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...

Scientists have discovered that some sea slugs can sever their own heads and regenerate an entirely new body that is complete with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/low-levels-of-air-pollution-increase-the-risk-of-heart-and-lung-disease/">heart</a> and other organs. In a new study published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a>, scientists could hardly believe what they were witnessing among two types of sacoglossan sea slugs.

To survive long enough for regeneration, the researchers propose that the sea slugs may capitalize on the photosynthetic ability of chloroplasts they incorporate in their diet.

"We were surprised to see the head moving just after autotomy," said study lead author Sayaka Mitoh of Nara Women's University. "We thought that it would die soon without a heart and other important organs, but we were surprised again to find that it regenerated the whole body."

Mitoh is a PhD candidate in the lab of Yoichi Yusa, where experts are raising sea slugs from eggs to study their life history traits. Just by coincidence, Mitoh saw something unexpected in the lab one day - the head of a sacoglossan was moving around without its body. 

The experts report that the head of the sea slug, completely separated from its heart and body, moved on its own immediately after the separation. Within a few days, the wound at the back of the head closed. 

The scientists found that the severed heads of young sea slugs started to feed on algae within hours, regenerated their hearts within a week, and completely regenerated their bodies in about three weeks. On the other hand, the heads of older sea slugs did not feed on algae and died in about ten days.

While the bodies did not regenerate a new head, they moved and reacted to being touched for several days or even months.

It is not yet clear how the sea slugs manage to pull off such an unexpected technique. According to Mitoh, the team suspects there must be stem-like cells at the cut end of the neck that are capable of regenerating the body. 

One possibility for why the sea slugs use this unusual strategy could be that it helps to remove internal parasites that inhibit their reproduction. Going forward, further investigation is needed to determine what cue may prompt the sea slugs to cast off their body.

One thing that makes sacoglossan sea slugs unique is that they incorporate chloroplasts from the algae they eat into their own bodies, a strategy which is known as kleptoplasty. As a result, the animals can fuel their bodies through photosynthesis. 

According to the study authors, this photosynthetic ability may help the sea slugs survive long enough to regenerate a body.

"As the shed body is often active for months, we may be able to study the mechanism and functions of kleptoplasty using living organs, tissues, or even cells," said Mitoh. "Such studies are almost completely lacking, as most studies on kleptoplasty in sacoglossans are done either at the genetic or individual levels."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Some sea slugs sever their own heads and grow new bodies

Scientists have discovered that some sea slugs can sever their...

Antibiotic-resistant strains of staph <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-in-meltwater-sediments-speed-up-ice-loss-in-greenland/">bacteria</a> are spreading between pigs, farmworkers, their families, and communities, according to researchers at the <a href="https://www.jhsph.edu/">Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health</a>. The study, which was focused on pig farms in rural eastern North Carolina, raises new concerns about an emerging public health threat.

Staphylococcus aureus is commonly found in soil and water. It lives on the skin and in the upper respiratory tract of animals like pigs, and also humans. Staph can cause problems ranging from minor skin infections to life-threatening issues like sepsis.

The findings provide evidence that multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains are capable of spreading in and around factory farm communities. 

The study was focused on bacteria samples collected from pigs and humans in the top pig-producing counties of North Carolina. The team used DNA sequencing to analyze relationships among these bacterial strains.

The analysis revealed that the strains were very closely related, which provides evidence for transmission between pigs and people. According to the researchers, most of the strains carried genes that provide resistance to multiple antibiotics.

"We found that these livestock-associated S. aureus strains had many genes that confer resistance to antimicrobial drugs commonly used in the U.S. industrialized pig production system," said study first author Dr. Pranay Randad.

"These findings warrant future investigations into the transmission dynamics in nearby communities and disease burden associated with these strains in the United States," said  study senior author Dr. Christopher Heaney.

Experts have speculated that S. aureus and other bacteria are transmitted from humans to pigs on factory farms. Once they are contained within the pigs, the bacteria have an opportunity to evolve antibiotic resistance. 

Pigs raised on factory farms are routinely given antibiotics to prevent outbreaks in their dense concentrations. The drug-resistant bacterial strains may then be transmitted back to humans, becoming a potentially serious source of disease.

Dr. Heaney and colleagues have been collecting S. aureus isolates from pigs and farmworkers at factory-scale pig farms in North Carolina. In recent years, their research confirmed that livestock-associated strains of S. aureus, many of which are antibiotic-resistant, can be found in the pigs, farmworkers, their family members, and residents living nearby.

For the current study, the team sequenced the entire genomes of 49 of the S. aureus isolates. The DNA analysis showed that all of the isolates, whether from humans or pigs, belonged to a group of S. aureus strains known as clonal complex 9 (CC9).

"This CC9 is a novel and emerging subpopulation of S. aureus that not many people have been studying, apart from a few reports in Asia," said Dr. Randad.

The researchers discovered that the CC9 isolates from North Carolina were closely related, which implies that there has been recent transmission between pigs and people. Furthermore, nearly all of the isolates that were involved in transmission between pigs and humans were multidrug resistant. This suggests that diseases caused by these isolates would be hard to treat.

"In other countries, such as in Europe, we see a high level of coordinated research on this topic from a public health perspective, with open access to collect bacterial isolates from pigs raised on factory farms, but so far in the U.S. not as much is being done," said Dr. Randad.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/">Emerging Infectious Diseases</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pigs are spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria to humans

Antibiotic-resistant strains of staph bacteria are spreading between pigs, farmworkers,...

In North America alone, invasive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/recent-genetic-connectivity-found-among-chimpanzee-subspecies/">species</a> cause billions of dollars in annual damages. A new study from the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html">University of Alberta</a> suggests that limiting the presence of non-native wildlife through functional eradication may be a more effective strategy than total annihilation.

"Rather than trying to completely eliminate invasive species that have spread over large areas, which is very challenging, functional eradication aims to limit their abundances below levels that damage the ecosystem in priority locations," said study lead author Professor Stephanie Green.

"Resources that might otherwise be wasted on attempting complete eradication can be spread to other areas, protecting more places from impacts."

The experts propose using a strategy called functional eradication to limit the impact of destructive and widespread invasive species. For their investigation, the researchers surveyed 232 natural resource managers and invasive species specialists in Canada and the United States.

"More than 90 percent of these folks said the most destructive invaders in their regions were spread beyond a scale at which they could eradicate them, and instead local teams were engaged in a long-term battle to suppress or contain the species," explained Green.

At the same time, only two percent of the study participants said they had identified targets that signified when they had done enough to manage a species.

"This points to a major gap between the needs of the people who must make decisions about invasive species, and the information scientists and monitoring programs are collecting," said study co-author Edwin Grosholz.

According to Green, managing widespread invasive species is a long-term endeavour, but not one without hope. "Involving local communities in the functional eradication process is essential for maintaining the capacity needed to continually suppress these invaders."

The researchers pointed to an example of functional eradication among invasive lionfish. These beautiful Indo-Pacific fish, which are popular in aquariums, have spread throughout the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, where they prey on many native species. 

Financial incentives for catching lionfish are now helping to reduce their population below levels that affect native species in the area. The fish are being caught for food and for use in local art. 

The experts report that similar strategies can be applied to the European green crab, an invasive species found along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts in Canada and the United States, as well as Prussian carp.

"Our study shows that ecologically damaging and widespread invasive species are prime candidates for functional eradication," said Green. "To effectively keep populations down in priority areas, targets need to be based on how many of the invasive species it takes to cause major changes in the ecosystem."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.esa.org/frontiers-in-ecology-and-the-environment/">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Functional eradication may be the best approach to invasive species

In North America alone, invasive species cause billions of dollars...

Even though chimpanzees are typically divided into four geographical subspecies, some studies have found evidence of genetic connectivity among all populations. 

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/">Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a>, experts have discovered recent genetic connectivity between chimpanzee subspecies, despite periods of isolation.

"Given the high degree of behavioral variability and flexibility across chimpanzee populations, characterizing range-wide patterns of genetic diversity in chimpanzees is important for understanding how they adapt to changing environmental conditions," explained the researchers.

In collaboration with the Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee (PanAf), an international team of experts collected over 5,000 fecal samples from 55 sites across the chimpanzee range in 18 countries. This is by far the most complete sampling of chimpanzees to date.

"Collecting these samples was often a daunting task for our amazing field teams. The chimpanzees were almost all unhabituated to human presence, so it took a lot of patience, skill and luck to find chimpanzee dung at each of the sites," said study senior author Mimi Arandjelovic.

"We used rapidly-evolving genetic markers that reflect the recent population history of species and, in combination with the dense sampling from across their range, we show that chimpanzee subspecies have been connected, or, more likely, reconnected, for extended periods during the most recent maximal expansion of African forests," said study first author Jack Lester.

This means that although chimpanzees were separated into different subspecies in their distant past - prior to human disturbances - the geographic barriers were permeable to chimpanzee dispersal. 

"It is widely thought that chimpanzees persisted in forest refugia during glacial periods, which has likely been responsible for isolating groups of populations which we now recognize as subspecies," explained study co-author Paolo Gratton. 

"Our results from fast-evolving microsatellite DNA markers however indicate that genetic connectivity in the most recent millennia mainly mirrors geographic distance and local factors, masking the older subspecies subdivisions."

According to PanAf co-director Hjalmar Kuehl, the results suggest that the great behavioral diversity observed in chimpanzees is not due to local genetic adaptation but to their reliance on behavioral flexibility to respond to changes in their environment.

At sites that were associated with human disturbances and pressures, the researchers noted signals of reductions in diversity. There were even some locations where no chimpanzees were detected, even though they had been present in recent decades. 

"Although not unforeseen, we were disheartened to already find the influence of human impacts at some field sites where genetic diversity was markedly lower than what we expected," said Lester.

The findings highlight the importance of genetic connectivity for chimpanzees in their recent history. While chimpanzees are adaptable and can survive in human-modified landscapes, they are currently facing multiple threats including habitat loss and diseases. The results of this study indicate that if habitat fragmentation and isolation continue, there will be serious consequences for the genetic health and viability of chimpanzees.

Christophe Boesch, co-director of the PanAf and director of the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, concluded that every effort should be made to re-establish and maintain dispersal corridors across their range, with perhaps special attention to trans-national protected areas.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsbio/">Communications Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Recent genetic connectivity found among chimpanzee subspecies

Even though chimpanzees are typically divided into four geographical subspecies,...

In a new study from <a href="https://vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a>, experts have identified a clear connection between stream quality and human health. Streams represent a critical interface between human beings and the environment. They serve as a major source of drinking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-have-a-major-influence-on-the-global-water-cycle/">water</a>, as well as a place where we often go to enjoy nature.

To explore the relationship between the quality of streams and human well-being, experts in the College of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Biological Systems Engineering analyzed data on local demographics, indicators of human well-being, and indicators of stream health.

The study revealed that health statistics such as cancer rates and food insecurity are strongly correlated with water quality across the Commonwealth of Virginia. The team also identified a link between stream quality and demographics such as race and population density.

Paul Angermeier is a professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation and assistant unit leader of the Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit for the U.S. Geological Survey.

"We started off wanting to explore the general, intuitive relationship between human well-being and ecosystem health," explained Angermeier. "Many of us intuit that healthy ecosystems produce benefits that accrue to people, but that outcome isn't well documented in a quantitative way."

Environmental quality management processes often separate the natural world from human experiences, and the researchers needed a new approach.

"When we consider natural resources, we tend to think about whether we're managing an environment for nonhuman considerations or human ones," said Professor Leigh-Anne Krometis. "For instance, at the state level we have a department of environmental quality and a department of health, which both deal with the subject of water quality, but in different ways. What we wanted to see was how those two perspectives converge."

The study authors used water quality measurements provided by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and county-level demographics data from the U.S. Census Bureau. 

"We had large data sets that we had to organize and process," explained Professor Marc Stern. "Our expectations on finding meaningful relationships between stream health and human factors weren't that high. The fact that they showed up so distinctly was a surprise."

The researchers discovered that there is a strong correlation between ecosystem health and human demographics. For example, more polluted streams were associated with higher degrees of overall mortality.

"We still don't have hard data on how people are interacting with nature," said Angermeier. "For instance, we found that mortality rates for people are correlated with contamination levels in fish. What does that mean? Are people eating contaminated fish, are they merely sharing a polluted water source, or is it something else?" 

"A better understanding of the mechanisms by which people are interacting with water will help us draw clearer conclusions about health outcomes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecological-indicators">Ecological Indicators</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Stream quality is strongly correlated with human health

In a new study from Virginia Tech, experts have identified...

In recent decades, nuisance flooding has increased across the U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-coastal-airports-are-threatened-by-sea-level-rise/">coastline</a> as a result of sea level rise. A new study from the <a href="https://www.ucf.edu/">University of Central Florida</a> reveals that coastal development is also promoting more frequent nuisance flooding events.

The researchers found a link between a greater number of nuisance flooding days and higher local tide ranges that are most likely tied to human development.

Nuisance flooding is considered to be minor flooding along the coast that causes problems such as flooded roads and overloaded stormwater systems. The issues associated with nuisance flooding not only cause major inconveniences for people, but also promote bacteria and mosquitoes.

Changes to local tide range are typically found in coastal areas and estuaries where channels are dredged, land is reclaimed, or development occurs. These types of human disturbances cause the local tide range - the height difference between high tide and low tide - to increase in some areas and decrease in others.

The study was focused on data from 40 NOAA tidal gauge locations spread across the continental U.S. coastline. Among these sites, nearly half had more nuisance flooding days because of higher local tide ranges.

"It's the first time that the effects of tidal changes on nuisance flooding were quantified, and the approach is very robust as it is based purely on observational data and covers the entire coastline of the U.S. mainland," said study co-author Professor Thomas Wahl.

The investigation showed that nuisance flooding increased because of tidal changes in about half the locations, decreased in a fourth of the locations, and did not change in the remaining quarter of locations.

For example, Cedar Key, Florida received about 23 additional nuisance flooding days because of increased tidal range in 2019. During the same time frame, Washington, D.C. had about 52 fewer days of flooding due to decreased tidal range.

"Seeing how many nuisance flooding events occurred in the past and are happening today simply because of tidal changes should be motivation for us to keep alterations to sensitive estuarine systems at a minimum as to not further exacerbate the problem, which we already face because of sea level rise," said Professor Wahl. 

"We should at least be aware of these potentially negative impacts in the planning phase of alteration projects, and it might even be possible to reverse some of the negative impacts from past decisions."

"While a few individual instances of these minor flooding events do not cause too many impacts, the cumulative impacts of frequent events can become very large," Wahl says. "Hence, understanding what drives the changes in nuisance flooding is very important."

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

Coastal development is worsening nuisance flooding

In recent decades, nuisance flooding has increased across the U.S....

Kelp forests off the coast of Northern California have declined by 95 percent, and this collapse will be hard to reverse, according to researchers at <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">UC Santa Cruz</a>. The experts report that the kelp has been replaced by widespread "urchin barrens" that may persist long into the future.

The dramatic shift in the coastal ecosystem of Northern California occurred after a series of extreme events, including unusual ocean warming along the West Coast beginning in 2014. By analyzing satellite images, the researchers found that there are just a few isolated patches of bull kelp remaining.

There is some hope that the kelp forests could start to bounce back. Study co-author Professor Raphael Kudela said that ocean temperatures are beginning to cool down along the coast, after remaining above normal since 2014. 

"This year we are finally seeing ocean temperatures starting to cool off, so we're hoping that it reverses naturally and the kelp is able to take off again," said Professor Kudela. "There's really not much we can do except to keep monitoring it. Of course, the long-term solution is to reduce our carbon emissions so we don't have these extreme events."

The analysis showed that kelp forests north of San Francisco were resilient to extreme warming events in the past, including strong marine heatwaves and El Niño events. However, the widespread loss of the sunflower sea star to a deadly disease has left the kelp forests more vulnerable than they once were. 

Sea stars are key predators of sea urchins. When they are not controlled by predators,  urchins become larger and more abundant, and feed on kelp until little remains. 

"There were a lot of disruptions at one time that led to this collapse, and the system now persists in this altered state," said study first author Meredith McPherson.

"It's a naturally dynamic system that has been really resilient to extreme events in the past, but the die-off of sunflower stars caused the resilience of the ecosystem to plummet. As a result, the kelp forests were not able to withstand the effects of the marine heatwave and El Niño event combined with an insurgence of sea urchins."

Marine heatwaves and El Niño events inhibit coastal upwelling, which leads to poor conditions for kelp including warmer water and low nutrient availability.

"There have been big changes before, when a strong El Niño has reduced the kelp canopy dramatically, but in the past it's always come back," said Professor Kudela. "The loss of resiliency is what made this time different - the combination of ocean warming and the loss of the sea stars allowed the urchins to take over."

The sunflower sea star was among the hardest hit species by the deadly sea star wasting disease, and was recently listed as critically endangered by the IUCN.

Kelp forests have declined all along the California coastline, but not to the same extent as in Northern California. In Southern regions, such as Monterey Bay, urchin predators like sea otters are present.

"Sea otters haven't been seen on the North Coast since the 1800s," said McPherson. "From what we observed in the satellite data from the last 35 years, the kelp had been doing well without sea otters as long as we still had sunflower stars. Once they were gone, there were no urchin predators left in the system."

Unless sunflower sea stars or some other urchin predator returns to Northern California, the chances for kelp forest recovery are poor, said McPherson. Even if other conditions promote kelp growth, it will be difficult for the new plants to become established in the midst of the urchin barrens.

"There's a lot of research and discussion now about the best management strategies for the future," said McPherson. "It's important to understand and monitor the whole system. If we're going to undertake restoration efforts, we need to make sure to do it when the temperature and nutrient conditions are right for the kelp."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsbio/">Communications Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Kelp forests may be gone for good in Northern California

Kelp forests off the coast of Northern California have declined...

Daydreaming can be a powerful way to reshape our emotions, but first we must learn how to do it, according to new research from the <a href="http://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a>. Study lead author Dr. Erin Westgate wants to help people recapture their daydream state, which can boost mental and physical health and even <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/virus-that-causes-covid-19-silences-pain-in-the-body/">pain</a> tolerance. 

"When left to their own devices, people could choose to enjoy their own thoughts. But recent work suggests they do not," wrote the researchers. "When given the freedom, people do not spontaneously choose to think for pleasure, and when directed to do so, struggle to concentrate successfully."

Dr. Westgate said that the ability to think for pleasure is important, and you can get better at it. "This is part of our cognitive toolkit that's underdeveloped, and it's kind of sad."

As you build your ability to daydream, you will have a source of enjoyable thoughts at your disposal during stressful times, explained Dr. Westgate. The first step in becoming a better daydreamer is to recognize that while it may seem easy, daydreaming is surprisingly demanding.

"You have to be the actor, director, screenwriter and audience of a mental performance. Even though it looks like you're doing nothing, it's cognitively taxing."

Through her research, Dr. Westgate found that people do not intuitively understand how to think enjoyable thoughts. "We're fairly clueless. We don't seem to know what to think about to have a positive experience."

In collaboration with experts at the University of Virginia and Harvard University, Dr. Westgate analyzed participants who were instructed to think meaningful thoughts. It was assumed that this task would lead to a rewarding experience, but the volunteers reported that they actually found it less enjoyable than their unguided thoughts.

The study participants shared what they had been thinking about, and it came as a surprise to the researchers. "It was heavy stuff. It didn't seem to occur to them that they could use the time to enjoy their own thoughts," said Dr. Westgate.

When the volunteers were provided with a list of things to think about that were both pleasant and meaningful, they enjoyed the task 50 percent more than when they were instructed to think about whatever they wanted. 

According to Dr. Westgate, you can use this activity in everyday life by prompting yourself with topics you would find rewarding to daydream about, like an event you are looking forward to, a pleasant memory, or a future accomplishment.

Thinking for pleasure can help to fight boredom, but it can also be its own reward. "It's something that sets us apart. It defines our humanity. It allows us to imagine new realities. But that kind of thinking requires practice."

Previous research shows that we are most likely to daydream when our minds are minimally occupied with something else, like when we are showering or brushing our teeth. 

"The next time you're walking, instead of pulling out your phone, try it," said Dr. Westgate. "What we feel is a function of what we think. Thinking for pleasure can be a powerful tool to shape our emotions."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/emo">Emotion</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Adults are not good at daydreaming, but we should be

Daydreaming can be a powerful way to reshape our emotions,...

Antarctic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bearded-seals-may-not-be-loud-enough-to-survive-ocean-noise-pollution/">seals</a> are providing new insight into why glaciers are disappearing. A study from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> reveals that an unexpectedly large amount of meltwater is modifying the climate and preventing sea ice from forming.

For the investigation, the researchers attached instruments to the heads of seals living near Pine Island Glacier in the remote Amundsen Sea west of Antarctica. This allowed the scientists to capture full-depth glacial meltwater observations in winter for the first time. 

The data collected by the tagged seals was used to measure water temperature and salinity. The experts found that meltwater distribution was highly variable with two primary layers - one in the upper 250 meters and another at around 450 meters deep. These two layers were connected by meltwater-rich columns. 

The meltwater provides near-surface heat that promotes areas of open water that are close to glaciers. The warmer water accelerates the melting rate of the ice shelves. 

"The temperature and salinity of water change everywhere glacial meltwater exists. Just like looking for a 'fingerprint' of glacial meltwater, we use temperature and salinity data to track the glacial meltwater," said study lead author Yixi Zheng.

"The glacial meltwater distribution is very patchy. It doesn't mix well with the ambient water, instead flowing along two meltwater-rich layers in the upper 250 meters and at around 450 meters, connected by meltwater-rich columns."

"As the glacial meltwater is warmer and fresher than the ambient water, it is lighter than the ambient water and more likely to rise up. It brings heat and nutrients such as iron to the near surface, which may melt the sea ice near glaciers and increase the nutrient level near the surface. This enhances the air-sea interactions, and the meltwater-related nutrients may boost the growth of marine planktons like algae."

The wintertime ocean processes described in the study are likely responsible for bringing nutrients to the near-surface layer prior to the spring bloom, and for bringing heat to the surface that prevents sea ice from forming. As a result, open areas of water near glaciers expand and persist.

Many glaciers around Antarctica are rapidly shrinking, and this is primarily due to melting that occurs at the interface between the ocean and the ice shelf glacier, or basal melting. The strongest melt has been reported in glaciers in west Antarctica.

According to the experts, further research is needed considering that the study was based on one year of seal-tag data from Pine Island Glacier, and it can't be used to calculate trends over time.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/subjects/earth-and-environmental-sciences/ncomms">Communications Earth and Environment</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

Meltwater is a driving force behind disappearing glaciers

Antarctic seals are providing new insight into why glaciers are...

The expanding wildfire season in the western United States is causing severe threats to public <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-health-may-protect-you-from-severe-covid-19/">health</a>, according to a study from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">UC San Diego</a>. The researchers have found that the fine particles in wildfire smoke are several times more harmful to human respiratory health than particulate matter from other sources of air pollution.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the main component of wildfire smoke. These particles are so small that they can penetrate the human respiratory tract, enter the bloodstream, and cause damage to major organs.

The analysis was focused on 14 years of hospital admissions data. The experts determined that an increase in PM2.5 by 10 micrograms per cubic meter is up to 10 times more likely to cause a respiratory-related hospital admission when it is attributed to wildfire smoke compared to other sources.

The research suggests that assuming all particles of a certain size are equally toxic may be inaccurate and that the effects of wildfires - even at a distance - represent a pressing human health concern, explained study co-author Rosana Aguilera.

"There is a daily threshold for the amount of PM2.5 in the air that is considered acceptable by the county and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)," said Aguilera. "The problem with this standard is that it doesn't account for different sources of emission of PM2.5."

It is not yet known why wildfire PM2.5 is more harmful to human lungs than other sources of particulate pollution. Since it is more harmful, the threshold for "safe" levels of PM2.5 should be based on the source of the particles. This is particularly important in California and other areas frequently impacted by wildfires.

Santa Ana winds intensify the air quality issue in Southern California by blowing wildfire smoke toward populated coastal regions. With climate change delaying the start of winter in this region, wildfire season is getting pushed closer to the peak of the Santa Ana winds.

"As conditions in Southern California become hotter and drier, we expect to see increased wildfire activity," said postdoctoral researcher Dr. Tom Corringham. "This study demonstrates that the harm due to wildfire smoke may be greater than previously thought, bolstering the argument for early wildfire detection systems and efforts to mitigate climate change."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</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 is more toxic than other sources of pollution

The expanding wildfire season in the western United States is...

A prehistoric "killing machine" that was previously thought to have been heavy and sluggish was actually much faster than its prey, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.wits.ac.za/">University of the Witwatersrand</a>. Anteosaurus was a premammalian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-accelerates-aging-in-fish-amphibians-and-reptiles/">reptile</a> that lived in Africa during the middle Permian between 265 to 260 million years ago. 

Despite being just about the size of an adult rhinoceros, the ancient animal was a ferocious carnivore with powerful jaws and massive, bone-crushing teeth. However, experts have theorized that Anteosaurus was too slow and heavy on its feet to be an effective hunter. 

The surprising new study reveals that these creatures were built to outrun, track down, and kill their prey with ease.

Anteosaurus was a Dinocephalian, a mammal-like reptile that predated the dinosaurs. Dinocephalians dominated the planet in their time, but died out about 30 million years before dinosaurs emerged.

Dinocephalians bones, which are found in many places throughout the world, stand out as being extremely large and heavy. Anteosaurus, in particular, had a skull covered with large bumps and lumps above the eyes and a long crest on top of the snout. 

The heavy nature of the creature's bones led scientists to believe that it was a slow animal that had to scavenge or ambush its prey. "Some scientists even suggested that Anteosaurus was so heavy that it could only have lived in water," said study co-author Dr.  Julien Benoit.

Using X-ray imaging and 3D technology, the researchers created a digital reconstruction of the Anteosaurus skull and analyzed its internal structures. The study revealed that specific characteristics of the brain and balance organs were developed in such a way that would have made the reptile the opposite of slow-moving.

"Agile predators such as cheetahs or the infamous Velociraptor have always had a very specialized nervous systems and fine-tuned sensory organs that enable them to track and hunt down prey effectively," said Dr. Benoit. "We wanted to find out whether the Anteosaurus possessed similar adaptations."

The experts report that the organ of balance in Anteosaurus, which is located within the inner ear, was relatively larger than that of its closest relatives and other predators. This indicates that Anteosaurus was capable of moving much faster than its prey and competitors. 

"Even though Anteosaurus lived 200-million years before the famous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex, Anteosaurus was definitely not a 'primitive' creature, and was nothing short of a mighty prehistoric killing machine," said Dr. Benoit.

The researchers also found that the brain region responsible for coordinating eye movements in Anteosaurus was exceptionally large, which would have given the reptiles remarkable tracking abilities.

"In creating the most complete reconstruction of an Anteosaurus skull to date, we found that overall, the nervous system of Anteosaurus was optimised and specialized for hunting swiftly and striking fast, unlike what was previously believed," said study co-author Dr.  Ashley Kruger.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.app.pan.pl/">Acta Palaeontologica Polonica</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Anteosaurus was a killing machine millions of years before the dinosaurs

A prehistoric "killing machine" that was previously thought to have...

Declining butterfly populations have been linked to fall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/livestock-production-could-be-hit-hard-by-global-warming/">warming</a> and drier conditions in the western United States, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>. The experts found that Western butterfly populations have been steadily declining at an estimated rate of 1.6 percent per year over the past four decades. 

The research involved data on more than 450 butterfly species across 72 sites. In particular, the latest population count of the western monarch indicates a 99.9 percent decline over the 42-year study period from 1977 to 2018.

"The monarch population that winters along the West Coast plummeted from several hundred thousand just a few years ago to fewer than 2,000 this past year," said study co-author Professor Katy Prudic. 

"Essentially, the western monarch is on the brink of extinction, but what's most unsettling is they are situated in the middle of the pack, so to speak, in our list of declining butterfly species."

Professor Prudic said the takeaway is that western U.S. butterflies are declining quickly, and autumn warming - not spring warming or land use change - is an important contributor to the decline.

While spring tends to get most of the attention when it comes to climate change, fall warming trends have been observed in 230 cities across the United States. The largest fall temperature increases have been found in much of the Southwest.

"In Arizona, for example, the period between September and November has warmed about 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit per decade since 1895," said study co-author Professor Michael Crimmins. "Fall temperatures have warmed especially fast since the late 1980s and it's not clear why."

The study noted that declining butterfly populations have been observed in areas experiencing these fall warming trends across the West. The researchers suggest fall temperature increases may not only induce physiological stress on butterflies, but may influence development and hibernation preparation. Warmer fall temperatures can also reduce the availability of food or host plants, and extend the length of time that predators are a threat to butterflies.

Study lead author Matt Forister is a professor of Biology at the <a href="https://www.unr.edu/">University of Nevada, Reno</a>.

"The widespread butterfly declines highlight the importance of careful management of the lands that we do have control over, including our own backyards where we should use fewer pesticides and choose plants for landscapes that benefit local insects," said Professor Forister.

"Our report is unique in covering a wide area of relatively undeveloped land as compared to, for example, studies from heavily populated areas of western Europe."

"The fact that declines are observed across the undeveloped spaces of the western U.S. means that we cannot assume that insects are okay out there far from direct human influence. And that's because the influence of climate change is, of course, not geographically restricted."

The findings are shedding new light on the impacts of climate change on Western butterfly populations, and suggest that a new approach is needed for butterfly conservation that is focused on groups of species with similar habitats and needs rather than on individual species. 

"Western butterfly declines are associated with increasing fall temperatures across the U.S. wildlands," said study co-author Katy Prudic. "Conservation, management and restoration on public lands, especially along cooler riparian areas, will be critical for preventing butterfly declines and extinction."

According to the researchers, management of developed areas can have immediate benefits for insect populations but the impacts of climate change across all landscapes cannot be ignored. They noted that society should not assume that the legal protection of open spaces is sufficient without action to limit the advance of human-caused climate change.

"We relied heavily on data from citizen or "community" scientists," said Professor Forister. "Volunteers are generating amazing data these days, and we wouldn't have been able to study as many locations without decades of hard work from hundreds or maybe thousands of people."

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

Western butterfly populations are steadily vanishing

Declining butterfly populations have been linked to fall warming and...

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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

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" 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.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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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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...