Solar storms have attracted curiosity for centuries. People often admire the bright colors they cause in the sky, but they rarely suspect that these same solar events can bring widespread outages that force industries to a grinding halt.



Many experts say the risk may be rising because our world depends more and more on advanced technology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-solar-storms-start">How solar storms start</h2>



<a href="https://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/SunspotCycle.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Solar flares</a>, which are bursts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noaa-severe-solar-storm-expected-to-reach-earth-tomorrow-october-10-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high-energy particles</a> from the Sun, cause these disruptions. When those particles reach Earth, they interact with the atmosphere in ways that sometimes produce remarkable light shows.&nbsp;



They can also feed into our power grids and satellites - which may lead to major problems. The current solar cycle is expected to reach its most intense phase through <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasa-noaa-sun-reaches-maximum-phase-in-11-year-solar-cycle/">2025</a>, making scientists vigilant of the storms that may unfold.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-dangers-of-solar-storms">Potential dangers of solar storms</h2>



Experts from many corners of the globe have sounded alarm bells about these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strong-solar-storm-warning-issued-as-two-cmes-will-hit-earth-tomorrow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a>. 



Dr. Kęstutis Ikamas from Vilnius University points to serious vulnerabilities in places with large power <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12507/severe-space-weather-events-understanding-societal-and-economic-impacts-a">networks</a>, such as the United States and Canada. He has studied the unpredictable nature of solar storms and sees a need for widespread protective measures.



“A strong geomagnetic storm could incapacitate vital systems such as electricity, water supply, and telecommunications, leading to extended blackouts, communication breakdowns, and logistical paralysis,” explained Dr. Ikamas, who also warned that months-long disruptions might follow in the worst scenario.&nbsp;



One event in 1859, known as the <a href="https://scijinks.gov/what-was-the-carrington-event/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carrington Event</a>, caused telegraph networks to fail across continents. That was at a time when technology was nowhere near as complex as it is today.&nbsp;



More recently, a 2022 solar disturbance caused 40 newly launched Starlink satellites to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, taking a serious toll on the mission.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-large-countries-face-higher-risks">Large countries face higher risks</h2>



Extended electricity lines cover thousands of miles across certain regions. That makes them sensitive to currents induced by solar storms. 



According to Dr. Ikamas, a blast of charged particles can spark voltage swings that damage transformers. When that happens on a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/auroras-and-severe-solar-storms-will-continue-through-tomorrow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wide scale</a>, entire power grids are at risk of being knocked out for an unknown length of time.



Systems that protect satellites and power grids do exist, but they may not hold up against a massive solar storm. Organizations often weigh the cost of upgrading equipment against the chance of a storm happening soon.&nbsp;



Meanwhile, NOAA uses a G1 through G5 <a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scale</a> to categorize the intensity of geomagnetic storms. The effects become more severe at each level, with the most intense storms putting everything from radio signals to entire networks in jeopardy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-concern-for-space-travelers-and-wildlife">Concern for space travelers and wildlife</h2>



Humans on Earth are not the only ones in harm’s way. Astronauts orbiting outside our planet’s magnetic shield can be exposed to harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-storm-triggered-stunning-auroras-worldwide-october-11-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radiation</a>. That may force agencies to adjust schedules for spacewalks and other tasks.&nbsp;



Additionally, animals that rely on magnetic fields for navigation might lose their usual sense of direction during these solar storms. Some bird species and marine life have been <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2306317120" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">noted</a> to show unusual migration paths when solar activity spikes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-cooperation-is-key">Global cooperation is key</h2>



Dr. Ikamas believes individual action, while useful, is not enough to fight these large-scale threats. This is especially true in an era when countries are more interlinked by communication systems than ever before.&nbsp;



He suggests that technology producers, utility companies, and governments need to come together with detailed protocols that can be put into place if a sudden storm warning appears.



Some experts compare the investments required for stronger safeguards to insurance premiums. The immediate expense may seem big, but the price tag could soar into the trillions if a crisis actually hits.&nbsp;



With digital networks stretching across continents, an outage in one region can have almost immediate effects in other regions. Dr. Ikamas warns that limited spending on grid upgrades today might open the door to large-scale chaos down the road.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-major-solar-storms-are-rare">Major solar storms are rare</h2>



Even though major solar storms are rare, the chance of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noaa-warning-strong-solar-storm-headed-to-earth-auroras-expected-sept-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">powerful one</a> happening in the next few years has sparked conversations among scientists, policymakers, and power companies.&nbsp;



“If a strong storm is reported, individuals should disconnect their devices from power sources to prevent damage,” said Dr. Ikamas. He noted that bigger protection calls for considerable investments on a global scale.



Information for this article came from a <a href="https://www.riverreporter.com/stories/the-beauty-and-danger-of-solar-storms,179702">press release</a> in the River Reporter.



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The next big solar storm could plunge us into darkness

Solar storms have attracted curiosity for centuries. People often admire the bright colors they cause in the sky, but they rarely suspect that these same solar events can bring widespread outages that force industries to a grinding halt. Many experts say the risk may be rising because our world depends more and more on advanced technology. How solar storms start Solar flares, which are bursts of high-energy particles from the Sun, cause these disruptions. When those particles reach Earth, they interact with the atmosphere in ways that...

A new grafting technique could help protect bananas and other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-can-slow-global-warming-but-they-cannot-stop-it/">plants</a> from destructive diseases. Scientists at the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> have used embryonic tissue from certain plant seeds to promote disease resistance and other beneficial traits.&nbsp;



Grafting involves joining the shoot of one plant with the root of another so that they merge and grow together as one. Previously, experts did not believe it was possible to apply grafting to grass-like plants known as monocotyledons. This was because they lack a certain type of tissue - the vascular cambium - in their stem.



But now, the Cambridge team has demonstrated that root and shoot tissues taken from the seeds of monocotyledonous grasses can be successfully fused together. This breakthrough could benefit an estimated 60,000 types of monocotyledons, including major crops like rice and wheat.



According to the study authors, the research has implications for the control of serious soil-borne pathogens including Panama Disease, which has been destroying banana plantations for over 30 years. This disease has recently been spreading at an increasing rate, prompting fears of global banana shortages.



“We’ve achieved something that everyone said was impossible. Grafting embryonic tissue holds real potential across a range of grass-like species. We found that even distantly related species, separated by deep evolutionary time, are graft compatible,” said study senior author Professor Julian Hibberd.



A series of tests revealed that the grafting technique is effective in a range of monocotyledonous crop plants including pineapple, banana, onion, and tequila agave.



“I read back over decades of research papers on grafting and everybody said that it couldn’t be done in monocots. I was stubborn enough to keep going - for years - until I proved them wrong,” said study first author Dr. Greg Reeves.



"It’s an urgent challenge to make important food crops resistant to the diseases that are destroying them. Our technique allows us to add disease resistance, or other beneficial properties like salt-tolerance, to grass-like plants without resorting to genetic modification or lengthy breeding programs.”



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



---



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

New breakthrough will promote disease resistance in bananas

A new grafting technique could help protect bananas and other...

The James Webb Space Telescope is now officially the largest telescope ever to be launched into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/space-travel-can-cause-brain-damage/">space</a>. On Christmas morning - after a decade of delays - Webb was launched at 7:20 a.m. on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, South America.



Webb is the product of 40 million hours of work by thousands of scientists from around the globe. The world’s most complex space observatory will now begin six months of commissioning in space. After this time, Webb will deliver its first images.&nbsp;



“Webb’s launch is a pivotal moment that exemplifies the dedication, innovation, and ambition behind NASA and its partners, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Canadian Space Agency (CSA), but it is only the beginning,” said NASA.



“The 29 days following liftoff will be an exciting but harrowing time. Thousands of parts must work correctly, in sequence, to unfold Webb and put it in its final configuration, all while it flies through the expanse of space alone, to a destination nearly one million miles away.”



Equipped with highly sensitive infrared detectors of unprecedented resolution, Webb will study infrared light from celestial objects with remarkable clarity.&nbsp;



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> will use Webb to observe asteroids and newborn planets, as well as black holes in distant galaxies.



UQ astrophysicist Dr Benjamin Pope said he is excited by the capabilities of the telescope, which is widely considered as the successor to the famed Hubble Space Telescope (HST) launched in 1990.



"The JWST will go dramatically beyond what any telescope has been able to do - it will see some of the first stars in the universe, billions of light years away," said Dr. Pope.



"By looking at exoplanets as they transit, it will measure their atmospheric composition and detect water and other molecules that could indicate planets capable of sustaining life. It changes the game on how we observe planets, stars, asteroids, and the universe around us."



"One of the main benefits of a space telescope such as the JWST is that it overcomes one of the biggest problems facing astronomers - the atmosphere blocking their view of the wider universe. Such a powerful space telescope will put us on the doorstep of some incredible discoveries."



Professor Holger Baumgardt will use the JWST for a series of observation projects aimed at identifying and studying black holes in distant galaxies. "Specifically, we'll be searching for supermassive black holes in the centers of nearby galaxies."



"Our aim is to understand the relationship between the mass of both black holes and the galaxies that host them and learn how these supermassive black holes formed."



Dr. Pope said the future of astronomy looks bright, with answers to some of astronomy's most important questions within reach.



"JWST will give us a clearer picture of the origins of our own Solar System, and our best ever glimpses of the other weird and wonderful systems of planets in the Galaxy."



According to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, the James Webb Space Telescope represents the ambition that NASA and our partners maintain to propel us forward into the future. “The promise of Webb is not what we know we will discover; it’s what we don’t yet understand or can’t yet fathom about our universe. I can’t wait to see what it uncovers!”



---



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

Webb will completely change how we view the universe

The James Webb Space Telescope is now officially the largest...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17524598">Insect Conservation and Diversity</a> reveals a previously unsuspected diversity among iberian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-explain-spiders-complex-mating-choreography/">spiders</a>. The research shows that iberian spiders- which use silk to create aerial webs and "balloon" to travel through air carried by their silk - are more homogenous and connected genetically than nocturnal spiders that hunt on the ground at night.&nbsp;



The research is one of many studies using new genetic methods to catalog a quickly disappearing biodiversity in an attempt to also save vulnerable species. The study was led by Professor Miquel Arnedo at the <a href="https://briwildlife.org/">Biodiversity Research Institute</a> of the University of Barcelona.



"In different cases, the delimitation of species based on genetic information has revealed the existence of well differenced lineages within the same species," said Professor Arnedo.



"These lineages could simply reflect populations that are less connected to each other. However, in some cases, this could indicate the potential existence of a hidden diversity that we had not found before, if we consider the morphological characters exclusively."



"Therefore, we have found that species such as Eratigena montigena or Nuctenea umbratica have different lineages that had been unnoticed due to the strong morphological similarities between them. Future studies with these species will determine whether these lineages correspond to different species”.



Study first author Marc Domènech said that variability in a population is important for the survival of a species. He explained that genetic variability is a fundamental factor to ensure the adaptation skills and to deal with environmental changes since it is the substrate on which natural selection acts.



Dispersal is also important, allowing a larger population settling in diverse habitats, thus giving a greater likelihood of survival.



“Regarding the species with a low dispersal capacity, if a population disappears due to some external perturbation, it is even harder to repopulate the area it occupied at the beginning," said Domènech.



"The fragmentation of the habitats is one of the most negative effects derived from the alteration of natural environments. Therefore, it is important to ensure the existence of biological corridors that ease the connectivity among populations that are separated by altered environments and that are inhospitable by these species."



Studies like these may become increasingly important in making conservation and management decisions, not just for spiders but for many lineages of life on Earth.&nbsp;



---



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

Scientists find a hidden diversity among Iberian spiders

A new study published in the journal Insect Conservation and...

The Antarctic ice sheet could raise the sea level by more than five meters over the course of this millennium, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/">Hokkaido University</a>. The researchers looked at the ice sheet's past behavior to determine how it will evolve in the coming centuries based on the current rate of global warming.



Without modifications, large and densely populated coastal areas could ultimately become uninhabitable as a result of sea level rise. This means that it is extremely important for scientists to understand the connection between melting polar ice and sea level rise.&nbsp;



The researchers used computer models to estimate the impact of global warming on the ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland. The study provided input for the recently published Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).&nbsp;



According to the study authors, the Antarctic ice sheet is expected to contribute up to 30 centimeters of sea level rise by 2100. To look beyond this century, the team applied late 21st-century climate conditions to their models. 



Ultimately, the simulations revealed that by the year 3000, an unabated warming scenario would produce a sea-level equivalent (SLE) of 1.5 to 5.4 meters. The primary contributor was found to be the collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet.



"This study demonstrates clearly that the impact of 21st-century climate change on the Antarctic ice sheet extends well beyond the 21st century itself, and the most severe consequences -- multi-meter contribution to sea-level rise -- will likely only be seen later," said study lead author Dr. Christopher Chambers of Hokkaido University's Institute of Low Temperature Science.&nbsp;



"Future work will include basing simulations on more realistic future climate scenarios, as well as using other ice-sheet models to model the outcomes."



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-glaciology">Journal of Glaciology</a>.



---



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

Antarctic ice sheet collapse could raise sea levels by five meters

The Antarctic ice sheet could raise the sea level by...

Aerial,View,To,Ocean,Waves.,Blue,Water,Background

New research published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a> shows that small freshwater fish called sulfur mollies have the ability to work together in groups to create waves. This cooperative action from hundreds of thousands of fish helps protect them from predatory birds.&nbsp;



“The surprises came once we realized how many fish can act together in such repeated waves," said Jens Krause of the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin and Cluster of Excellence Science of Intelligence.



"There are up to 4,000 fish per square meter and sometimes hundreds of thousands of fish participate in a single fish wave. Fish can repeat these waves for up to two minutes, with one wave approximately every three to four seconds.”



The scientists were surprised by this mass action of fish that were not previously known to possess such powers.



“At first we didn’t quite understand what the fish were actually doing," said study first author David Bierbach. "Once we realized that these are waves, we were wondering what their function might be.”



The behavior of the mollies, which live in sulphuric springs toxic to most other species, is easy to observe. The fish react to humans the same way they do to predatory birds.&nbsp;



The waves reminded the researchers of those known to sports fans who create similar cooperative waves in arenas although for very different reasons. Acting on the hunch that these waves were actually anti-predator behavior, the scientists investigated further.



Through experimentation, it was found that the time between bird predatory actions was doubled after the fish created their wave, thus decreasing the likelihood that any one fish would end up as bird food. While it is not yet clear why this strategy works, what is clear is that it does.&nbsp;



“So far scientists have primarily explained how collective patterns arise from the interactions of individuals but it was unclear why animals produce these patterns in the first place," said Krause. "Our study shows that some collective behavior patterns can be very effective in providing anti-predator protection.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.



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

Massive groups of fish create waves to deter predators

New research published in the journal Current Biology shows that...

Interior,Christmas.,Magic,Glowing,Tree,,Fireplace,,Gifts,In,Dark,At

The world’s thinnest Christmas tree, with the thickness similar to that of a single atom, has been developed by a team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english">Technical University of Denmark</a> (DTU). The tree is made from graphene, a sheet form of carbon that conducts electricity ten times more effectively than copper. At only a third of a nanometer (one billionth of a meter) thick, the graphene Christmas tree is 30,000 times thinner than kitchen film.



Known as a scientific “wonder material,” graphene consists of a single, two-dimensional layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb-like structure. It is made by chemically processing graphite (a cheap material found in the lead of pencils and the crystalline form of carbon), and is more robust, stiffer, and better at conducting electricity and heat than any other material. Graphene has great potential for the manufacturing of flexible electronics, solar panels, water filters, and biosensors.



“Although the starting point is carbon, just like the graphite in a pencil, graphene is at the same time even more conductive than copper,” explained study lead author Peter Bøggild, an expert in Nanotechnology at DTU.&nbsp;



The material is usually “grown” on copper foil at around 1,832°F&nbsp;(1,000°C) and is afterwards transferred by using a rebuilt lamination machine. Next, the graphene is scanned with terahertz radiation in order to ensure that it maintains its electric conductivity, which is crucial for its many potential industrial uses.



“We have taken a very significant step. We have converted a laminating machine into a so-called roll-2-roll transfer system,” said Professor Bøggild.&nbsp;



“It gently lifts the graphene layer from the copper roll on which the graphene layer is grown and moves it onto plastic foil without it breaking, becoming wrinkled or dirty. When we combine this with the terahertz system, we can immediately see if the process has gone well – that is, whether we have unbroken graphene with low electrical resistance.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



The researchers cut the “Christmas tree” from a 30-foot long roll of graphene. “Even if you could make a pencil drawing of a Christmas tree and lift it off the paper – which, figuratively, is what we have done – it would be much thicker than one atom. A bacterium is 3,000 times thicker than the graphene layer we used. That's why I dare call this the world's thinnest Christmas tree,” Professor Bøggild concluded.



The graphene manufacturing procedure is fully explained by Professor Bøggild and his colleagues in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2053-1583/abdbcb">2D Materials</a>.



---



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

The world’s thinnest Christmas tree has the size of an atom

The world’s thinnest Christmas tree, with the thickness similar to...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lighter-feathers-help-migratory-birds-to-keep-cool/">Birds</a> such as parrots and peacocks are well known for boasting bright and varied colors within their feathers to aid in the act of choosing a mate. Even common birds such as pigeons are colorful in places, such as their pink feet. However, until recently little has been known about the colors of the most ancient birds of all – dinosaurs.



New research from the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> has been investigating the possibility that pops of colors were present on the bodies of extinct dinosaurs.&nbsp;



“Living birds use an array of pigments and can be very colorful on their beaks, legs, and around their eyes,” explained study lead author Sarah Davis. “We could expect that extinct dinosaurs expressed the same colors.”



The researchers came to this conclusion by analyzing the colors found on common ancestors of ancient archosaurs during the beginning of the Triassic period, and conducting phylogenetic reconstructions. Ancestors such as turtles, crocodiles and 4,000 different species of birds presented a 50 percent chance that the archosaur had bright colors within its body’s soft tissues including beaks, skin and scales.



Typically, these kinds of bodily colors come from carotenoids, pigments appearing as red, orange, and yellow tones that ultimately root from plant-based diets. These carotenoids do not fossilize well, hence why the researchers have had to study the color of living animals to result in their hypothesis.



“The earliest dinosaurs were pony-sized and ate large, vertebrate prey,” said study co-author Julia Clarke, a professor at the Jackson School. “Different groups shifted to plant-dominated or mixed diets. This shift likely led to changes in coloration of the skin and non-feather tissues.”



The research has also presented a new perspective on the colorfulness of living birds. Whilst the species studied are usually considered dull in color, the study found that over half of the 4,022 species had bright colors, with 86 percent of these hosting such colors on body parts other than feathers.



“There is so much more to birds’ color than their plumage – just think of the vibrant orange-yellow bill of a toco toucan – but feathers tend to get the most attention,” explained Mary Caswell Stoddard, co-author and associate professor at Princeton University. “This study unravels the evolutionary history of carotenoid-based coloration not just in plumage but also in the beaks and skin of birds and their relatives.”



The research findings have been published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15585646">Evolution</a>.



---



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

Dinosaurs may have had pops of color like modern ducks

Birds such as parrots and peacocks are well known for...

The Omicron variant, discovered almost a month ago in South Africa, sparked fears all over the globe, due to its extremely <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omicron-high-transmissibility-and-chance-for-reinfection/">high contagiousness</a> and ability to partly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omicron-partial-immune-evasion-after-vaccination/">evade</a> protection from previous infection or vaccination. It is currently surging through Europe and the United States, driving <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/12/23/us/omicron-case-count.html">daily cases</a> past Delta’s peaks in many countries.



However, data from South Africa, Omicron’s original epicenter seem to give reason for optimism. According to the country’s top scientists, South Africa may have already <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/22/africa/south-africa-omicron-peak-intl/index.html">passed the peak</a> of its Omicron outbreak, much faster than it happened in the case of previous variants, such as Delta or Beta.&nbsp;



As of December 18, although the test positivity remained still high (at 29.8 precent), there has been a 20.8 percent decrease in the number of new detected cases. Moreover, the rates of hospitalization and deaths have also been significantly lower relative to those experienced in previous waves.



New <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/22/health/covid-omicron-delta-hospitalizations.html">studies</a> from Scotland and England have also suggested that Omicron might be milder than Delta in terms of severe cases that lead to hospitalizations and deaths. Initial <a href="https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/handle/10044/1/93035">estimates</a> from <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> show that, compared with Delta variant cases, people infected with Omicron are 15 to 20 percent on average less likely to end up in hospitals. However, it is not yet clear whether the mildness of many Omicron cases is caused by intrinsic characteristics of the virus or the fact that many positive cases are breakthrough infections or reinfections.



A new <a href="https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/20211215-omicron-sars-cov-2-infection">study</a> led by the <a href="https://www.hku.hk/">University of Hong Kong </a>has found that while Omicron multiplies 70 times faster than Delta in the human bronchus, making it more transmissible through droplets and aerosols, it spreads ten times slower in the lungs, and thus less likely to cause severe cases of pneumonia. Although these findings may indeed suggest that this variant is milder, study lead author Dr Michael Chan Chi-wai warns that, due to its high transmissibility, Omicron might still cause a significant amount of damage.



“By infecting many more people, a very infectious virus may cause more severe disease and death even though the virus itself may be less pathogenic. Therefore, taken together with our recent studies showing that the Omicron variant can partially escape immunity from vaccines and past infection, the overall threat from the Omicron variant is likely to be very significant,” he concluded.&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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

Omicron is surging, but may cause less severe illness

The Omicron variant, discovered almost a month ago in South...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a> describes the first known active COVID-19 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fasting-may-help-ward-off-infections-a-new-study-suggests/">infections</a> in white-tailed deer. The samples from the deer, collected before the Delta variant was widespread, shows that they were infected by the same variant that was prevalent in Ohio at the time the samples were collected there.&nbsp;



The research suggests that deer are not only capable being infected by COVID-19, but that they may actually be a regular host for the virus.&nbsp;



Study senior author Andrew Bowman, associate professor of veterinary preventive medicine at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">The Ohio State University</a> said the research leads toward the idea that we might actually have established a new maintenance host outside humans.



"Based on evidence from other studies, we knew they were being exposed in the wild and that in the lab we could infect them and the virus could transmit from deer to deer. Here, we’re saying that in the wild, they are infected," explained Professor Bowman.



"And if they can maintain it, we have a new potential source of SARS-CoV-2 coming in to humans. That would mean that beyond tracking what’s in people, we’ll need to know what’s in the deer, too. It could complicate future mitigation and control plans for COVID-19.”



There are many unknowns - how the deer were infected in the first place, and whether the infection can be passed from the deer to other species, including humans.



“The working theory based on our sequences is that humans are giving it to deer, and apparently we gave it to them several times. We have evidence of six different viral introductions into those deer populations. It’s not that a single population got it once and it spread," said Professor Bowman.



So far, the research indicates the deer suffer infection rates ranging from 13.5 to 70 percent from samples taken across nine states. There are an estimated 30 million deer across the US but sampling purposefully took place near human populations, so more remote deer populations may have lower levels of infection.&nbsp;



---



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

First known active COVID-19 infections in deer found in Ohio

A new study published in the journal Nature describes the...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.sdu.dk/en">University of Southern Denmark</a> (SDU) has found that carnivorous animals such as foxes, leopards, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolves-do-not-prefer-to-prey-on-livestock/">wolves</a> are more susceptible to cancer than herbivorous animals like antelopes or sheep. These findings highlight the fact that cancer is not only a human affliction, and opens new pathways for understanding this disease in a variety of animal species.



The scientists studied cancer incidence in 110,148 zoo-kept mammals from 191 different species and found that, while cancer is a ubiquitous disease affecting all mammals, when it comes to cancer susceptibility not all animals are at equal risk. Meat-eating animals appeared to be more prone to develop this disease, in comparison to herbivorous ones. In fact, over a quarter of bat-eared foxes, clouded leopards, and red wolves in the study were found to have died of cancer.



“Overall, our work highlights that cancer might represent a serious and significant threat to animal welfare, [one] that needs considerable scientific attention,” said study co-author Fernando Colchero, an associate professor of statistics at SDU.



While previous studies have argued that cancer disproportionately affects larger, long-lived organism, due to their greater number of cell divisions and increased probability of somatic mutations, Professor Colchero and his colleagues have found that cancer mortality was “largely independent of both body mass and adult life expectancy across species.”&nbsp;



A much more important factor determining cancer susceptibility appeared to be diet, “with carnivorous mammals (especially mammal-consuming ones) facing the highest cancer-related mortality.” According to the scientists, this could be explained by the fact that carnivorous animals have a lower microbiome diversity, or that they may be more susceptible to cancer-causing viral infections.



“These results highlight the key role of life-history evolution in shaping cancer resistance and provide major advancements in the quest for natural anticancer defenses,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04224-5?utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=commission_junction&amp;utm_campaign=3_nsn6445_deeplink_PID100032693&amp;utm_content=deeplink">Nature</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

Meat-eating animals are more susceptible to cancer

A new study led by the University of Southern Denmark...

According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/">University of California, Los Angeles</a> (UCLA), handing out gifts significantly lowers blood pressure and heart rate, thus decreasing the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-air-pollutants-contribute-to-cardiovascular-disease/" data-type="news" data-id="1894645">cardiovascular</a> incidents such as heart attacks or strokes.&nbsp;



While previous studies have shown that the act of giving can improve mood and mental wellbeing, this is the first study to investigate the correlation between gift giving and cardiovascular benefits.



The researchers recruited 90 college students and initially exposed them to a stressful situation by telling them that they have only a few minutes to prepare for a speech they had to deliver in front of a large audience.&nbsp;



After measuring their heart rate and blood pressure (which usually spiked after being exposed to the stressor), half of the students were told that they could choose a gift and send it to anyone they wanted together with an email explaining why they chose them. The rest of the participants were told to choose a gift card for themselves.



The scientists found that, when stressed students were allowed to send someone a gift, both their heart rate and blood pressure decreased significantly. By contrast, there was no significant cardiovascular improvement in the case of the other participants.



“Prosocial behavior – or the warm glow of giving – can have many benefits. As well as reducing heart rate and blood pressure, it lowers rates of depression and stress. We found it had a greater effect than self-rewarding behavior,” reported the study authors.



“Giving gifts or helping others makes us more sociable and less aggressive. Much of our normal lives are spent earning money to look after ourselves and our families, often in jobs where sometimes you have to be ruthless with other people. Giving Christmas presents is a chance to compensate for that – and it’s good for our health,” concluded study co-author Gary Cooper, a psychologist and stress expert at <a href="https://www.alliancembs.manchester.ac.uk/">Alliance Manchester Business School</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14698986">Psychophysiology</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

Gift giving lowers blood pressure and heart rate

According to a new study led by the University of...

According to the UK <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/">Met Office</a>, the Northern Lights will be particularly strong around the North Pole on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/holiday-stress-can-take-away-the-magic-of-the-season/">Christmas</a> Eve. This phenomenon is linked to a solar storm that erupted from the Sun on Monday, December 20, due to a coronal mass ejection (CME) – a powerful eruption of magnetically charged particles and plasma from the Sun’s corona.



The Northern Lights, or Auroras (Aurora borealis at the North Pole, and Aurora australis at the South Pole), have fascinated scientists and stargazers for centuries. They are usually caused by charged particles from solar winds that are colliding with the Earth’s magnetic field and redirected above the poles.&nbsp;



The Earth has an invisible forcefield, the magnetosphere, which protects us from dangerous particles emanating from the Sun. “Whilst it shelters us, it also creates one of the most impressive phenomena on Earth – the Northern Lights,” explained science reporter Marty Jopson.



“When the deadly solar winds meet Earth's magnetosphere, some of the charged particles get trapped, and are propelled down the Earth's magnetic field lines straight towards the poles. And when they reach Earth, they strike atoms and molecules in our atmosphere, releasing energy in the form of light.”&nbsp;



The solar storm that started on Monday is not strong enough to disrupt satellite services and knock out power grids, as some solar storms do. However, it will make the Northern Lights appear much brighter on Christmas Eve.&nbsp;



“The auroral oval is likely to be slightly enhanced at high latitudes from the 22nd to 24th due to coronal hole geomagnetic activity enhancement, and the chance of a weak coronal mass ejection arriving on the 23rd,” the Met Office said.&nbsp;



In Europe, the Northern Lights will be visible from Iceland, Finland and Norway, while in North America they will be best seen in Alaska, and Alberta, Canada.



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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

Northern Lights will shine brighter on Christmas Eve

According to the UK Met Office, the Northern Lights will...

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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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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