Beautiful,Night,Landscape,,Old,Volcano,,Crater,Lake.,The,Colorful,Star

From the tiniest fluctuations after the Big Bang, gravity has orchestrated the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets, creating the vast cosmic web we see today.



Gravity isn't just what keeps us grounded -- it's been shaping the universe since its earliest days. Recent studies have provided the most precise tests of gravity on the grandest scales imaginable. 



By examining how cosmic structures have grown over the past 11 billion years, scientists have confirmed that gravity behaves just as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cosmic-glitch-in-gravity-expands-the-theory-of-general-relativity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Einstein's theory</a> of general relativity predicts, even across billions of light-years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-desi-tracks-gravity-over-11-billion-years">DESI tracks gravity over 11 billion years</h2>



Pauline Zarrouk, a cosmologist at the French National Center for Scientific Research (<a href="https://www.cnrs.fr/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CNRS</a>) working at the Laboratory of Nuclear and High-Energy Physics (LPNHE), has been exploring this cosmic evolution.



In collaboration with the international team behind the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (<a href="https://www.desi.lbl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DESI</a>), Zarrouk and her colleagues have traced how cosmic structures grew over the past 11 billion years.



Using data from DESI, the researchers provided the most precise test to date of gravity on the largest scales. 



"General relativity has been very well tested at the scale of solar systems, but we also needed to test that our assumption works at much larger scales," Zarrouk explained. 



"Studying the rate at which galaxies formed lets us directly test our theories and, so far, we're lining up with what <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radical-new-theory-finally-unites-gravity-spacetime-and-the-quantum-realm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">general relativity</a> predicts at cosmological scales."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-einstein-is-smiling-from-the-grave">Einstein is smiling from the grave</h2>



Their findings confirm that gravity behaves as Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts, even across the immense distances of the universe. 



This validation supports our leading model of the cosmos and narrows down alternative theories of gravity that have been proposed to explain puzzling observations, like the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/universe-expansion-rate-dark-energy-measured-11-billion-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accelerating expansion</a> of the universe often attributed to dark energy.



The study also sheds light on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-gravity-search-south-pole-neutrinos-experiment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neutrinos</a> -- the elusive particles that zip through space almost undetected. 



Previous experiments determined that the combined mass of the three types of neutrinos should be at least 0.059 electron volts (eV/c²). For perspective, an electron has a mass of about 511,000 eV/c². 



DESI's results suggest that the total mass of neutrinos should be less than 0.071 eV/c², tightening the constraints on these mysterious particles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-desi-gravity-and-cosmic-structure">DESI, gravity, and cosmic structure</h2>



"Both our BAO results and the full-shape analysis are spectacular," said Dragan Huterer, a professor at the <a href="https://umich.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a> and co-lead of DESI's group interpreting the cosmological data. 



"This is the first time that DESI has looked at the growth of cosmic structure. We're showing a tremendous new ability to probe modified gravity and improve constraints on models of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-energy-is-ripping-the-universe-apart-but-we-arent-sure-how/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark energy</a>. And it's only the tip of the iceberg."



DESI is no ordinary telescope. Mounted on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at <a href="https://kpno.noirlab.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kitt Peak National Observatory</a>, it's capable of capturing light from 5,000 galaxies at once. 



Funded by the DOE Office of Science, the project is now in its fourth year of surveying the sky and aims to collect data from roughly 40 million galaxies and quasars by the time it's done.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/theory-gravity-exists-without-mass-so-dark-matter-does-not-exist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testing gravity</a> at cosmic scales is crucial. While Einstein's theory has passed every test within our solar system, there's always the possibility that it might behave differently across the vastness of space. 



By confirming that gravity acts as expected over billions of light-years, scientists can be more confident in their models of how the universe has evolved. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-interpreting-the-desi-data">Interpreting the DESI data</h2>



<a href="https://profiles.utdallas.edu/mishak">Dr. Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki</a>, a professor of physics in the <a href="https://nsm.utdallas.edu/">School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics</a> at UT Dallas, co-led the DESI working group that interpreted the cosmological data.



“For this round of DESI results, I focused my efforts at UT Dallas on conducting a large part of the analysis on gravity, which puts constraints on how matter in the universe moves and how large-scale structures, such as clusters of galaxies, evolve,” explained Ishak-Boushaki. 



“The results from DESI, combined with datasets from other experiments, are consistent with general relativity theory operating at cosmic scales, although they do not completely exclude other theories of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/central-theory-of-quantum-gravity-is-modeled-in-the-laboratory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modified gravity</a>.”



The new results provide an extended analysis of <a href="https://news.utdallas.edu/science-technology/desi-findings-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DESI’s first year of data</a>, which in April contributed to the largest 3D map of the universe to date and revealed hints that <a href="https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2024/04/04/desi-first-results-make-most-precise-measurement-of-expanding-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark energy might be evolving</a> over time.



“The latest analysis is also consistent with our previous findings that give preference to the theory that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-energy-could-explain-the-rapid-expansion-of-the-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark energy</a> is not constant, but dynamic, which is a very important result for cosmic acceleration,” Ishak-Boushaki said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-did-this-happen">How did this happen?</h2>



The collaboration is currently analyzing data from the first three years and expects to present updated measurements of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-evidence-suggests-that-dark-energy-comes-from-black-holes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark energy</a> and the universe's expansion history by spring 2025. 



The recent results align with earlier hints that dark energy might be evolving over time, adding to the excitement for what's to come.



"Dark matter makes up about a quarter of the universe, and dark energy makes up another 70 percent, and we don't really know what either one is," said Mark Maus, a PhD student at <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Berkeley Lab</a> and UC Berkeley who worked on theory and validation modeling pipelines for the new analysis. 



"The idea that we can take pictures of the universe and tackle these big, fundamental questions is mind-blowing."



The study utilized nearly 6 million <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lonely-quasars-in-the-early-universe-cannot-be-explained/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies and quasars</a>, allowing researchers to peer up to 11 billion years into the past. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-desi-and-gravity">What's next for DESI and gravity?</h2>



To sum it all up, with just one year of data, DESI has made the most precise overall measurement of the growth of cosmic structures, surpassing previous efforts that took decades.



The DESI project is remarkable not just for its technological capabilities but also for its collaborative spirit. 



With over 900 researchers from more than 70 institutions worldwide, it's a testament to what can be achieved when the global scientific community comes together.



As we await the next round of results, one can't help but wonder: What other secrets of the universe are waiting to be uncovered? 



The quest to understand gravity, dark matter, and dark energy continues, and each new discovery brings us a little closer to unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos.



The full study was published in <a href="https://data.desi.lbl.gov/doc/papers/">several scientific journals</a>.



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New 'mind-blowing' gravity discovery proves Einstein right again

From the tiniest fluctuations after the Big Bang, gravity has orchestrated the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets, creating the vast cosmic web we see today. Gravity isn't just what keeps us grounded -- it's been shaping the universe since its earliest days. Recent studies have provided the most precise tests of gravity on the grandest scales imaginable. By examining how cosmic structures have grown over the past 11 billion years, scientists have confirmed that gravity behaves just as Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts, even across...

Stingrays are unusual among <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bowfin-fish-proves-that-evolution-can-be-flexible/">fish</a> in that their bodies are dorsoventrally compressed into flattened discs, rather than being laterally flattened into the more traditional fish shape. When stingrays swim, they propel themselves using undulations of their body and pectoral “wings” without relying on side-to-side motion of the tail.



Scientists have long been fascinated by this very efficient form of locomotion through the water. Until now, however, their studies have not quantified the effects of a stingray’s protruding eyes and snout, which potentially have the ability to disrupt the smooth flow of water and reduce the animal’s hydrodynamic properties.



In a new study published by the <a href="https://www.aip.org/">American Institute of Physics</a>, the Chinese and South Korean scientists investigate the effects that these protruding features have on the various forces involved in the propulsion of simulated stingrays, such as pressure and vorticity.



“The influence of 3D protruding eyes and mouth on a self-propelled flexible stingray and its underlying hydrodynamic mechanism are not yet fully understood,” said Hyung Jin Sung, from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. “In the present study, the hydrodynamic benefit of protruding eyes and mouth was explored for the first time, revealing the hydrodynamic role of protruding eyes and mouth.”



The hydrodynamic forces at play during stingray swimming are complex and cannot be measured adequately using live animals. Instead, the researchers generated a computer model of a self-propelled flexible plate. By “fixing” the front of the plate they could simulate the up-and-down oscillations that a stingray generates when moving through the water.



The model was then adjusted to allow for the addition of multiple rigid plates in 3D, at the position where a stingray’s head and eyes would be. The two models (with and without a protruding 3D head) were then compared using a technique known as the penalty immersed boundary method.



“Managing random fish swimming, and isolating the desired purpose of measurement from numerous factors are difficult,” said Sung. “To overcome these limitations, the penalty immersed boundary method was adopted to find the hydrodynamic benefits of the protruding eyes and mouth.”



The results showed that the presence of the protruding eyes and snout increased a stingray’s propulsion efficiency by more than 20 percent and 10 percent respectively. This was achieved due to the generation of vortices as water flowed over the head region. A vortex at the simulated animal’s front increased negative pressure in the forward-backward plane, while a side-to-side vortex added to the pressure differential above and below the body. These factors led to a boost in thrust, cruising speed, and overall efficiency of locomotion.&nbsp;



The researchers hope that their new understanding of fluid phenomena in stingray locomotion can be applied in the design and development of future aquatic vehicles that move efficiently underwater.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://aip.scitation.org/journal/phf">Physics of Fluids</a>.



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

Protruding eyes and snout improve stingray hydrodynamics

Stingrays are unusual among fish in that their bodies are...

Scientists from the <a href="https://uci.edu/">University of California, Irvine</a> and the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> have investigated what makes a human voice attractive, a question with important implications in both our personal and professional lives.



The researchers recorded 42 individuals performing a variety of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/speech-is-the-biggest-spreader-of-covid-19/">speech</a> tasks and asked participants to rate the vocal attractiveness of the recorded speakers. They studied how acoustic correlates of speech clarity might predict attractiveness ratings, with the concept of “vowel space area” (an important qualitative intelligibility index) as a main acoustic feature.



"Much received wisdom and many vocal coaches would encourage people to slow down and carefully enunciate to make a better impression on their audience," said study co-author Daniel Stehr.&nbsp;



"However, when it comes to empirical studies of how attractiveness of the human voice is judged, we couldn't find previous work investigating whether an actual link exists between perceived attractiveness and overall clarity of articulation."



Stehr and his colleagues were surprised to discover an important gender difference for the correlation between speech intelligibility and perceived attractiveness. Although clarity of articulation seemed to be strongly predictive of vocal attractiveness, these results only applied to female speakers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Scientists believe that the lack of relationship between acoustic correlates of clearly produced speech and male vocal attractiveness might have compelling evolutionary origins.



“From a sexual selection standpoint, males with traits that are slightly more masculine than average are typically preferred, which in this context would make males with less clear speech more attractive,” Stehr explained.&nbsp;



However, such theories should not be taken for granted. As Stehr acknowledged, everything connected to evolution can have different, sometimes even contradictory, explanations.&nbsp;



"At the same time, constricted vowel space area and lower perceived clarity is associated with a range of speech motor disorders, suggesting a lack of clarity may also have indicated the presence of disease to our ancestors," said Stehr.



Further research is needed to sort through such contradictory explanations, and shed more light on the evolutionary origins of contemporary human behaviors.



The study was published in <a href="https://asa.scitation.org/journal/jas">The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America</a>.&nbsp;



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

What makes a human voice attractive?

Scientists from the University of California, Irvine and the University...

According to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/estlcu">Environmental Science &amp; Technology Letters</a>, the indoor air we breathe at home, in offices, or classrooms can be polluted with harmful <a href="https://epa.gov/pfas/basic-information-pfas#:~:text=Per-%20and%20polyfluoroalkyl%20substances%20(PFAS,GenX%2C%20and%20many%20other%20chemicals.&amp;text=Both%20chemicals%20are%20very%20persistent,they%20can%20accumulate%20over%20time.">PFAS chemicals</a>. These findings suggest that indoor air is an underestimated source of exposure to dangerous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/polar-bears-threatened-by-toxic-chemicals-in-melting-sea-ice/">chemicals</a>.



PFAS chemicals are well-known health hazards that are often associated with cancer, infertility, and immune system problems. Moreover, they are either extremely persistent in many environments or capable of breaking down into highly persistent elements.&nbsp;



“Food and water are known to be major sources of PFAS exposure,” said Rainer Lohmann, senior author and professor of oceanography at the <a href="https://www.uri.edu/">University of Rhode Island</a>. 



“Our study shows that indoor air, including dust, is another source of exposure to potentially harmful forever chemicals. In fact, for children in homes or schools with old PFAS-treated carpets, inhalation may be even more important than dust as an exposure pathway to volatile PFAS that eventually could biotransform to more persistent and harmful PFAS.”



Professor Lohmann and colleagues measured the concentration of PFAS in the air in nine carpeted kindergarten classrooms, one home, the storage room of a Californian clothing store, two carpet stores from Rhode Island, as well as in two labs, five offices, one storage area, and one elevator at the University of Rhode Island.&nbsp;



They detected PFAS chemicals in all of these locations, several kindergarten and university classrooms having even higher concentrations than the clothing store, where most of the clothes and gear were treated with PFAS. However, the highest concentration was found in two carpet stores.&nbsp;



“PFAS were formerly used as stain and water repellents in most carpets,"&nbsp;explained study lead author Maya Morales-McDevitt. “Fortunately, major retailers including The Home Depot and Lowe’s now only sell PFAS-free carpets. We believe that slowly smaller retailers will do so as well.”



Although families, schools, and workplaces are currently reducing indoor concentrations of PFAS by replacing carpets, many other products, such as clothes, shoes, building products, and furnishing still emit PFAS chemicals in the air.&nbsp;



“As long as they continue to be used in products, we’ll all be eating, drinking, and breathing PFAS,” concluded co-author Tom Bruton, a senior scientist at the <a href="https://greensciencepolicy.org/">Green Science Policy Institute</a>. “We need to turn off the tap and stop all unnecessary uses of PFAS as soon as possible.”



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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

Indoor air is an underestimated source of dangerous chemicals

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

The insides of plants can shelter a large variety of microorganisms, similar to the well-known microbes residing in the human gut. A research team from the <a href="https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/">Tokyo University of Science</a> is the first to isolate the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-bacteria-of-infant-boys-can-enhance-cognitive-skills/">bacteria</a> contained in the seeds of the passion fruit (Passiflora edulis).&nbsp;



The endophytic microorganisms residing inside plants’ fruits, leaves, stems, roots, or seeds are not necessarily harmful to plants. Instead, they often develop a synergistic relationship with their host, and are beneficial for processes of germination, growth, and even defense. 



However, most of the plants contain many “secondary metabolites” – natural bioactive compounds with strong antimicrobial properties. This makes such environments typically hostile to endophytic microorganisms.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Passion fruit seeds are generally full of secondary metabolites, such as resveratrol and, particularly, piceatannol. This is precisely the reason why scientists were curious to investigate whether passion fruit seeds contain any endophytic microorganisms too.&nbsp;



“The extraordinarily high concentration of piceatannol protects P. edulis seeds from microorganisms. We thought it would be interesting to know if any endophytic microorganism could survive this extreme environment, and if yes, how,” explained study co-author Toshiki Furuya, an associate professor in the <a href="https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/fac/riko/app_bio.html">Department of Applied Biological Science</a> at Tokyo University of Science.



Remarkably, the researchers discovered 19 bacterial strains in the passion fruit seeds, including three that were previously unknown. Their hypothesis is that the piceatannol from the seeds had bacteriostatic (“bacterial growth-stalling”) rather than bactericidal (“bacteria-killing”) effects on the endophytic bacteria residing in the seeds. 



“Due to the presence of a high concentration of piceatannol, the growth of the bacteria was stagnated inside the seed, but when transmitted to the next-generation seedlings during germination, the bacteria were relieved from the effect of piceatannol and able to grow again,” said study co-author Aoi Ishida.



The scientists also made another surprising discovery. One of the isolated bacteria, Brevibacterium sp. PE28-2, possessed the ability to convert piceatannol and resveratrol to their respective derivatives. This is the first endophytic bacteria shown to exhibit such abilities.



Earlier research demonstrated that endophytic bacteria which are capable to survive in environments rich in secondary metabolites compounds possess biocatalytic activities related to the metabolism of these compounds. This biocatalytic potential can be exploited for therapeutic purposes. 



Further research on the mechanisms of endophytic resistance inside of plants is needed to open new paths in medicine and beyond.   



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mbo3.1226">MicrobiologyOpen</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;



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

Bacteria can survive the hostile interior of passion fruit seeds

The insides of plants can shelter a large variety of...

Flowers are the most complex structures to be found on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-and-animals-rely-on-the-same-chemicals-for-growth/">plants</a>. They are formed at the tips of stems and involve a transition of the normal apical meristem (growing tissue) into a flower meristem that develops the reproductive organs. Scientists have long wondered about the mechanisms that allow this transition to take place correctly, and how flower formation occurs so rapidly.



A team of researchers led by the <a href="http://www.naist.jp/en/">Nara Institute of Science and Technology</a> has now identified a small protein that plays a key role in correctly timing the developmental changes that lead to flower formation in the cress plant, Arabidopsis thaliana.&nbsp;&nbsp;



In the growing tips of stems, a gene known as WUSCHEL (WUS) promotes the formation and maintenance of stem cells. During the early stages of flower formation, stem cells act as a source of tissue to form what will be the flower’s reproductive organs.&nbsp;



Clearly, the activity of WUS needs to be restricted at this stage so that the stem cells stop proliferating and, instead, differentiate successfully into the correct number of sepals, petals, stamens and carpels. There is a balance between the formation of stem cells (WUS) and the differentiation of stem cells into reproductive organs, which is under the influence of the gene CLAVATA3 (CLV3), via a feedback loop.



The protein identified by the researchers, known as KNUCKLES (KNU), represses the activity of both the WUS and CLV3 genes and disrupts the feedback loop. This means that the floral meristem is no longer maintained and the development of the flower’s reproductive organs can progress toward completion.&nbsp;



“A small protein called KNUCKLES (KNU) represses WUS directly, which leads to the completion of floral stem cell activity at the right time,” explained study lead author Erlei Shang. “What isn’t fully understood is how the robust floral stem cell activity finishes within a limited time period to ensure carpel development.”



“The team’s research revealed that in Arabidopsis thaliana, KNU can completely deactivate the robust floral meristems at a particular floral stage, thanks to the multiple functions that KNU carries out via its position-specific roles,” said senior author Toshiro Ito.



The findings will help scientists to understand flower formation in important food crops such as rice, tomatoes and maize. The researchers hope that their discovery of the molecular genetic mechanism whereby floral meristem is terminated will benefit crop yields for food production globally.



“Our results reveal a regulatory pathway where KNU plays a key role in supporting the completion of floral meristem development within a short time window, and ensures that flower reproductive organs are properly formed,” said study co-author Bo Sun.



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



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

Small protein plays a big role in flower formation

Flowers are the most complex structures to be found on...

An international team of scientists from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> recently sequenced the genome of the bowfin fish (Amia calva). The study is shedding more light on a species that has long been considered an evolutionary enigma since it embodies a unique combination of ancestral and modern fish features.&nbsp;



The bowfin is a fish endemic to eastern North America and the only contemporary survivor of a large lineage of many species that are known only from fossils. This fish occupies a peculiar position in its evolutionary lineage, standing between the teleosts, a group of fish that emerged recently, and more ancient branches including sturgeons, paddlefish, and bichirs.&nbsp;



The bowfin combines ancestral features, such as a robust fin skeleton and lung-like air breathing, with derived features including a reduced tail and simplified scales.



Sequencing the genome of the bowfin is an important step for understanding not only the evolutionary origin of the teleosts, but also the fin-to-limb transition in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breakthrough-discoveries-about-the-evolution-of-life-on-land/">evolution of vertebrate organisms</a>.



The research was focused on the pectoral fin of the bowfin because it retains the metapterygium, a portion of the fin skeleton which is homologous to the limb bones of tetrapods. Genetic sequencing at the <a href="https://bauercore.fas.harvard.edu/">Harvard University Bauer Core Facility</a> showed that some of the most critical appendage growth genes, such as the fibroblast growth factor 8 gene (Fgf8), were entirely absent from the bowfin pectoral fins.



“Every other fin and limb we know of expresses Fgf8 during development,” said study co-author M. Brent Hawkins, a postdoctoral fellow at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard University</a>.&nbsp;“Discovering that bowfin fins don’t express Fgf8 is like finding a car that runs without a gas pedal. That the bowfin has accomplished this rewiring indicates unexpected flexibility in the fin development program.”



Whereas some genes like Fgf8 were mysteriously absent from the bowfin pectoral fin, other genes - such as HoxD14 (which is expressed in ancestral species such as paddlefish) - were unexpectedly activated, although unable to encode functional proteins.



“The fact that the HoxD14 gene can no longer make a protein, but it still transcribed into mRNA at such high levels suggests that there might be another function that we do not yet understand,” explained Hawkins.



The findings indicate that genetic programs are not as invariable as previously thought. “By studying more species, we learn which rules are hard and fast and which ones evolution can tinker with. Our study shows the importance of sampling a broader swath of natural diversity. We might just find important exceptions to established rules,”&nbsp;concluded Hawkins.



This research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ng/">Nature Genetics</a>.&nbsp;



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

Bowfin fish proves that evolution can be flexible

An international team of scientists from Michigan State University recently...

A new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a> has found that prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2 does not guarantee higher levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-antibodies-persist-for-at-least-nine-months/">antibodies</a>, and that full vaccination offers more protection against the virus than previous infection or a single dose of vaccine.&nbsp;



Study participants were selected from a racially and ethnically diverse pool of adults in the Chicago area and were provided with <a href="https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2020/05/antibody-test-covid-19/">antibody testing kits</a> devised by scientists at <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a>. The individuals submitted blood samples two to three weeks after their first dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, as well as two months after the second dose. Scientists measured whether the blood samples could inhibit the binding between coronavirus’ spike protein and the ACE2 receptor.



“When we tested blood samples from participants collected about three weeks after their second vaccine dose, the average level of inhibition was 98 percent, indicating a very high level of neutralizing antibodies,” said study lead author Thomas McDade, professor of anthropology in the <a href="https://weinberg.northwestern.edu/">Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences</a> at Northwestern University.



The researchers found that the antibody response to vaccination varied according the participants’ history of prior infection. Individuals who previously contacted SARS-CoV-2 and had multiple symptoms had much higher antibody levels than those who were asymptomatic or had mild cases.&nbsp;



“Many people, and many doctors, are assuming that any prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2 will confer immunity to re-infection. Based on this logic, some people with prior exposure don’t think they need to get vaccinated.&nbsp;Or if they do get vaccinated, they think that they only need the first dose of the two-dose Pfizer/Moderna vaccines,” explained Professor McDade.



“Our study shows that prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2 does not guarantee a high level of antibodies, nor does it guarantee a robust antibody response to the first vaccine dose.&nbsp;For people who had mild or asymptomatic infections, their antibody response to vaccination is essentially the same as it is for people who have not been previously exposed.”&nbsp;



Moreover, the emergence of new variants decreases protection from both prior infection and vaccination. For the emerging variants B.1.1351 (South Africa), B.1.1.7 (UK), and P.1 (Brazil), scientists found that the levels of inhibition ranged from 67 to 92 percent.



“As far as protection goes after vaccination, the story is the same for all the variants, including delta -&nbsp;the vaccine provides good protection, but not as good protection as for the original version of the virus for which the vaccine was designed.&nbsp;Combine that with the fact that immunity wanes over time, you get increased vulnerability to breakthrough infection,” said Professor McDade.&nbsp;



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

Vaccination offers more protection than prior COVID-19 infection

A new study published in Scientific Reports has found that...

New research from the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association</a> has found that a daily intake of half a cup of walnuts for a period of two years lowers levels of <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/hdl-good-ldl-bad-cholesterol-and-triglycerides">low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol</a> (known as “bad cholesterol”), and thus reduces the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-air-pollutants-contribute-to-cardiovascular-disease/">cardiovascular</a> disease.&nbsp;



Similarly with fish, walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linoleic acid), which are known to be highly beneficial for cardiovascular health.&nbsp;



“Prior studies have shown that nuts in general, and walnuts in particular, are associated with lower rates of heart disease and&nbsp;stroke. One of the reasons is that they lower LDL-cholesterol levels, and now we have another reason: they improve the quality of LDL particles,” explained study co-author Emilio Ros, director of the Lipid Clinic at the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service of the <a href="https://www.clinicbarcelona.org/en">Hospital Clínic of Barcelona</a>.



&nbsp;“LDL particles come in various sizes. Research has shown that small, dense LDL particles are more often associated with&nbsp;atherosclerosis, the plaque or fatty deposits that build up in the arteries. Our study goes beyond LDL cholesterol levels to get a complete picture of all of the lipoproteins and the impact of eating walnuts daily on their potential to improve cardiovascular risk.”



Dr. Ros’s study was conducted from 2012 to 2016 and involved over 700 participants with ages between 63 and 69. They were divided into two groups; participants in one group were asked to eat half a cup of walnuts per day, and those in the other group were asked to abstain from eating walnuts.&nbsp;



Scientists found that, after two years, participants eating walnuts had lower LDL cholesterol levels (by an average of 4.3 mg/dL) and lower levels of total cholesterol (by an average of 8.5 mg/dL). In addition, both total and small LDL particles were reduced (by 4.3, respectively 6.1 percent). The Intermediate Density Lipoprotein (IDL), a precursor to LDL recognized to be a cardiovascular risk factor too, also decreased over two years. Surprisingly, changes in LDL cholesterol differed by gender. Among men, LDL cholesterol decreased by 7.9 percent, yet fell only by 2.6 percent among women.&nbsp;



“Eating a handful of walnuts every day is a simple way to promote cardiovascular health,” Dr. Ros concluded. “Many people are worried about unwanted weight gain when they include nuts in their diet. Our study found that the healthy fats in walnuts did not cause participants to gain weight.”&nbsp;



The research was published in the journal <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/circ">Circulation</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

Eat a handful of walnuts every day for better heart health

New research from the American Heart Association has found that...

A recent study led by scientists at <a href="https://www.mcmaster.ca/">McMaster University</a> investigated the effects of 34 different pesticides and herbicides on the activity of brown fat cells in mice. The researchers found that chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide widely used on fruits and vegetables, reduced the burning of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-identify-the-top-sources-of-empty-calories-for-children-and-teens/">calories</a> in the brown fat cells and promoted obesity.



In mammals, maintenance of weight is usually accomplished through balancing caloric intake with absorption and expenditure. One of the ways in which energy is expended is by generating heat to keep warm. The process is known as thermogenesis and it involves the activation of brown adipose (fat) cells.



The study showed that chlorpyrifos suppresses thermogenesis and the activation of brown fat cells, which implies that fewer calories are used up in the generation of heat. This promotes obesity in these mice as the excess calories are stored in the body in the form of white fat.



Study senior author Gregory Steinberg is a professor of Medicine and co-director of the Centre for Metabolism, Obesity, and Diabetes Research at McMaster.



“Brown fat is the metabolic furnace in our body, burning calories, unlike normal fat that is used to store them. This generates heat and prevents calories from being deposited on our bodies as normal white fat. We know brown fat is activated during cold and when we eat,” said Professor Steinberg.



For the investigation, the researchers exposed mice to 2.0 mg/kg body weight of chlorpyrifos daily, a dose that is aligned with the real-world exposure of humans. Steinberg said that, while chlorpyrifos has been linked to rising obesity rates in both humans and animals, most of these studies have attributed weight gain to associated increases in food intake and not to the suppression of metabolism in the brown fat cells.&nbsp;



“Lifestyle changes around diet and exercise rarely lead to sustained weight loss. We think part of the problem may be this intrinsic dialling back of the metabolic furnace by chlorpyrifos,” explained Professor Steinberg.



The daily burning of calories in brown fat tissue would only have to be inhibited by a small amount in adult humans (around 40 calories a day) to result in a weight gain of five pounds over a year. This could lead to a significant gain or even to obesity over time.&nbsp;



Mice that developed obesity due to chlorpyrifos-induced suppression of brown fat cell activity also showed increased incidence of insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.



Professor Steinberg states that, although the findings have yet to be confirmed in humans, it is important that consumers wash fresh produce thoroughly before eating it.&nbsp;



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



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

Is the obesity crisis linked to a common pesticide?

A recent study led by scientists at McMaster University investigated...

Tyrannosaurus rex could not interact with its environment in the same way that we <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-have-wiped-out-hundreds-of-bird-species/">humans</a> do. Our tactile and dexterous hands allow us to manipulate objects, but T. rex - with arms infamously short compared to its gargantuan body - lacked this advantage. However, a new study from Japanese researchers reveals that the tyrannosaurs still had a sensitive side, or rather, a sensitive snout.



The experts used computed tomography (CT-Scans) to look inside the tyrant lizard king’s jaw, revealing an intricate network of neurovascular canals - pathways for nerves and blood - inside. The researchers compared this system in the extinct Tyrannosaurus rex to those present in living, or extant, animals. 



“The neurovascular canal with branching pattern as complex as that of the extant crocodilians and ducks, suggests that the trigeminal nervous system in Tyrannosaurus probably functioned as a sensitive sensor in the snout," explained study lead author Dr Soichiro Kawabe of the Institute of Dinosaur Research at <a href="https://www.fpu.ac.jp/">Fukui Prefectural University</a>.



These modern organisms use their sensitive jaws in a number of ways. Since crocodilians are evolutionary cousins to dinosaurs, and birds their direct descendants, paleontologists can use their behavior as a model for extinct dinosaurs, even if they can’t directly observe a living one.&nbsp;



“These inferences also suggest that, in addition to predation, tyrannosaurids’ jaw tips were adapted to perform a series of behaviours with fine movements including nest construction, parental care, and intraspecific communication," said study co-author Dr. Soki Hattori.



The findings contribute to a growing body of evidence that theropods, or meat-eating, dinosaurs had sensitive faces. The carnosaur Neovenator has similar structures inside of it’s upper jaws, and fellow tyrannosaur Daspletosaurus appears to have had a similarly tactile face.&nbsp;



Previous studies have suggested that tyrannosaurs engaged in craniofacial biting - nipping at each other’s faces in bids for dominance or romance. This new study adds another layer to our increasing understanding of the tyrant lizards’ social lives - those love bites may have hurt a lot more than we think.&nbsp;



"T. rex was an even more fearsome predator than previously believed," said Dr. Kawabe. "Our findings show the nerves in the mandible (an area of the jaw) of Tyrannosaurus rex is more complexly distributed than those of any other dinosaurs studied to date, and comparable to those of modern-day crocodiles and tactile-foraging birds, which have extremely keen senses."



"What this means is that T. rex was sensitive to slight differences in material and movement; it indicates the possibility that it was able to recognize the different parts of their prey and eat them differently depending on the situation."



"This completely changes our perception of T. rex as a dinosaur that was insensitive around its mouth, putting everything and anything in biting at anything and everything including bones."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ghbi20/current">Historical Biology</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

T. rex was even more fearsome than previously thought

Tyrannosaurus rex could not interact with its environment in the...

Scientists have developed a new artificial intelligence tool called IceNet, which can accurately assess the status of Arctic sea ice even months into the future. An increase in forecasting capacities could prove crucial for protecting Arctic <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/explosive-wildfires-in-california-arrived-early-this-year/">wildlife</a> and coastal communities from the risks associated with rapid sea ice loss.&nbsp;



Due to its complex relationship with both the atmosphere above and the ocean below, sea ice is very difficult to accurately predict. What became clear during the past few decades is that at both poles, sea ice is rapidly diminishing, endangering Arctic ecosystems as well as local communities whose livelihoods depend on seasonal sea ice cycles.



In a recent article published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-25257-4">Nature Communications</a>, researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (<a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/">BAS</a>) and the <a href="https://www.turing.ac.uk/">Alan Turing Institute</a>, describe the innovative features of IceNet that make this AI tool 95 percent accurate in predicting whether sea ice will be present in specific places more than two months in advance.



“IceNet has the potential to fill an urgent gap in forecasting sea ice for Arctic sustainability efforts and runs thousands of times faster than traditional methods,” explained study lead author Tom Andersson.



In contrast to conventional forecast systems which try to model physical laws directly, IceNet is based on probabilistic deep learning. In a diversity of fields where large amounts of data are available, deep learning algorithms have a significant impact, including most recently in Earth sciences.&nbsp;



By feeding IceNet’s memory bank with decades of observational data concerning ice sea levels, together with thousands of years of climate simulation data, the scientists managed to create a dynamic tool that keeps learning and adapting in order to extract increasingly high-level information from the available data.



“I’m excited to see how AI is making us rethink how we undertake environmental research,” said Dr. Scott Hosking. “Our new sea ice forecasting framework fuses data from satellite sensors with the output of climate models in ways traditional systems simply couldn't achieve.”



“Now we’ve demonstrated that AI can accurately forecast sea ice, our next goal is to develop a daily version of the model and have it running publicly in real-time, just like weather forecasts,” concluded Andersson.&nbsp;



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

Artificial intelligence can predict the future of Arctic sea ice

Scientists have developed a new artificial intelligence tool called IceNet,...

<a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/gharial/">Gharials</a> (Gavialis gangeticus) are a strange crocodilian, resembling the better known alligators and crocodiles in only the most basic ways. Their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/herbivores-evolved-powerful-jaws-to-survive-the-triassic/">jaws</a> are long and thin with conical teeth suitable for catching fish but not larger prey. The end of the male's snout is decorated with a distinctive nasal "boss." Males can grow up to twenty feet long and females sometimes reach 15 feet.&nbsp;



Unfortunately, gharials are in a state of decline, disappearing throughout their historic range on the Indian subcontinent. It’s estimated that the unique crocodilian has lost 98 percent of its population since the 1940’s. This leaves the remaining individuals in the precarious position of being critically endangered. 



In late 2019, I visited the gharials of Bardia as part of my research for a book (to be released spring 2022). Bardia National Park - where this small holdout of gharials reside - is in western Nepal, a less popular destination for tourism. 



Bardia is forest populated by a rebounding tiger population, along with rhinoceroses, elephants, monkeys and crocodiles. I came to Bardia under the advice of biologist Ashish Bashyall of <a href="https://www.bioconnepal.org/#">Biodiversity Conservancy Nepal</a>. Despite the wonderful park, gharials aren’t doing so well.  



Ashish is concerned about how many gharials remain in and around Bardia National Park. More importantly, how can they be encouraged to increase in numbers?



The research is based on work by Mr. Bashyall and other researchers studying gharials in the Bardia region. The report summarizes surveys along the Babai and Karnali Rivers inside and just outside of Bardia National Park. The scientists found 18 gharials in the region in 2017. By 2019, the count was 19.



The researchers concluded that the protected river areas support gharials, while areas outside of the park have available habitat but are avoided by the reptiles. Boulder quarries, sand mines and fishing seem to keep the animals away. 



According to the experts, future research is needed to look at younger individuals and hatching success. The researchers suggest that captive gharials could be released to grow the wild populations. 



Protecting a larger part of the Babai River and facilitating gharial movement upstream beyond a barrage are also important recommendations to help the Bardia gharials.&nbsp;



The study is an important step in establishing a baseline for gharials upon which future success or failures can be measured. Hopefully, it will be a measurement of how small gharial populations became before rebounding.       



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aqc.3649">Aquatic Conservation: Marine &amp; Freshwater Ecosystems</a>.



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

Gharials are vanishing in Bardia National Park

Gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) are a strange crocodilian, resembling the better...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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