A recent scientific breakthrough reveals the profound influence of human breast milk on the health of an infant. In a nutshell, our body's most natural nourishment for newborns, breast milk, is found to have a protective effect against asthma by shaping the baby's microbiome during the first year of life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mother-s-milk-natural-pacemaker-for-infants">Mother's milk: Natural pacemaker for infants</h2>



You might wonder why breast milk is a big deal. Well, the answer lies in our body's complex community of microorganisms, known as the microbiome. 



A recent study led by NYU Langone Health and the <a href="https://umanitoba.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Manitoba</a> shows that breastfeeding for more than three months supports the gradual maturation of the microbiome in the infant's digestive system and nasal cavity. 



Stopping breastfeeding before this period disrupts this development process, leading to a higher risk of preschool asthma.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breast-milk-and-the-microbiome">Breast milk and the microbiome</h2>



Human breast <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-gmo-plants-make-baby-formula-healthy-as-breast-milk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">milk</a> isn't just about nutrition. It is also about promoting the right microbes in the infant's gut and nasal cavity. 



Some components in breast milk, like complex sugars called human milk oligosaccharides, can only be broken down with the help of certain microbes. 



This gives a leg-up to these microbes over others, creating a specialized microbiome environment within the infant.



Early weaning from breast milk, on the other hand, leads to a different set of microbes thriving, ones that help digest formula components.



These microbes eventually colonize all babies, but their early arrival is linked to an increased risk of asthma.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breast-milk-for-asthma-prevention">Breast milk for asthma prevention</h2>



Study co-senior investigator Dr. Liat Shenhav is an assistant professor at <a href="https://med.nyu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NYU Grossman School of Medicine</a> in the Institute for Systems Genetics and the Department of Microbiology.



“Just as a pacemaker regulates the rhythm of the heart, breastfeeding and human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thc-from-cannabis-use-lingers-breast-milk-new-mothers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">milk</a> set the pace and sequence for microbial colonization in the infant’s gut and nasal cavity, ensuring that this process occurs in an orderly and timely manner,” said Dr. Shenhav. 



“Healthy microbiome development is not only about having the right microbes. They also need to arrive in the right order at the right time."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbiome-asthma-and-breast-milk">Microbiome, asthma, and breast milk</h2>



This is the part where science gets interesting. Breastfed children had a later appearance of a bacterial species called Ruminococcus gnavus in their guts compared to formula-fed babies. 



This bacterium is related to the production of molecules called short-chain fatty acids, and the formation and breakdown of the amino acid tryptophan.



Both of these processes have ties to immune system regulation and disruption, including an increased asthma risk.



Through tracking the changes in the infants' microbiomes and their mothers' breastfeeding habits, the researchers were able to identify breastfeeding duration as a crucial determinant of the child's microbial makeup. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-valuable-insights-through-machine-learning">Valuable insights through machine learning</h2>



The team also created a machine-learning model that predicted asthma years in advance based on these microbial patterns and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-triggers-the-release-of-breast-milk-in-mothers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">milk components</a>. The primary way breastfeeding reduces asthma risk, they found, is through shaping the infant's microbiome.



“The algorithms we developed provide valuable insights into microbial dynamics during an infant’s first year of life and how these microbes interacted with the infant,” said Dr. Shenhav.



These insights allowed the team to move beyond identifying associations, enhancing their ability to make predictions and explore causal relationships.



“Our research highlights the profound impact of breastfeeding on the infant microbiome and breastfeeding’s essential role in supporting respiratory health,” Shenhav explained.



By uncovering the mechanisms behind the protective effects of breast milk, as demonstrated in this study, scientists aim to inform national guidelines on breastfeeding and weaning from breast milk in a data-driven manner.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-milestone-in-infant-health-research">Milestone in infant health research</h2>



The research has been supported through a variety of grants and programs, including the National Institutes of Health and the <a href="https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/home-accueil-eng.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canada Research Chair Program</a>.



The study was a part of the CHILD Cohort Study, which has been studying the same 3,500 Canadian children at different life stages, starting from the womb and stretching into adolescence.



The tireless efforts of a large, dedicated group of investigators from various institutions have made this research possible. 



The experts have provided valuable insights into the complex dynamics of the microbiome in an infant's first year of life, showing us how important mother's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nutrition-for-neurons-the-role-of-breast-milk-in-shaping-our-brains/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">milk</a> are for respiratory health and asthma prevention.



This is a reminder that sometimes, the most natural solutions are the most effective ones.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(24)00782-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell</a>.



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Breast milk is crucial for microbiome development in babies

A recent scientific breakthrough reveals the profound influence of human breast milk on the health of an infant. In a nutshell, our body's most natural nourishment for newborns, breast milk, is found to have a protective effect against asthma by shaping the baby's microbiome during the first year of life. Mother's milk: Natural pacemaker for infants You might wonder why breast milk is a big deal. Well, the answer lies in our body's complex community of microorganisms, known as the microbiome. A recent study led by NYU...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a>, <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>, and <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> (UCL) has provided the most detailed timeline of mammal evolution to date. By using a novel computational approach, the researchers confirmed that modern mammal groups originated after the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossils-reveal-a-previously-unknown-mass-extinction-event/">mass extinction</a>, offering a new perspective on a long-standing controversy in evolutionary biology.



Large genomic datasets are essential for understanding the evolution of species. However, analysis of such enormous datasets can be slow and require a large amount of computational power.&nbsp;



“Inferring evolutionary timelines is a fundamental goal of biology. However, state-of-the-art methods rely on using computers to simulate evolutionary timelines and assess the most plausible ones. In our case, this was difficult due to the gigantic dataset analyzed, involving genetic data from almost 5,000 mammal species and 72 complete genomes,” said study lead author Dr. Mario dos Reis, a senior lecturer in Biology at Queen Mary University.



Dr. dos Reis and his colleagues developed a new, fast Bayesian approach to analyze large numbers of genomic sequences, while also accounting for uncertainties within the data. Without this innovative method, which helped scientists reduce computation time by a factor of 100, inferring the mammal evolutionary trees from the available data would have taken several decades.&nbsp;



“This new approach not only allows the analysis of genomic datasets, but also, by being more efficient, substantially reduces the CO2&nbsp;emissions released due to computing,” said study co-lead author Dr. Sandra Álvarez-Carretero, a postdoctoral researcher at UCL.



The findings confirm that the ancestors of modern placental mammal groups postdate the K-Pg extinction that occurred 66 million years ago and wiped-out 70 percent of all species.



“The timeline of mammal evolution is perhaps one of the most contentious topics in evolutionary biology. Early studies provided origination estimates for modern placental groups deep in the Cretaceous, in the dinosaur era. The past two decades had seen studies moving back and forth between post- and pre-K-Pg diversification scenarios. Our precise timeline settles the issue,” explained study co-senior author Phil Donoghue, a paleontologist at the University of Bristol.



The method developed in this study could be used in future research to shed more light on other contentious evolutionary timelines that require analysis of large datasets.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04341-1">Nature</a>.



---



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

Scientists shed new light on the timeline of mammal evolution

A new study led by Queen Mary University of London,...

The Ursid meteor shower, also called the Ursids, takes place each year between December 17 and 23. This year, the Ursids will peak in the pre-dawn hours of December 22, with around five shooting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-stars-may-be-drowning-in-their-environment/">stars</a> lighting up the night sky every hour.



Ursids are the last meteor shower of the year, following the start of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. The shootings stars seem to originate from near the Beta Ursae Minoris (Kochab) in the constellation Ursa Minor, hence their name. However, their actual source is a stream of debris left behind by the comet 8P/Tuttle, which is nearly the size of Manhattan and orbits the Sun every 4,970 days, or 13.61 years.



Unlike other meteor showers, such as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-spectacular-geminid-meteor-shower-peaks-tonight/">Geminids</a>, which shoot between 30 and 40 meteors per hour at their peak, the Ursids are less spectacular, with only about five to a maximum of ten (visible in ideal conditions with little light pollution) meteors per hour (although bursts of about 100 meteors per hour did happen in 1945 and 1986).



“The Ursids meteor shower is a fairly minor display occurring in late December,” explained Dr. Greg Brown, an astronomer at the <a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory">Royal Observatory Greenwich</a>. “With at best around ten meteors per hour in ideal conditions, many observers won't see more than a few meteors even around the peak.”



“However, if you want to try and see this shower for yourself the usual tips apply. Try and find a place with a low horizon to grant yourself the best view of the sky, and wait for the early hours of the morning when the shower will be at its best. Fill your view with as much of the sky as possible (a deckchair can be a real help here) and wait.”



Although the Ursids are better seen from the Northern Hemisphere, if atmospheric conditions are good, some of them might be visible from the Southern Hemisphere too. And while their peak will be tonight, there is a chance to still see some occasional shooting stars even on Christmas.



---



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

The Ursid meteor shower will continue through Christmas

The Ursid meteor shower, also called the Ursids, takes place...

The world’s first octopus farm is set to open in Spain next year. However, this news has been met with dismay by many scientists and conservationists. According to them, since octopuses are intelligent, sentient creatures able to feel pain and a whole range of emotions, they should never be reared for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/farmed-seafood-supply-is-at-risk-due-to-climate-change/">food</a>.



Currently, almost 350,000 tons of octopus are caught and eaten each year. They are considered a delicacy, especially across Asia and the Mediterranean. Since the demand is so high, companies worldwide have spent decades trying to discover the best methods to breed this animal in captivity.&nbsp;



Recently, the Spanish multinational Nueva Pescanova has announced that it will start marketing farmed octopus next summer, and begin selling it in 2023. They estimate that they could produce up to 3,000 tons of octopus per year. However, they did not disclose the conditions in which the animals will be kept, such as the size of the tanks, the food they will eat, and the ways in which they will be killed.



Nueva Pescanova’s announcement was met with strong criticism by a large array of scientists and conservationists, who claim that many studies prove that octopuses are highly intelligent creatures, capable of a wide range of emotional responses, and prone to experience pain and distress if harmed.



They have large and complex brains, and are capable of learning set tasks quickly. They have been observed to use coconut and sea shells to hide and defend themselves, and were often able to escape from aquariums and steal from traps set by people fishing.



"We have an example of an organism that has evolved to have an intelligence that is extremely comparable to ours," said Dr. Jakob Vinther, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Bristol. "This is potentially how it would look if we were ever going to meet an intelligent alien from a different planet."&nbsp;



The <a href="https://www.ciwf.com/">Compassion in World Farming</a> (CIWF), an animal welfare organization, has already sent written complaints to several governments, urging them to ban octopus farming.



“These animals are amazing,” said Dr. Elena Lara, CIWF’s research messenger.&nbsp;“They are solitary, and very smart. So to put them in barren tanks with no cognitive stimulation, it's wrong for them.”



Moreover, octopuses appear to be highly territorial, making scientists fear that, if more animals would be kept in the same tank, they might end up killing one another.



"They are extremely complex beings. I think as humans we need to respect that if we want to farm them or eat them," concluded Dr. Vinther.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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

Scientists rally against the world’s first octopus farm

The world’s first octopus farm is set to open in...

Over the last century, scientists have discovered many fossilized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-dinosaur-species-discovered-in-brazil/">dinosaur</a> eggs and nests all over the world, but finding one with a well-preserved embryo is an extremely rare event. Now, a research team led by the <a href="https://en.cug.edu.cn/">China University of Geosciences</a> described an oviraptosaur embryo perfectly preserved inside a fossilized egg.&nbsp;



The analysis of the embryo suggests that oviraptorids (a group of theropod dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous that were closely related to birds) took on a distinctive tucking posture before hatching – a behavior previously thought to be unique to birds.



The fossilized dinosaur embryo comes from Ganzhou, a city in the Jiangxi Province of Southern China, and had been acquired in 2000 by Liang Liu, the director of the company <a href="https://www.yingliangstone.com/">Yingliang Group</a>, a leading mining and stone sales company. The egg ended up in storage until it was rediscovered ten years later, when the fossils were unearthed during the construction of the Yingliang Stone Nature History Museum.



“Most known non-avian dinosaur embryos are incomplete with skeletons disarticulated,” said study co-author Waisum Ma, a paleontologist at the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a>. “We were surprised to see this embryo beautifully preserved inside a dinosaur egg, lying in a bird-like posture. This posture had not been recognized in non-avian dinosaurs before.”



In their analyses, the scientists reported that the embryo’s head lied ventral to the body, with the feet on either side, while the back curled along the blunt pole of the egg, in a posture previously not found in a non-avian dinosaur.&nbsp;



The comparison of this specimen to other late-stage oviraptosaur embryos suggests that, before hatching, oviraptorids developed bird-like postures in a late stage of their incubation. In modern birds, such coordinated embryonic movements are associated with tucking, a behavior known to be critical for hatching success.



Further research is needed to understand whether pre-hacking behavior may have originated among non-avian theropods. According to the study authors, future discoveries of embryo fossils will be essential for clarifying this issue.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(21)01487-5?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2589004221014875%3Fshowall%3Dtrue#secsectitle0055">iScience</a>.



Image Credit Lida Xing



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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

Dinosaur embryo suggests bird-like pre-hatching posture

Over the last century, scientists have discovered many fossilized dinosaur...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> in collaboration with <a href="https://www.elephantsforafrica.org/">Elephants for Africa</a> has discovered that male elephants are more aggressive when fewer older males are present in their group. These findings suggest that the removal of old male elephants, which are often the victims of trophy hunting, could also lead to increased conflicts between younger elephants and humans.



The researchers examined a cohort of 281 male elephants in an all-male area in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana, during a period of three years. The elephants were divided into four groups – two consisting of adolescents (10-15 and 16-20 years), and two of adults (21-25 and 26+ years).



They found that when fewer old elephants were around, the younger ones were likely to be more aggressive towards non-elephant targets including livestock, other animals, and even vehicles.



“Our research draws attention to what is often a rather overlooked area in animal behavior; that of the complex relationships and connections that occur between males in non-breeding all-male societies,” said lead author Connie Allen, a doctoral student in Behavioral Ecology at the University of Exeter.



“It appears the presence of more knowledgeable, older elephants in groups may play a key role in keeping the younger, less experienced males calm and lowering their perception of their current threat level, which means there’s less risk of aggression towards humans and other species. Alternatively, older bulls may police other males’ aggression directed toward non-elephant targets.”



According to study co-author Darren Croft, a professor of Animal Behavior at the University of Exeter, understanding the causes of aggression in male elephants is crucial for reducing human-elephant conflict. The fact that old male elephants seem to play a significant role in shaping the behavior of younger ones and making them less aggressive, should be an incentive for wildlife managers to try to protect them.



“Elephants are highly social animals. This study clearly shows how wildlife management can be informed by how elephants interact and react to each other,” said study co-author Lauren Brent, an associate professor of Biology at the University of Exeter.



“Future research on social behavior will continue to enhance conservation efforts of this iconic species,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</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

Older male elephants make younger ones less aggressive

A new study led by the University of Exeter in...

Today is the winter solstice, which marks the beginning of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the shortest day of the year, which means that from Wednesday forward, the days are actually going to get longer until the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/summers-may-last-for-nearly-six-months-by-the-end-of-this-century/">summer</a> solstice in 2022.



The winter solstice is typically not the coldest day of the year. For most places in the United States, there is a lag between the solstice and the day with the coldest average temperatures.



Meteorologists consider December 1st to be the unofficial start of winter, because it kicks off the three coldest months of the year that make up the season.



During the solstice, the northern half of Earth is tilted its furthest away from the Sun. This positions the Sun's rays directly over a line of latitude that circles the Earth in the Southern Hemisphere known as the the Tropic of Capricorn.&nbsp;



As a result, the day of the winter solstice has the shortest amount of sunlight. The exact length of daylight varies depending on where you are in the world.&nbsp;



The solstice occurs at the same moment all over the world. This year, it took place at 10:59 a.m. EST on Tuesday, December 21. After this time, the trend of the days growing shorter (and the nights growing longer) reversed itself.



For most places, the winter solstice does not mark the latest sunrise or the earliest sunset. These events typically occur weeks earlier.&nbsp;



Even though the solstices have fascinated scientists for centuries, the question of why the Earth tilts in the first place remains a mystery. Some experts theorize that early Earth was bombarded with extremely violent collisions which caused the tilt.



The winter solstice is celebrated in various ways around the world. It is believed to honor the coming of the Sun's light and heat, which is often represented in rituals by lighting fires.&nbsp;



Pagan communities were known to celebrate for weeks before the event, while modern Wiccans celebrate the winter solstice by meditating and lighting yule logs.



Prior to the winter solstice, ancient Romans used holly to decorate their homes in honor of the sun god Saturn. The plant was believed to have magical powers that could help protect people from harsh, dark winters with limited food. 



Image Credit: NASA



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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

The shortest day of the year has arrived

Today is the winter solstice, which marks the beginning of...

We are used to the idea that testosterone levels in males can drive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aggressive-behavior-in-dogs-is-most-often-caused-by-fear/">aggressive</a> behavior and dominance. But in new research on meerkat societies in South Africa, it seems that females with high levels of testosterone run the show.&nbsp;



A team of researchers led by Christine Drea, professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at <a href="https://duke.edu/">Duke University</a>, has shown that testosterone-fueled aggression in female meerkats may have played a crucial part in the evolution of cooperation in meerkat societies.



Meerkats are social mammals that live in small to medium-sized groups in arid environments in southern Africa. A single dominant matriarch rules the group and is assisted in rearing her pups by the subordinate members. Meerkat parents cannot raise offspring on their own as they need the help of others to find food for the pups and protect them while the adults are off foraging.&nbsp;



The research team worked with 22 clans of meerkats that live in the Kuruman River Reserve, in South Africa’s Kalahari Desert. These meerkats have been the subjects of numerous scientific studies, over decades, and are habituated to the presence of humans. Researchers were able to observe the behavior of the matriarchs during their pregnancies, and to note instances of aggression. They also collected samples of blood and feces from individuals to measure testosterone levels.&nbsp;



Observations showed that matriarchs do not lead their groups by being kind or nice. They dominate by pushing, shoving, and biting the subordinates, and mark their territories with a pungent substance secreted from glands under their tails. If any subordinate females do become pregnant, a matriarch may expel them from the group or kill their new-born pups.&nbsp;



As a result, few of the adult subordinate females in a clan manage to have surviving pups in any given year. By contrast, a successful matriarch, can have as many as three or four successful litters in a good year.



Analysis of testosterone levels indicated that the matriarch has very high levels of this hormone, which is usually associated with male aggression.



“We always think of male competition being driven by testosterone, but here we’re showing that it’s driving female competition too,” she said.



“In non-pregnant matriarchs, testosterone values are equivalent to the males’, and just a little bit lower in subordinate females. But when matriarchs get pregnant, they ramp up,” said Drea.



During pregnancy, the matriarch’s levels of testosterone increases, as does her aggressiveness towards subordinate individuals. In addition, once born, her pups are also aggressive, furiously demanding attention from the subordinates, like spoiled children.



In order to test whether this aggressiveness is being driven by testosterone, the researchers dosed some matriarchs with flutamide, a testosterone-receptor blocker that prevents testosterone’s action in the body. These matriarchs soon lost their edge; they didn’t shove, bite, or growl as much, nor did they scent-mark their territories as often. Subordinates lost their respect and showed less deference.&nbsp;



Interestingly, any offspring born to a matriarch that had been treated with flutamide were also less aggressive and demanding towards the subordinates. Without the influence of testosterone while in the womb, these offspring were calmer and less dominant.



“The subordinate females and their pups are also aggressive, but not as much as the matriarchs and their pups” said Drea. “It's this difference that gives matriarchs their edge, and it's this difference that we completely erased with testosterone blockers.”



The fact that matriarchs passed on the benefits of high testosterone levels to their offspring implies that, in addition to helping the matriarch keep control and produce more pups, this hormone also helps her pups to get the best possible start in life by ensuring that the subordinates cooperate and supply food and care to them. Hormone levels may thus be driving the maintenance of a cooperative family dynasty.



“Here we have experimental results revealing a new mechanism for the evolution of cooperative breeding,” Drea said, “one that is based on testosterone-mediated aggression and competition between females.”



“Females are not primarily competing for food,” she said. “Competition is about ensuring that other individuals help raise their kids. And testosterone helps them win that reproductive battle.”



The researchers say that the matriarch’s testosterone-fueled aggression is the glue that holds the cooperative group together. If females were treated with testosterone blockers for longer, they expect that the matriarch would be overthrown, and the group’s structure would be temporarily destabilized.



“When people think about cooperation, they usually think about altruism or helping others,” Drea said. “This study is showing that cooperation can also arise through aggressive means, and quite effectively.”



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

Matriarchal meerkat leaders are driven by testosterone

We are used to the idea that testosterone levels in...

When predicting how deadly a meteorite impact on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-atmosphere-is-expanding-due-to-climate-change/">Earth</a> could be, it makes sense that this estimate would be based on the size of the debris itself. This is not the case, however, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/">University of Liverpool</a>. Instead, the researchers found that the deadliness of a meteorite can be determined by the composition of the rocks that it has struck along its way.



The key reason for this is the production of atmospheric dust. It is commonly known that ancient meteorite impacts have triggered mass extinctions throughout Earth’s history, and one of the contributing factors was the dust that covered the planet’s surface and atmosphere.



However, not all meteorites have caused such extinctions, and some of the smaller ones have been more lethal than larger ones. In order to understand this, a team of paleontologists, asteroid specialists, mineralogists, cloud microphysicists, and climate modelers set out to analyze 44 meteorite impacts over the last 600 million years. The experts examined the mineral content of the dust clouds that were created upon impact.



“For decades scientists have puzzled over why some meteorites cause mass extinctions, and others, even really big ones, don’t," explained study co-author Dr. Chris Stevenson. “It’s surprising when we put together the data: life carried on as normal during the fourth largest impact with a crater diameter of ~48 km, whereas an impact half the size was associated with a mass extinction only 5 million years ago."



Ultimately, it was discovered that all meteorites that resulted in widespread extinction had collided with rocks rich in potassium feldspar. While this mineral is common and benign, it is a powerful ice-nucleating mineral aerosol that has a dramatic effect on the dynamics of clouds, reducing their ability to protect the Earth from solar radiation. This ultimately heated the planet, changed the climate, and increased atmospheric sensitivity to emissions such as those tied to volcanic eruptions.&nbsp;



“Using this new method for assessing the mineral content of the meteorite ejecta blankets, we show that every time a meteorite, big or small, hits rocks rich in potassium feldspar it correlates with a mass extinction event," explained Stevenson. This means that meteorites impacting with potassium feldspar can be lethal to the planet Earth, regardless of the size of the meteorite.



The research findings have been published in the <a href="https://jgs.lyellcollection.org/">Journal of the Geological Society of London</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;

The composition of a meteorite can make it more deadly

When predicting how deadly a meteorite impact on Earth could...

<a href="https://www.ciwf.org.uk/">Compassion in World Farming</a> (CIWF) is encouraging people to consider a plant-based diet for real change in the New Year. The organization claims that despite some positive changes, a greater number of animals are raised in factory farms. With the number of humans on the planet projected to reach ten billion by 2050, current dietary trends would lead to disastrous consequences.&nbsp;



Scaling up the current global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/avocado-linked-to-overall-healthier-diets/">diet</a> to feed a population of ten billion would increase greenhouse gasses, destroy wildlife and natural habitat and of course increase the suffering of livestock. Besides this, CIWF claims that a plant-based diet is healthier. A well-rounded diet without meat, eggs or dairy has been shown to decrease risk of heart disease, type II diabetes and cancer. 



Beyond these benefits, CIWF highlights the positive impacts that a plant-based diet can have on animals raised for food. Over 60 billion animals are farmed globally for food each year.&nbsp;



Nine billion chickens are raised in the US annually alone. Factory farmed chickens suffer from a host of genetic ailments and are kept cruelly confined.&nbsp;



"The more I learned about what goes on over in the factory farms, the less I was able to write it off as a necessary evil," said Laura Union, a CIWF supporter.



"Switching to a plant-based diet was a simple swap of the meat on my plate to other protein sources like beans, tofu, lentils, or plant-based meat."



"Everything else stayed the same. My plant-based diet has resulted in a much more diverse diet. I'm more inclined to try new things and have concocted various vegetable experiments in my kitchen - many of which are now requested by friends."



"In addition to the economic, environmental, and health benefits, it's just a pleasant change that is surprisingly easy to stick with. There are way more options out there than people realize."



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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

A plant-based diet may be a great way to start the new year

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) is encouraging people to consider...

Despite the Biden administration’s promises on climate action, unfulfilled as they may be, no commitments of any kind seem to be forthcoming for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indigenous-knowledge-can-help-protect-amazon-wildlife/">wildlife</a>. This includes the Yellowstone Park bison herd, which will soon be greatly diminished under a plan to address a booming population.



In a continuation of the disgraced legacy of Trump’s Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, Yellowstone National Park is recommending the slaughter of 900 to 1,100 animals. This number represents over 20 percent of the Yellowstone bison population.&nbsp;



Zinke once told managers that Yellowstone bison can be managed more actively like cattle on a ranch. They seem to be taking this advice to heart.&nbsp;



Bison have already been slaughtered annually for fears from cattle interests and the state of Montana of Brucellosis, a disease first passed from cattle to bison. There has never been a confirmed case of brucellosis transferred from bison to cattle.&nbsp;



To avoid the theoretical spread of Brucellosis, bison are lured every winter into traps baited with fresh hay. The animals that survive the capture are shipped to slaughter houses.



The <a href="https://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/">Buffalo Field Campaign</a> (BFC), a bison conservation organization, points out that although elk are also carriers of Brucellosis, the two species are treated very differently.&nbsp;



In Montana, an estimated 140,000 elk freely roam over 38 million acres. Bison on the other hand, have a small population of only about 5,000 animals occupying less than 0.1% of the land base of Montana.&nbsp;



”For 25 years BFC has witnessed the artificial suppression of wild bison populations and monitored the negative impacts in the field," said BFC Executive Director James Holt Sr.&nbsp;



"The Central Herd of Yellowstone bison is gravely imperiled, ecosystem health is diminished, and resilience to climate change is inhibited. Ongoing bison management fails a keystone species and violates the public trust. Yellowstone bison management must reflect the values of the American People.”



The organization warns that carrying out the planned cull could seriously threaten the genetics of Yellowstone’s Central Herd, a unique bison population directly descended from 23 bison that survived the slaughter of commercial hunting at the end of the 19th century. If this happened, the park service wouldn’t even know until the census next summer.&nbsp;&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

Yellowstone plans to continue bison slaughter

Despite the Biden administration’s promises on climate action, unfulfilled as...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a> has found that far beneath the vast ice sheets of the Antarctic, there is much more marine life than previously thought. Under the massive ice sheets, which are occupying nearly 1.6 million square kilometers, dozens of species are thriving in perpetually dark, cold, and still habitats.



In 2018, a research team led by the <a href="https://www.awi.de/en/">Alfred Wegener Institute</a> (AWI) from Germany drilled two holes through nearly 200 meters of the Ekström Ice Shelf close to the Neumayer Station III in the South Eastern Weddell Sea.&nbsp;



There, they discovered an unexpectedly rich and biodiverse array of specimens (77 species) apparently thriving in an extremely harsh and cold environment. In fact, the samples that they collected proved to be much richer than many others found in continental regions with more light and food sources.



“This discovery of so much life living in these extreme conditions is a complete surprise and reminds us how Antarctic marine life is so unique and special,” said study lead author Dr. David Barnes, a marine biologist at the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">British Antarctic Survey</a>.



“It’s amazing that we found evidence of so many animal types, most feed on micro-algae (phytoplankton) yet no plants or algae can live in this environment. So the big question is how do these animals survive and flourish here?”



According to Dr. Barnes and his colleagues, large quantities of algae are probably constantly carried under the ice sheets from open water, thus helping to maintain a strong food web.



“Another surprise was to find out how long life has existed here. Carbon dating of dead fragments of these seafloor animals varied from current to 5800 years,” said study co-author Dr. Gerhard Kuhn from AWI, who coordinated the drilling project. &nbsp;



“So, despite living 3-9 km from the nearest open water, an oasis of life may have existed continuously for nearly 6000 years under the ice shelf. Only samples from the seafloor beneath the floating ice shelf will tell us stories from its past history.”



However, the scientists warn that, due to the possible collapse of the ice shelves caused by climate change, these incredibly rich and diverse marine ecosystems could be significantly threatened in a matter of decades, if not even years.



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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

Dozens of species found thriving under vast ice sheets

A new study published in the journal Current Biology has...

New research led by the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> has found that a microorganism causing bacterial leaf spot disease in tomato <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-are-not-keeping-pace-with-climate-change/">plants</a> - Xanthomonas euvesicatoria&nbsp;(Xe) - has recently evolved, managing to acquire features that makes it less detectable by the plants’ immune systems. This capacity to defeat host defenses through rapid evolution makes breeding for disease resistance significantly difficult in tomatoes.



“It’s part of the evolutionary warfare between plants and pathogens, where the plant has some defense trait and then some portion of the pathogen population evolves to escape it,” said study co-author Sarah Hind, an assistant professor of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois.



“The plant has to develop or acquire a new defense trait, but the process is much slower in plants compared to microbes. This study is a great example of that ongoing battle in progress. It tells us we can’t completely rely on this trait to combat bacterial spot disease caused by Xe.”



These bacteria have long whip-like tail structures called flagella which allows them to move through soil and plant tissue. Over time, tomatoes learned to detect flagella through their immune receptors. However, Professor Hind and her colleagues have discovered that one of the tomato’s receptors, FLS3, no longer works to detect flagellin proteins in Xe. This immune evasion is caused by a single amino acid change in these proteins.



&nbsp;“It was surprising to see that only one amino acid change was making all the difference. It made us wonder how binding between flagellin and FLS3 could be so dramatically altered,” said study co-author Maria Malvino, a graduate student at the University of Illinois. Scientists expect that other bacteria affecting tomatoes could soon develop similar immune-evading mutations.



The fact that these bacteria can now sneak past tomato’s defense systems means farmers can rely less on inherent disease resistance and will need to use artificial methods of protection, such as spraying with copper-based pesticides.



“It’s like whack-a-mole for breeders. It takes a long time to release a resistant variety. Often, by the time they go to release a new one, the pathogen population shifts,” Hind said. “And when you add to that the difficulty of maintaining all the desirable traits of a tomato, it’s a tough situation. Again, that leaves us relying on fungicides and copper treatments to keep tomato production profitable here in Illinois.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/MPMI-08-21-0211-R">International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction.</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

Bacteria sneak past tomato’s defense mechanisms

New research led by the University of Illinois has found...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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...