You've undoubtedly noticed that the Moon has two distinct sides, right? The near side that we see from Earth and the far side that remains a mystery because it is never turned towards us.



This unusual lunar characteristic -- a global dichotomy -- is what a team of scientists led by Professor XU Yigang from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (<a href="http://english.gig.cas.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GIGCAS</a>) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been investigating.



They have been studying lunar soil samples collected from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on the far side of the Moon, and returned to Earth by China's <a href="https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=CHANG-E-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chang’e-6 mission</a>.



These invaluable samples have allowed them to investigate the Moon's peculiar dichotomy and the results have shed light on some of its secrets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-chang-e-6">What is Chang’e-6?</h2>



The Chinese space program launched Chang'e 6, their latest Moon mission, on May 3, 2024. The spacecraft blasted off from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on a Long March 5 rocket at 9:27 UT (that's 5:27 PM Beijing time). 



Their goal? To grab about four pounds (2 kg) of Moon rocks from the far side - something no one had done before.



The lander touched down in a huge crater called the South Pole Aitken Basin. The team used both a scoop and a drill to dig up surface samples and even went 2 meters deep into the lunar soil. 



They also sent out a small rover that cruised around taking snapshots of the lander doing its work.



Once they collected the samples, the crew packed them into an ascent vehicle sitting on top of the lander. 



On June 3 at 11:38 PM UT (7:38 AM Beijing time the next day), this vehicle shot up from the Moon's surface and met up with the orbiter waiting above. They made the handoff on June 6, 2024.



After ditching the ascent vehicle (which crashed back into the Moon), the return vehicle hung around in orbit for a couple weeks before heading home. 



It pulled off a tricky skip-entry through Earth's atmosphere and landed in Inner Mongolia's Siziwang Banner region on June 25 at 6:07 UT (2:07 PM Beijing time). 



The final haul? Roughly 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg) of Moon rocks and soil from the far side -- marking another big win for China's space program.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-far-side-vs-visible-side-of-the-moon">Far side vs. visible side of the Moon</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/its-official-earth-now-has-two-moons-captured-asteroid-2024-pt5/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moon's</a> dichotomy is visible in its topography, chemical composition, crustal thickness, evidence of volcanism and, most noticeably, in the difference in geomorphology between its near and far sides.



The near side of the Moon is home to the familiar "man in the moon" maria - the dark "seas" that are the result of ancient volcanic activity. 



These areas were flooded with molten lava that created rocks known as mare basalts.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/moon_farside_volcanic-episodes_diagram_credit-YANG-Muhan_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/moon_farside_volcanic-episodes_diagram_credit-YANG-Muhan_1s.webp" alt="Distribution of distinct volcanic episodes on the Moon’s farside. The remote sensing image highlights the Chang’e-6 landing site along with nearby mare and cryptomare basaltic units. Credit: Image by YANG Muhan" class="wp-image-1950782"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Distribution of distinct volcanic episodes on the Moon’s farside. The remote sensing image highlights the Chang’e-6 landing site along with nearby mare and cryptomare basaltic units. Credit: Image by YANG Muhan</figcaption></figure>



How about the far side? Well, here's where it gets intriguing. Only about 2% of this hidden part of the Moon is covered in the basalts, compared to around 30% on the near side.



This inexplicable difference is a vital part of the lunar global dichotomy that the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program aims to unravel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-secrets-of-the-moon-s-far-side">Secrets of the Moon's far side</h2>



Thanks to the Chang’e-6 lunar soil samples, Professor XU's team discovered the existence of two different types of mare basalts, low-Ti, and very low-Ti (VLT). 



“The samples returned by Chang’e-6 provide a best opportunity to investigate the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2024-pt5-mini-moon-say-goodbye-to-earths-second-moon-we-barely-got-to-know-you/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lunar</a> global dichotomy,” said Professor XU.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/moon_farside_volcanic-eruptions_basalt-types_credit-GIGCAS_1s.webp" alt="The two types of basalts in Chang’e-6 soils and isochrons of the Chang’e-6 low-Ti basalt. Credit: GIGCAS" class="wp-image-1950784"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The two types of basalts in Chang’e-6 soils and isochrons of the Chang’e-6 low-Ti basalt. Credit: GIGCAS</figcaption></figure>



Let's not dismiss the aspect of dating these samples either. With high-precision Pb-Pb dating techniques, the team determined that the low-Ti basalt dates back to around 2.83 billion years ago.



This attests to the presence of "young" magmatism or volcanic activities on the far side of the Moon. But of course, young is a relative term when we talk about 2.83 billion years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-history-of-volcanoes">Mapping the history of volcanoes</h2>



With such valuable information now in our hands, we can clearly chart the volcanic timeline on the far side of the Moon. 



Led by Professor LI Qiuli, the team conducted radioisotope dating on 108 basalt fragments, with 107 of them revealing a consistent formation age of 2807 million years ago.



But there's more. One fragment, a high-aluminum basalt, was dated to a monumental 4203 million years ago, making it the oldest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/harvest-moon-2024-will-feature-a-partial-lunar-eclipse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lunar</a> basalt for which age has been precisely determined.



This implies elevated levels of volcanic activity on the far side of the Moon for at least 1.4 billion years - between 4.2 billion and 2.8 billion years ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



These findings, available for everyone to dissect, can help recalibrate the existing lunar crater chronology models. 



Christopher Hamilton, an independent planetary volcano expert, emphasized the importance of obtaining samples from this previously unchartered lunar territory.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/moon_farside_volcanic-episodes_Change-6-mission_landing_credit-CLEP_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/moon_farside_volcanic-episodes_Change-6-mission_landing_credit-CLEP_1s.webp" alt="China's Chang’e-6 mission spacecraft landed on the far side of the Moon. Credit: CLAP" class="wp-image-1950787"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">China's Chang’e-6 mission spacecraft landed on the far side of the Moon. Credit: CLAP </figcaption></figure>



More than just understanding the Moon, these lunar soil samples also have implications for some broad astronomical theories.



The new data indicates a constant impact flux after 2.83 billion years, which can offer new insights into planet migration in the early Solar System. 



So, by looking at the Moon, we are indirectly learning about our own cosmic neighborhood as well!



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



With more missions like the Chang'e-6, the future will undoubtedly bring many enlightening discoveries about our constant celestial companion.



In the end, we see that the Moon, despite its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-may-have-captured-the-moon-from-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">familiar appearance</a>, still hides untold secrets waiting to be discovered. 



These lunar missions represent a new age of lunar and planetary exploration that pushes the boundaries of our understanding.



-----



The researchers from the <a href="https://english.cas.cn" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> express their gratitude for the support received from various institutes such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. These institutions' enduring support enables such important lunar explorations.



The study is published in the journals <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08382-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> and <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt1093" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Far side of the Moon had volcanic eruptions for over one billion years

You've undoubtedly noticed that the Moon has two distinct sides, right? The near side that we see from Earth and the far side that remains a mystery because it is never turned towards us. This unusual lunar characteristic -- a global dichotomy -- is what a team of scientists led by Professor XU Yigang from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (GIGCAS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been investigating. They have been studying lunar soil samples collected from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on the far...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-021-02707-9?utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=commission_junction&amp;utm_campaign=3_nsn6445_deeplink_PID100032693&amp;utm_content=deeplink#Fig4">Nature Communications Biology</a> has recently reported on a previously undocumented mass extinction event that occurred after the transition from the Eocene to the Oligocene geological period, approximately 30 million years ago. 



The event was caused by dramatic climate change that transformed the swampy lands of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula into icy landscapes, and resulted in the extinction of 63 percent of the Earth’s species.



By gathering data on hundreds of fossils from various sites in Africa, an international research team has found that all five mammal groups populating the Earth at the end of the Eocene period suffered massive losses at the onset of the Oligocene. “It&nbsp;was a real reset button,” said study lead author Dorien de Vries, a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.salford.ac.uk/">University of Salford</a>.&nbsp;



Although after a few million years, these mammal groups start appearing again in the fossil record, they are not identical with their earlier counterparts. “It's very clear that there was a huge extinction event, and then a recovery period,” claimed study co-author Steven Heritage, a researcher and digital preparator at the <a href="https://lemur.duke.edu/">Duke Lemur Center Museum of Natural History</a>.



The scientists found evidence of these changes in the animals’ teeth. The rodents and primates that reappeared after a few million years had different teeth, so they most probably ate different things, and had different habitats. “We see a huge loss in tooth diversity, and then a recovery period with new dental shapes and new adaptations,” reported de Vries.



This pattern of initial decline in diversity followed by recovery confirms that the mass extinction event at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary acted as an evolutionary bottleneck by destroying most lineages, but leaving a few of them survive and later on diversify.



“In our anthropoid ancestors, diversity bottoms out to almost nothing around 30 million years ago, leaving them with a single tooth type,” explained study senior co-author Erik R. Seiffert, Professor and Chair of the <a href="https://keck.usc.edu/integrative-anatomical-sciences/">Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences</a> at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. “That ancestral tooth shape determined what was possible in terms of later dietary diversification.”



“There's an interesting story about the role of that bottleneck in our own early evolutionary history. We came pretty close to never existing, if our monkey-like ancestors had gone extinct 30 million years ago. Luckily they didn’t.”



Image credit: Matt Borths/Duke University



---



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

Fossils reveal a previously unknown mass extinction event

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications Biology...

A new study has concluded that levels of daily <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainfall-is-not-the-primary-source-of-mercury-in-the-ocean/">rainfall</a> and extreme heat events are increasing at a non-linear rate across the globe. The researchers used observational data to calculate the current levels of 3-sigma and 4-sigma heat events, weather events that deviate strongly from what is normal within a specific region.&nbsp;



The study revealed that the range of land area that is being affected by extreme weather events has increased by 9000% in the last decade compared to the time period from 1951 to 1980.



“For extreme extremes, what we call 4-sigma-events that have been virtually absent before, we even see a roughly 1000-fold increase compared to the reference period. They affected about 3 percent of global land area in 2011-20 in any month,” explained study lead author Alexander Robinson.&nbsp;



“This confirms previous findings, yet with ever-increasing numbers. We are seeing extremes now which are virtually impossible without the influence of global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels.”



Key examples of such extreme weather include the wildfire-inducing heatwaves of Siberia and Australia in 2020, and the life-threatening temperatures that struck North America in 2021. Record-breaking heat extremes have increased most significantly across tropical regions, but the study suggests that the problem will become increasingly common in mid-to-high latitude regions in the near future.



Furthermore, the researchers discovered that record daily rainfall events are also increasing in a non-linear fashion, with 1 in 4 of these being attributable to climate change, and showing no signs of slowing down. Wet regions such as central and North Europe have seen strong increases in rainfall extremes leading to devastating flooding, whilst dry regions such as South Africa have seen decreases leading to further drought.



Ultimately, the experts compared the new data with data collected between 2000 and 2010. They concluded that areas being affected by 3-sigma events approximately doubled. Deviations from this data which are so extreme that they were not present in previous data have emerged, being named "4-sigma events."



“These data show that extremes are now far outside the historical experience. Extreme heat and extreme rainfall are increasing disproportionally,” explained co-author Stefan Rahmstorf, from the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a>. “Our analysis confirms once again that for the impacts of global heating on us humans, every tenth of a degree matters.”



The research has been published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/npjclimatsci/">Climate and Atmospheric Science</a>.



---



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

Extreme heat events are becoming increasingly common

A new study has concluded that levels of daily rainfall...

New research led by <a href="https://www.fsu.edu/">Florida State University</a> (FSU) has found a link between an individual’s sense of purpose in life, cognitive function, and autobiographical memory. The study suggests that individuals with a higher sense of purpose in life experience more vivid autobiographical memories. While both a sense of purpose and cognitive function make memories easier to recall, only the sense of purpose seems to increase memories’ vividness and coherence.



“Personal memories serve really important functions in everyday life,” said study lead author Angelina Sutin, a professor in the <a href="https://med.fsu.edu/">College of Medicine</a> at FSU. “They help us to set goals, control emotions and build intimacy with others. We also know people with a greater sense of purpose perform better on objective memory tests, like remembering a list of words. We were interested in whether purpose was also associated with the quality of memories of important personal experiences because such qualities may be one reason why purpose is associated with better mental and physical health.”



The scientists studied 800 participants who reported on their sense of purpose and completed tasks measuring their cognitive processing speed in January and February 2020, before the onset of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-one-third-of-americans-had-covid-19-by-the-end-of-2020/">COVID-19 pandemic</a>. Five months later, researchers measured participants’ ability to retrieve and describe autobiographical memories related to the pandemic.&nbsp;



“We chose to measure the ability to recall memories associated with the COVID-19 pandemic because the pandemic is an event that touched everyone, but there has been a wide range of experiences and reactions to it that should be apparent in memories,” explained co-author Martina Luchetti, an assistant professor of Behavioral Science and Social Medicine at FSU.



Participants with a stronger sense of purpose reported more accessible, coherent, and especially vivid memories than those with less purpose. Moreover, they described more sensory details, spoke mostly from a first-person perspective, and reported more positive feelings related to their memories.



“Memories help people to sustain their well-being, social connections and cognitive health,” said co-author Antonio Terracciano, a professor of Geriatrics at FSU. “This research gives us more insight into the connections between a sense of purpose and the richness of personal memories. The vividness of those memories and how they fit into a coherent narrative may be one pathway through which purpose leads to these better outcomes,” he concluded.



The study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09658211.2021.1966472?journalCode=pmem20">Memory</a>.



---



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

Having a sense of purpose improves memory

New research led by Florida State University (FSU) has found...

Planet,Earth.,Eastern,Hemisphere.,This,Image,Elements,Furnished,By,Nasa.

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031920121001606?via%3Dihub">Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors</a> has found that the Earth’s inner core is not completely solid and homogeneous as previously thought, but consists instead of a range of liquid, soft, and hard structures.



Scientists have long thought that our planet’s inner core, located 3,200 miles beneath the Earth’s surface, was solid - in contrast to the liquid metal region surrounding it. Recently, a research team led by the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa</a> has investigated the composition of the Earth’s interior by using earthquake waves. As seismic waves move through the layers of Earth, their velocity changes and they may reflect or refract, depending on the minerals, temperatures, and densities of the layer through which pay pass.&nbsp;



“Illuminated by earthquakes in the crust and upper mantle, and observed by seismic observatories at Earth's surface, seismology offers the only direct way to investigate the inner core and its processes,” explained study lead author, Rhett Butler, a geophysicist at the University of Hawai’i.



Together with Seiji Tsuboi, a research scientist at the <a href="http://www.jamstec.go.jp/e/">Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology</a>, Professor Butler used data from seismometers directly opposite to the location where an earthquake was generated to clarify the structure of the Earth’s inner core. With the help of Japan's Earth Simulator supercomputer, the researchers assessed five pairings (Tonga and Algeria, Indonesia and Brazil, and three between Chile and China) in order to cover as fully as possible the inner core region.&nbsp;



“In stark contrast to the homogeneous, soft iron alloys considered in all Earth models of the inner core since the 1970's, our models suggest there are adjacent regions of hard, soft, and liquid or mushy iron alloys in the top 150 miles of the inner core,” explained Butler.&nbsp;“This puts new constraints upon the composition, thermal history, and evolution of Earth.”&nbsp;



The discovery of the Earth’s inner core diverse structure will provide important new data about the nature of the interaction between the Earth’s inner and outer cores, the complex dynamics characterizing this interaction, and the ways in which these regions affect the Earth’s geomagnetic field.



---



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

Earth’s inner core is less solid than previously thought

A new study published in the journal Physics of the...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169534721002238">Trends in Ecology &amp; Evolution</a> examined the various strategies through which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/houseplants-improve-mood-and-productivity/">plants</a> disperse their seeds. By investigating the intricacies of the chemical ecology of seed dispersal, a research team led by <a href="https://vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a> aims to clarify how chemicals impact the interaction between fruit and the animals that eat them.



“Our understanding of the chemical ecology of seed dispersal is still pretty basic. A lot of the chemicals in fruits haven’t yet been described, and we know very little about the functions that these chemicals may have,” said study lead author Annika Nelson.



Just like humans and other animals, plants seem to want their offspring to be successful once they leave the “nest.” In order to have the highest chances of success, seeds need to be planted far away from their parents to minimize competition for nutrients, water, or light. Yet, since plants are rooted in the ground, they have to get creative for their dispersal strategies.



While plants like the Virginia stickseed make their seeds sticky so they cling to passers-by, and maple trees have created winged-seeds that can glide with the wind, most plants enlist the help of animals. By enclosing their seeds in appealing, delicious fruit, plants attract animals who eat the fruits and defecate them in different locations.&nbsp;



The chemicals plants use to lure potential seed dispensers are called secondary metabolites and give fruit their distinctive color and flavor. Since timing is crucial for proper seed dispersion, these metabolites notify animals when it is the right time for them to harvest the fruits.



“Ripe fruits are often a lot smellier and tastier than unripe fruits on purpose,” explained Nelson. “It communicates to animals when fruits are ready to be removed. If seeds are removed from a plant before they are fully developed, they often won’t survive.”



Sometimes, secondary metabolites can also have repelling effects, in order to prevent animals from destroying the seeds or to defend them from various viruses or bacteria. Plants must continuously strike a careful balance between attracting animals to distribute their seeds and fending off predators.&nbsp;



“Because the same metabolites can serve multiple functions across different seed dispersal stages, with the potential for complex trade-offs, examining their effects under multiple contexts is necessary to understand their adaptive significance,” the authors concluded.



---



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

How plants disperse their seeds

A new study published in the journal Trends in Ecology...

The,Sun,Beautifully,Illuminating,The,Green,Treetops,Of,Tall,Beech

Plants interact with their environments and are exceptionally sensitive to changes in light intensity and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/past-temperatures-are-revealed-by-the-size-of-animals/">temperature</a>. This enables them to respond to seasonal fluctuations in day length, to “sense” morning and evening times, and to avoid the shading effects of other, nearby vegetation. Light and temperature are thus important environmental cues that affect almost all aspects of plant growth and development.&nbsp;



Previous research has shown that a light-sensitive protein, called phytochrome B (PHYB), is involved in a plant’s ability to detect light and temperature conditions. This protein conveys information into the cell that changes the expression of genes by switching some on and others off.&nbsp;



Gene regulation by PHYB alters the plant’s growth responses. But phytochrome B cannot interact directly with the plant’s DNA. For that, plant cells rely on a family of eight proteins called phytochrome-interacting transcription factors (PIFs). &nbsp;



Professor Meng Chen of UC Riverside is the lead author of a recent study investigating the exact biochemical means by which PHYB controls the activity of PIFs. She explained that the PIF protein activity is directly controlled by phytochrome.



The research finds that, in addition to controlling the amount of PIFs that accumulate in plant cells, light-activated phytochrome B also inhibits the activity of the PIFs.&nbsp;



“PIFs are like chefs in a restaurant. You can regulate the number of them. Get rid of half, for example and you reduce the restaurant’s productivity,” explained Chen.&nbsp;



“Alternatively, you could keep all chefs – in our case, PIFs – but tie up their hands. That could also slow down their work the same as getting rid of half of them. That’s what we’re saying.” &nbsp;



These transcription factors have two parts that enable them to carry out this function; one part that binds to genes, and one that activates the genes. This controls the extent to which plants perform different functions, such as growing stems, growing leaves or flowering.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study by Professor Meng and colleagues pinpointed the precise location on the PIFs where a plant’s genes are activated. This is the first time that activator regions have been located in plant cells.&nbsp;



In order to achieve this, the researchers chopped the PIF proteins into small sections and tested experimentally whether any of the pieces was able to activate the genes of cress plants, Arabidopsis thaliana. They found that one of them was able to do this.&nbsp;



For more detail, the scientists then changed the amino acids on a PIF, where they believed the activator region to reside, and observed how the plant responded. This allowed them to be sure where the gene activator region is located as well as how it is built.&nbsp;



“This approach allowed us to surprisingly recognize the similarities between this part of the PIF in plants and a tumor-suppressing protein in humans." In fact, Professor Chen said that the basic gene activation mechanisms in plant, yeast, and animal cells bear remarkable similarities to one another.&nbsp;



“Plants, animals, and fungi (like baker’s yeast) all evolved from a common ancestor, Genetic information in DNA converts to RNA to protein, and that basic function is conserved through these gene activators across three kingdoms of life, before plants, animals and fungi diverged.” &nbsp;



The main application of this research is to enhance the growth and productivity of crop plants in order to increase their yield. For example, crop plants that are planted too close together are able to detect the presence of shadows cast by their neighbors and then to alter their growth pattern to avoid the shade.&nbsp;



This may result in plants that grow long stems to reach unshaded patches of sunlight. If the stems are not edible then the energy used to grow them is wasted energy. It would be preferable if the plant channeled this energy instead into producing edible parts, such as fruits, seeds or leaves.



“You don’t want only stems to grow, you want yield,” explained Professor Chen. “For that, plants need energy to make leaves so they can increase photosynthesis, the process of making food out of sunlight. You want the right part of the plant to grow.”



By reducing the activity or concentration of PIF proteins, Chen’s group demonstrated they could slow down stem growth. Ultimately, the study has uncovered a precise way to make the plants grow shorter, so that seeds, fruit and edible portions of the plant could grow, even in shade.



“Now we know how plants turn genes on and off in response to changes in light and temperature,” said Professor Chen. “It’s the first step toward controlling their responses to light and temperature, and making them more tolerant of different, sometimes challenging environments in a changing climate.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-25909-5">Nature Communications</a>&nbsp;



---



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

A plant’s response to light can be manipulated

Plants interact with their environments and are exceptionally sensitive to...

A new study suggests that peanuts aren’t just a tasty element of a balanced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-mind-diet-slows-cognitive-decline/">diet</a>, but are also excellent for promoting cognitive function and healthy stress responses in young adults. 



The study, led by the <a href="https://www.ub.edu/web/portal/en/">University of Barcelona</a>, was focused on 63 healthy adults between the ages of 19 and 33 who regularly ate peanuts. The team conducted a range of cognitive analysis tests related to the biochemical indicators of stress responses such as cortisol.&nbsp;



Ultimately, the researchers found that the levels of bioactive compounds related to many health benefits were higher in those who regularly ate peanuts.



“There is evidence suggesting a bidirectional relationship between phenolic compounds and gut microbiota, and some authors have observed an improvement of brain and general health after a polyphenol-rich intervention," explained study co-author Sara Hurtado.



"The prebiotic substances present in peanuts - such as polyphenols - can affect cognition and the mood indirectly through interactions with the gut microbiota and enhance microbiota gut-brain axis."



The study revealed that the compounds that led to health benefits included resveratrol and p-coumaric acid, in addition to short-chain fatty acids and peanut-specific long-chain saturated fatty acids. These results were confirmed in a control group of participants who were given peanut butter that was free of prebiotic substances. Among this group, the cognitive benefits were not evident.



Interestingly, the researchers found that the effects were no different among participants who ate peanut butter instead of whole peanuts, and no age-related differences were found either.&nbsp;



“This is another element of interest in the study, since many nutritional studies show significant differences in patients or subjects with a high risk of suffering diseases, especially the elderly." noted the researchers.



“The high content of prebiotic fiber and polyphenols in peanuts could explain its beneficial effects on the gut microbiota. Due to its poor absorption, fiber and most polyphenols directly reach the colon, where they are metabolized by the microbiota and can modulate the brain biochemistry by acting as neurotransmitters in the central nervous system,” said Hurtado.&nbsp;



“Short-chain fatty acids - such as acetic, propionic, and butyric acids, are the main metabolites produced by gut microbiota, and they seem to have effects against various diseases, including depression and neurodegenerative diseases.”



While the study shows promising results, further research is needed to confirm the conclusions. Using larger studies, the researchers aim to expand the range of studies into the mechanisms involved in the microbiota-gut-brain axis when peanut products are consumed regularly.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The research has been published in <a href="https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/">Clinical Nutrition</a>.



---



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

Peanuts improve cognitive function in young adults

A new study suggests that peanuts aren’t just a tasty...

The world’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-destroyed-14-percent-of-the-worlds-coral-reefs/">climate</a> is changing, across the globe, and associated with this is a growing sense of impending disaster at the situation. Eco-anxiety – defined as the chronic fear of environmental doom – is on the rise, according to Mala Rao and Richard A Powell, in an opinion piece published recently in the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/">British Medical Journal</a>.



Although not yet formally considered a diagnosable condition, eco-anxiety is being recognized by more and more psychologists and psychiatrists, particularly among patients who are children, youth or from communities that have the least resources to overcome the adverse consequences of the climate crisis.&nbsp;



The authors refer to a 2020 survey of child psychiatrists in England that found more than half (57%) are seeing children and young people distressed about the climate crisis and the state of the environment.&nbsp;



Climate anxiety is not confined to the UK either, as confirmed recently by the “largest and most international” survey of climate anxiety in young people aged 16 to 25 to date. The results showed that the psychological (emotional, cognitive, social, and functional) burdens of climate change are “profoundly affecting huge numbers of these young people round the world.”



Young people also feel a sense of betrayal and abandonment by governments and adults, noted the researchers. For not only are there warnings from climate change groups that “greenhouse gas emissions from fossil-fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk,” but also there seems to be great inertia on the part of many adults, including those in positions of power, to take any significant action. Leaders are consequently seen as failing to respond adequately, leaving young people with “no future” and “humanity doomed.”



In addition, it is likely that the effects of increasing eco-anxiety on health and wellbeing will add substantially to the national cost of addressing the climate crisis, particularly if these effects are not dealt with timeously. There is evidence linking the experience of climate change effects with increased risks of depression, low mood, extreme mental distress, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide, and further deterioration in those with a history of mental illness, explained the experts.



And they call on leaders to “recognize the challenges ahead, the need to act now, and the commitment necessary to create a path to a happier and healthier future, leaving no one behind.”



According to Rao and Powell, there are ways we can alleviate the rising levels of climate anxiety.



“The best chance of increasing optimism and hope in the eco-anxious young and old is to ensure they have access to the best and most reliable information on climate mitigation and adaptation."



“Especially important is information on how they could connect more strongly with nature, contribute to greener choices at an individual level, and join forces with like-minded communities and groups.”



“The climate crisis is an existential threat, and fearfulness about the future cannot be fully tackled until a common, united, global strategy is put in place to address the root cause, global warming, and to give everyone – especially the young and the most vulnerable communities – the hope of a better future.”



---



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

As the climate crisis intensifies, eco-anxiety is on the rise

The world’s climate is changing, across the globe, and associated...

Experts at <a href="https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/">Hokkaido University</a> are describing a previously unknown infectious disease that has emerged in Japan. Dubbed the “Yezo virus," the novel virus is transmitted through tick bites and is characterized by fever and lowered levels of blood platelets and leukocytes.&nbsp;



"At least seven people have been infected with this new virus in Japan since 2014, but, so far, no deaths have been confirmed," said virologist Keita Matsuno.



The Yezo virus was discovered in 2019 when a man was treated for fever and pain after a tick bite received while walking in a nearby forest. After being treated and discharged, hospital tests showed the man wasn’t infected by any known disease. Later the same year, a second patient was infected by the same disease.&nbsp;



It appears from genetic analysis that the disease is an orthonairovirus, a type of nairovirus and relative of the cCrimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. After checking blood samples from hospital patients, the scientists have discovered that at least five people have been infected with Yezo virus since 2014.&nbsp;



While looking for the root of the Yezo virus, scientists discovered antibodies for the disease in raccoons and deer, suggesting they had previously been infected. The RNA from the virus was also found in three species of tick in the area, showing that the disease has established itself and is spreading in Hokkaido at least.&nbsp;



Scientists are concerned that it has likely spread beyond the island. During the current pandemic, it seems especially important to keep tabs on a newly discovered infectious disease. 



“All of the cases of Yezo virus infection we know of so far did not turn into fatalities, but it's very likely that the disease is found beyond Hokkaido, so we need to urgently investigate its spread," said Matsuno.



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



---



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

New infectious disease discovered in Japan

Experts at Hokkaido University are describing a previously unknown infectious...

Killer whales are some of the most widespread <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/it-remains-unclear-which-mammals-can-survive-climate-change/">mammals</a> in the world. A recent study led by the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> in Canada has found a previously unknown type of killer whale living off the west coast of the United States. These so-called “outer coast transient whales” prefer deep water for hunting, have a unique high-pitched vocal dialect, and prey on large sea mammals, including even other species of whales, such as the baby grey whales.



By analyzing over 100,000 photographs of killer whales taken off the United States west coast, the research team discovered a species that lives and hunts hundreds of kilometers further from the coast than the typical killer whales, in the offshore waters between Oregon and central California.



“Killer whales are found all over the world,” said study lead author Josh McInnes, a master’s student at the University of British Columbia. “They spend most of their time in coastal waters, but we’re now finding that they do inhabit the offshore oceanic waters. And there’s basically nothing known about them out there.”



The outer coast killer whale is thought to be a subspecies of Bigg’s killer whales, which are known for their highly coordinated hunting patterns. However, researchers found significant differences between these whales and their coastal cousins. While Bigg’s transients hunt smaller mammals, such as harbor seals and porpoises, the outer coast ones prefer elephant seals, oceanic dolphins, and even grey whale calves.



Besides having different habitats and dietary preferences, outer coast and nearshore whales also seem to have different dialects. According to McInnes, because of the need to be heard above the roar of offshore winds, the outer coast whales use higher pitched calls than their nearshore counterparts.&nbsp;



“People talk about biodiversity a lot,” said Lawrence Dill, a behavioral ecologist at <a href="https://www.sfu.ca/">Simon Fraser University</a> in British Columbia. “Most people tend to understand that as species diversity. It’s important to realize that within species, sometimes even within a population, there’s behavioral diversity.” The discovery of outer coast transient whales is an important step forward in understanding the diversity characterizing the world’s killer whales.



The study is published by the&nbsp;<a href="https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/30740">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>.&nbsp;



---



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

Scientists discover a new type of killer whale

Killer whales are some of the most widespread mammals in...

New research from <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> shows that tidal marshes - the ecosystem where freshwater meets the ocean - are likely to be flooded by rising sea levels in New Jersey. The study, including potential solutions to save the marshes, was published in the journal <a href="https://cdnsciencepub.com/journal/anc">Anthropocene Coasts</a>.&nbsp;



Study lead author Judith Weis explained how a marsh is destroyed by sea level rise, “Faced with sea level rise, a marsh has two options - it can either increase its elevation at a rate equal to that of sea level rise or it can migrate inland. Otherwise, it will be submerged and drown.”



Marshes are an important habitat for a collection of birds, fishes, crabs and other invertebrates. Tidal marshes are also valuable buffer zones against storms and absorb toxic pollutants, acting as a type of natural filter.&nbsp;



When researchers looked at tidal marshes in New Jersey, they found that half of those investigated were being lost to erosion due to sea level rise. The scientists found that some of this loss was being compensated by the marshes “marching” inland as the sea rose.



Unfortunately, the marsh moving inland sometimes kills trees by exposing them to salt water. Furthermore, such movement isn’t possible everywhere - especially in developed areas.&nbsp;



The researchers also found something unexpected. The tidal marshes moving most substantially away from rising sea levels were occupied by the invasive common reed (Phragmites australis). Although the reed reduces plant diversity, it allows marshes to move. When they die, the reeds accumulate sediment which raises the marsh level. This acts as a better buffer to flooding than natural grasses.&nbsp;



“Some reeds should be left on the marsh surface to give the marsh a better chance of keeping up with sea level rise," said Weis. "This will be controversial and likely opposed by many marsh managers, which will require a revolutionary change in marsh management.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://cdnsciencepub.com/journal/anc">Anthropocene Coasts</a>.



---



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

New Jersey's tidal marshes are vanishing

New research from Rutgers University shows that tidal marshes -...

A new <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.24.461654v1">study</a> led by the <a href="https://www.mun.ca/">Memorial University of Newfoundland</a> in Canada has found that snowshoe hares are starting to lose their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glass-frogs-rely-on-a-previously-unknown-form-of-camouflage/">camouflage</a> abilities due to climate change. Mismatched traits, such as coat color change misaligned with seasonal patterns, generally decrease survival rates in animals. But now, researchers discovered that in the case of the snowshoe hare, coat change functions may actually confer advantages that supersede mismatch costs.



Snowshoe hares are typically found in northern United States and Canada, and until recently, would turn white in the winter, and rusty brown in the summer and autumn, in order to appear less visible to a wide range of predators, such as foxes, coyotes, or bobcats.&nbsp;



However, with climate change altering seasonal patterns, snowshoe hares’ coat colors are becoming increasingly mismatched with their environments, making scientists worry that their mortality risks due to predation will increase. Strangely, this has not happened: only one in seven hares that were captured by predators were mismatched.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Researchers studied 347 snowshoe hares in southwest Yukon during three autumns and four springs between 2015 and 2018. They found that white coated hares rummaging through a brown autumn environment did not face more danger than their matched counterparts. In fact, they even seemed to fare better. “We found that mismatch reduced rather than increased autumn mortality risk of snowshoe hares in Yukon by 86.5 percent,” said the study authors.&nbsp;



The scientists suspect that the white coating might provide more insulation which helps hares spend less energy while foraging. “We suggest that the increased coat insulation and lower metabolic rates of winter acclimatized hares confer energetic advantages to white mismatched hares that reduce their mortality risk,” they explained.



Moreover, the researchers discovered that during autumn, white mismatched hares foraged between 17 and 77 minutes less per day than the matched brown hares, thus lowering their predation risk and increasing survival.



However, no effects of mismatch on spring mortality risks were found. According to the study authors, this suggests “a potential temperature limit where the costs of conspicuousness outweigh energetic benefits.”



With climate change accelerating, it is not yet clear how the snowshoe hares’ traits, behavior, and survival rates will evolve. Further research is needed to understand how animals adapt to major and rapid environmental changes.&nbsp;



---



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

Snowshoe hares with less camouflage can still avoid predators

A new study led by the Memorial University of Newfoundland...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"]</div>



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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



---



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...