Consciousness has long intrigued thinkers, from ancient philosophers to contemporary neuroscientists. It is a complex phenomenon we encounter daily, yet we often find it difficult to fully define or comprehend.



This elusive aspect of our existence encompasses our thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and self-awareness. 



Despite significant advancements in fields like cognitive science and psychology, the true nature of consciousness remains one of humanity's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/panpsychism-what-if-all-things-humans-plants-atoms-have-universal-consciousness/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most profound mysteries</a>.



Researchers are actively investigating how consciousness emerges from brain activity, the distinctions between conscious and unconscious states, and the broader implications of consciousness on our understanding of reality and existence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hyperdimensional-paradigm">Hyperdimensional paradigm</h2>



Michael Pravica, a physics professor at the <a href="https://www.unr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Nevada</a>, offers a fresh perspective on the age-old mystery of consciousness. 



He proposes that understanding this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-human-consciousness-through-eureka-moments/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">complex phenomenon</a> may require us to look beyond our familiar dimensions.



Central to his theory is the concept of hyperdimensionality -- the intriguing possibility that our universe harbors more dimensions than the four we can perceive (three spatial dimensions and one of time).



Could this expanded view open new pathways for exploring the nature of consciousness? 



By examining these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-in-the-brain-does-consciousness-reside-scientists-think-they-might-know/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">broader dimensions</a>, we may uncover insights that have significant implications for our understanding of the universe and our place within it.



"The sheer fact we can conceive of higher dimensions than four within our mind, within our mathematics, is a gift... It's something that transcends biology," Pravica told Popular Mechanics. 



He believes that our ability to imagine and mathematically describe dimensions beyond <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-do-babies-start-gaining-their-consciousness/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our physical experience</a> hints at a deeper connection between consciousness and the fabric of the universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-string-theory-and-higher-dimensions">String theory and higher dimensions</h2>



String theory is an ambitious framework in physics that seeks to unify all fundamental forces and particles into a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radical-new-theory-finally-unites-gravity-spacetime-and-the-quantum-realm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">single theoretical model</a>. It proposes that the basic building blocks of the universe aren't point-like particles but tiny, one-dimensional "strings" that vibrate at specific frequencies. 



These vibrations correspond to different particles, much like how different musical notes come from vibrations of a guitar string. To make the mathematics of string theory work, scientists have found that it requires additional spatial dimensions. 



These new dimensions extend beyond the three we experience daily. In some versions of the theory, there are up to ten or eleven dimensions in total.



The extra dimensions aren't easily observed because they might be compactified or curled up at scales so small they're beyond our current ability to detect. Imagine dimensions folded in on themselves like tiny loops at every point in space. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dimension-of-consciousness">Dimension of consciousness</h2>



While the concepts of hyperdimensionality and string theory have received overwhelming acceptance from physicists, attributing a link between higher dimensions and consciousness can stir up a tempest in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meditation-reveals-common-altered-states-of-consciousness/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scientific teapot</a>.



Interestingly, Pravica, an Orthodox Christian with a PhD from <a href="https://www.harvard.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard</a>, harnesses hyperdimensionality to bridge the gap between his scientific understanding and religious faith. He posits a fascinating theory: Jesus could be a hyperdimensional entity.



Pravica explained his perspective by citing a Biblical event. "According to the Bible, Jesus ascended into heaven 40 days after being on Earth. How do you ascend into heaven if you're a four-dimensional creature?" he pondered.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-science-fiction-or-fact">Science fiction or fact?</h2>



Not everyone in the scientific field is convinced by Pravica's approach. Some argue that linking consciousness to hyperdimensionality -- and by extension, to religious concepts -- blurs the line between empirical science and personal belief. 



One scientist commented that such theories are bordering "on science fiction." <a href="https://www.fordham.edu/academics/departments/physics-and-engineering-physics/faculty-and-staff/stephen-holler/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stephen Holler</a>, an associate professor of physics at <a href="https://www.fordham.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fordham University</a> in New York, shares this skepticism. 



He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging gaps in our scientific knowledge without resorting to non-scientific explanations. 



"Gaps in scientific knowledge are attributed to divine intervention, rather than being seen as opportunities for further inquiry and understanding," Holler told Popular Mechanics.



He further expresses concern that this approach might <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-consciousness-and-you-what-happens-when-machines-become-sentient/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hinder scientific progress</a>. "It's a poor explanation mechanism that arguably stifles the inquisitive nature required for good science and teaches that it’s not okay to say, 'I don’t know'," Holler added. 



His viewpoint highlights the delicate balance between remaining open to new ideas and maintaining rigorous scientific standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dimension-of-consciousness-0">Dimension of consciousness</h2>



The debate sparked by Pravica's theory brings to light the broader conversation about how we explore consciousness. Could considering extra dimensions <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mindfulness-can-lead-to-altered-states-of-consciousness/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">offer new insights</a>, or does it complicate the matter further? 



While hyperdimensionality is a well-established concept in theoretical physics, its application to consciousness is relatively uncharted territory.



This discussion also touches on how personal beliefs can influence scientific exploration. Throughout history, many scientists have drawn inspiration from their philosophical or religious views. 



The key challenge lies in ensuring that such influences encourage curiosity rather than limit it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-consciousness-research">Future of consciousness research</h2>



As we continue to investigate the nature of consciousness, it's essential to keep an open mind while adhering to scientific principles. 



Theories like Pravica's invite us to think creatively and consider possibilities beyond conventional wisdom. They remind us that much about the human mind -- and the universe -- remains unknown.



Advancements in technology, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-connection-behind-brain-signals-and-human-consciousness/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum computing</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-will-outsmart-humans-when-we-crack-the-neural-code/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">artificial intelligence</a>, may soon provide new tools to study consciousness. 



These developments could help us understand how cognitive processes might interact with dimensions we have yet to explore fully.



The quest to comprehend consciousness is far from over. Ideas that challenge the status quo, like the hyperdimensional paradigm, play a crucial role in pushing the boundaries of knowledge. 



Whether or not such theories withstand scientific scrutiny, they provoke valuable discussions that drive progress.



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Consciousness may stem from unseen dimensions beyond our reality

Consciousness has long intrigued thinkers, from ancient philosophers to contemporary neuroscientists. It is a complex phenomenon we encounter daily, yet we often find it difficult to fully define or comprehend. This elusive aspect of our existence encompasses our thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and self-awareness. Despite significant advancements in fields like cognitive science and psychology, the true nature of consciousness remains one of humanity's most profound mysteries. Researchers are actively investigating how consciousness emerges from brain activity, the distinctions between conscious and unconscious states, and the broader implications of...

Rivers and freshwater lakes are the channels whereby macronutrients, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-reduce-the-oceans-ability-to-absorb-carbon/">carbon</a> and nitrogen, make their way from biomass on land to biomass in the sea. Each year, carbon and nitrogen usually enter freshwater systems after being leached out of the fallen leaves of forest trees. Once dissolved in lake water, both of these macronutrients influence ecosystem structure.



But now, a study led by scientists from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> highlights the disruptive influence of outbreaks of leaf-eating caterpillars.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Outbreaks of invasive gypsy moths,&nbsp;Lymantria dispar dispar, and forest tent caterpillar moths,&nbsp;Malacasoma disstria,&nbsp;occur at least every five years in temperate forests. The insects eat their way through so many leaves that the resulting decrease in leaf-fall changes the nutrient cycles between the land and the nearby lakes.



In addition, the caterpillars produce huge quantities of nitrogen-rich droppings (known as frass) that wash into the waterways and act as fertilizer; this changes the water chemistry.



Microbial growth is often limited by the availability of nitrogen, and so adding frass to rivers and lakes may also favor the growth of bacteria and algae in these systems. Increased microbial growth also leads to an increased production of carbon dioxide, as the microbes respire and undergo metabolic reactions.



“These insects are basically little machines that convert carbon-rich leaves into nitrogen-rich poo. The poo drops into lakes instead of the leaves, and this significantly changes the water chemistry – we think it will increase the extent to which lakes are sources of greenhouse gases,” said study senior author Professor Andrew Tanentzap in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Plant Sciences.



The study is believed to be the most extensive research ever conducted on how insect outbreaks impact freshwater carbon and nitrogen cycles. The researchers used 32 years of government data on insect outbreaks in 12 river catchments across Ontario, Canada.&nbsp;



The experts related this data to surveys of lake water chemistry and used satellite images of the forests to track changes in monthly leaf area cover. The results of the study show that, in years in which there are caterpillar outbreaks, the leaf area of forests was reduced by an average of 22 percent, due to the foraging activity of the caterpillars.&nbsp;



Correlated with these insect outbreaks, the nearby lakes contained 112 percent more dissolved nitrogen and 27 percent less dissolved carbon compared to non-outbreak years.&nbsp;



The effects were greatest when lake catchments contained higher proportions of deciduous, broadleaved trees, such as oaks and maples, which are favored by the caterpillars over the leaves of coniferous trees like pines.



In years when there are no outbreaks of leaf-eating insects, carbon and nitrogen usually enter lakes from decaying leaf and needle litter, and this peaks in autumn. In fact, a previous 26-year study of 266 lakes across the northern hemisphere showed that carbon accumulates naturally in these lake waters in a process called "browning." The trend is attributed to a variety of factors including climate change, and recovery from historical acid rain and logging activities.



However, when a caterpillar outbreak occurs, the leaf-fall is reduced to such an extent that carbon accumulation all but ceases for that year, which significantly improves the quality of the lake water.



“Outbreaks of leaf-eating insects can reduce the carbon dissolved in lake water by almost a third when the trees around the lake are mainly deciduous. It’s just amazing that these insects can have such a pronounced effect on water quality,” said study first author Sam Woodman.



The researchers are concerned that as climate change favors the northwards range expansion of insect populations, the risk of outbreaks of leaf-eating caterpillars will increase. This may lead to greater production of CO2 from nitrogen-enriched lakes.&nbsp;



The caterpillar phenomenon is even more worrying since there is an abundance of freshwater lakes further north. Furthermore, climate change is also expected to favor broadleaved deciduous trees around the lakes, which will amplify the effects of the insects.



Outbreaks of defoliator insects are clearly a double-edged sword. In outbreak years the large quantities of frass will favor the growth of greenhouse gas-producing bacteria in lakes at the expense of algae that remove CO2&nbsp;from the atmosphere. On the other hand, the reduction of dissolved carbon in the lakes during outbreak years when there is less leaf-fall has a positive effect on water quality.



“From a water quality perspective they (outbreaks) are a good thing, but from a climate perspective they’re pretty bad – yet they’ve been completely overlooked in climate models," concluded Woodman.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<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

Caterpillar outbreaks drive CO2 emissions

Rivers and freshwater lakes are the channels whereby macronutrients, including...

Researchers from the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/">University of Waterloo</a> discovered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-reduce-the-oceans-ability-to-absorb-carbon/">carbon</a> residue encased in a 2.5 billion-year-old ruby while analyzing some of the world’s oldest coloured gemstones.



The research team, led by Chris Yakymchuk, a professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, embarked on a journey to investigate the geological conditions that aided the formation of rubies.&nbsp;



During their investigation in Greenland, which has the world's oldest known ruby deposits, the researchers unearthed a ruby sample that contained the carbon-based mineral graphite. This carbon is known to be a relic of early life.



“The graphite inside this ruby is really unique. It’s the first time we’ve seen evidence of ancient life in ruby-bearing rocks,” said Professor Yakymchuk. “The presence of graphite also gives us more clues to determine how rubies formed at this location, something that is impossible to do directly based on a ruby’s colour and chemical composition."



The researchers were able to examine the isotopic composition of carbon atoms, a property that measures the comparative amounts of different carbon atoms, due to the presence of graphite.&nbsp;



The isotopic composition revealed that more than 98 percent of carbon atoms have a mass of 12 atomic mass units, although a few atoms with a mass heavier atomic mass of 13 or 14 was detected.



“Living matter preferentially consists of the lighter carbon atoms because they take less energy to incorporate into cells,” said Professor Yakymchuk. “Based on the increased amount of carbon-12 in this graphite, we concluded that the carbon atoms were once ancient life, most likely dead microorganisms such as cyanobacteria.”



The graphite found in the rocks dated back more than 2.5 billion years when oxygen was scarce in the atmosphere and life was limited to bacteria and algal films.



Professor Yakymchuk's team determined that this graphite not only connects the gemstone to early life but was also likely essential for the existence of this ruby. The graphite altered the chemistry of the surrounding rocks, allowing ruby formations.&nbsp;



The research models showed that the formation of rubies in this area would not have been achievable without it.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ore-geology-reviews">Ore Geology Reviews</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://mailto:ashikha92@gmail.com">Ashikha Raoof</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Graphite in 2.5 billion-year-old ruby linked to early life

Researchers from the University of Waterloo discovered carbon residue encased...

New research led by ecologists at the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a> has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/past-temperatures-are-revealed-by-the-size-of-animals/">temperature</a> increases of about 1.6°C - just below the maximum target established by the Paris Agreement in 2017 - could severely impact algal populations and animal species living in coastal ecosystems.



"Marine rocky intertidal organisms are amongst those most affected by climate change with regional distributional changes observed for many species," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"Although often ascribed to increased sea surface temperatures, precise assessment of the local habitat conditions underpinning observed and predicted changes in community assembly is lacking."



The scientists examined how increases in rock surface temperature were affecting the quantity and behavior of animal and plant species currently found in the UK on the shorelines of Cornwall and Devon.&nbsp;



The study was focused on two areas of the region’s north coast (Bude and Croyde), and two on the south coast (Bantham and South Milton Sands), all of which have deep gullies with both north- and south-facing surfaces. The average annual temperatures recorded on the south-facing surfaces were 1.6°C higher than those on the north-facing ones.&nbsp;



These differences in temperature were strongly correlated with species abundance. During the summer of 2018, the researchers found 45 different species on the north-facing sites compared to 30 on the south-facing ones. During the winter, the figures were 42 and 24 respectively, with species such as red seaweed and sea cauliflower being restricted to north-facing surfaces.&nbsp;



Temperature differences were also found to have a significant impact on the breeding patterns of animals in these coastal ecosystems. For instance, five times more dog whelk eggs were found on the north-facing surfaces than on the south-facing ones.



“We have all heard for some time about the importance of limiting average global temperature increases to 1.5°C, and it will undoubtedly be one of the key topics discussed at the forthcoming COP26 conference,” said study senior author Mick Hanley, an associate professor of Plant-Animal Interactions at Plymouth.&nbsp;



“This study shows the impact even that kind of increase could have on important species that contribute to the health and biodiversity of our planet. As such, it does add to overwhelming evidence of the threats posed by human-induced climate change.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0141113621002385?via%3Dihub">Marine Environmental Research</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

Coastal ecosystems are disrupted by small temperature changes

New research led by ecologists at the University of Plymouth...

A new study by geographers at <a href="https://www.staffs.ac.uk/">Staffordshire University</a> has looked at whether ski resorts can survive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/resilience-to-climate-change-does-not-always-promote-well-being/">climate</a> change or if they are doomed to failure. The research suggests that ski resorts will have to diversify by finding new ways to draw visitors.&nbsp;



“At university I developed a passion for understanding human interaction with the environment and the importance of climate change," explained lead researcher Rachael Carver.



"I visited the Stubai Glacier in Austria on holiday and was intrigued by the fact that they were trying to conserve the ski industry. It left me asking lots of questions so I decided to go back and learn more.”



The site where the research was carried out takes proactive measures against warming, using blankets to slow melting and diminish wind erosion on the glacier. There is also a slow transition underway from winter tourism to summer tourism. Among the tourists surveyed, 70 percent said they would return even without a glacier, citing scenery and hiking as reasons.&nbsp;



“At the rate we’re losing glaciers, doing nothing is not an option for these industries. There will be a lot of people adversely affected by the economic impact of not having this tourism," said Carver.



"It was interesting seeing different solutions to the issue. Most places understand that these practices aren’t a long-term solution, but it is buying them time."



Carver said that she believes resorts should give visitors other ways to explore the mountains, including mountain biking and hiking trails as well as viewing platforms and educational activities.&nbsp;



“I think adaptation is key. Yes, they were designed as ski resorts but they can be turned into something else with a little bit of foresight and planning," noted Carver.&nbsp;



Fiona Tweed, professor of Physical Geography and Rachael Carver’s advisor highlighted the importance of such research.



“Climate change is the defining issue of our time with many far-reaching impacts and implications. Several students in Rachael’s year group did projects that had climate change at their core," said Professor Tweed.



"We’re looking forward to equipping more students with the skills to work on climate change related issues as part of our new BSc (Hons) Climate Change and Society degree.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00167487.2021.1970926">Geography</a>.



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

Ski tourism may suffer from climate change

A new study by geographers at Staffordshire University has looked...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-021-00400-y">Nature Food</a> has explored the possible impacts that climate change will have on global agriculture.&nbsp;The scientists have found that factors such as rising temperatures, changes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-precipitation-in-the-northeast-linked-to-human-activity/">precipitation</a> patterns, the increased frequency of heatwaves and droughts, and greenhouse gas emissions will fundamentally affect crops worldwide, exacerbating already existing inequalities.&nbsp;



“We see that new climate conditions push crop yields outside of their normal range in more and more regions,” said study lead author Jonas Jägermeyr, a climate scientist and crop modeler at <a href="https://www.giss.nasa.gov/">NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies</a> (GISS), the <a href="https://www.earth.columbia.edu/">Earth Institute</a> at Columbia University, and the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> (PIK).



“Human-made greenhouse gas emissions bring higher temperatures, shifts in rainfall patterns, and more carbon dioxide in the air. This affects crop growth, and we find that the emergence of the climate change signal – the time when extraordinary years become the norm – will occur within the next decade or soon after in many key breadbasket regions globally.”



By analyzing new climate projections and state-of-the-art crop models, Jägermeyr and his colleagues found that, in the next years, regions such as the North and Central America, Central and East Asia, and West Africa will witness a 20 percent decline in maize yields.&nbsp;



Meanwhile, wheat yields could increase in areas like the Northern United States, Canada, or China. Nonetheless, such wheat gains in the Global North will not make up for the significant maize losses in the Global South. And although higher levels of CO2 could actually have a positive effect on wheat growth, it can reduce these crops’ nutritional values.



“One effect the data show clearly is that poorer countries are likely to experience the sharpest declines in yields of their main staple crops. This exacerbates already existing differences in food security and wealth,” explained study co-author Christoph Müller, a researcher at PIK.



“This means that farmers need to adapt much faster, for example by changing planting dates or use different crop varieties, to avoid severe losses, but also to realize gains in higher-latitude regions,” concluded Professor Jägermeyr.



---



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

Warming climate will have a global impact on agriculture

A new study published in the journal Nature Food has...

The sounds of nature, particularly the sounds of bird song, give people a sense of connection to the natural environment and are part of our perception of healthy and functional natural surroundings. Bird song helps us connect to and experience <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nature-improved-mental-health-of-children-during-lockdown/">nature</a>, a process that is vitally important for mental health and for our sense of well-being.&nbsp;



But with declining bird populations and species diversity across the globe, it is possible that bird song choruses (soundscapes) are also becoming depauperate. In a major new study, a team of international researchers&nbsp;led by scientists from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> (UEA)&nbsp;has developed a method of comparing historical soundscapes over the past 25 years to determine how they have changed.



“The benefits of nature contact are widespread, from improved physical health and psychological well-being to increased likelihood of participating in pro-environmental behavior," said study lead author Dr Simon Butler from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences.



“Bird song plays an important role in defining the quality of nature experiences, but widespread declines in bird populations, and shifts in species’ distributions in response to climate change, mean that the acoustic properties of natural soundscapes are likely to be changing. However, historical sound recordings don’t exist for most places so we needed to develop a new approach to examine this.”&nbsp;



The researchers used annual systematic bird count data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (NA-BBS) and the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS) sites. These data on bird occurrence and abundance were largely collected by citizen scientists over the past 25 years. Given this information, the researchers were then able to use an online database of bird calls (<a href="http://www.xeno-109canto.org">www.xeno-109canto.org</a>) to reconstruct the historical soundscapes from 200,000 locations across the two continents.&nbsp;



The separate, five-minute soundscapes constructed in this way for every site in every year were then analyzed using four indices that characterized song diversity, heterogeneity, evenness and amplitude.



The results showed that natural soundscapes across both continents have become more homogeneous and quieter since the 1990s, suggesting reduced soundscape quality. This finding parallels the significant decline, both in species richness and number of individuals, recorded in NA-BBS surveys, as well as in total number of individuals counted during PECBMS surveys over the past 25 years. “We found a widespread decline in the acoustic diversity and intensity of natural soundscapes, driven by changes in the composition of bird communities," said Dr. Butler.



“These results suggest that the soundtrack of spring is getting quieter and less varied and that one of the fundamental pathways through which humans engage with nature is in chronic decline, with potentially widespread implications for human health and well-being."



“Given that people predominantly hear, rather than see, birds, reductions in the quality of natural soundscapes are likely to be the mechanism through which the impact of ongoing population declines is most keenly felt by the general public."



Dr. Catriona Morrison, a post-doctoral researcher in UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, conducted the analyses.&nbsp;



“In general, we found that sites that have experienced greater declines in either total abundance and/or species richness also show greater declines in acoustic diversity and intensity," said Dr. Morrison.&nbsp;



“However, initial community structure and how the call and song characteristics of species complement each other, also play important roles in determining how soundscapes change."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“For example, the loss of species such as&nbsp;skylark or nightingale, which sing rich and intricate songs, is likely to have a greater impact on the complexity of the soundscape than the loss of a raucous corvid or gull species. Critically however, this will also depend on how many occurred on the site, and which other species are present.”&nbsp;



“Unfortunately, we are living through a global environmental crisis, and we now know that the diminishing connection between people and nature may be contributing to this."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“As we collectively become less aware of our natural surroundings, we also start to notice or care less about their deterioration. Studies like ours aim to heighten awareness of these losses in a tangible, relatable way and demonstrate their potential impact on human wellbeing.”&nbsp;



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



---



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

The bird songs of spring are getting quieter

The sounds of nature, particularly the sounds of bird song,...

Scientists estimate that five to ten <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanoes-stabilize-temperatures-at-earths-surface/">volcanoes</a> worldwide are capable of producing super-eruptions that would catastrophically affect the global climate. One of these volcanoes lies beneath the waters of Lake Toba in Sumatra and has already caused two super-eruptions in the last one million years.&nbsp;



By analyzing the levels of uranium and lead in zircon from the Toba volcano, an international team of geologists led by the <a href="https://www.unige.ch/en/">University of Geneva</a> (UNIGE) and <a href="https://english.pku.edu.cn/">Peking University</a> estimated a super-eruption could take place in about 600,000 years.



The Toba volcano caused two of the largest eruptions on Earth: the first 840,000 and the second 75,000 years ago, both measuring about 2,800 km3&nbsp;- enough to cover the whole of Switzerland with 7cm of ash. The researchers estimated these dates by measuring the amount of uranium and lead in zircon – a mineral found in the products of explosive volcanic eruptions: the youngest zircons provided information about the date of the eruption and the older ones about the history of magma accumulation preceding the super-eruption.



The scientists found that the time of magma accumulation between the two super-eruptions was halved due to the progressive increase of the temperature of the continental crust in which Toba’s magma reservoir was assembled.&nbsp;



“This is a ‘vicious circle’ of eruptions: the more the magma heats the crust, the slower the magma cools and the faster the rate of magma accumulation becomes,” explained study lead author Ping-Ping Liu, a professor of Earth and Space Sciences at Peking University. Thus, super-eruptions could become more frequent over time.



&nbsp;“Today, we estimate that about 320 km3 of magma could be ready to erupt within the reservoir of Toba volcano," added study co-author Luca Caricchi, a professor of Earth Sciences at UNIGE. &nbsp;“The next super-eruption of the size of the last two would therefore take place in about 600,000 years.”



The innovative methods used in this study could be applied to any other volcano on the globe and serve to identify those close to a super-eruption. Moreover, the study shows that no extreme events occur before a super-eruption.&nbsp;



“This suggests that signs of an impending super-eruption such as a significant increase in earthquakes or rapid ground uplift, might not be as obvious as pictured in disaster movies by the film industry. At Toba volcano, everything is happening silently underground, and the analysis of the zircons now gives us an idea of what is to come," concluded Caricchi.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/45/e2101695118">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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

Volcanic super-eruptions can build up silently

Scientists estimate that five to ten volcanoes worldwide are capable...

New research led by the <a href="https://www.technion.ac.il/en/home-2/">Israel Institute of Technology</a> has found that barn owls (Tyto alba) build mental maps of their surroundings while flying. The experts report that specific neurons in the hippocampus – the part of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-and-infants-recognize-words-using-similar-brain-regions/">brain</a> responsible for spatial orientation - become activated when the owls pass through certain locations.



Place cells – clusters of neurons that fire at a high rate when an animal visits a particular location - are known to exist in the human brain, and they were recently discovered in the brains of other mammals too, including various species of rodents and bats. However, this is the first time that evidence of place cells have been discovered in birds during flight.&nbsp;



The researchers implanted wireless neural recording devices in the brains of six barn owls and analyzed their brain activity as they flew back and forth between two perches.&nbsp;



The experts found that certain neurons from the owls’ hippocampus fired more strongly at specific points along their flight path. This neuronal activity did not appear to be affected by the lighting conditions in the testing room or the movements of the experimenters.



“In the barn owl — a central place forager that strongly relies on memory to navigate&nbsp;to strategic standing posts and to its roost at night — we found robust place cell representation,” reported the study authors in a preprint version of their article.



According to Kate Jeffrey, a neuroscientist at University College London, the Israeli team’s evidence for the presence of place cells in barn owls was “fairly convincing.” This discovery is “consistent with emerging findings from other labs that many of the phenomena we have been studying in mammals have counterparts in non-mammals, suggesting an ancient evolutionary origin, more than 300 million years.”&nbsp;



“Across species, the occurrence of place-cells is correlated with strong reliance on spatial memory. We speculate that the owl’s ability to hunt and navigate in nearly-complete darkness is made possible, in part, by an exceptional hippocampal-based spatial memory,” the study authors concluded.



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

Barn owls construct mental maps during flight

New research led by the Israel Institute of Technology has...

Experts at the <a href="https://www.bigelow.org/">Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences</a> are hopeful that a unique case of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-harms-organisms-living-in-symbiosis/">symbiosis</a> between salamanders and algae will lead to a breakthrough in medical research. The team, which includes biologists and natural product chemists at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and Gettysburg College, just received a grant to finance three years of research.



"We are hopeful that the connections between salamanders and algae could lead to exciting and unforeseen discoveries in medicine. And we are grateful to the William Procter Fund for the chance to explore this unique relationship," said lead researcher John Burns.



Interestingly, algae grows on salamander eggs shortly after they’re laid. The algae colonizes and even enters the tissues of the developing salamanders. The amphibians aren’t harmed by the plant but gain oxygen. In return, the algae gets a substrate to grow on.&nbsp;



“These two organisms are coexisting and benefiting one another," explained Burns. "We are trying to find out how the salamander and algae interact, and whether the molecules they are using can be used to regulate immunity in humans.”



Chemical interactions in nature are a traditional source of drugs but as the easily accessed sources for these drugs have been tapped, drug development slowed towards the end of the twentieth century. Symbiotic relationships are still relatively untapped for their possibilities in drug development.



“When we look to the natural world for drugs, we are usually looking at antagonisms. We're looking for the kind of thing that stops bacteria from growing in order to find something we might be able to use in our own bodies," said Burns.&nbsp;



"Studying these organisms in a symbiotic relationship is completely new, and that's why we think it's an interesting place to look for new types of drugs."



Salamanders can regenerate their tails and limbs, and the experts will investigate the potential role of algae in promoting this regeneration. The findings could ultimately lead to the development of treatments to repair human tissue.



"We are taking this natural interaction and trying to figure out how it works to better understand how the two organisms communicate and benefit. This relationship has existed for a long time, so there may be a lot of chemical nuance and possibility to be discovered.”



The study is supported by the <a href="https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2021/08/26/william-procter-scientific-innovation-fund-50000-grant-to-launch-umaine-blue-economy-program/">William Procter Scientific Innovation Fund</a>.



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

Salamanders have an intriguing partnership with algae

Experts at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences are hopeful...

Have you ever heard of a dog barking softly? Unless a dog’s vocal cords are damaged or in ill health, it can really only bark loudly. Humans, however, are able to modulate the tone of their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountain-lions-afraid-humans/">voices</a> and speak loudly or softly at will. Surprisingly, a new study indicates that baby seals may be able to do the same.



In this study, eight harbor seal pups between one and three weeks of age were exposed to noises of different intensities. The pups were held in a rehabilitation center (the Dutch Sealcentre Pieterburen) prior to being released back into the wild.&nbsp;



To investigate whether the baby seals could adapt their voices to noises in the environment, the researchers recorded noises from the nearby Wadden Sea and then played these noises back to the pups for several days.&nbsp;



The recordings were played back at three different levels of loudness (from no sound to 65 decibels). The pitch of the sea sounds was kept at the same level as the regular pitch of the seals pups’ calls. The researchers also recorded the spontaneous calls by the baby seals.&nbsp;



Analysis of the recordings showed that when the seal pups heard louder sea noises, they lowered their tone of voice. The pups also kept a steadier pitch with the more intense noise levels.&nbsp;



One seal behaved in the opposite manner and produced louder calls when the noise got louder. This is known as Lombard effect and it is typical in human speech when people raise their voices against a background noise, in order to be understood better. The pups did not produce more or longer calls when they heard different levels of sea noise.



Overall, however, it was clear that young seals adapted to the noises in their environment by lowering the tone of their voice - an ability they seem to share with humans and bats. Other animals in similar experiments only raise their voice (in other words, make louder calls) in response to louder noise.



“Seal pups have a more advanced control over their vocalizations than assumed up until now,” noted study senior investigator Andrea Ravignani, scientist at the <a href="https://www.mpi.nl/">Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics</a>.



“This control seems to be already present at only few weeks of age. This is astonishing, as few other mammals seem capable of that.&nbsp;To date, humans seem to be the only mammals with direct neural connections between the cortex (the outer layer of the brain) and the larynx (what we use to produce tone of voice)."



“These results show that seals may be the most promising species to find these direct connections, and unravel the mystery of speech.”



“By looking at one of the few other mammals that may be capable of learning sounds, we can better understand how we, humans, acquire speech, and ultimately why we are such chatty animals."



The results of the study were published today in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rstb">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B; Biological Sciences</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

Baby seals "talk" more softly when there is background noise

Have you ever heard of a dog barking softly? Unless...

A study led by <a href="https://www.syracuse.edu/">Syracuse University</a> is revealing new clues about Earth’s earliest major mass extinction. The Late Ordovician mass extinction (LOME), was the first of the “big five" extinction events, during which about 85 percent of all <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-species-vanishing/">marine species</a> were wiped out.&nbsp;



Today, many scientists believe that we are already in the midst of our planet's sixth mass extinction event as a result of human-induced climate change. It is critically important for scientists to understand the causes of previous die-offs in order to help prevent the same level of catastrophe in the future.&nbsp;



To investigate, an international team of researchers looked at the ocean environment before, during, and after the LOME. Professor Seth Finnegan, an expert in mass extinction at UC Berkeley, said the seas were full of biodiversity during the Ordovician Period. There were early reefs, but they lacked an abundance of vertebrates.



“If you had gone snorkeling in an Ordovician sea you would have seen some familiar groups like clams and snails and sponges, but also many other groups that are now very reduced in diversity or entirely extinct like trilobites, brachiopods and crinoids,” said Professor Finnegan.



He explained that unlike rapid mass extinctions, such as when dinosaurs and other species were suddenly wiped out around 65.5 million years ago, the LOME played out over a substantial period of time, with estimates between less than half a million to almost two million years.



One prevailing theory is that LOME was triggered by a lack of oxygen in the shallow ocean. The experts combined geochemical testing and computer modeling to test this theory.&nbsp;



Professor Zunli Lu led a team of students who measured iodine concentrations in carbonate rocks from the Ordovician Period. By studying concentrations of the element iodine in rocks, researchers can look for changes in oceanic oxygen levels at various ocean depths throughout Earth's history.



The results of the analysis produced no evidence that a lack of oxygen, or anoxia, caused the mass die-off. According to the researchers, it is much more likely that climate cooling during the Late Ordovician period was a major contributor to the LOME.



While there was no significant lack of oxygen in the shallow depths where animals dwelled, the team did find evidence that anoxia expanded at deep ocean depths. This is a mystery that cannot be explained by the classic model of ocean oxygen, explained study lead author Alexandre Pohl of UC Riverside.



“Upper-ocean oxygenation in response to cooling was anticipated, because atmospheric oxygen preferentially dissolves in cold waters,” said Pohl. “However, we were surprised to see expanded anoxia in the lower ocean since anoxia in Earth’s history is generally associated with volcanism-induced global warming.”



According to Lu, recognizing that climate cooling can also lead to lower oxygen levels in some parts of the ocean is a key takeaway from their study.



“For decades, the prevailing school of thoughts in our field is that global warming causes the oceans to lose oxygen and thus impact marine habitability, potentially destabilizing the entire ecosystem. In recent years, mounting evidence point to several episodes in Earth’s history when oxygen levels also dropped in cooling climates.”



The study does not fully explain the causes of Late Ordovician extinction, but the researchers have ruled out changes in oxygenation as the primary cause of the event. The research suggests that changes in temperature helped to set the stage for the Late Ordovician mass extinction, and the experts will continue to seek out additional factors that may have been involved.



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

New clues about Earth’s earliest major mass extinction

A study led by Syracuse University is revealing new clues...

New research led by the <a href="https://www.calpoly.edu/">California Polytechnic State University</a> (Cal Poly) has found that the loss of seagrass caused a dramatic shift in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-fish-ingest-plastic-the-impacts-are-complicated/">fish</a> species in Morro Bay, California. The period following the decline of seagrass habitats was characterized by increases in flatfish and staghorn sculpin, and decreases in previous populations of bay pipefish and shiner perch.



Seagrass meadows were very common throughout the Morro Bay estuary and represented one of the most biologically productive biomes on Earth, providing shelter, food, and nurseries to a large variety of fish and invertebrate organisms. Following their significant decay in recent decades, they have been largely replaced currently with a less dynamic, muddy seafloor habitat.



"Seagrass, like the eelgrass in Morro Bay, is important because it supports a range of marine life," said study lead author Jennifer O'Leary, who is now the Western Indian Ocean coordinator for the <a href="https://www.wcs.org/">Wildlife Conservation Society</a>. "It's like the trees in a forest - these underwater plants provide food, structure, and shelter to many of the marine animals that live in the bay."



Morro Bay, one of the 28 estuaries that the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">U.S. Environment Protection Agency</a> deemed critical for the environmental and economic health of the country, has witnessed a dramatic transformation.&nbsp; Seagrass declined by more than 95 percent, dropping from covering 344 acres in 2007 to only 15 acres in 2017.



Instead of resulting in fewer fish, seagrass loss has led to changes in the fish species that are present. The once common pipefish, a species perfectly adapted to hide among seagrass, has been replaced by flatfishes such as the speckled sanddab (Citharichthys stigmaeus) and the staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus), which are more adapted to live among muddy seafloors.



"The relatively sudden and near complete collapse of eelgrass in Morro Bay has not only changed fish populations, but it has also resulted in substantial changes to estuary physics and geomorphology," added study co-author Ryan Walter, a professor of Physics at Cal Poly. The loss of seagrass in Morro Bay has led to widespread erosion, or loss of sediment, throughout the estuary.



According to the scientists, a multifaceted approach to protect the remaining seagrass is essential, including local planting initiatives and transplantation efforts.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12237-021-00917-2">Estuaries and Coasts</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

Seagrass loss leads to changes in fish populations

New research led by the California Polytechnic State University (Cal...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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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

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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

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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"

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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

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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...