In the midst of our busy lives, those seemingly insignificant everyday experiences - like booking a flight home for Thanksgiving or writing a thank-you note - may feel less meaningful.



But according to Erin Westgate, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Florida, these experiences carry more value than we attribute them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-purpose-behind-the-research">Purpose behind the research</h2>



Alongside her team at the <a href="https://socialcognition.psych.ufl.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab</a>, Westgate recently secured a grant from the National Science Foundation.



The researchers intended to examine why people underestimate the significance of future life <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/facial-expressions-arent-enough-to-understand-human-emotions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experiences</a>. The spark for this exploration ignited during Westgate's school days.



“This started a long time ago when I was in grad school where I was talking to another student who asked me if we know how meaningful events will be in the future,” Westgate said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meaningful-experience-of-thanksgiving">Meaningful experience of Thanksgiving</h2>



The question prompted an interesting study involving <a href="https://www.virginia.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Virginia</a> undergraduates. The students were asked about their expectations of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday's meaningfulness and their thoughts afterward. 



“Surely people know how significant Thanksgiving will be, right? It’s the poster child for gratitude and meaning,” Westgate said.



Much to Westgate's surprise, the students extensively misjudged their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-likes-have-a-strong-emotional-effect-on-young-people/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">feelings</a> about the holiday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-missing-out-on-meaningful-experiences">Missing out on meaningful experiences </h2>



Fast forward to the pandemic-ridden 2020. Westgate revisited her initial findings, asking, “We found it once, but can we find it again?”



With a larger sample of University of Florida undergraduates, the results echoed the first study. People chronically underestimated the value of their Thanksgiving holiday.



“We want to live meaningful lives, we want to do meaningful things and so if we are not realizing that an experience is going to be meaningful, we may be less likely to do it and miss out on these potential sources of meaning in our own lives,” Westgate said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decision-factors-in-meaningful-experiences">Decision factors in meaningful experiences</h2>



The research indicated a key factor in decision-making - anticipated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mixed-emotions-linked-to-unique-brain-activity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">feelings</a>.



Whether it's a life-altering decision like a career choice or a family start, or a minor one like attending a holiday event, our decisions lean towards promoting a sense of purpose and fulfillment.



Over the course of a three-year study, Westgate aims to condense the reasons behind our underestimation of experiences - from our career choices to the seemingly mundane task of writing thank-you notes.



The research considers both positive and negative experiences, including the acceptance or rejection of medical school applications.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-sense-of-events">Making sense of events</h2>



The study also explores personal growth experiences that entail discomfort, leading to avoiding certain decisions out of fear.



Still, these very decisions could play an instrumental role in developing resilience and yielding deep satisfaction.



“We don’t make sense of events until they actually happen. We don’t process events until we need to, when they actually happen and not before,” said Westgate. Jumping the gun might lead us to underestimate the potential meaning of certain events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeking-solutions-for-underestimation">Seeking solutions for underestimation</h2>



The research aims to go beyond merely identifying problems; it seeks actionable solutions. Many of us often overlook the true value of meaningful experiences. 



This oversight can lead to a less fulfilling life, as we fail to appreciate the depth and significance of our everyday moments. By delving into the reasons behind this underestimation, Westgate’s work strives to illuminate the cognitive biases and misconceptions that cloud our perception of meaning.



Understanding the root of these misconceptions is crucial. It involves exploring psychological patterns and societal influences that lead individuals to undervalue their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emotional-intelligence-may-be-secret-to-academic-success/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experiences</a>. 



By identifying these patterns, the research can offer strategies to shift our perspectives and encourage a deeper appreciation of our lives. This shift could not only enhance individual well-being but also promote a more profound connection with others and the world around us.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-harnessing-meaningful-experiences-in-daily-life">Harnessing meaningful experiences in daily life</h2>



The findings suggest that by becoming more aware of our tendency to underestimate the meaningfulness of experiences, individuals can purposefully cultivate more fulfilling daily lives.



Simple changes, such as being more present in the moment, keeping a gratitude journal, or actively reflecting on past experiences, can enhance appreciation for life's ordinary events. 



These practices can help individuals recognize the intrinsic value in seemingly minor experiences, thereby enriching personal happiness and well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-psychological-interventions">Implications for psychological interventions</h2>



The research carries significant implications for psychological interventions aiming to promote mental well-being. Interventions could focus on enhancing awareness of meaningful experiences and encouraging individuals to engage in activities that nurture a sense of purpose.



By integrating these insights into therapy and counseling, mental health practitioners can better support clients in recognizing and capitalizing on the meaningful dimensions of their lives, potentially improving mental resilience and overall life satisfaction.



“Sometimes we go into a project, and we know what we are going to find. This is one of those projects that surprised us,” concluded Westgate.



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We often undervalue the most meaningful experiences in life

In the midst of our busy lives, those seemingly insignificant everyday experiences - like booking a flight home for Thanksgiving or writing a thank-you note - may feel less meaningful. But according to Erin Westgate, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Florida, these experiences carry more value than we attribute them. Purpose behind the research Alongside her team at the Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab, Westgate recently secured a grant from the National Science Foundation. The researchers intended to examine why people underestimate the...

Men are more likely to have a heart attack when they are suffering from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/listening-music-exercise-fight-fatigue/">fatigue</a> and extreme irritability, which are symptoms of a condition known as vital exhaustion. The link between exhaustion and heart attack risk is stronger among men who are not married, according to a study from the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/">European Society of Cardiology</a>.

"Vital exhaustion refers to excessive fatigue, feelings of demoralisation and increased irritability," said study lead author Dr. Dmitriy Panov. "It is thought to be a response to intractable problems in people's lives, particularly when they are unable to adapt to prolonged exposure to psychological stressors."

The study was focused on 657 men between the ages of 25 and 64 with no history of cardiovascular disease who participated in the World Health Organization (WHO) MONICA Project.

The men were classified according to their level of vital exhaustion - none, moderate, or high - and were followed up with for 14 years.

Overall, two-thirds of the men were suffering from vital exhaustion, while 33 percent were unaffected. Among individuals with high blood pressure, 74 percent had vital exhaustion.

Men with moderate or high levels of vital exhaustion were found to have nearly three times the risk of a heart attack within five years.

Middle-aged men were more affected than younger men. The risk of a heart attack connected with exhaustion was nearly four times higher in 45 to 54-year-olds, and about six times higher in 55 to 64-year-olds.

Furthermore, exhaustion-related heart attack risk was up to seven times higher among men who were never married, divorced, or widowed. 

"Living alone indicates less social support, which we know from our prior studies is an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction and stroke," said Dr. Panov. He noted that the research revealed a pattern whereby social disadvantage relates to vital exhaustion, which is associated with a greater risk of heart disease. 

"The relationship of exhaustion with threatening cardiovascular events should be taken into account when assessing risk," said Dr. Panov.

"Efforts to improve well-being and reduce stress at home and at work can help reduce vital exhaustion. Involvement in community groups is one way to increase social support and become less vulnerable to stress. Together with a healthy lifestyle, these measures should be beneficial for heart health."

The research was presented at <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Congresses-&amp;-Events/Acute-Cardiovascular-Care">ESC Acute CardioVascular Care 2021</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exhaustion increases the risk of a heart attack

Men are more likely to have a heart attack when...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a>, experts have found that rising temperatures are detrimental to rice yields. Even more recent strains of rice, which have been engineered to cope with environmental stressors like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-will-intensify-due-to-thinning-ocean-layer/">heat</a>, are less successful in warmer conditions. 

The research was focused on the productivity of various types of rice grown on farms in the Philippines. Despite the fact that the Philippines is of the top 10 countries in global rice production, the country also imports a large amount of rice in order to meet demands. 

Study co-author Professor Roderick Rejesus said that teasing out the effects of temperature on rice yields is important to understand whether rice-breeding efforts have helped address the environmental challenges faced by modern society, including global warming.

The investigation was focused on rice yields and atmospheric conditions from 1966 to 2016 in Central Luzon, which is a major rice-growing region of the Philippines. 

"This rich dataset allowed us to see what was actually happening at the farm level, rather than only observing behavior at higher levels of aggregation like in provinces or districts," said Professor Rejesus.

The researchers analyzed three varieties of rice planted during the 50-year study period, including traditional varieties; early modern varieties, which were bred for higher yields; and recent modern varieties that were bred for particular characteristics such as heat or pest resistance.

"Taken all together, there are two main implications here," said Professor Rejesus. "The first is that, at the farm level, there appears to be a 'yield gap' between how rice performs in breeding trials and on farms, with farm performance of recent varieties bred to be more tolerant to environmental stresses not being statistically different relative to the older varieties."

"The second is that rice breeding efforts may not have reached their full potential such that it may be possible to produce new varieties that will statistically perform better than older varieties in a farm setting."

According to Professor Rejesus, the findings can be applied to other rice-breeding countries, like Vietnam, because the timing of the release of various rice varieties is somewhat similar to that of the Philippines.

"Plant-breeding institutions can learn from this type of analysis, too. It provides guidance as to where research funding may be allocated by policymakers to further improve the high temperature tolerance of rice varieties available to farmers."

Professor Rejesus plans to assess other agricultural practices and innovations that affect crop yields - such as plants that can be grown during the off season to keep soils healthy - to investigate whether they can mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change.

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678276">American Journal of Agricultural Economics</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rice yields are dropping with climate change

In a new study from North Carolina State University, experts...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>, scientists report that traces of Earth's early magma ocean have been discovered in ancient rocks in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-mineral-dust-is-melting-the-greenland-ice-sheet/">Greenland</a>. 

The research is providing new insight into a critical time during the formation of the Earth, when a deep sea of magma covered its surface and extended hundreds of kilometers into its interior.

"There are few opportunities to get geological constraints on the events in the first billion years of Earth's history. It's astonishing that we can even hold these rocks in our hands - let alone get so much detail about the early history of our planet," said study lead author Dr. Helen Williams.

The gradual cooling and crystallization of the "magma ocean" produced the chemistry and x structure of the planet's interior.

The rocks, recovered from Greenland's Isua supracrustal belt, date back 3.6 billion years. The chemical remnants contained in them provide a window into a time when the planet started to solidify. 

According to the experts, the findings suggest that other rocks on Earth's surface may also preserve evidence of ancient magma oceans.

"The geochemical signals we report in the Greenland rocks bear similarities to rocks erupted from hotspot volcanoes like Hawaii - something we are interested in is whether they might also be tapping into the depths and accessing regions of the interior usually beyond our reach," said study co-author Dr.  Oliver Shorttle.

The team conducted a forensic chemical analysis on the rocks and identified residues of some of the crystals left behind as the ancient magma ocean cooled.

"It was a combination of some new chemical analyses we did and the previously published data that flagged to us that the Isua rocks might contain traces of ancient material. The hafnium and neodymium isotopes were really tantalizing, because those isotope systems are very hard to modify - so we had to look at their chemistry in more detail," said study co-author Dr. Hanika Rizo.

Most of the rocks in Earth's interior that formed from magma ocean crystallization have been mixed up by convection in the mantle, but scientists believe that some crystal graveyards may have remained undisturbed for billions of years in isolated areas deep at the mantle-core boundary

"Those samples with the iron fingerprint also have a tungsten anomaly - a signature of Earth's formation - which makes us think that their origin can be traced back to these primeval crystals," said Dr. Williams.

The researchers plan to expand their search for clues in ancient rocks to gain a better understanding of Earth's early magma ocean. 

"We've been able to unpick what one part of our planet's interior was doing billions of years ago, but to fill in the picture further we must keep searching for more chemical clues in ancient rocks," said study co-author Dr. Simon Matthews from the University of Iceland.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Crystals from Earth's magma ocean found in Greenland rocks

In a new study from the University of Cambridge, scientists...

Climate change is triggering harmful ecological changes in North America's largest temperate rainforest. The researchers said that even though this region is extremely remote, it is not immune from the negative impacts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-may-have-altered-river-flow-worldwide/">climate</a> change.

The northeast Pacific coastal temperate rainforest in southeast Alaska can store more than 1,000 tons of carbon per hectare in biomass and soil. Across this region, glaciers are disappearing faster than most other places on the planet, and winter snowfall is turning into winter rain. 

"This is an incredible landscape in a relatively compact area we have as much biomass carbon as 8% of the lower 48 states put together," said study co-lead author Professor Brian Buma of <a href="https://www.ucdenver.edu/">CU Denver</a>. 

"The 200-foot trees, the deep soils - it's just layers and layers of life. And that land is so intertwined with the water that any change in one means massive change in the other, downstream and into the ocean."

Throughout the temperate rainforest, global warming is increasing temperatures in streams which can harm salmon. Climate change is also boosting ground temperatures, with potentially fatal consequences for trees.

"Coastal temperate rainforests (CTRs) epitomize how connections between terrestrial, freshwater, and nearshore marine ecosystems are being altered by temperature increases, precipitation changes, and the loss of glacial mass," wrote the researchers.

The temperate rainforest in Southeast Alaska is one of the most pristine and intact ecosystems on the continent. As the climate warms, the forest is growing faster and removing large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere.

The experts report that a lot of this carbon "leaks" out through the creeks and rivers, where marine ecosystems thrive on the flow of energy off the land.

"Coastal margins are highly active zones at the interface between land and ocean, encompassing tightly linked, dynamic, and productive ecosystems," explained the study authors. They noted that climate change is now threatening the resilience of these complex social-ecological systems.

"This region is immensely important to global carbon cycles and our national carbon strategy, but we still don't know the direction overall carbon stocks and movement will take as the world warms," said Professor Buma. 

"While there is ample research identifying how important this area is, more work is needed to determine where this large reservoir will trend in the future."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience">Oxford Academic BioScience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Warming climate triggers major changes in the temperate rainforest

Climate change is triggering harmful ecological changes in North America's...

A new study by Earth scientists at <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">UH Mānoa</a> has revealed that sea level rise is driving wastewater into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/model-predicts-the-fate-of-plastic-debris-in-the-ocean/">ocean</a>. The experts report that sewer lines and other coastal wastewater infrastructure are likely to flood with groundwater as the sea level swells.

The research is the first of its kind to provide direct evidence that wastewater infrastructure is being inundated by tidally-driven groundwater in urban Honolulu.

The study has found that higher sea levels are pushing wastewater into storm drains and into coastal waters, with negative impacts to water quality and ecological health.

To investigate the impacts of future sea levels,  the team analyzed coastal ocean water and storm drain water in low-lying areas during spring tides. The researchers used chemical tracers to detect groundwater discharge and wastewater present at each site.

"Our results confirm that indeed, both groundwater inundation and wastewater discharge to the coast and storm drains are occurring today and that it is tidally-influenced," said study lead author Trista McKenzie. "While the results were predicted, I was surprised how prevalent the evidence for these processes and the scale of it."

During spring tides, storm drains can overflow. At the same time, wastewater from compromised infrastructure also discharges into storm drains in low-lying areas, according to the study. This contaminated water poses a risk to human health.

In addition, many of the human-derived contaminants were found at levels that pose a high risk to marine organisms. 

"Many people may think of sea-level rise as a future problem, but in fact, we are already seeing the effects today," said McKenzie. "Further, these threats to human health, ocean ecosystems and the wastewater infrastructure are expected to occur with even greater frequency and magnitude in the future."

"Coastal municipalities should pursue mitigation strategies that account for increased connectivity between wastewater infrastructure and recreational and drinking water resources."

"We need to consider infrastructure that minimizes flooding opportunities and contact with contaminated water; and decreases the number of contaminant sources, such as installation of one-way valves for storm drains, decommissioning cesspools, monitoring defective sewer lines, and construction of raised walkways and streets."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/23782242">Limnology and Oceanography Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rising sea levels are driving wastewater into the ocean

A new study by Earth scientists at UH Mānoa has...

Butterflies that have bright colors and bold patterns can often outrun the birds that try to prey on them. A new study reveals that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-of-peregrine-falcons-suggests-birds-have-a-migration-gene/">birds</a> quickly learn to avoid flashy butterflies that have managed to evade them in the past, as well as butterflies that have a similar appearance.

Based on experiments, the researchers discovered that wild birds could remember the wing patterns of artificial butterflies that dodged their attacks, as well as those that had a foul flavor. In follow-up tests, the birds ignored these butterflies, as well as their lookalikes.

The experts were surprised to find that the birds learned to avoid the speedy butterflies more quickly than the ones with a foul taste. This finding indicates that being hard to catch may deter predators as effectively as chemical defenses.

Study co-author Keith Willmott is ths curator and director of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/">Florida Museum of Natural History</a>.

"There's a common idea that being distasteful is one of the best kinds of defense to have, but at least in this experiment, that didn't prove to be the case," said Willmott.

The study provides strong evidence to support the idea of evasive mimicry, a strategy in which animals protect themselves from predators by matching the colors or patterns of agile relatives. 

Most research on warning coloration has focused on species with chemical defenses and those that mimic them. For example, monarch butterflies have orange and black wing patterns that signal bad-tasting toxins. After eating a monarch, predators tend to avoid them, along with similar-looking butterflies.

A growing collection of studies suggest that a flashy exterior can also indicate that an animal has speed. Other species evolve imitations of these "racing stripes."

"When many species share the same color pattern, they're better able to educate predators to avoid them," said Willmott. "The more species that share it, the better."

Willmott studied a group of fast-flying tropical butterflies known as Adelpha. He found that dozens of Adelpha species looked virtually the same. He set out to determine whether evasive mimicry could explain why so many species of Adelpha look alike.

"It was always mysterious to me," said Willmott. "Species whose upper wings looked incredibly similar were distantly related, and we started to see cases where even subspecies of multiple species suddenly developed very unique color patterns. Really, the only way you can explain that is through mimicry."

The researchers designed an experiment to test whether potential examples of evasive mimicry in Adelpha could be the result of natural selection. They discovered that birds learned to connect a particular wing pattern with the negative experience of distastefulness or escape.

The birds strongly avoided the butterfly they had learned to associate with fast flight or a bitter taste, and often avoided butterflies that shared a similar color or pattern.

The study provides evidence that avoiding colorful prey is a learned behavior among birds. "This potentially explains many cases of apparent mimicry that lacked evidence of chemical defense."

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Birds learn to avoid flashy butterflies

Butterflies that have bright colors and bold patterns can often...

A new study from <a href="https://www.cabi.org/">CABI</a> reports that healthy ecosystems are vital in reducing the risk of future deadly pandemics like COVID-19. According to the experts, pandemic prevention requires that human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biosensors-can-monitor-plant-health-in-real-time/">health</a> be regarded as an "ecological service." They are calling for new frameworks to recognize that protected area managers are on the front lines of public health safety.

The researchers explained that land use changes drive the emergence and spread of pathogens that infect both wildlife and people with severe consequences for the health of the  environment, humans, and animals.

"The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, demonstrates society's inability to respond it a timely manner to novel pathogens. The result is mass human suffering and mortality, bringing substantial moral, ethical and economic dilemmas," wrote the study authors.

"Protected and conserved areas are the most widely used approaches to securing species and ecological integrity, they have a crucial role to play in safeguarding public health."

"From our perspective, a 'healthy' ecosystem is one in which wildlife-pathogen interactions are in balance, wildlife are not overly stressed or concentrated together by land use-induced changes."

The scientists noted that the removal of invasive plant species, which support populations of infectious pathogens, can help to boost the health of ecosystems. 

"In Mauritius, for example, invasive alien plants have reduced the habitat quality of the Mauritian flying fox (Pteropus niger), resulting in increased foraging in agricultural lands and urban environments," said Dr. Witt.

"Krivek et al. showed that non-native plant invasions reduced native fruit production and that weeded forests provide a better habitat for flying foxes. They conclude that their study lends support to invasive alien plant control as a management strategy in mitigating human-wildlife conflicts."

Study lead author Dr. Jamie K. Reaser and her team have proposed several other proactive measures that could help to prevent pandemics, such as monitoring the occurrence of pathogens and diseases in animal or human populations. 

"Nations can no longer treat conservation as a second order priority. COVID-19 shows that we should now recognize that protected areas are at the frontline of public health infrastructure and that their managers are vital to disease prevention," concluded the researchers. "Looking ahead, we have to conserve nature as if our lives depended on it."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://parksjournal.com/">Parks</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Healthy ecosystems are needed to prevent future pandemics

A new study from CABI reports that healthy ecosystems are...

There is no doubt that human-induced climate change is profoundly affecting various Earth systems, including the global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meltwater-is-a-driving-force-behind-disappearing-glaciers/">water</a> cycle. For some processes, such as river flow and hydrological extremes, the potential role of climate change is not as well understood. 

In a new study published by <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a>, experts have found evidence that the far-reaching impacts of climate change have altered river flows at a global scale. 

A team of researchers led by Lukas Gudmundsson analyzed thousands of time lapses of low, mean, and high river flows from 7,250 observatories worldwide. The data was collected over the course of 50 years from 1971 to 2010. 

According to the experts, the historical observations revealed recent, spatially complex global hydrological trends. They found that rivers in some regions are drying up and flowing less, others are growing wetter and have more water. 

Using a technique called climate change detection and attribution, the study authors compared the observational data to Earth system model simulations of the terrestrial water cycle. 

The results showed that patterns in global river flow are only consistent with model predictions that account for the effects of radiative forcing from anthropogenic climate change. 

The simulated effects of water and land management alone are not enough to explain the recent patterns, said the researchers. 

The findings suggest that climate change is the main driver of the shifting trends observed in river flows globally. 

In a review of the study, Julia Hall and Rui Perdigão argue that while the attribution to climate change is logical and likely in terms of process understanding of climate dynamics, the evidence provided is "circumstantial." In other words, there were additional processes that could have contributed to the observed trends that were not accounted for in the projections. 

"To improve the explanatory power of such important studies and to generate more confidence in such attribution statements, we need to move beyond these first-order assessments that involve simple proof of consistency and inconsistency when investigating the effects of climate change," wrote Hall and Perdigão.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change may have altered river flow worldwide

There is no doubt that human-induced climate change is profoundly...

In the most detailed study of its kind, researchers at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/">Colorado State University</a> have found that the booming cannabis industry in the United States has a massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diverse-mangrove-forests-have-higher-carbon-storage-capacity/">carbon</a> footprint. The $13 billion cannabis industry may be a huge success, but the research suggests that this success comes along with consequences for the environment.

The researchers performed a life-cycle assessment of indoor cannabis operations across the country. They calculated the energy and materials used to grow the cannabis, as well as the corresponding greenhouse gas emissions.

The study revealed that greenhouse gas emissions from cannabis production are largely attributed to high energy demands, including electricity production and natural gas consumption. The energy is used for indoor environmental controls, high-intensity grow lights, and carbon dioxide supplies that are used to accelerate plant growth.

"We knew the emissions were going to be large, but because they hadn't been fully quantified previously, we identified this as a big research opportunity space," said study lead author Hailey Summers said. "We just wanted to run with it."

The research builds on previous work by experts at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who analyzed small-scale cannabis operations in California. That particular study was conducted prior to the new laws that legalized medical use of cannabis in 36 states and recreational use in 15 states. 

The CSU team expected to find substantial differences in emissions depending on where cannabis was being grown. The researchers modeled emissions for several high-growth locations around the country. 

The team also created a map that shows relative emissions anywhere in the United States - defined as emissions per kilogram of cannabis flower. 

The experts found that U.S. indoor cannabis cultivation generates greenhouse gas emissions of between 2,283 and 5,184 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilogram of dried flower. 

The researchers were surprised to find that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems had the largest energy demand, with numbers fluctuating depending on the local climate.

According to study co-author Jason Quinn, the high energy consumption of cannabis is due in part to how the product is regulated. In Colorado, for example, many grow operations are required to be in close proximity to retail storefronts. As a result, a large number of indoor warehouses have popped up in places like Denver.

Ultimately, the CSU team would like to help the industry tackle environmental concerns while legal cannabis is still relatively new in the United States. "We would like to try and improve environmental impacts before they have become built into the way of doing business," said study co-author Evan Sproul. 

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain/">Nature Sustainability</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Booming cannabis industry is not eco-friendly

In the most detailed study of its kind, researchers at...

Honolulu is known as the rainbow capital of the world, while <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hawaii-south-africa-extinctions/">Hawaii</a> is often called the "Rainbow State." In a new report from <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/">UH Mānoa</a>, Professor Steven Businger describes why Hawaii is the best place on Earth to experience rainbows. 

"Rainbows are some of the most spectacular optical phenomena in the natural world, and Hawaii is blessed with an amazing abundance of them," writes Professor Businger. 

"Rainbows in Hawaii are at once so common and yet so stunning that they appear in Hawaiian chants and legends, on license plates, and in the names of Hawaiian sports teams and local businesses." 

"Visitors and locals alike frequently leave their cars by the side of the road in order to photograph these brilliant bands of light."

"The cultural importance of rainbows is reflected in the Hawaiian language, which has many words and phrases to describe the variety of manifestations in Hawaii."

"There are words for Earth-clinging rainbows, standing rainbow shafts, barely visible rainbows, and moonbows, among others. In Hawaiian mythology the rainbow is a symbol of transformation and a pathway between Earth and Heaven, as it is in many cultures around the world."

Rainbows are optical illusions that appear when the sun shines onto water droplets. In order to get a glimpse of one on flat ground, the sun must be within about 40 degrees of the horizon. 

Professor Businger explains more about the science of rainbows, as well as the conditions that make Hawaii a hotspot for viewing them. He notes that the state's location in the subtropical Pacific means that the overall weather pattern is dominated by trade winds, with frequent rain showers and clear skies between the showers.

"At night a warm sea surface heats the atmosphere from below, while radiation to space cools cloud tops, resulting in deeper rain showers in the morning that produce rainbows in time for breakfast," said Professor Businger.

Hawaii's mountains also play an important role in forming the stunning light displays. These mountains cause trade wind flow to be pushed up, forming clouds and producing rainfall.

In addition, daytime heating drives island-scale circulations. During periods of lighter winds, showers form over the ridge crests on Oahu and Kauai in the afternoon, which lead to rainbows at sunset.

The fourth contributing factor to frequent rainbows in Hawaii is the clean air that is free of pollution, continental dust, and pollen.

As Professor Businger pursued his passion for photographing rainbows, he envisioned a smartphone app that would be equipped with access to Doppler radar and satellite data so that it could alert users when the conditions are right for rainbow sightings nearby.

"Just as you can chase tornados in the U.S. Midwest, you can chase rainbows in Hawaii," said Professor Businger.

"After a few years of false starts, Paul Cynn and I finally connected with Ikayso, a Hawaiian smartphone app developer in April of 2020. I am very excited to say that our app, called RainbowChase, is now available to the public for free."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/bams-overview.xml">Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society</a>.

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<hr />

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Why Hawaii has the best rainbows on the planet

Honolulu is known as the rainbow capital of the world,...

As firefly tourism becomes more and more popular, researchers at <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/">Tufts University</a> are investigating how all this attention may be impacting the fireflies themselves. 

In Southeast Asia and North America, hundreds of thousands of male fireflies synchronize their flashing lights as they attempt to attract mates. 

The experts estimate that one million wildlife tourists are traveling each year to observe the captivating courtship displays, which are performed by two dozen firefly species around the world.

"With such mesmerizing lights, the firefly display trees make tourists fall in love at first sight," said study co-author Anchana Thancharoen. 'Our aim with this call to action is to channel that love into support for conservation efforts." 

The researchers noted that while this unique, insect-based tourism can bring economic, social, and psychological benefits to local communities and tourists, it also threatens to extinguish some local firefly populations unless adequate protections are put in place.

"With this review of the current state of firefly tourism and the declining health of their habitats, we are putting out a call to action to engage local communities and governments, as well as the tourists themselves, to act as guardians of the fireflies," said study lead author Professor Sara Lewis.

At several sites in Mexico, India, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, and the United States, the number of firefly tourists has skyrocketed.

"In Mexico, the rapid growth of firefly tourism over the past decade is thrilling but also alarming," said study co-author Tania López-Palafox. "The COVID pandemic gave them a momentary respite, but we have witnessed the harm that too much tourism can do."

The new report highlights the need for site managers, tour guides, and tourists to recognize ecological requirements across all firefly life stages. To support reproductive success among the fireflies, light pollution from buildings, vehicles, flashlights, and cell phones should be minimized.

It is also important to protect nearby habitats. Juvenile fireflies require months or even years to fully develop into adults. Depending on the species, the young fireflies spend this time below ground, in leaf litter, or underwater.

According to the study authors, there are some former firefly sites along mangrove rivers where commercial development and excessive motorboat traffic have degraded the riverbank habitat that was essential for supporting firefly larvae.

At other sites, the mating rituals of fireflies are threatened by tourists who unknowingly trample females and degrade larval habitats. Many females cannot fly, and are particularly susceptible to foot traffic. 

The <a href="https://www.iucn.org/commissions/ssc-groups/invertebrates/firefly">IUCN firefly group</a> works to identify key threats and conservation issues facing fireflies in different geographic regions, and advocates for the most threatened species. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25784854">Conservation Science and Practice</a>.

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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

Tourists who are flocking to see fireflies may be harming them

As firefly tourism becomes more and more popular, researchers at...

Veggie Bowl over Coconut Quinoa

A plant-based diet can significantly reduce the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/many-young-adults-do-not-know-common-stroke-symptoms/">stroke</a>, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health</a>. 

The researchers found that individuals who eat a healthy diet primarily sourced from plants that is rich in leafy greens, whole grains, and beans - with lower levels of refined grains and added sugars - can reduce their overall risk of stroke by up to 10 percent.

"Our findings have important public health implications, suggesting that future nutrition policies to lower stroke risk should take the quality of food into consideration," said study first author Megu Baden.

While previous studies have linked plant-based diets to a lower risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the same association with stroke has not been well established.

"Many studies already show that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk of all kinds of diseases, from heart disease to diabetes," said study co-author Dr. Megu Baden. "We wanted to find out if there is an association between this kind of healthy diet and stroke risk."

For their investigation, the researchers analyzed diet and health data from more than 200,000 participants in the Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II, and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

The individuals did not have a history of cardiovascular disease or cancer at the time of enrollment, and were followed for more than 25 years.

In addition to lowering the overall risk of stroke, a healthy plant-based diet was found to be associated with a modest reduction in risk of ischemic stroke. This is the most common type of stroke, which occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked. 

"Many individuals have been increasing the amount of plant-based components in their diet," said study co-author Professor Kathryn Rexrode. 

"These results show that higher intake of healthy plant-based foods may help reduce long-term stroke risk, and that it is still important to pay attention to diet quality of plant-based diets."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://n.neurology.org/">Neurology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plant-based diet lowers overall stroke risk

A plant-based diet can significantly reduce the risk of stroke,...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[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

[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

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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



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...