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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...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.qut.edu.au/">Queensland University of Technology</a> have developed electrodes for batteries that can be recharged at a much faster rate. The inspiration for the research is a water-carrying membrane that is found inside of bamboo - the fastest growing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-foods-linked-to-drastically-lower-risk-of-heart-disease/">plant</a> in the world.

Professor Ziqi Sun was first inspired for the study when he walked past a clump of bamboo in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. His work is focused on mimicking natural objects, such as seashells and fish scales, to develop sustainable energy solutions.

According to Professor Sun, the new study was focused on the multilayer membrane that runs up inside the bamboo stem. This membrane, which is about as thick as a piece of paper, is responsible for the ultrafast transport of water and nutrients. 

Thanks to this tissue, bamboo can grow up to an estimated rate of about 40 millimeters per hour.

Professor Sun said the membrane was made up of layers, with the layers packed very closely together on the side closest to the inner ring of the bamboo, and further apart on the side nearest the center of the bamboo. The layers also have a porous structure on the surface.

“Why does the bamboo have this membrane? It’s not just something for decoration, it must be for some specific function," explained Professor Sun.

Study first author Dr. Jun Mei said the unique structure and its function deserved an in-depth study.

“The membrane is the most important component in the energy storage devices, and it would be very exciting if we could find a potential material candidate for energy storages by learning from the relationship between the membrane structure and the specific function,” explained Dr. Mei.

The researchers found that this multilevel structure enables water and electrolytes to travel through the bamboo in two ways.

The inner layer enables the “superfluidic” travel of the liquid and electrolytes, which means the liquid travels very quickly through the plant. The outer layer allows the liquid to be more quickly dispersed throughout the structure.

The research expands upon previous work that demonstrates the benefits of two-dimensional nanomaterials for the ultrafast transport of ions through a battery.

“Nature has taught us how to design with these kinds of two-dimensional materials, and how a multilevel distribution of the space will be much more helpful for high-performance batteries,” said Professor Sun.

The researchers developed their own membrane using layers of nanosheets of cobalt oxides and graphene. Each individual sheet was about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair.

Ultimately, the bioinspired membranes showed a superwetting behavior towards organic electrolyte. This means there was no barrier for the contact and entry of the electrolyte from the surface into the inside membrane.

“The study offers a new principle in designing high-performance energy materials,”said Professor Sun. “Most importantly, it paves a way for future materials intervention by learning from the greatness of nature.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/16163028">Advanced Functional Materials</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

As the world's fastest growing plant, bamboo inspires new technology

Researchers at Queensland University of Technology have developed electrodes for...

Major depressive disorder is the most common mental illness worldwide. Depression has been associated with a reduction in neuroplasticity, that is a decrease in the brain’s ability to form neurons and reorganize connections between existing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rat-brains-are-wired-to-help-their-loved-ones-in-times-of-crisis/">brain</a> cells.

A recent study published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry">Frontiers in Psychiatry</a> has found that physical activity not only reduces the symptoms of depression, but also improves the brain’s ability to change. 

“The results show how important seemingly simple things like physical activity are in treating and preventing illnesses such as depression,” said Professor Dr. Karin Rosenkranz.

Participants in the study were in-patients who were hospitalized for depression at the University Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at <a href="http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en">Ruhr-Universität Bochum</a>, Germany. They were divided into two groups; one group took part in a three-week program of organized physical activity, while the other group did not. 

Physical activity involved non-competitive exercises of moderate intensity that included endurance, strength and coordination elements, along with interaction and teamwork.

The severity of participants’ depressive symptoms was assessed before the start of the exercise program, and again after its completion. Symptoms included loss of interest, lack of motivation and prevalence of negative feelings. In addition, brain plasticity was measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation.

The results showed that brain plasticity improved significantly in participants who took part in physical activity. The individuals even achieved levels of plasticity that were the same as those found in healthy people. “The ability to change is important for all of the brain’s learning and adaptation processes,” explained Dr. Rosenkranz.

Furthermore, the severity of depressive symptoms decreased. The researchers found that the stronger the improvement in brain plasticity, the more the clinical symptoms decreased. 

Previous research has shown that physical activity is associated with greater neuroplasticity in healthy people, and also that it protects people against the onset of depression. 

“It is known that physical activity does the brain good, as it, for instance, promotes the formation of neuron connections. This could certainly also play a role here,” explained Dr. Rosenkranz.

What is clear is that interventions aimed at improving brain plasticity could be crucial in the treatment of depressive disorders in future. 

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exercise triggers changes in the brain that reduce depression

Major depressive disorder is the most common mental illness worldwide....

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) may have been gradually losing stability over the past one hundred years, according to a new study by Niklas Boers from the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a>.

The results of this study are as concerning as they are surprising. The AMOC, which includes the Gulf Stream, is responsible for much of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-alter-photosynthesis-and-plant-growth/">temperatures</a> in Europe and has an important influence on the overall global climate. 

Until now, the collapse of this ocean system had seemed unlikely. If it’s the new reality, there could be dire consequences. 

“The Atlantic Meridional Overturning really is one of our planet’s key circulation systems,” said Boers. “We already know from some computer simulations and from data from Earth’s past, so-called paleoclimate proxy records, that the AMOC can exhibit - in addition to the currently attained strong mode - an alternative, substantially weaker mode of operation. This bi-stability implies that abrupt transitions between the two circulation modes are in principle possible.”

The AMOC redistributes heat and it’s predicted that if it collapses, there could be major changes to weather patterns. According to Britain's <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/">Met Office</a>, a collapse of the AMOC would increase cooling of the Northern Hemisphere, cause an overall drop in precipitation over Europe and North America, and lead to a shift in monsoons in South America and Africa, 

“The difference is crucial. Because the loss of dynamical stability would imply that the AMOC has approached its critical threshold beyond which an abrupt and potentially irreversible transition to the weak mode could occur,” said Boers.

Previous research has shown that the AMOC is weaker than it’s been at any point in the last thousand years. It’s been unclear whether this weakness is due to a slowing in pace or a loss of stability. Unfortunately, the research suggests that it’s the latter. According to Boers, the culprit seems to be warming.   

“Most evidence suggests that the recent AMOC weakening is caused directly by the warming of the northern Atlantic ocean. But according to our understanding, this would be unlikely to lead to an abrupt state transition." 

"Stability loss that could result in such a transition would be expected following the inflow of substantial amounts of freshwater into the North Atlantic in response to melting of the Greenland ice sheet, melting Arctic sea ice and an overall enhanced precipitation and river runoff,”

Direct observation of the AMOC for the last 100 years is non-existent. However, scientists can look at salinity patterns in the Atlantic to look at temperatures and overall climate. Unfortunately, this evidence suggests that indeed AMOC may be close to collapse. 

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Atlantic Ocean currents may soon change for the worse

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) may have been gradually...

Experts in the field of risk analysis feel that too much attention is paid to preparing for Hollywood-style cataclysmic volcanic eruptions while the potential effects of minor eruptions could be more damaging if they occur in areas of sensitive infrastructure. 

A team of researchers led by the University of Cambridge’s <a href="https://www.cser.ac.uk/">Centre for the Study of Existential Risk</a> (<a href="https://www.cser.ac.uk/">CSER</a>) have identified seven potential hotspots where small, active <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-are-volcanoes-in-indonesia-so-dangerous/">volcanoes</a> are clustered together in the vicinity of key infrastructure such as communications or transport hubs. 

In the report, published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>, the experts state that eruptions within these “pinch points” could cause domino effects with catastrophic consequences.

“Even a minor eruption in one of the areas we identify could erupt enough ash or generate large enough tremors to disrupt networks that are central to global supply chains and financial systems,” said study lead author Dr Lara Mani.

According to Dr. Mani and colleagues, even smaller eruptions measuring up to 6 on the “volcanic explosivity scale” have the power to cause ash clouds, landslides and mudflows that could impact on transport systems, crop production and international communications. Minor eruptions could also put food security at risk and potentially disable communication.

The team refers to the 2010 volcanic eruption in Iceland as an example. After a magnitude 4 eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, wind blew plumes of ash towards mainland Europe. This led to the closure of European airspace at a cost of US$5 billion to the global economy. 

By comparison, in 1991, a magnitude 6 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines caused less than a fifth of the economic damage produced by Eyjafjallajökull because of the volcano’s distance from vital infrastructure. 

The pinch point regions identified in the study include volcanic groups in Taiwan, the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Indonesian archipelago, the North Atlantic, and the northwestern United States. 

The Luzon volcanic arc, for example, stretches from Taiwan through the Philippines to the island of Luzon. Even minor eruptions in these smaller volcanoes could disrupt shipping in the South China Sea and disturb major undersea cabling that connects China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. In addition, Taiwan is one of the largest producers of electronic chips, without which the global tech industry would be paralyzed.

The researchers conclude that more attention needs to be focused on preparations for the less spectacular - but potentially more devastating - consequences of minor eruptions in these hotspot areas.

“It’s time to change how we view extreme volcanic risk,” said Dr. Mani. “We need to move away from thinking in terms of colossal eruptions destroying the world, as portrayed in Hollywood films. The more probable scenarios involve lower-magnitude eruptions interacting with our societal vulnerabilities and cascading us towards catastrophe.”

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Minor volcanic eruptions could be the ones to watch out for

Experts in the field of risk analysis feel that too...

It’s already widely known that trees and forests sequester carbon, but this is not the only influence that forests have on the climate. According to new research, forests increase cloud cover by up to 15 percent compared to non-forested areas, creating a cooling effect.

"Forests provide a multitude of essential services to human society. These include the capture, storage and regulation of water flows, the improvement of air and water quality, the supply of timber, energy and erosion control, the provision of habitat for biodiversity and livelihoods for humans," wrote the study authors. 

"There is a particular service that forests have that has come to prominent attention in recent years, and it relates to their interactions with the climate system and their climate change mitigation potential."

In an effort to examine more closely how forests affect the climate, the experts looked at global satellite images. 

“Earth observations are increasingly showing that trees and forests are impacting climate by affecting biophysical surface properties,” said study co-author Dr. Alessandro Cescatti of the European Commission Joint Research Centre.

The researchers found that the cooling trend doesn’t quite hold for boreal forests in the winter. Forested boreal areas actually showed less cloud cover than non-forested areas in the winter, yet showed more cloud cover in the summer by five percent. The increase in cloud cover is greatest in evergreen needle forests. 

Low-level cloud cover, like that enhanced by forests, creates another cooling effect besides carbon sequestration. Looking at global cloud cover would not be possible without satellite imagery. 

“Without global cloud and land-cover type observations from satellites this study would not have been possible on a global scale," said Martin Stengel of the Climate Change Initiative Cloud Project, who was not involved in the research. "The authors of this study appreciated the high-spatial resolution of the initiative’s products.”

“Studies like this one, based on robust satellite observations, are fundamental to characterize the complexity of the climate system and provide benchmarks for climate model developments," said Dr. Cescatti.

The scientists noted that their findings should be additional motivation for reforestation. Forests shouldn’t be considered only for their ability to sequester carbon but the many other benefits they give, including a boost in cloud cover. 

"To avoid the more dire consequences of climate change, humankind not only needs to stop emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, but the excess carbon that has already been emitted must also be removed," wrote the researchers.

"Currently, the most realistic technique to effectively capture carbon (among what are known as negative emission technologies or NETs) is to have it sequestered by trees."

"However, to reach the necessary mitigation targets this effectively requires expanding the land covered by forests by means of ambitious forest restoration or afforestation programs."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Forests create cloud cover that cools the climate

It’s already widely known that trees and forests sequester carbon,...

Many research studies have investigated the potential health benefits behind fasting, usually exploring the effect on blood pressure, weight loss, and other health points in humans. However, a recent study from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> has explored new ground,  concluding that fasting before and after exposure to Salmonella enterica bacteria prevents mice from developing a full-blown infection. 

The conclusion is based on the discovery that the gut microbiomes of mice change after fasting. The mice were made to fast for 48 hours before and during oral infection of Salmonella, a common foodborne illness in humans. 

We have known for decades that humans and animals alike lose their appetites during an infection, but it has remained unclear whether fasting increases their susceptibility or protects a host from infection. The new study shows that fasting decreased the levels of infection in comparison to fed mice, almost eliminating all inflammation and intestinal tissue damage.

Once mice were re-fed for a day after their 48-hour fast, the presence of Salmonella greatly increased and invaded the intestinal wall. However, inflammation levels that are usually associated with infection were still significantly decreased compared to normal. 

Interestingly, the decreases in infection rates were only identified within mice that were exposed to Salmonella orally, with intravenous exposure showing no effect from fasting. 

Another interesting observation is that fasting did not fully protect mice that were bred to be germ-free, hence lacking a regular microbiome. The researchers recreated the experiment using the bacteria Campylobacter jejuni, and similar results were found. 

The study ultimately suggests that fasting promoted highly beneficial changes within the gut microbiome and that these benefits were transferrable to other bacterial infections and were not restricted to Salmonella alone. 

“These data suggest that therapeutic fasting or calorie restriction has the potential to beneficially modulate infectious and potentially non-infectious gastrointestinal diseases," concluded lead researcher Bruce Vallance.

“Our research highlights the important role that food plays in regulating interactions between the host, enteric pathogens, and the gut microbiome," wrote the study authors.

"When food is limited, the microbiome appears to sequester the nutrients that remain, preventing pathogens from acquiring the energy they need to infect the host. While more research is needed, fasting or otherwise adjusting food intake could be exploited therapeutically to modulate infectious diseases in the future.”

The research has been published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/">PLOS Pathogens</a>.

---

By <a href="http://calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fasting may help ward off infections, a new study suggests

Many research studies have investigated the potential health benefits behind...

In a study published today in the journal Science, researchers from <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">UC Berkeley</a> report how squirrels make split-second decisions about when to leap from branches in order to secure a peanut reward. The scientists made videos of fox squirrels as they leaped and landed in the canopy of a eucalyptus grove on the university campus in order to reach their desired goals.

The squirrels were offered novel launching pads, such as flimsy, rigid or overly bendy branches. The researchers observed that squirrels quickly adjusted to the new launching conditions. They modified their body position in mid-flight if a leap did not go quite according to plan, and were supremely adept at sticking the landings.  

"When they leap across a gap, they decide where to take off based on a trade-off between branch flexibility and the size of the gap they must leap," said Nathaniel Hunt, former UC Berkeley doctoral student and current assistant professor of Biomechanics at the University of Nebraska. 

"And when they encounter a branch with novel mechanical properties, they learn to adjust their launching mechanics in just a few jumps. This behavioral flexibility that adapts to the mechanics and geometry of leaping and landing structures is important to accurately leaping across a gap to land on a small target."

However, when deciding whether or not to jump, squirrels do not give equal attention to the bendiness of the branch and the distance of the gap. The flexibility of the branch is six times more critical than the gap distance when deciding whether to jump. The researchers felt that this was due to the fact that squirrels can rely on their sharp claws to help them cling on, even when the landing is not perfect. 

Despite being put through some tricky and unexpected manoeuvres in order to get to the peanuts, no squirrels fell during the entire study. Their ability to innovate and learn rapidly was evident in their locomotion solutions. 

The squirrels were even able to change orientation while in mid-air and then push off from a vertical surface in order to adjust their speed for a better landing. This is reminiscent of human parkour, where people jump, swing, somersault and vault through the urban environment as a form of sport.

An understanding of how squirrels learn to travel through a complex environment could be applied to develop robots that need to move through challenging landscapes, such as collapsed buildings where survivors might be found. 

"As a model organism to understand the biological limits of balance and agility, I would argue that squirrels are second to none," said Hunt. "If we try to understand how squirrels do this, then we may discover general principles of high-performance locomotion in the canopy and other complex terrains that apply to the movements of other animals and robots."

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Squirrels can adjust to new launching conditions mid-flight

In a study published today in the journal Science, researchers...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> have found that a changing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emperor-penguins-may-not-survive-climate-change/">climate</a> will increase the burden of crop diseases in some regions, while lowering the impacts in others.

The risk of crop diseases is likely to decrease in tropical areas including Brazil, sub-Saharan Africa, India and Southeast Asia, as pests and pathogens move away from the equator. Meanwhile, the burden will grow at higher latitudes, particularly in Europe and China.

According to the study authors, these changes will "closely track" variations in crop productivity expected under global warming. 

Climate models predict that crop yields will be boosted at high latitudes as a result of rising temperatures. At the same time, crop productivity in the tropics is not expected to change significantly.

The researchers also report that there could be major changes in the mix of crop diseases affecting the United States, Europe and China.

"Plant pathogens already cause devastating production losses globally," said Professor Daniel Bebber of Exeter's Department of Biosciences and the Global Systems Institute.

"Our previous research has shown that crop pests and pathogens are moving away from the equator, and this new study estimates risks from pathogens in the coming decades."

"Our results show that climate-driven yield gains in temperate regions will be tempered by the increased burden of crop protection."

"Rapid global dissemination by international trade and transport means pathogens are likely to reach all areas in which conditions are suitable for them."

Temperatures and other weather conditions have a strong influence on infection rates by plant pathogens.

The study authors used existing data to analyze the minimum, optimum and maximum infection temperatures for 80 fungal and oomycete crop pathogens. They used various computer models to compare current yields and future yield projections for 12 major crops.

Study co-author Professor Sarah Gurr said the changing pathogen mix in each area could have a major impact.

"Plant-breeding and agrochemical companies focus on particular diseases," said Professor Gurr. "In the UK, for example, wheat breeders focus on resistance to Septoria tritici blotch, yellow rust and brown rust - but those threats could change.”

"Agriculture has to plan and prepare for the future - and that future is almost here,” said study co-author Thomas Chaloner. "We have only got a few decades, and crop breeding can take a long time, so we need to think about resistance to pathogens that haven't arrived yet.

"A lot of pathogens - especially those currently found in tropical areas – are seriously under-researched."

"We need to invest in understanding these diseases, which could become increasingly prevalent in the key crop-growing areas of the world."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Crop diseases will rise in some areas, fall in others

Scientists at the University of Exeter have found that a...

Poisonous animals are fascinating. In vertebrates, the toxin is generally accumulated by eating toxic insects. This means a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frogs-have-lost-their-teeth-more-than-any-vertebrate-during-evolution/">frog</a> or bird, for instance, must consume another toxic animal and somehow gain that toxicity for itself.   

Researchers have long wondered how poisonous animals, like poison dart frogs kept from falling prey to their own toxins. Many of the poisons, such as batrachotoxins, disrupt electrical impulses in the neurons, heart and muscles. This particular type of toxin is used by both the golden poison frog of Colombia and pitohui birds of New Guinea. 

The poison works by binding onto important proteins - voltage gated sodium channels. According to <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">UCSF</a> Professor Daniel L. Minor, Jr., it remains uncertain if poisonous animals have toxin adapted sodium gates, as has been hypothesized.

“However, there haven’t been any functional studies of poison frog or Pitohuisodium channels, so whether batrachotoxin-bearing animals rely on changes within their sodium channels or alternative resistance mechanisms remains unclear,” said Professor Minor. 

Previous research has shown that a mutation in sodium channels found in poison dart frogs, when expressed in rats, gives them a poison resistant sodium channel. 

When Professor Minor and colleagues introduced the mutation to golden poison frogs and pitohui birds, they found the change didn’t make the sodium channels resistant to toxin. Actually, with the mutation, the sodium channel doesn’t function well without batrachotoxin being present. Professor Minor suggests that this finding is telling.

“Taken together, our observations challenge the idea that sodium channel mutation is the batrachotoxin auto resistance strategy for poisonous birds and poison frogs such as P. terribilis.” 

Instead of autoimmunity from toxic resistant sodium channels, scientists suggest something else is at play. Bullfrogs synthesize a protein called saxiphilin that binds to the poison saxitoxin. The saxiphilin has been shown experimentally to neutralize saxitoxin when both are introduced to other frogs. 

So far, a “toxic sponge” protein like saxiphilin has yet to be discovered for batrachotoxin, yet scientists hypothesize such a protein exists, sequestering the toxins within the poisonous animals that use them.   

The research is published in the <a href="https://rupress.org/jgp">Journal of General Physiology</a>.

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By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

The secret that protects poisonous animals from themselves

Poisonous animals are fascinating. In vertebrates, the toxin is generally...

Anyone who’s watched a lizard scale a cliff, building or tree seemingly without effort  knows they have some serious climbing skills. Many lizards have this remarkable climbing ability, with tiny claws that cling to a variety of surfaces. Some lizards that live high in the tree tops have evolved special anatomy - sticky toes that are perfect for climbing.  

Geckoes, skinks and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/anole-lizards-have-adapted-their-own-version-scuba-diving/">Anolis</a> lizards each independently evolved sticky toe pads. There are, however, hundreds of other lizards adapted to life in the trees, many of which do not possess these special sticky toes. 

Scientists at <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University</a> set out to investigate whether sticky toe pads confer an advantage to the lizards that possess them. Using a previously published database of habitat use, the researchers were able to analyze the evolutionary relationship of lizards that live in trees. 

Interestingly, the scientists found, lizards evolved the ability to live in trees hundreds of times, with thousands of species living in trees. 

Even more fascinating, sticky toe pads evolved only after lizards already lived in trees - it wasn’t a prerequisite. Study co-author James Stroud explained the advantage the team found in sticky toes.

“There are hundreds of lizards living in the trees, but over evolutionary time many of those species end up leaving for life on the ground because, presumably, they interact with these padded lizards that have a greater advantage,” said Stroud.

Despite the fascinating conclusion that sticky toe pads to infer an advantage to tree living lizards, study co-author Aryeh Miller said there’s more research still to be done.

“Analyzing evolutionary relationships can tell us a lot, but next we need to go out into nature - to see what parts of the environment the lizards use and why these evolutionary relationships exist," said Miller.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sysbio">Systematic Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Sticky toes help lizards live high in the trees

Anyone who’s watched a lizard scale a cliff, building or...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/adults-are-more-compassionate-when-children-are-nearby/">Children</a> with a heavily drinking parent have a greater risk of a number of negative experiences, according  to a new paper published in the <a href="https://www.jsad.com/">Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs</a>.

The researchers explain that a close family member’s drinking habit may have a more negative impact than that of friends or more distantly related family members.

“Within the last 10 years, there has been an expansion of research on consequences that extend beyond the drinker," wrote the study authors.

"Although some studies show that harm because of strangers’ drinking may be more prevalent, harms caused by close relations, such as household family members and friends, may be more severe and distressing.”

Most previous studies relied on surveys in which adults reported on the harm caused to children in their own home. Obviously, this type of research has inherent flaws, as many will underreport such harm. The new study relied on records such as those from hospitals, making it a “registers-based study.” 

“Registers are able to easily link immediate family members and follow individuals over extended periods of time to study long-term outcomes," said study co-author Julie Brummer of Aarhus University in Denmark.

"Particularly in the Nordic region, there are register data across many domains, including physical and mental health - areas where we suspect we may see harms to family members.”

The potential negative impacts from a heavily drinking parent include mental health issues, infant or childhood mortality, and a greater likelihood of being arrested. 

Dr. Anne-Marie Laslett of the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research in Australia agreed with the results of the new study, as well as the techniques involved in reaching those results.

“The article by Brummer and associates points toward a wider scope in which register data sets can contribute to documenting, investigating, and prevention planning for harms from others’ drinking," said Dr. Laslett. "Mining them will improve our understanding of how alcohol’s harms to others can be reduced.”

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Children with a heavily drinking parent face a range of potential issues

Children with a heavily drinking parent have a greater risk...

While many recent studies have used data models to predict the future effect of CO2 on global warming, a new study has instead investigated climate changes that occurred in Earth's distant past. 

The research, led by the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>, demonstrates that a decline in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 shifted Earth’s climate from a warm greenhouse to a freezing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-earth-was-heated-by-extreme-levels-of-atmospheric-co2/">ice</a> age around 34 million years ago. 

The study concluded that this transition could be partly reversed in the coming centuries due to the anthropogenic rise in CO2 levels. 

The Eocene in Antarctica had previously been covered by lush forests over 40 million years ago, but around six million years later, the forests of the Oligocene were replaced by thick continental ice sheets. 

The result of this change was the freezing climate we know today as Antarctica. Little information is known about the driving force of this transition, and lead researchers Dr. Vittoria Laurentano and Dr. David Naafs set out to investigate this. 

The team used molecular fossils that had been preserved in ancient coals to reconstruct land temperature models across this transition. The models were built using a new approach based on the distribution of bacterial lipids that were preserved in ancient wetland deposits. 

Rich Pancost is a co-author of the paper and a researcher in Bristol’s School of Chemistry. 

"These compounds originally comprised the cell membranes of bacteria living in ancient wetlands, with their structures changing slightly to help the bacteria adapt to changing temperature and acidity," explained Pancost. "Those compounds can then be preserved for tens of millions of years, allowing us to reconstruct those ancient environmental conditions."

The team applied their new approach to coal deposits from the southeast Australian Gippsland Basin in order to reconstruct temperature change across the greenhouse-to-icehouse transition. These coal deposits spanned over 10 million years of Earth’s history and have been characterized extensively by collaborators Dr. Vera Korasidis and Professor Malcolm Wallace from the University of Melbourne. 

The new data demonstrates that both the historic land and ocean temperatures were cooled by a uniform magnitude of around 3°C. To explore the causes of this decline in temperature, the team conducted climate model simulations. 

The experts concluded that only simulations which accounted for a decline in atmospheric CO2 were able to reproduce cooling levels that remained consistent with the temperature data reconstructed from the coal samples. 

Ultimately, these results provide further evidence that atmospheric CO2 plays a crucial role in driving Earth’s climate, including a central role in the formation of the Antarctic ice sheet.

The project was developed and funded by the ERC’s The Greenhouse Earth Systems (TGRES).

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ngeo/">Nature Geoscience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Decline in CO2 reversed climate warming 30 million years ago

While many recent studies have used data models to predict...

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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

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" 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 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

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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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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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

[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

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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...