It's no secret that the global health community has been grappling with the catastrophic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic since it arose in 2019. This disease has presented unprecedented challenges in treatment and prevention, and we still do not fully understand the behavior of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.



As of today, the World Health Organization has documented over 770 million COVID-19 cases worldwide, indicating the extensive reach and impact that this virus has had on global populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-mystery-of-how-covid-19-travels">The mystery of how COVID-19 travels</h2>



While we have decent knowledge about how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-virus-lingers-body-two-years-after-infection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">virus</a> enters our bodies - by attaching onto healthy cells in our nose and throat - there remains a level of mystery about how COVID-19 further travels and spreads once inside an airway, and how it contributes to severe illness and long-term complications.



But recently, thanks to extensive research efforts and collaborative studies, a new piece of the puzzle has been identified. The findings offer fresh insights that may inform future treatment strategies and preventive measures.



Scientists at <a href="https://www.nm.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northwestern Medicine</a> embarked on a mission to uncover the mysteries of SARS-CoV-2 's proliferation in our bodies.



One of their most significant findings was that the virus uses our body's own mucus as its personal highway into the lower lungs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mucus-the-unexpected-accomplice">Mucus: The unexpected accomplice</h2>



In their study, which was published recently in Nature Communications, the researchers performed live imaging on human bronchial epithelium cells after they were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 virus.



Their observations revealed the virus' cunning tactic - the movement of our own mucus helps the virus to travel inside the respiratory tract.



This eventually leads to the formation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-covid-19-is-transmitted-through-aerosols/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infectious aerosols</a>, which can further affect other individuals.



"The virus goes where the mucus goes," said Mark Becker, the leading student author of the study.



We generally understand mucus as a protective shield against infection, that traps viruses and other harmful particles before they can enter the tissues. Our own ciliated cells help to "sweep" dirty mucus upwards towards the throat, thus keeping the respiratory surfaces clean.



Ironically, when exploited by the SARS-CoV-2 virus , this protective defense becomes an accomplice that aids the spread after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-impacts-the-brain-through-inflammation-not-infection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infection</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-covid-19-insights-and-future-research">COVID-19 insights and future research</h2>



While funding for COVID-19 related research has started to decrease, the experts remain hopeful. 



They believe their discovery of how COVID-19 travels could have substantial applications in the context of other viral diseases as well, specifically <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genetic-variant-linked-to-both-covid-risk-and-hiv-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HIV</a>.



"The mucosal environment most similar to the lungs is the upper female reproductive tract," noted study senior author Dr. Thomas Hope.



Perhaps, then, this understanding of how the virus that causes COVID-19 manoeuvres through the respiratory tract can open doors to new research on other diseases that may similarly exploit the supply of mucus.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-story-of-scientific-innovation">A story of scientific innovation </h2>



The success of this study is also a reflection of the robust infrastructure and commitment at Northwestern Medicine.



"The university really supported us and that is a testament to what a great environment Northwestern Medicine is," noted Dr. Hope.



It's a story of scientific innovation, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the virus that has turned our world upside down. And above all, it's about teamwork - because that's how scientific breakthroughs happen.



This research contributes to the ever-growing body of knowledge about COVID-19. It demonstrates the virus's surprisingly strategic use of our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reprogramming-the-immune-system-to-attack-cancer-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">body's own defenses</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-covid-19-insights-and-innovative-treatments">COVID-19 insights and innovative treatments</h2>



The newfound understanding of SARS-CoV-2's behavior in the mucosal environment has sparked interest in developing innovative treatment approaches.



Researchers are now looking at how this knowledge could be applied to create therapies that reinforce mucosal barriers, potentially preventing viral entry and spread. 



This type of preventive treatment could revolutionize how viral diseases are managed, particularly for infections that target mucosal tissues.



By focusing on fortifying the body’s first line of defense, scientists hope to reduce the severity and transmission of certain viral diseases.



Beyond COVID-19, these strategies could offer hope for combating other viruses that similarly exploit mucosal pathways, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). 



The potential for cross-applicability means that advancements made now could lay the groundwork for a more resilient response to future viral outbreaks, and create a broad-spectrum approach to viral prevention and treatment.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53791-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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How the COVID-19 virus travels deep inside our lungs

It's no secret that the global health community has been grappling with the catastrophic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic since it arose in 2019. This disease has presented unprecedented challenges in treatment and prevention, and we still do not fully understand the behavior of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. As of today, the World Health Organization has documented over 770 million COVID-19 cases worldwide, indicating the extensive reach and impact that this virus has had on global populations. The mystery of how COVID-19 travels While we have decent knowledge...

New data from several groups of researchers warns that the number of people with dementia will triple by 2050, and that it will occur in younger and younger individuals. The causes? Demographics and unhealthy lifestyles. 

The different forecasts, reported at the recent <a href="https://www.alz.org/aaic">Alzheimer's Association International Conference</a> in Denver, are intended to warn policymakers and healthcare professionals.

"Improvements in lifestyle in adults in developed countries and other places -l- including increasing access to education and greater attention to heart health issues - have reduced incidence in recent years, but total numbers with dementia are still going up because of the aging of the population," said Dr. Maria C. Carillo, the <a href="https://www.alz.org/">Alzheimer’s Association</a> chief science officer.

The U.S. National Institute on Aging reports that by 2050, people over the age of 65 will make up twice the proportion of the world’s population compared to 2010 - a jump from 8 percent to 16 percent. 

Aging isn’t the only factor, however. Dr. Carillo also lists “obesity, diabetes and sedentary lifestyles in younger people are rising quickly, and these are risk factors for dementia." 

Lifestyle choices can have a big impact early on. Researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, who presented their data at the conference, noted that 350,000 people are diagnosed with younger-onset dementia every year.

Changing demographics and socioeconomic status also appear to be direct indicators of an individual’s risk of dementia. Dr. Ambar Kulshreshtha and other researchers at Emory University found that Alzheimer’s mortality rates were highest in rural areas, and of those rural areas those in the American South were highest. 

“In addition to therapeutics, it's critical to uncover culturally-tailored interventions that reduce dementia risk through lifestyle factors like education, diet and exercise," said Dr. Carillo.

 Kristen Clifford, who is the chief program officer at the Alzheimer’s Association, assures people that support and information are available. "And you have the power to make a new plan and determine how you choose to live your best life with the disease."

---

By <a href="http://rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dementia cases expected to triple over the next three decades

New data from several groups of researchers warns that the...

As global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/clouds-have-an-amplifying-effect-on-global-warming/">warming</a> occurs and the climate starts to shift, researchers warn not to expect all of the same changes everywhere. A new study from the <a href="https://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> predicts that places which are already wet will generally receive more rainfall and more varied precipitation.

"As climate warms, climatologically wet regions will generally get wetter and dry regions get drier. Such a global pattern of mean rainfall change is often described as 'wet-get-wetter'. By analogy, the global pattern of rainfall variability change features a 'wet-get-more variable' paradigm,"explained study co-author Zhou Tianjun. 

Overall, this means that Earth environments are set to become more different from each other than they already are, as the planet becomes a more variable place. 

"The amplified rainfall variability manifests the fact that global warming is making our climate more uneven - more extreme in both wet and dry conditions, with wider and probably more rapid transitions between them," said study lead author Zhang Wenxia. 

These wild differences between different environments, as well as less predictable rainfall, will be very challenging for both human infrastructure and survival as well as for ecosystems everywhere. 

Study co-author Kalli Furtado hopes that having this information in hand will help future planning efforts but also acknowledges the hardships predicted, 

"This classification of different precipitation change regimes is valuable for regional adaptation planning," said Furtado.

"For most regions, the increasing rainfall variability, which could translate into impacts on crop yields and river flows, makes climate change adaptation more difficult."

As with so many things with climate change, we are not locked into any single future scenario. Humans still have time to try and mitigate climate change, and to plan for the realities that are ahead. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rainfall will become harder to predict with climate change

As global warming occurs and the climate starts to shift,...

Some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bumblebees-are-attracted-to-the-humidity-of-flowers/">flowers</a> are caffeinated, and previous research has shown that bees seem to enjoy a little caffeine when sipping nectar. Now, in a new study published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a>, scientists have found that caffeine gives bumble bees a memory boost and helps them locate specific flowers. 

"When you give bees caffeine, they don't do anything like fly in loops, but do seem to be more motivated and more efficient," said Dr. Sarah Arnold of the University of Greenwich. 

"We wanted to see if providing caffeine would help their brains create a positive association between a certain flower odor and a sugar reward."

Bumble bees actually have relatively poor vision, so finding the appropriate flowers to collect nectar from can be quite challenging for the insects. This means flowers have to use lots of signaling to attract bees. 

Caffeinated flowers are attractive to bees, but the scientists wanted to determine something else - does caffeine actually help bees remember certain flowers? Instead of giving caffeine to bees at flowers, the scientists gave bees caffeine at their nest to see if they remembered an association between the stimulant and other cues. 

While giving the bees caffeine, the researchers also released an odor reminiscent of strawberry flowers and gave the insects sugar solution. 

&nbsp;

When the bees were then released, they were rewarded by a decaf sugar solution when attracted to flowers with a strawberry like smell. The results showed that the bees preferred flowers that smelled of strawberries, for a short time. This did not come as a surprise to the researchers.

"This is something we could have anticipated, because the bees got sugar no matter if they visited the target flower or the distractor flower," said Dr. Arnold. "In some ways, they were unlearning just as fast as they were learning."

The researchers point out that this research could potentially be used for more targeted pollination. Strawberry farmers could program bees to prefer pollinating their strawberry plants. 

The study is published in the July 28 issue of <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Caffeine helps bumble bees find flowers

Some flowers are caffeinated, and previous research has shown that...

Dengue fever is a potentially lethal disease of humans that is caused by a virus transmitted in the saliva of certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquitoes-could-become-active-year-round/">mosquitoes</a>. Recent studies led by <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> researchers have found that mosquitoes of the species Aedes aegypti that are infected with dengue virus are less tolerant of the higher temperatures associated with global warming. 

There is currently no cure for dengue fever in humans, and the disease kills around 40,000 people each year. In addition, Ae. aegypti mosquitoes are vectors of other human viral diseases, such as Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.   

"Aided by increasing urbanization and climate change, this mosquito's range is expected to overlap with 50% of the world's population by 2050, dramatically increasing the number of people who could potentially be exposed to these viruses," said Professor Elizabeth McGraw.

In the past, scientists have tried to combat the spread of dengue virus by infecting Ae. aegypti mosquitoes with a biological control agent in the form of the bacterium Wolbachia pipientis. This microbe prevents viruses from multiplying inside the mosquito’s body. The infected mosquitoes are then released into the environment but cannot transmit dengue virus to humans. 

The heat sensitivity of dengue and Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes was tested by placing the insects into sealed vials which were then immersed in a hot water bath at 42oC. The researchers recorded how quickly the mosquitoes became immobilized on their backs and compared this with rates of death in uninfected control mosquitoes. 

The results showed that mosquitoes infected with dengue virus died three times more quickly than the controls. Mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia died at four times the rate of control mosquitoes, indicating that both pathogens, although not toxic to the hosts, caused some sort of immune stress response in the mosquitoes.

"You might expect that mosquitoes infected with both dengue virus and Wolbachia might become immobilized even faster than mosquitoes infected with only one or the other microbe, but we did not find an additive effect," said study lead author Fhallon Ware-Gilmore.

"We are, however, the first to show that viral infection can affect mosquito thermal tolerance, specifically by reducing mosquito survival during exposure to high heat. And, while there are some known interactions between heat and Wolbachia, particularly in immature stages, this is also the first study to show that adult infected-mosquitoes have reduced survival during heat stress."

According to Ware-Gilmore, the lack of mosquito thermal tolerance could help reduce transmission and potentially human disease incidence in hotter climate regions.

This is particularly relevant as the effects of global warming are felt throughout the world. However, these results also suggest that Wolbachia will no longer be a useful tool of biological control in the fight against the spread of dengue fever, given that it also increases the heat sensitivity of infected mosquitoes. 

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/">PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases</a>.

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global warming may slow the spread of dengue fever

Dengue fever is a potentially lethal disease of humans that...

Part of California’s plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2045 relies on natural ecosystems to absorb carbon. But now, new research from <a href="https://uci.edu/">UC Irvine</a> warns that climate change itself may hamper the ability of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellite-data-reveals-vulnerable-tropical-forests-on-a-global-scale/">forests</a> and shrublands to take up carbon. 

The study, published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/2576604x">AGU Advances</a>, predicts that natural carbon storage in California will drop by 9 to 16 percent under varying scenarios. 

“This work highlights the conundrum that climate change poses to the state of California," said study lead author Shane Coffield.

"We need our forests and other plant-covered areas to provide a 'natural climate solution' of removing carbon dioxide from the air, but heat and drought caused by the very problem we're trying to solve could make it more difficult to achieve our objectives."

Despite an aggressive plan involving both artificial means of carbon sequestration and natural carbon sequestration by plants, it seems California may need to work even harder on emissions reduction to reach its carbon neutrality goal. 

"The emissions scenario that we follow will have a large effect on the carbon storage potential of our forests," said study co-author James Randerson.

"A more moderate emissions scenario in which we convert to more renewable energy sources leads to about half of the ecosystem carbon [sequestration] loss compared to a more extreme emissions scenario."

Unfortunately, climate models are not in agreement about the amount of precipitation in California’s future. However, the places most likely to lose carbon sequestration abilities are also some of the areas with large carbon offset projects. 

Overall, it seems the northern part of the state will become wetter, while the southern part becomes drier. Randerson says he hopes the research will be useful for planning.

"We hope that this work will inform land management and climate policies so that steps can be taken to protect existing carbon stocks and tree species in the most climate-vulnerable locations. Effective management of fire risk is essential for limiting carbon [sequestration] losses throughout much of the state."

---
By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Reaching carbon neutrality will not be easy in California

Part of California’s plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2045...

The COVID-19 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ozone-pollution-dropped-dramatically-during-pandemic/">pandemic</a> gave us a small glimpse into a world where people traveled and consumed less. Unfortunately, the pandemic also showed scientists that even an enormous reduction in human consumption and fossil fuel use is not nearly enough to stop the climate crisis. 

Published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience">Bioscience</a>, new research by William J. Ripple and Christopher Wolf from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> shows that although fossil fuel use dropped in 2020, the news is not good. 

Despite a major decrease in fossil fuel burning, concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have reached record highs. Sea level rise, ocean temperatures, and the loss of ice mass have also hit disturbing records. 

The researchers explain that their study shows the inadequacy of a small drop in fossil fuel consumption as it relates to the climate crisis.

"The updated planetary vital signs we present largely reflect the consequences of unrelenting business as usual," said the study authors. "A major lesson from COVID-19 is that even colossally decreased transportation and consumption are not nearly enough and that, instead, transformational system changes are required."

The scientists claim that only large systematic changes have any chance of really combating the climate crisis, and they recommend a few specific shifts. 

The researchers suggest phasing out fossil fuels, and ultimately banning them altogether, along with climate education in schools to raise awareness. 

The team is also calling for the conservation of ecosystems that act as natural carbon sinks. The root problem, according to the scientists, is overconsumption and overexploitation of the planet. They criticize solutions that do not tackle the problem at its root.

“Policies to alleviate the climate crisis or any of the other threatened planetary boundary transgressions should not be focused on symptom relief but on addressing their root cause: the overexploitation of the Earth," wrote the researchers.

Only by facing the real basis of the problem the scientists remind us, will humanity have a chance at a sustainable future. 

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists issue new warning on climate crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic gave us a small glimpse into a...

Air pollution from common everyday products is killing up to ten times more people than what was previously realized, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">CU Boulder</a>. The experts report that pollutants sourced from vehicle fuels and chemical products, such as house paints, are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. 

The researchers refer to the deadly air pollutants as “anthropogenic secondary organic aerosols," which form from chemicals that are regularly released through human activities. The team estimates that these secondary aerosols are linked to somewhere between 340,000 and 900,000 premature deaths each year. 

"That’s more than 10 times as many deaths as previously estimated,” said study co-author Benjamin Nault.

“The older idea was that to reduce premature mortality, you should target coal-fired power plants or the transportation sector."

“Yes, these are important, but we’re showing that if you’re not getting at the cleaning and painting products and other everyday chemicals, then you’re not getting at a major source.”

Direct sources of fine particle pollution (PM2.5), including power plants and diesel exhaust, are well documented. These sources of pollution are tied to at least three million premature deaths annually. 

The new study indicates that anthropogenic secondary organic pollutants serve as an indirect source of deadly fine particles. The chemicals are emitted from tailpipes and cooking fuels like charcoal. They are increasingly being used in house paints and cleaning products.

In previous work, a team of experts from CIRES and <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">NOAA</a> found that volatile chemical products contribute as much as vehicles do to the formation of particle pollution. 

“What’s new here, is that we are showing this is an issue in cities on three continents, North America, Europe and east Asia," said study co-author Brian McDonald.

Professor Jose-Luis Jimenez noted that air quality regulations have tended to focus on volatile chemicals that produce ozone. The current investigation shows that chemicals in everyday products - which contribute little to ozone pollution - may still contribute to the formation of fine particle pollution in a major way. 

“Because this effect has been thought to be small, it hasn’t been targeted for control,” said Professor Jimenez. “But when you take atmospheric chemistry into account and put it into a model, you find that this particular source is killing a lot of people.”

“If you care about air pollution impacts on health and mortality, you have to take this problem seriously."

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution from everyday products is deadlier than previously realized

Air pollution from common everyday products is killing up to...

Moderate drinking may lower the risk of a fatal cardiovascular event among individuals with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-may-lower-the-risk-of-heart-problems/">heart</a> disease, according to a new study published by <a href="https://www.biomedcentral.com/journals">BMC</a>.

"Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption has been reported to be cardio-protective among apparently healthy individuals; however, it is unclear whether this association is also present in those with disease," wrote the study authors.

To investigate, the researchers analyzed data from 48,423 adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) who participated in the UK Biobank, the Health Survey for England, the Scottish Health Survey, and 12 previous studies. 

The individuals, who reported their average alcohol consumption, were followed for up to 20 years. Based on this data, the study authors estimated the risk of CVD-related death.

Drinking up to 15 grams of alcohol per day was associated with a reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, or death, but the lowest risk was found among CVD patients who drank between six and eight grams of alcohol per day.

Individuals who drank six grams of alcohol per day had a 50 percent lower risk of recurrent heart attack, angina or stroke compared to those who did not drink. 

The researchers also found that those who drank more than 62 grams of alcohol per day did not have an increased risk of a recurrent or fatal CVD incident compared to individuals who did not drink alcohol.

"Our findings suggest that people with CVD may not need to stop drinking in order to prevent additional heart attacks, strokes or angina, but that they may wish to consider lowering their weekly alcohol intake," said study co-author Chengyi Ding of University College London.

"As alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing other illnesses, those with CVD who do not drink should not be encouraged to take up drinking."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Medicine</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Light drinking lowers risk of fatality from heart disease

Moderate drinking may lower the risk of a fatal cardiovascular...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.dri.edu/">Desert Research Institute</a> (DRI) have found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-coronavirus-identified-that-has-originated-in-dogs/">coronavirus</a> cases rose by nearly 18 percent in Reno last year after wildfire smoke persisted throughout the city. 

The study is part of a growing collection of research that links exposure to heavy wildfire smoke with a greater risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus. 

"Our results showed a substantial increase in the COVID-19 [the disease caused by the coronavirus] positivity rate in Reno during a time when we were affected by heavy wildfire smoke from California wildfires," said study lead author Daniel Kiser.

"This is important to be aware of as we are already confronting heavy wildfire smoke from the Beckwourth Complex Fire, and with COVID-19 cases again rising in Nevada and other parts of the western US."

The research raises concerns that the wildfire smoke currently blowing across the United States could cause a surge in coronavirus cases.

In northern California, ongoing wildfires have burned more than 190,000 acres. The fires corresponded with a recent spike in the state's coronavirus cases. Infections jumped by 43 percent in just 24 hours, increasing from 5,577 on July 22 to 7,984 on July 23.

The DRI team set out to investigate whether western wildfires in 2020 were linked to coronavirus cases in Reno. The researchers measured the amount of fine particle pollution circulating in the air as a result of wildfire smoke from May 15 to October 20.

Exposure to fine particle pollution (PM2.5) has been linked to an increased risk of catching a respiratory virus due to modified immune responses such as inflammation. According to the DRI scientists, PM 2.5 may also "enhance the spread and survival" of aerosols that carry the coronavirus.

The researchers compared levels of PM 2.5 in Reno to confirmed coronavirus cases in one of the city's hospitals. The results indicate that there was a three percent rise in coronavirus cases for every 10-microgram increase in PM 2.5 levels per cubic meter. 

"This corresponded to an estimated 17.7% increase in the number of cases during the time period most affected by wildfire smoke, from 16 Aug to 10 Oct," wrote the study authors.

The experts found that residents of Reno were exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 that persisted for longer periods of time compared to neighboring cities. During the study period, PM2.5 levels were elevated for 43 days in Reno versus 26 days in San Francisco.

"We had a unique situation here in Reno last year where we were exposed to wildfire smoke more often than many other areas, including the Bay Area," said study co-author Dr. Gai Elhanan. 

"We are located in an intermountain valley that restricts the dispersion of pollutants and possibly increases the magnitude of exposure, which makes it even more important for us to understand smoke impacts on human health."

"We believe our study greatly strengthens the evidence that wildfire smoke can enhance the spread of the coronavirus."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/jes/">Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wildfire smoke could cause a surge in coronavirus cases

Scientists at the Desert Research Institute (DRI) have found that...

A study from <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/">Stanford Medicine</a> is shedding new light on how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severity-of-covid-19-may-be-tied-to-nasal-cells/">COVID-19</a> vaccine works. The research emphasizes the importance of the second dose, finding that it provides far more antiviral protection than the first dose.

"Despite their outstanding efficacy, little is known about how exactly RNA vaccines work," said study co-senior author Dr. Bali Pulendran. "So we probed the immune response induced by one of them in exquisite detail."

The experts set out to investigate how the Pfizer vaccine affects numerous components of the immune response. The study was focused on antibodies and immune cells in blood samples from individuals who had been inoculated with the vaccine. 

"The world's attention has recently been fixed on COVID-19 vaccines, particularly on the new RNA vaccines," said Dr. Pulendran. "This is the first time RNA vaccines have ever been given to humans, and we have no clue as to how they do what they do: offer 95% protection against COVID-19."

The traditional approach to approving new vaccines looks at their ability to induce neutralizing antibodies, which are individualized proteins created by immune cells that can block a virus from infecting cells.

"Antibodies are easy to measure," said Dr. Pulendran. "But the immune system is much more complicated than that. Antibodies alone don't come close to fully reflecting its complexity and potential range of protection."

The researchers analyzed how every type of immune cell was influenced by the vaccine, including their numbers, their activation levels, the genes they express, and the proteins and metabolites they produce. 

The team looked closely at the response of T cells, "search-and-destroy" immune cells that probe the body for cells associated with viral infection.

The researchers found that the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine increases SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody levels, but not nearly as much as the second dose, which turned out to be far more powerful in other ways as well. 

"The second shot has powerful beneficial effects that far exceed those of the first shot," said Dr. Pulendran. "It stimulated a manifold increase in antibody levels, a terrific T-cell response that was absent after the first shot alone, and a strikingly enhanced innate immune response."

According to Dr. Pulendran, the second dose of the vaccine was particularly responsible for the massive mobilization of a newly discovered group of first-responder cells that are normally scarce. 

The cells were first identified in a recent vaccine study led by Dr. Pulendran. While they barely responded to an actual COVID-19 infection, they became 100 times more prevalent after the Pfizer vaccine. Dr. Pulendran said the cells seem uniquely capable of providing broad protection against diverse viral infections.

"The extraordinary increase in the frequency of these cells, just a day following booster immunization, is surprising," said Dr. Pulendran. "It's possible that these cells may be able to mount a holding action against not only SARS-CoV-2 but against other viruses as well."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is far more powerful

A study from Stanford Medicine is shedding new light on...

Several studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) suggest that improving air quality can lessen the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-protects-the-brain-from-dementia/">dementia</a> among older adults. 

"We've known for some time that air pollution is bad for our brains and overall health, including a connection to amyloid buildup in the brain. But what's exciting is we're now seeing data showing that improving air quality may actually reduce the risk of dementia," explained Claire Sexton, director of scientific programs and outreach for the <a href="https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&amp;ai=DChcSEwjYm8XXxIHyAhXCnYYKHRxRDSgYABAEGgJ2dQ&amp;agsac=2j_ezowndEM&amp;cit=CkQKCAjwuvmHBhAjEjQAVhKa2ixkTvqeW6LShEw80Ch3RA5sVqcwA47bl1_-tKTOnJZ8Uyfcx1I-FW8FWu-yfVkNGgJ4PvD_BwE&amp;ohost=www.google.com&amp;cid=CAESQOD2GIs0tcIBkzXaAjFctaDvrTtH-lsW6E0z9WXHCka6jGn_ya6ajXXJ256caoDe5Xcb2GMW4BNBZxW30HfUmrs&amp;sig=AOD64_0BtSJiI14_ey928P2ladkzM8nVXw&amp;q&amp;adurl&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiOn7rXxIHyAhWjSTABHV4GCicQ0Qx6BAgCEAE&amp;ms=CoAC7xndNEbQfb5zSob7DzUnnpYtlMG8mWDm9d6zw_uxcXm0Uo6e9rivPBuEUBK2Uj5Rsc9zhckZQ0b573pMRU91l2nevvX_aBcFt42XIffYl93QICqNSoK0ALYx98Tcu_hLNVKQ5MNgbHW1bM8aUsHzEb82l1SztplmVxXfUPZhRukDPwvTsFU62-lOcM36ygJA_MhitI_Pr2NCKU9gnh2AHlGMXdYylWBaBwuajo6ZaQohQektxpvrjmK66B9Ux1wbc1QXi0yO1zZD7glKxrpWAxO_D8G-9hrHm8pcg1eyfuEA1iRbuy5pdKC0fWfllsIQzyXX1AGqTu79HqIOLQVxzwqAApNxIYwWBMv2pgYV2rOFb2WqaL6J11Qc2L0tU0pBQAPR-Fl1qzxIG6_P0vEvYLlcbWUUpSh1LkGB72sVtCFg4wd2Xn88Fat9-t939yU2ldfgM1ucwl9q2GgeMTjKRVl8e-Xog9D5s5voqXOkUzfLaJu_LiiAUTeIlba8HATkrzeQBFNvw-ABC99M_wR2B_AiANlDA1VF0YrQlMM8pAgvPDPxLI-PgF_DMIafU1-VznTRFc2_EZ3wDre4Ev8uBpfNzEcMPKH0zrh84jURMfLHQICLzJ5sVmjQZVSUzNkxqV0jIa6DS7Wj4dUefj6Ksfho1Mjk5qJYqYcZDPmZE1JywFsSEPV9R5qfhD9hMxCgsZeMYuo">Alzheimer’s Association</a>.

"These data demonstrate the importance of policies and action by federal and local governments, and businesses, that address reducing air pollutants."

A team led by Dr. Xinhui Wang, assistant professor of research neurology at University of Southern California, set out to investigate whether older women living in areas with less air pollution may be less likely to develop dementia.

The researchers found that, in general, air pollution had been greatly reduced over the decade prior to the study. The results showed that the women who lived in locations with greatest reductions of fine particulate matter and traffic-related pollutants had a lower risk of dementia by up to 26 percent.

"Our findings are important because they strengthen the evidence that high levels of outdoor air pollution in later life harm our brains, and also provide new evidence that by improving air quality we may be able to significantly reduce risk of cognitive decline and dementia," said Dr. Wang. 

"The possible benefits found in our studies extended across a variety of cognitive abilities, suggesting a positive impact on multiple underlying brain regions."

Perhaps more importantly, the research shows that reducing air pollution can benefit people by lowering the risk of dementia among the elderly. This is important in a time of urbanization and increased air pollution worldwide. 

While some of the risk factors for dementia and cognitive impairment are fixed, air pollution is changeable. Improving air quality - even relatively late in life - may have a positive impact on mental health. 

The scientists point out that this is a good starting point, with exciting results but more research is needed to fully understand the issue of air pollution and its impact on mental health.

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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

Better air quality linked to lower dementia risk

Several studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC)...

Why do some people infected with COVID-19 seem to get by with minor symptoms, while others become critically ill? A new collaborative study led by researchers at <a href="https://www.childrenshospital.org/">Boston Children's Hospital</a> suggests that the severity of COVID-19 symptoms may be linked to how cells in the nose and throat respond to the virus.

"Many studies looking for risk predictors have looked for signatures in the blood, but blood may not really be the right place to look,” said study co-author José Ordovás-Montañés. 

For the current investigation, the experts looked at nasal swabs from 35 adults infected with COVID-19, whose symptoms ranged from mild to severe. Each swab yielded about 562 epithelial cells, and the researchers diligently sequenced the RNA of each and every one. 

The researchers found that these cells changed dramatically post-exposure, with mucus-secreting goblet cells increasing in number while mature ciliated cells dwindled. This is notable because the function of mature ciliated cells is to move microbes and debris out of the respiratory organs. Multiple kinds of cells were infected - including goblet cells, immature ciliated cells, and epidermal cells. 

The cells sampled from people who exhibited critical symptoms displayed delayed interferon response. Interferons are somewhat like the alarm bell for the immune system, and if they don’t signal to the cells that they’re in danger, the whole immune system may be sluggish to counteract viral infection. 

According to Ordovás-Montañés, having the right amount of interferon at the right time could be at the crux of dealing with SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses.

Why and how COVID-19 causes this delayed antiviral signal in the nasopharynx is still unclear. Early evidence suggests that the new COVID variants work in a similar manner. It will be up to future studies to untangle the source of COVID-19’s dangerous inner-workings.

However, the new study does provide some hope. Perhaps if symptoms are recognized early on, interferons could be activated with a nasal spray or drops. "The question is, 'How do you make these cells more responsive?'” said Ordovás-Montañés.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

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By <a href="http://rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Severity of COVID-19 may be tied to nasal cells

Why do some people infected with COVID-19 seem to get...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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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

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[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

[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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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...