the heart of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet have been ruptured, leading to accelerating flow into the ocean that is potentially disastrous for future global sea level in a warming world. Is it too late to stop the bleeding?"



During the mid Holocene, more than 5,000 years ago, the earth’s climate was much warmer than it is today. Because of the warmer climate, the scientists wanted to look at the sea levels to compare them to what may be our future. To look at the sea levels, the researchers studied sea shells and penguin bones, indicators of sea levels. Using carbon dating, they were able to pinpoint these remains in time.&nbsp;



Interestingly, sea levels in Antarctica seemed to be lower during the warmer period while at the same time higher globally. This is because the weight of glacial ice pushes land down, causing it to ride lower in the water and ride higher when the ice melts away, relieving the pressure.&nbsp;



Overall, the researchers have been able to see a drop in sea levels for Antarctica as the glaciers melted but a rise in sea levels nearly everywhere else. To further understand the phenomenon and hopefully find possible solutions, the scientists plan to carry out more research.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



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

Antarctic glaciers are melting at highest rate in 5,500 years

Antarctica is dominated by ice, mainly two massive glacial ice...

Scientists’ understanding of the Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-evidence-suggests-earths-inner-core-is-rotating/">inner core</a> – a hot, dense ball of solid iron the size of the planet Pluto – has expanded dramatically over the past three decades. In a new study, a team of researchers from the <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences</a> has found that the inner core oscillates, contradicting previously proposed models that suggested it consistently rotates at a faster rate than the Earth’s surface. 



By analyzing seismic data, the experts discovered that the inner core changed direction in the six-year period from 1969 to 1974, a phenomenon that also explains the variation in the length of day that has been shown to oscillate persistently during the past few decades.



“From our findings, we can see the Earth’s surface shifts compared to its inner core, as people have asserted for 20 years,” said study co-author John E. Vidale, a professor of Earth Sciences at USC Dornsife. “However, our latest observations show that the inner core spun slightly slower from 1969-71 and then moved the other direction from 1971-74. We also note that the length of day grew and shrank as would be predicted. The coincidence of those two observations makes oscillation the likely interpretation.”



By analyzing seismic waves generated from Soviet underground nuclear bomb tests from 1971 to 1974 in the Arctic archipelago Novaya Zemlya, Professor Vidale and his colleagues found that the inner core rotated slower than previously predicted (approximately 0.1 degrees per year). Applying the same methodology to a pair of earlier atomic tests beneath Amchitka Island at the tip of the Alaskan archipelago, the researchers were surprised to discover that the inner core had reversed direction, sub-rotating at least a tenth of degree per year.



“The idea the inner core oscillates was a model that was out there, but the community has been split on whether it was viable,” Professor Vidale explained. “We went into this expecting to see the same rotation direction and rate in the earlier pair of atomic tests, but instead we saw the opposite. We were quite surprised to find that it was moving in the other direction.” These findings support the hypothesis that the inner core oscillates based on variations in the length of day (plus or minus 0.2 seconds during six years) and geomagnetic fields.



“The inner core is not fixed — it’s moving under our feet, and it seems to going back and forth a couple of kilometers every six years. One of the questions we tried to answer is, does the inner core progressively move or is it mostly locked compared to everything else in the long term? We’re trying to understand how the inner core formed and how it moves over time — this is an important step in better understanding this process,” he concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abm9916">Science Advances</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

Scientists find proof that the Earth’s inner core oscillates

Scientists’ understanding of the Earth’s inner core – a hot,...

Due to climate change, the frequency of extreme weather phenomena, such as droughts, fires, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flash-floods-are-set-to-become-much-more-common-in-the-u-s/">floods</a> has significantly increased. Floods have a highly negative impact on agriculture, with scientists estimating that about 15 percent of global crop losses are due to flooding. 



However, an international team of experts has now found that a signaling molecule can make plants more resistant to flooding: the gaseous plant hormone ethylene causes plants to switch on a type of emergency power system helping them survive the lack of oxygen during flooding.



Plant species differ greatly in their ability to withstand long periods of flooding. “In the case of potatoes, the roots die after two days due to a lack of oxygen. Rice plants are much more resistant, able to survive their entire lives in waterlogged paddy fields,” explained study co-author Sjon Hartman, an expert in Plant Biology at the <a href="https://uni-freiburg.de/">University of Freiburg</a>.&nbsp;



Professor Hartman and his colleagues used Arabidopsis thaliana – a model organism for plant research - to examine how plants cope with flooding conditions. By placing Arabidopsis seedlings in a bell jar without light or oxygen and exposing them to ethylene gas, they found that the plants stopped root growth and switched energy production in the cells to oxygen-free metabolic processes. 



Moreover, the ethylene also seemed to protect the cells against harmful oxygen radicals which accumulate in oxygen-deprived plants.



“Plants notice that they are surrounded by water because the gas ethylene, which all plant cells produce, can no longer escape into the air,” said Professor Hartman. “Taken together, these rearrangements that ethylene triggers improve plant survival during and after flooding. As we better understand these signaling pathways, we can learn to make crops more resilient to flooding to combat climate change.”



Further research is needed to identify which species of plants are using these flood survival mechanisms, and to clarify how such processes could be artificially reproduced by scientists to improve the resilience of species that are less adapted to extreme weather conditions.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/plphys/advance-article/doi/10.1093/plphys/kiac245/6595039">Plant Physiology</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

What makes some plants resistant to flooding?

Due to climate change, the frequency of extreme weather phenomena,...

A new study has found that women can have a longer lifespan - beyond the age of 90 - with higher levels of optimism. This association was made across racial and ethnic groups in a study led by researchers at <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a>.



“Although optimism itself may be affected by social structural factors, such as race and ethnicity, our research suggests that the benefits of optimism may hold across diverse groups,” said study lead author Hayami Koga, a PhD candidate in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences.



“A lot of previous work has focused on deficits or risk factors that increase the risks for diseases and premature death. Our findings suggest that there’s value to focusing on positive psychological factors, like optimism, as possible new ways of promoting longevity and healthy aging across diverse groups.”



Previously, the research group found that optimism was linked to a longer lifespan and longevity. However, this study only looked at white populations.&nbsp;



This time around, the participant pool was broadened to include women from various racial and ethnic groups. Including diverse participants in public health research helps to inform policy decisions.&nbsp;



For the investigation, the researchers analyzed data and survey responses from 159,255 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative, which included women aged 50–79 from 1993 to 1998. These individuals were followed for up to 26 years.&nbsp;



The results of the analysis showed that the 25 percent of women who were the most optimistic were likely to have a 5.4 percent longer lifespan and a 10 percent greater likelihood of living beyond 90 years.



No interactions were found between optimism and race or ethnicity, even after taking into account demographics, chronic conditions, and depression. The results may encourage people to reconsider decisions that affect their health.&nbsp;



“We tend to focus on the negative risk factors that affect our health,” said Koga. “It is also important to think about the positive resources such as optimism that may be beneficial to our health, especially if we see that these benefits are seen across racial and ethnic groups.”



The Women’s Health Initiative is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Health and Human Services.



The research is published in the <a href="https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15325415">Journal of the American Geriatrics Society</a>.



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

Optimism appears to help women live longer

A new study has found that women can have a...

Throughout history, philosophers have long debated whether <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-pass-on-gut-microbes-to-urban-wildlife/">humans</a> are innately good. New research from Japan has found that infants can act on moral judgments, shedding light on the origin of morality.



Researchers at <a href="https://www.osaka-u.ac.jp/en">Osaka University</a> revealed that 8-month-old infants can punish antisocial behavior exhibited by others. This led the experts to conclude that the motivation driving punishment might be intrinsic as opposed to learned.



Across all cultures, punishing antisocial behavior is only found in humans. However, how we develop moral behavior is not well understood as it can be difficult to examine decision making in infants. The researchers at Osaka University aimed to address this.&nbsp;



“Morality is an important but mysterious part of what makes us human,” said study lead author of Yasuhiro Kanakogi. “We wanted to know whether third-party punishment of antisocial others is present at a very young age, because this would help to signal whether morality is learned.”



For the investigation, the experts developed a new research paradigm. First, infants were familiarized with a computer system that displayed animations on a screen. The infants could control the actions on the screen using a gaze-tracking system -&nbsp; looking at an object for a sufficient period of time led to the destruction of the object.&nbsp;



The infants then watched a video where one geometric agent appeared to “hurt” another, and watched whether the infants “punished” the antisocial geometric agent by gazing at it. The results showed that infants chose to punish the aggressor by increasing their gaze towards the aggressor.&nbsp;



“The observation of this behavior in very young children indicates that humans may have acquired behavioral tendencies toward moral behavior during the course of evolution,” said Kanakogi. Punishing antisocial behaviour could have evolved from the importance of cooperation.&nbsp;



This could be a turning point in infant cognitive research and the study of decision making. Previous research has relied on third party observations to study infant cognition. The eye-gaze paradigm allows for observation of active decision making in infants.



The research model could be useful in future learning about cognitive abilities in infants, and could put an end to the nature vs. nurture debate.&nbsp;



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



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

Are humans born with a moral compass?

Throughout history, philosophers have long debated whether humans are innately...

According to a study published in 2021 in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-021-00955-3">Nature</a>, a genetic variant inherited from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genetic-variant-linked-to-both-covid-risk-and-hiv-protection/">Neanderthals</a> – an ancient population of hominids that lived in Eurasia between 200,000 and 35,000 years ago - may have increased the risk factors for developing severe Covid-19 for a significant number of the world’s population.&nbsp;



A modification in the gene called LZTFL1&nbsp;- which is believed to act on lung cells – seems to have a significant role in boosting the production of a lung surface protein which the coronavirus uses to latch onto and spread to the lungs, leading to pneumonia and sometimes even death. Nowadays, this genetic quirk seems to be more common in people of south Asian origin, a feature which could partially explain the high death toll in India during the devastating Delta wave in 2021.&nbsp;



Now, James Davies, a professor of Genomics at the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> and one of the experts that identified this gene, has argued at the <a href="https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science">Cheltenham Science Festival</a> that this mutation has probably emerged from a single “romantic liaison” between a Neanderthal and a member of our species about 60,000 years ago.&nbsp;



“If you stop and think about it, this comes from a single interspecies relationship and a single child. And if the dinner date between the human and the Neanderthal had gone wrong, we would have had a much better time in Covid, and had hundreds of thousands fewer deaths,” Professor Davies explained.



Since the average Neanderthal group size is estimated to have been about 20 to 25 individuals, the chances of Neanderthals bumping into each other, let alone Homo sapiens, were probably very low, making the sexual encounter that introduced the Covid-related gene into modern humans a remarkable event. Moreover, genetic analyses which found that many people with high-risk of severe Covid have exactly the same 28 differences in the “letters” making up their genetic code suggest that they all descended from the same two people, rather than from a variety of interbreeding Neanderthals and Homo sapiens.&nbsp;



“We think it’s a single romantic liaison, and the reason we know that is that it’s inherited as this block with 28 single-letter changes, and you can track that all the way back and it has to be a single event,” explained Professor Davies. Asked for a rough estimate of how many people may have died of Covid as a result of this single, 60,000-year-old interspecies sexual encounter, Davies provided a rather grim figure: “It’s in the hundreds of thousands to a million.”



“I want you to keep in mind, when we start thinking about the time when Neanderthals and Homo sapiens bumped into each other and went on that dinner date, just how far back in time this was, and 60,000-odd years later, we are seeing the impact of that encounter in the world today in more severe forms of Covid,” concluded Simon Underdown, a professor of Biological Anthropology at <a href="https://www.brookes.ac.uk/">Oxford Brookes University</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

Severe Covid linked to a Neanderthal genetic variant

According to a study published in 2021 in the journal...

Certain species become emblems for nature organizations and conservation projects because they attract the attention of people and help them connect to the natural world. Charismatic species, such as plants with beautiful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-colors-in-sunflowers-dont-only-attract-bees/">flowers</a> or large, impressive mammals are often used to capture the imagination of the public and raise funds for protecting endangered species and threatened ecosystems.&nbsp;



Wild cherry trees and their iconic blossoms have featured in the culture of Japanese people since ancient times. They are represented in ancient writings, plays, arts and festivals, and therefore have a unique significance in connecting people in Japan to the world of nature. For this reason, the Sakuragawa city government chose wild cherries as a symbol for the promotion of local development. The city has long been renowned for the beautiful scenery of its wild cherry species,&nbsp;Cerasus jamasakura and&nbsp;Cerasus leveilleana, so it was logical to choose this symbol to support the city’s projects in Satoyama forest management and environmental education.&nbsp;&nbsp;



However, wild cherries symbolize different things to different people and so it was important to understand the diverse value perceptions of wild cherries and the ecosystem services they provide. In a new study by researchers from the University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki prefecture, Japan, the perceptions of three social groups towards wild cherry trees and their value were investigated. The survey focused particularly on people’s understanding of Satoyama ecosystems, which is where forests (that include wild cherry trees) are managed for the use of people and nature in harmony. Satoyama forests are common around Sakuragawa city and they are the focus of the city’s forest management projects.&nbsp;



“Understanding how people perceive the value of symbolic species’ ecosystem services is crucial because these perceptions often affect how land is managed,” said study co-author Professor Ikuyo Saeki. “These perspectives are also key to sustaining links between people and nature, and must be examined if we are to successfully transition to more sustainable societies.”



The researchers used questionnaires to survey 321 participants who were in three categories – adult residents, visiting tourists and high school pupils. Apart from answering questions about themselves and their understanding of Satoyama forests, the participants were asked which of the following eight values of ecosystem services provided by wild cherries they perceive to be important: history, recreation, economy, aesthetic in spring, aesthetic in fall, biodiversity, education, and culture. Their knowledge of the differences between wild cherries and common cultivars was also assessed.&nbsp;



The results, published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26395916.2022.2065359">Ecosystems and People</a>, revealed interesting differences between the groups. First, local residents and tourists favored wild cherries more than they did the common cultivar, and the majority of them had basic knowledge of wild cherries and Satoyama. In contrast, many of the high school students did not seem to recognize the difference between wild cherries and the cultivar, and could not describe the characteristics of Satoyama. These results indicate that high school students have limited knowledge of and experience with wild cherries.&nbsp;



In addition, the residents and tourists placed most value on the ecosystem service termed ‘aesthetic in spring’, when evaluating the role of wild cherry trees, although they also highlighted the historical value of these trees. The high school students, in contrast, ranked multiple values equally, such that no one ecosystem value stood out as more important than the others. The sites renowned for their wild cherry scenery were highly valued by local residents and tourists, but not by students, who placed more value on urbanized areas.



According to the study authors, the results suggest most of the students were not able to discriminate among the values due to limited knowledge of wild cherries. "A majority of students commuted from outside of the city and expressed little interest in outdoor recreation. Thus, they likely had fewer opportunities to learn about and visit wild cherry sites in Sakuragawa city compared to residents and tourists.”



The researchers draw two important conclusions from their findings. For successful conservation of Satoyama forests in future, it will be important to share the diverse values, which are appreciated by local residents and knowledgeable visitors, with younger generations. This could be done through education and taking high school pupils on outings to the forests, instead of focusing on places of historical and cultural significance in the urban environment.&nbsp;



In addition, the wild cherry and its blossoms could be a successful symbol of local conservation projects as this tree is highly visible in the Satoyama forests and is a key species in the ecosystem. The maintenance of Satoyama landscapes is challenging because it requires a large labor force and cooperation from land owners and local communities, and the use of wild cherries as a symbol would serve to attract people’s attention and encourage their consistent support of conservation work.&nbsp;



“While symbolic species enhance the way people value nature, filling gaps in knowledge and ensuring that a variety of values are shared within local communities is key to the promotion of community-based management of wild cherry landscapes,” said Professor Saeki.



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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

Cherry blossom emblems could unite people to save forests

Certain species become emblems for nature organizations and conservation projects...

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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

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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

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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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" 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 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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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...