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...

Apple,Orchard,,Ripe,Fruits,Hanging,On,Branch

A new study suggests that wells in Connecticut are contaminated by arsenic from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-the-obesity-crisis-linked-to-the-use-of-a-common-pesticide/">pesticide</a> use more than half a century ago.&nbsp;



Much of the land that was once dedicated to fruit orchards has been converted into residential and commercial property. Regardless, researchers at the <a href="https://uconn.edu/">University of Connecticut</a> and Eastern Connecticut State University have now found a strong correlation between arsenic contamination and proximity to historic orchards.



In the 1930s, the state was home to about 47,000 fruit orchards that were heavily treated with lead arsenate-based pesticides through the 1950s.



The study revealed that the closer a well is to the location where fruit trees were once raised, the greater the likelihood of finding arsenic.&nbsp;



Study co-author Professor Gary Robbins explained that the research project started with a request from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) in 2013. The team has since been investigating groundwater contamination to trace the source of contaminants.



The researchers were asked to survey wells for arsenic in eastern Connecticut starting in Lebanon. The project was led by Dr. Meredith Metcalf, who collected water samples from hundreds of homes around the eastern half of the state



Overall, the experts analyzed over 100 wells and 189 orchards, using soil samples to look for the presence of lead and arsenic.



“After sampling, we looked at the distribution and possible sources of arsenic that caused the groundwater contamination, because a significant percentage of wells were contaminated and many of those were above the EPA drinking water standard,” said Professor Robbins. “The issue that came up is, Where is this all coming from?”



He explained that initially, it was suspected that arsenic-rich geologic formations could be the culprits. But when the researchers investigated historic uses of arsenic, they found that arsenic-based pesticides were widely used from the late 1800s until the 1950s, when DDT became popular.



During this time frame, tens of millions of pounds of arsenical pesticides were applied every year in the United States, according to the study authors. Lead arsenate pesticides were not fully prohibited in the country until 1988.



Study lead author Dr. Mark Higgins, a hydrogeologist at Haley &amp; Aldrich, Inc. who maintains a research affiliation with UConn, found a report listing all the registered farms and agricultural lands in Connecticut in 1935. There more than 47,000 individual fruit orchards documented, including peach, pear, and apple trees.



“These pesticides would be sprayed on all fruit trees to kill the pests like gypsy moths up to six times a year in some cases,” said Dr. Higgins. He explained that heavy application rates, coupled with the fact that lead and arsenic can travel quite slowly through the ecosystem, is a combination that makes for long-lasting remnants of the poisons



When the researchers analyzed soil cores down to three feet at the orchard sites, they found high levels of arsenic persisting. They said it was more than one would expect for 50 to 60-plus years after these pesticides were applied. "It is unlikely that they’re migrating downward into the water anymore and are probably immobile.”



Dr. Higgins pointed to recent studies which show that certain compounds (like phosphate-containing fertilizers) can alter environmental conditions and begin to mobilize previously immobile contaminants in the soil.



In other areas of the state, domestic wells are in close proximity to both historic orchards and arsenic-rich geologic formations, and this poses additional challenges to determining the source of the contamination, said Dr. Higgins.&nbsp;



“How do we definitively say the contamination came from one or the other or both? We need these additional lines of evidence."



With this paper, we have a strong dataset as far as the numbers of orchards. With additional funding and data from a larger area, I think it will be telling of whether it’s coming from the orchards or not, and how it is getting into the wells.”



“It is important for people in these areas to know, because arsenic at these concentrations is not something that will make you sick tomorrow or in 10 years. But if you’re drinking this low-level arsenic for 30 years, there are likely health risks from chronic exposure to this known carcinogen.”



The study is published in <a href="https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15372537">The Journal of Environmental Quality</a>.



---



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

Arsenic in Connecticut wells linked to former fruit orchards

A new study suggests that wells in Connecticut are contaminated...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0260676">PLoS One</a> has found that dogs are boosting their owners’ mental health during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omicron-no-evidence-that-it-is-milder-than-delta/">COVID-19 pandemic</a> by providing social support and alleviating symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression caused by the pandemic.



A team of scientists from <a href="https://www.purinainstitute.com/">Purina Institute</a> offered a questionnaire to 1,535 participants from the United States in order to assess the ways in which dog ownership impacted their mental health during the pandemic. Among them, 768 were dog owners and 767 were potential dog owners.&nbsp;



“The COVID-19 pandemic has&nbsp;negatively affected diverse populations&nbsp;and our results provide evidence that pet owners and potential pet owners have also been impacted,” said study lead author Dr. Francois Martin, a researcher at the Purina Institute.



“Dog owners&nbsp;reported having significantly more social support available to them compared to potential dog owners, and their depression scores were also lower, compared to potential dog owners.”



Although there was no significant difference in anxiety and happiness scores&nbsp;between the two groups, dog owners reported a stronger sense of social support from their pets which significantly contributed to their sense of wellbeing during the pandemic.



“Our results show that pet dog owners were significantly less depressed than non-pet owners during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are attached and committed to their dogs and they reported more social support available to them. Our work adds to the corpus of scientific literature demonstrating that&nbsp;pet dogs may positively contribute&nbsp;to the wellbeing of owners during difficult times,” explained the study authors.



Moreover, dog walking has strongly contributed to both psychological and physical health. “Dog walking during confinements may have alleviated stressors and motivated self-care,” wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



A limitation of this study is that it did not consider other types of pets besides dogs. According to Dr. Martin, such pets are also likely to provide social support to humans. However, more research is needed to assess whether this support is equivalent to that offered by dogs, and if the psychological mechanisms involved are similar to those characterizing human-dog relationships.



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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

Dogs have provided support during the pandemic

A new study published in the journal PLoS One has...

According to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(21)01647-X?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS096098222101647X%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">Current Biology</a>, giant, long-necked sauropod <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flesh-eating-theropods-were-extremely-fast/">dinosaurs</a>, preferred to live in warmer and more tropical regions on Earth. This suggests that they might have had a different physiology than most other dinosaurs.



While fossils of other dinosaur types such as theropods or ornithischians seem to be ubiquitously present all over the Earth, with many of them located in the polar regions, sauropod fossils have only been found at lower latitudes, suggesting that they might have preferred warmer, drier habitats similar to today’s savannahs.



&nbsp;“Our research shows that some parts of the planet always seemed to be too cold for sauropods. They seem to have avoided any temperatures approaching freezing. Other dinosaur types, in contrast, could thrive in Earth’s polar regions, from innermost Antarctica to polar Alaska – which, due to the warmer climate, were ice-free, with lush vegetation,” said study co-author Dr. Philip Mannion, a paleontologist at <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>.



“This suggests sauropods had different thermal requirements from other dinosaurs, relying more on their external environment to heat their bodies – slightly closer to being ‘cold-blooded,’ like modern-day reptiles. Their grand size hints that this physiology may have been unique.”&nbsp;



According to study lead author Dr. Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza, a paleontologist at the <a href="https://www.uvigo.gal/en">University of Vigo</a>, Spain, a mix of features might have helped these dinosaurs shed heat more easily than mammals do today. 



This includes their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/long-necked-reptiles-tanystropheus-were-easily-decapitated-by-dinosaur-predators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long necks</a> and tails that would have given them a larger surface area, their respiratory system more akin to that of birds, and the lack of insulation offered by fur or feathers that characterized some theropods and ornithischians. 



“Sauropods’ strategies for keeping their eggs warm may also have differed from the other dinosaurs. Theropods probably warmed eggs by sitting on them. Ornithischians seem to have used heat generated by decaying plants. Sauropods, meanwhile, may have buried their eggs, relying on heat from the sun and the ground,” he added.



In the past, scientists thought that most dinosaurs were ectothermic, or cold-blooded (like today’s reptiles), relying on the external environment to heat their bodies. 



However, new findings have shown that many of them were in fact endothermic or warm-blooded animals. They were able to generate at least some of their body heat (like mammals). 



This new study suggests that sauropods may have had a unique, in-between physiology. They were closer to being cold-blooded than other types of dinosaurs.



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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

Sauropod dinosaurs lived only in Earth's warmer regions

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

Small, antibody-like proteins known as VNARs (Variable New Antigen Receptors) are derived from the immune systems of sharks, and appear to be extremely potent in preventing COVID-19. According to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-12-shark-antibody-like-proteins-neutralize-covid-.html">Nature Communications</a>, VNARs could effectively neutralize a large variety of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and its most recent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omicron-high-transmissibility-and-chance-for-reinfection/">variants</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The shark proteins are ten times smaller than human antibodies and can bind to infectious proteins in unique ways that bolster their ability to stop infection. 



"These small antibody-like proteins can get into nooks and crannies that human antibodies cannot access," said study senior author Aaron LeBeau, a professor of pathology at the <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin-Madison</a>. "They can form these very unique geometries. This allows them to recognize structures in proteins that our human antibodies cannot."



Professor LeBeau and his colleagues tested a large variety of shark proteins against both infectious SARS-CoV-2 and a version of the virus that cannot replicate in cells, and identified three candidate VNARs that rapidly and effectively stopped the virus from infecting human cells. When tested against SARS-CoV-1 (the virus causing the 2003 outbreak), the three VNARs also appeared to be highly effective.



One of the VNARs, called 3B4, attached strongly to a groove on the viral spike protein that is very similar among genetically diverse coronaviruses, allowing it to successfully neutralize even the MERS virus - a relatively distant cousin of SARS that led to an outbreak in 2012. This ability makes 3B4 an excellent candidate to fight viruses yet to emerge.



"The big issue is there are a number of coronaviruses that are poised for emergence in humans. What we're doing is preparing an arsenal of shark VNAR therapeutics that could be used down the road for future SARS outbreaks. It's a kind of insurance against the future," said Professor LeBeau.



Future therapies will probably include a cocktail of multiple shark proteins in order to optimize their effectiveness against a large array of different and mutating viruses. These drugs will be cheaper and easier to manufacture than human antibodies and could be delivered into the body through different routes.&nbsp;



Although they have not yet been tested in humans, they show an extraordinary therapeutic potential, particularly for people who do not respond well to vaccines and may need alternative protective strategies.&nbsp; &nbsp;



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

Shark proteins can neutralize different coronaviruses

Small, antibody-like proteins known as VNARs (Variable New Antigen Receptors)...

A new study has found that bananas, the world’s most consumed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruits-vegetables-memory-loss-men/">fruits</a>, are under threat due to an emerging “blood disease.” This bacterial infection has already caused severe outbreaks and crop losses in Indonesia and Malaysia. Scientists fear that, if left unchecked, the disease will spread throughout all of Southeast Asia.



Caused by the Ralstonia syzygii&nbsp;(subsp.&nbsp;Celebesensis) bacterium, the blood disease – so named because afflicted banana stems look like they are bleeding - makes banana fruits rot and leaves wilt, ultimately leading to the plant’s death. It was first reported in the Kayuadi Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, in 1905, where it devastated the local banana plantations.&nbsp;



Although farmers managed to contain the outbreak to this small area for 60 years due to restrictions on the movement of banana plant materials, it eventually escaped. In 1987, the disease was found in West Java and afterwards it spread rapidly across the entire country. To date, it is recorded in 25 or the 34 Indonesian provinces, and even managed to spread to Malaysia, making scientists and farmers worry that it will soon spread to other Asian countries.



“Without intervention, the losses are likely to be devastating due to epidemics in areas where growers have no experience managing this disease,” explained study lead author Jane Ray, a PhD student in Biology and Epidemiology at the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>, Australia.&nbsp;



“I am determined to understand this disease and use this information to develop improved diseases management options, helping to reduce crop loss, and mitigate the risk of spread to new areas, improving food security in the tropics.”&nbsp;



Dr. Ray and her colleagues reviewed multi-lingual information about the disease from Dutch, Indonesian, and English sources and conducted extended surveys across Indonesia to assess the current geographical distribution of the disease. They confirmed the disease in 18 different types of bananas, including Cavendish – the world’s most popular type. “Greater clarity regarding modes of disease transmission is urgently required to develop effective disease management approaches as the rapid expansion of blood disease is an emerging threat to banana production in Southeast Asia,” said Ray.&nbsp;



“Our study shows that all disease problems start small and can be contained if acted on early but if left unchecked and allowed to spread, they can become major constraints to production over large geographic areas.”&nbsp;



“The rapid expansion of its geographical range makes Blood disease an emerging threat to banana production in Southeast Asia and beyond,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PDIS-01-21-0149-RE">Plant Disease</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

Deadly banana disease has arrived in Southeast Asia

A new study has found that bananas, the world’s most...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omicron-partial-immune-evasion-after-vaccination/">Omicron</a> is by far the most contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 to date. It has already spread to 77 countries and is currently causing massive outbreaks in South Africa, United Kingdom, and Denmark. Although the levels of hospitalization and deaths have remained relatively low in South Africa, where the variant is dominant since almost three weeks, experts are not yet sure whether Omicron causes milder disease than previous strains.



In fact, according to a new <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/mrc-global-infectious-disease-analysis/covid-19/report-49-Omicron/">study</a> led by <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a>, Omicron does not seem to have lower severity than Delta, judged by either the proportion of symptomatic infections or hospitalizations in the United Kingdom, where Omicron cases are expected to peak by the end of the year with daily numbers rising up to one million.



"We find no evidence (for both risk of hospitalization attendance and symptom status) of Omicron having different severity from Delta," the study authors wrote.&nbsp;



By analyzing a cohort of over 333,000 people who tested positive for the coronavirus between November 29th and December 11th, scientists estimated that the risk of reinfection with Omicron is 5.4 greater than that of the Delta variant. This implies that protection against reinfection after a previous infection may be as low as 19 percent.



The researchers also found that vaccine effectiveness against Omicron was significantly lower than in the case of other variants (between 0 percent and 20 percent after two doses of Pfizer or Astra Zeneca, and between 55 percent and 80 percent after a <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/232657/boosters-vital-mitigate-impact-omicron-lose/">booster</a> dose). However, vaccines still appear to offer a significant degree of protection against severe illness and death.



“This study provides further evidence of the very substantial extent to which Omicron can evade prior immunity given by both infection or vaccination. This level of immune evasion means that Omicron poses a major, imminent threat to public health,” said study lead author Neil Ferguson, a professor of Epidemiology at Imperial College London.



“Quantifying reinfection risk and vaccine effectiveness against Omicron is essential for modelling the likely future trajectory of the Omicron wave and the potential impact of vaccination and other public health interventions,” added study co-author Azra Ghani, the Chair in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the same university.



Although this study appears rather pessimistic, it is still too early to clearly assess the virulence of Omicron. According to Dr. Clive Dix, former Chair of the UK Vaccine Taskforce, at least another month is needed to clarify the levels of vaccine efficacy.



"There is a huge amount of uncertainty in these modelled estimates and we can only be confident about the impact of boosters against Omicron when we have another month of real-world data on hospitalization, ICU numbers, and deaths," he said.&nbsp;



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

Omicron: “No evidence” that it is milder than Delta

Omicron is by far the most contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.760725/full">Frontiers in Marine Science</a> has found that up to 65 percent of beaches in the Balearic Islands may be permanently lost by the end of the 21st century due to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/">climate</a> change. This archipelago in Spain includes famous tourist destinations such as the beaches of Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca.



A research team from the <a href="https://www.bodc.ac.uk/resources/inventories/edmed/org/1409/">Balearic Islands Oceanography Center</a> has created a highly complex computer model to estimate sea level changes and flooding scenarios under moderate and severe climate change projections.&nbsp;



Earlier studies have predicted that sea levels will increase by up to 26 inches around the Balearic Islands, under the most pessimistic global warming scenario. However, the quality of beaches for tourism will be affected by more factors than sea level rises. According to the researchers, flood levels, which depend upon fluctuations in tides and waves, are a more important indicator of the future fate of these beaches.&nbsp;



By taking into account the shape and slope of 868 beaches across the Balearic Islands, the extent of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-meadows-absorb-less-co2-than-previously-thought/">seagrass</a> meadows, and the granularity of the sand, the scientists estimated that, under a moderate climate change scenario, 66 percent of the beaches will be flooded, and 37 beaches will completely disappear by the end of the century. However, in the case of the most pessimistic global warming scenario, up to 86 percent of the beaches could be flooded, and 72 beaches would permanently disappear.



“In both cases, the average permanent loss of beach surface at the end of the century would be larger than 50 percent, rising over 80 percent during storm conditions,” the study authors wrote.



“The results obtained for the Balearic Islands can be extrapolated to the rest of the Mediterranean as the beaches in all the regions have similar characteristics and will be affected by similar changes in sea level and wave climate. These projections indicate that adaptation plans for beach areas should be put in place as soon as possible,” they concluded.&nbsp;



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

Ibiza beaches may vanish by the end of the century

A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Marine...

Horseshoe crabs are ancient creatures that emerged before the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-behavior-helped-early-dinosaurs-thrive/">dinosaurs</a> and have proven extremely successful in surviving various environmental stressors, such as mass extinctions and several ice ages, during their 450 years-long history. However, conservationists warn that these crustaceans may soon become extinct due to the fact that humans are using them to test a large variety of drugs and vaccines.



One of their most amazing and unique features is how their bright blue blood coagulates when exposed to harmful bacterial endotoxins which usually induce inflammation and fever, often causing anaphylactic shock and death. These toxins are responsible for venereal diseases, bacterial meningitis, cholera, bubonic plague, and many other diseases. The immune cells in the horseshoe crabs’ blood, containing immune cells called Limulus amebosyte lysates (LALs), trap and immobilize these endotoxins, rendering them inert.



Ironically, the same feature that helped them survive over the ages, may now bring the crabs to extinction. Since the 1960s, when scientists discovered this extraordinary defensive system, the crabs’ blood has been extensively used to test medications, vaccines (including the recent coronavirus ones), needles, and biomedical devices to ensure they are not contaminated.&nbsp;



To do this, scientists drain the crabs of their blood and, although they return them to the ocean afterwards, up to 30 percent of the creatures die.&nbsp;



“As it is now, the entire supply chain for endotoxin testing of drugs rests upon the harvest of a vulnerable or near extinct sea creature,” said Kevin Williams, a researcher at <a href="https://www.biomerieux.com/">bioMérieux</a>, a French multinational biotechnology firm.



According to a recent study published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.607668/full">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>, “in the US, 525,000 horseshoe crabs per year were captured during 2013 to 2017 and the&nbsp;Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission estimates short-term bleeding-induced mortality to be 15 percent (4 percent to 30 percent), resulting in mortality of approximately 78,750 horseshoe crabs annually in recent years comprising a minor portion.”&nbsp;



Fortunately, many pharmaceutical companies in Europe and Asia have recently switched to a synthetic product called recombinant Factor C assay (rFC), which appears to be able to detect bacterial endotoxins as reliably as LAL. However, due to the fact that using this alternative is more costly and time consuming, in the United States the only major company that has switched to rFCs is Ely Lily. Only if many more companies take this road, will this magnificent ancestral creature have a chance to survive.



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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

Horseshoe crabs could be wiped out by the pharmaceutical industry

Horseshoe crabs are ancient creatures that emerged before the dinosaurs...

Red,Icebreaker,In,The,Middle,Of,Arctic,Ocean

Narwhals living in the Arctic have been relatively undisturbed by modernity, only visited by small numbers of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indigenous-knowledge-has-been-greatly-undervalued/">indigenous</a> peoples. Now with the expansion of mechanized tourism, a booming human population and melting sea ice, this is changing.&nbsp;



A growing human population with more access than ever to the Arctic is coming more in contact with the fabled narwhal, an iconic tusked whale. Even relatively small noises have been shown to disturb and interrupt natural behaviors of narwhals and other marine animals. Noises caused by mine blasting, explosions from seismic surveys and cruise ships can trigger stress in these shy animals, even from miles away.&nbsp;



New research from the University of Copenhagen and the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (Pinngortitaleriffik) has investigated how narwhals are impacted by noise pollution.&nbsp;



Narwhals are usually hard to study, living in relatively inaccessible habitats in the far north. The team however, was able to tag a group of the whales in the Scoresby Sound fjord system of East Greenland. The researchers bombarded the animals with noises to observe their reactions. In particular, they tested a ship’s engine and a seismic airgun used for oil exploration.



"The narwhals’ reactions indicate that they are frightened and stressed. They stop emitting the click sounds that they need to feed, they stop diving deep and they swim close to shore, a behaviour that they usually only display when feeling threatened by killer whales. This behavior means that they have no chance of finding food for as long as the noise persists," said study co-author Outi Tervo.



Unfortunately, narwhals are especially sensitive to sounds. Because the Arctic is dark for approximately half of the year, the whales evolved to live in complete darkness for a significant portion of their lives. Even in the brighter parts of the year, narwhals spend time at depths in the ocean that are still dark.&nbsp;



To compensate for lack of visibility, the whales use clicks as part of a type of echolocation, similar to that used by bats. Unusual noises can disrupt navigation and normal behaviors of the narwhals. 



"Our data shows that narwhals react to noise 20-30 kilometers away from a noise source by completely stopping their clicking sounds. And in one case, we could measure this from a source 40 kilometers away. It is quite surprising that we can measure how something so far away can influence whale behavior," said Susanne Ditlevsen of Copenhagen’s Department of Mathematical Sciences, who was involved in analyzing data on the research.



"Even when a ship’s noise is lower than the background noise in the ocean and we can no longer hear it with our advanced equipment, the whales can hear and distinguish it from other sounds in their midst. And so, to a degree, their behavior is clearly affected. This demonstrates how incredibly sensitive narwhals are."



The scientists hope that their research can prompt lawmakers to create new regulations to protect narwhals in this remote part of the world from human disturbances.&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

Increased human traffic is a threat to rare narwhals

Narwhals living in the Arctic have been relatively undisturbed by...

Crowd,Of,Sports,Fans,Cheering,During,A,Match,In,Stadium.

Synchronization allows human spectators in a crowd to cheer together, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-hints-at-a-secret-musical-battle-between-fireflies-and-bats/">fireflies</a> to flash simultaneously, and metronomes to remain consistent when they are side by side. Now, researchers from <a href="https://www.tcd.ie/">Trinity College Dublin</a> have revealed new secrets behind the intriguing phenomenon of synchronization. 



The study, which is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prresearch/">Physical Review Research</a>,&nbsp; provides a mathematical model elucidating synchronization.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Scientists have long known that if one clock runs a bit faster than another, connecting the two physically can cause them to tick together. Making a large assemblage of clocks work together in this way was thought to be very hard, if not impossible. The current research shows how synchronization can work even with a large collection of clocks.&nbsp;



“The equations we have developed describe an assembly of laser-like devices – acting as our ‘oscillating clocks’ – and they essentially unlock the secret to synchronization," said Dr. Paul Eastham, Naughton Associate Professor in Physics at Trinity.



"These same equations describe many other kinds of oscillators, however, showing that synchronisation is more readily achieved in many systems than was previously thought.”



The phenomena that works with clocks works with many other systems as well, from people to insects to other machines. “Many things that exhibit repetitive behavior can be considered clocks, from flashing fireflies and applauding crowds to electrical circuits, metronomes, and lasers," explained Dr. Eastham.



"Independently they will oscillate at slightly different rates, but when they are formed into an assembly their mutual influences can overcome that variation.”



The research has some practical applications as well. It may be possible to use this new science of synchronization to create computer systems that use light signals as a way to process data.&nbsp;



The study was supported by the Irish Research Council and used resources supported by the Science Foundation Ireland. This is an example of basic research that could lead to advanced technological breakthroughs.&nbsp;



"We derive phase diagrams that classify the desynchronized and synchronized states, focusing on the behavior in one and two dimensions. This is achieved by outlining the connection of the oscillator model to the quantum description of localization of a particle in a random potential through a mapping to a modified Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"Our results indicate that synchronization in coupled polariton condensates and other examples of low-dimensional lattices of coupled oscillators is not destroyed by randomness in their natural frequencies."



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists reveal the secrets of synchronization

Synchronization allows human spectators in a crowd to cheer together,...

Forests with higher levels of diversity are more resilient to extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deadly-honey-bee-diseases-are-influenced-by-the-weather/">weather</a> conditions than forests with fewer species, according to a new study led by the <a href="https://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters</a>. The researchers also found that diverse forests with a greater number of species grow more consistently and produce more wood.&nbsp;



The study was focused on data from the Biodiversity Ecosystem Functioning Experiment China (BEF-China), the world's largest experiment studying forest biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems.



In recent decades, forests are under an increasing amount of stress as a result of climate change and they do not always have the ability to adapt to rising temperatures. The trees experience reduced growth and carbon absorption, which acts as a reinforcing feedback factor that further drives global warming.&nbsp;



When the forests suffer, ecosystems services like climate regulation, water storage and the provision of materials for building also decline.



The researchers set out to identify the factors that influence the functioning of forests under environmental stress and how these factors interact. The study revealed that diverse forests are best safeguarded against the effects of climatic stress.&nbsp;



For example, explained the study authors,&nbsp; if some tree species in a forest grow less due to extreme weather conditions such as heavy rainfall or drought, others can counterbalance the loss. This stabilizes the overall forest system.



The study also showed that diverse forests provide more stable timber growth and wood production than less species-rich forests because they have improved weather protection.



Study lead author Florian Schnabel said that the connection between species richness and stable productivity, as well as the mechanisms underlying this connection, had previously only been shown in grassland experiments.



"We can now, for the first time, show this under experimental conditions for highly diverse subtropical forest ecosystems."



The experts report that the stability of forest growth in this study was not primarily linked to the number of different tree species - but to their different functional characteristics. While one tree species may grow well in a wet year, another grows better a dry one. These characteristics and interactions affect the growth stability of the entire tree community.



"In particular, the trait based mechanism underlying the links between tree species richness, asynchrony and community stability remain unknown for forests," said study co-first author Dr. LIU Xiaojuan.



The findings suggest that drought tolerance, hydraulic conductance, and evaporative capacity are especially important factors in tree growth stability. The more diverse the characteristics of a forest community, the more stable that the community's biomass production rate will be under unstable environmental conditions.&nbsp;



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



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

Diverse forests are more resilient and productive

Forests with higher levels of diversity are more resilient to...

Extreme weather events created by human-caused climate change have increased throughout the world. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crops-have-a-drought-memory-that-prepares-them-for-tough-times/">Droughts</a>, flooding, and storms often occur in combinations that intensify the impacts.&nbsp;



Research on extreme weather events has been mainly focused on the terrestrial impacts, and few studies have looked closely at changes occurring in the largest part of the Earth - the ocean.&nbsp;



In 2011, a heatwave off the coast of western Australia destroyed biodiverse kelp forests. This is probably the worst case known of the “blob,” a massive bubble of warm water that formed in the Pacific, killing millions of sea birds, fishes and other animals.&nbsp;



A team of scientists led by Professor Nicolas Gruber at ETH Zurich developed an ocean model to examine this extreme weather event. The researchers concluded that it was not only high temperatures that caused the mass die-offs, but also a combination of events occurring simultaneously.&nbsp;



“When marine life is confronted with multiple stressors at once, it has difficulty acclimatizing," said Professor Gruber. "For a fish species that’s already living at the upper end of its optimal temperature range, an added oxygen deficiency can mean death.”



In a paper published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>, the scientists call upon other researchers to pay greater attention to extreme weather events in the world’s oceans.&nbsp;



“To assess the risks of these kinds of events, we urgently need to study the chain of different environmental factors leading to such extremes more closely – and not only in individual regions, but also at the global level,” said Professor Gruber.



Leading by example, the scientists analyzed extreme weather events in the period from 1861 to 2020 and compared this to preindustrial times. The results showed that the number of warm ocean days has increased annually from an average of four to an average of 40.



Even though this is an obvious problem, the unfortunate reality is we know much less about marine ecosystems than the ones on land in which we live. For example, we do not know the tolerances of many different marine species.&nbsp;



"We know from Swiss forests that beech trees are less drought-​tolerant than, for instance, pines,” said Meike Vogt, a senior researcher in Gruber’s group.



“We lack broad understanding of the ecosystem structure and function in the various ocean regions. Only when we have this foundation will we be able determine the impact of climate change and extremes."



---By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How does extreme weather impact marine ecosystems?

Extreme weather events created by human-caused climate change have increased...

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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;



---



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;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



---



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

[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

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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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

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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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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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