Ever wondered what keeps your skin from turning crispy under the fiery sun? Well it's thanks to urocanic acid, a compound that could replace synthetic sunscreens.



Recently, a team of researchers shed light on this naturally occurring UV-absorbing compound. 



Known as "sunscreen's potential game-changer," urocanic acid offers an eco-friendly and health-conscious alternative to synthetic sunscreens.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urocanic-acid-as-sunscreen">Urocanic acid as sunscreen</h2>



The study was led by Professor Wybren Jan Buma of the <a href="https://www.uva.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Amsterdam</a> and Professor Vasilios Stavros of the <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Warwick</a> in the U.K. 



Together with their research teams, they’ve been digging deep into urocanic acid's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-does-skin-become-leathery-after-too-much-uv-light-from-sun-exposure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">capabilities</a>, investigating its possible use as a novel class of sunscreen filters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-properties-of-urocanic-acid">Properties of urocanic acid</h2>



The investigations were focused on the UV-A and UV-B absorbing, or "sun-blocking" properties of urocanic acid and its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-are-easily-absorbed-through-skin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">derivatives</a>.



The experts scrutinized the properties of isolated molecules and solutions, and their findings have been published in two enlightening papers in the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (PCCP).



"This is an excellent starting point for further optimization of its photoactive properties," said Professor Buma. "We envision many specific applications of urocanic acid and its derivatives, notably in safe UV filters."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-need-for-safer-sunscreen-agents">Need for safer sunscreen agents</h2>



Recent debates have cast a shadow over synthetic sunscreen filters. Concerns have arisen regarding their potential adverse effects on health and the environment. Could nature’s own sunscreen, urocanic acid, be the answer?



Urocanic acid, as a naturally occurring sunscreen in our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/skins-secret-strength-shields-against-puncture-damage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">skin</a>, absorbs both UV–A and UV–B radiation. However, its sun protection factor (SPF) is a mere 1.58, which is significantly less effective than synthetic sunscreens. 



Another issue is that urocanic acid can convert into an immunosuppressive molecular variant when exposed to UV radiation.



"You might think that all this makes urocanic acid not fit for use in a sunscreen," said Professor Buma.



"But it is definitely worth investigating. We think it is possible to design effective urocanic acid-based biomimetic sunscreens with a more favorable toxicological profile and optimize their photochemical and photophysical characteristics."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-sunscreen-urocanic-acid">Revolutionary sunscreen: Urocanic acid</h2>



By cobbling together high-resolution laser spectroscopy of isolated molecules and quantum chemical calculations, Buma and his team achieved a fundamental understanding of how urocanic acid interacts with UV light.



The team noted that previous studies had inadvertently obtained data from decomposition products rather than actual urocanic acid molecules. This new realization has reshaped the field.



The knowledge gained from the team's research has opened up new avenues for optimizing potential sunscreen formulations based on urocanic acid derivatives. They've also identified stable derivatives that could potentially reduce the immunosuppressive effects of 'plain' urocanic acid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-environmental-benefits">Potential environmental benefits</h2>



One notable advantage of exploring urocanic acid as a sunscreen filter is its potential to mitigate the environmental concerns associated with synthetic sunscreens. 



Traditional sunscreens often wash off in water, harming marine life and contributing to coral reef degradation. Since urocanic acid is a natural compound, it presents a more environmentally-friendly alternative. 



Further research is needed to assess the ecological impact fully, but initial findings suggest that formulations based on urocanic acid could provide effective sun protection while minimizing harm to aquatic ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-sunscreen-innovation">Future of sunscreen innovation</h2>



As contemporary sunscreen research progresses, the promising properties of urocanic acid continue to capture the scientific community's imagination. 



By harnessing advanced photochemistry and materials science, researchers like Buma and Stavros aim to develop next-generation sunscreen formulations that combine safety, efficacy, and environmental consciousness. 



In a future where sun protection aligns with sustainability, urocanic acid stands poised to redefine how we shield ourselves from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sunscreen-gives-us-a-false-sense-of-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sun’s harmful rays</a>. 



As this research moves forward, collaborations across scientific fields will be essential in transforming these theoretical advantages into practical, widely available applications.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urocanic-acid-as-a-natural-sunscreen">Urocanic acid as a natural sunscreen</h2>



This revolutionary work has sparked renewed interest in this class of molecules. 



"This could ultimately lead to novel sunscreen filters, but also to novel applications in areas where photothermal materials are employed," said Professor Buma.



Only time will tell what the future holds for urocanic acid and its potential uses.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/cp/d4cp02088j" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics</a>.



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Common acid in our skin could be a natural sunscreen

Ever wondered what keeps your skin from turning crispy under the fiery sun? Well it's thanks to urocanic acid, a compound that could replace synthetic sunscreens. Recently, a team of researchers shed light on this naturally occurring UV-absorbing compound. Known as "sunscreen's potential game-changer," urocanic acid offers an eco-friendly and health-conscious alternative to synthetic sunscreens. Urocanic acid as sunscreen The study was led by Professor Wybren Jan Buma of the University of Amsterdam and Professor Vasilios Stavros of the University of Warwick in the U.K. Together with...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">UC Santa Barbara</a> have investigated the dynamics of ecosystems in parts of the ocean that have no dissolved oxygen to sustain animals or plants, which are known as ocean anoxic zones. In these areas, only microbes that are adapted to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-local-environment-plays-a-role-in-how-species-acclimate/">environment</a> can survive. 

"You don't get big fish," said study co-author Morgan Raven. "You don't even get charismatic zooplankton." Even though anoxic oceans may seem alien to organisms like ourselves that breathe oxygen, they are full of life, she added.

As a result of climate change, ocean anoxic zones are now expanding. Raven is interested in learning how this will affect the ocean as a carbon sink. "What happens to our carbon cycle as we get these large areas of the ocean that are oxygen-free?" 

In seawater that is rich in oxygen, carbon is moved around through the food web after being captured by phytoplankton that photosynthesize at the water's surface.

"Most of the time they just get eaten by zooplankton," said Raven. But if they are not eaten, the phytoplankton respire carbon dioxide and excrete organic carbon in the depths of the water. "It's like a spinning wheel - CO2 goes to plankton, goes to CO2."

In the absence of zooplankton and fish, more of the sinking organic carbon can survive and be deposited at depth, explained Raven. Sediments underneath anoxic zones generally have more organic carbon deposits, but experts do not know why this is the case.

To investigate, the team turned to a theory formed about a decade ago by geologist Don Canfield and colleagues at the University of Southern Denmark.

"They put out this idea that maybe inside of these zones, microbes are still eating organic carbon, but respiring sulfate." This process is referred to as cryptic sulfur cycling.

The researchers tested large, fast-sinking organic particles collected from the Eastern Tropical North Pacific oxygen-deficient zone located off the northwestern coast of Mexico.

Raven said the aggregations of mostly dead phytoplankton, fecal matter, other small organisms, and bits of sand and clay get glued together in a sticky matrix. These particles were sent to the Stanford Synchotron Radiation Lightsource for analysis.

The results of the analysis, including evidence of the production of organic sulfur within the samples, demonstrate what Raven called "pickling" of the dead phytoplankton as they sink through the anoxic area.

"Phytoplankton grow in the surface ocean, but due to gravity, they sink." As they fall through the anoxic region and undergo sulfurization, they create a shield that protects the carbon at their core. 

"Even when it gets to the sediment, bacteria there can't eat these organic particles." Raven explained that, just like the pickles we know and love, the preservation process makes the particles resistant to bacteria, which could explain why more organic carbon is found in the sediments below anoxic ocean zones.

According to the researchers, the sulfurization of organic carbon particles in anoxic ocean zones is actually an ancient process, despite the fact that it has just been confirmed in modern oceans. "It's the same process that can also make petroleum," said Raven. 

It is not yet clear how anoxic zones will interact with climate change. "Potentially as these zones expand, there could be a negative feedback - more CO2 in the atmosphere makes higher temperatures, which makes these zones bigger. These bigger zones then trap more CO2 and put it in the sediment and rocks." 

Raven said that this feedback could help the Earth balance its carbon cycle over time, "but we need to know how this connects to everything else."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</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

How will ocean anoxic zones interact with climate change?

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have investigated the dynamics of...

Many <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-and-animals-evolve-faster-in-coldspots-than-in-biodiversity-hotspots/">animals</a> could successfully adapt to changing environmental conditions, especially those that are flexible in their behavior. Other species, however, will not be as fortunate. 

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, researchers describe how some animals fall into an "ecological trap" in the ways they respond to climate change. In particular, the experts found that chestnut-crowned babbler birds react to rising temperatures by changing their behavior in ways that could actually reduce successful breeding.

"We hope that animals that are more responsive to changes in their environment can cope better with climate change, but unfortunately they can make mistakes that make their situation even worse," said study co-author Alex Cones.

The babblers reacted to unusually warm temperatures in early spring by breeding sooner. However, the average temperatures at this time are still colder than later in spring, which can interfere with egg incubation.

In the cold weather, the females spent less time incubating. While this may improve their own chances of survival, exposure to low temperatures is harmful to their developing eggs.

"Many animals breed as early as they can in spring, and climate change is causing this to happen earlier and earlier," explained study co-author Professor Andy Russell.

"Paradoxically, our study shows that earlier breeding in response to warming means babbler eggs and offspring are more exposed to the cold. Babblers should respond by incubating their eggs more, but they don't."

Professor Russell notes that incubating eggs is more costly for the mother in terms of energy in low temperatures, so they focus on their own survival and reduce incubation.

"Parental care is adaptable, not fixed, but in this case the birds adapt in the wrong direction for their chicks' survival - falling into an ecological 'trap'."

Chestnut-crowned babblers live in desert habitats across southeast Australia. Their eggs must be kept at more than 77 degrees Fahrenheit to survive, and the optimal temperature for development is about 100°F.

According to the researchers, more studies are needed to investigate whether species can successfully adapt to environmental change. However, they concluded that their findings on babbler birds are "not encouraging."

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/loi/14209101">Journal of Evolutionary Biology</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

Babbler birds are shifting their behavior in the wrong direction

Many animals could successfully adapt to changing environmental conditions, especially...

Red squirrels have a higher chance of survival and a greater number of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/songbirds-abandon-their-offspring-early-but-its-for-their-own-good/">offspring</a> when they have the same neighbors for consecutive years. The study from Cell Press reveals that it does not matter whether the neighboring squirrels are related, because the fitness benefits are simply based on familiarity.

The benefits were even more noticeable among older squirrels, and the research suggests that living next to each other for many years can offset the effects of aging.

"Red squirrels live on their individual territory, and they rarely come into physical contact with one another, but given the value of familiar neighbors, our study raises this really interesting possibility that they might cooperate with their competitors," said study first author Erin Siracusa, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Exeter. 

"What this cooperation looks like, whether it's sharing of food resources, or actively alarm-calling to warn their neighbors of predators, or potentially even forming coalitions to protect the neighboring territories from usurpers, we don't know. But I would argue based on our findings that despite their solitary nature, red squirrels do engage in social interactions and can have important social relationships."

The researchers set out to investigate how social relationships affect solitary, territorial animals who rarely share physical interactions. Through the Kluane Red Squirrel Project, the team followed just over 1,000 individuals for more than 22 years. The squirrels were tagged each summer so that they could be distinguished.

Previously, Siracusa had observed that red squirrels with stable social relationships were less likely to intrude on each other's territories. 

"Once they live next to each other long enough to agree on these territory boundaries, they sort of enter into this gentleman's agreement, saying, 'Okay, we've established these territory boundaries. We know where they are. We're not going to waste our time and energy fighting over these boundaries anymore,'" said Siracusa. 

While this reduced aggression among familiar neighbors has been documented for many species, the current study is the first to link the phenomenon to a fitness advantage.

Siracusa and her team found that living near relatives did not provide any reproductive or survival benefits. This was surprising, considering that animals who share the same genes are generally more caring toward one another. Instead, the experts discovered that the longer squirrels lived with each other, the more likely they were to survive into the next year and produce more offspring.

"The benefits of familiarity were strong enough to completely offset the negative effects of aging," said Siracusa. "For example, for a four-year-old red squirrel that ages by one year, their survival probability decreases from 68% to 59%. But if that same squirrel that ages one year also maintains all of their neighbors, that probability of survival actually increases from 68% to 74%." 

At the same time, Siracusa explained that only a small percentage of squirrels maintain their neighbors from one year to the next. 

According to the researchers, the findings may help explain territorial behaviors such as migratory species returning to the same place year after year or sedentary species maintaining relatively stable territories or home ranges throughout their lifetime.

"In order for territorial systems to arise, the benefit of being territorial has to outweigh the costs of defending those resources, so it's not surprising that we should see the evolution of a mechanism that works to minimize those costs of territoriality," said Siracusa.

"At the risk of waxing poetic about squirrels, I think there is a sort of interesting lesson here that red squirrels can teach us about the value of social relationships. Red squirrels don't like their neighbors. They're in constant competition with them for food and mates and resources. And yet, they have to get along to survive."

"In the world right now, we're seeing a lot of strife and division, but perhaps this is a lesson worth bearing in mind: red squirrels need their neighbors, and maybe we do too."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/current-biology">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

Red squirrels with familiar neighbors have a greater chance of survival

Red squirrels have a higher chance of survival and a...

The results of a recent survey indicate that the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-psychiatric-impacts-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-are-far-reaching/">COVID-19</a> pandemic has affected the sleep habits of at least half of adults. According to the study, sleep disruptions have led to an increase in self-reported levels of stress and medication use. 

Study lead author Dr. Rébecca Robillard is the co-director of the Sleep Laboratory in the School of Psychology at the <a href="https://www.uottawa.ca/en">University of Ottawa</a> and the head scientist of the Sleep Research Unit at The Royal Institute of Mental Health Research.

In collaboration with nearly two dozen scientists from across North America, Dr. Robillard conducted an online survey of 5,525 Canadians during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"The pandemic is having a diverse impact on people's sleep, with clinically meaningful sleep difficulties having undergone a sharp increase," said Dr. Robillard. 

"We found that half of our participants showed signs of serious sleep problems during the pandemic. Specifically, we identified three different profiles of sleep changes: those who sleep more; those whose sleep schedule was pushed to later bed and wake-up times; and those who are getting less sleep than they did before the pandemic."

Dr. Robillard said that significant changes in sleep patterns during the pandemic have not only affected sleep quality and quantity, but have also affected the psychological response that people are having to this unprecedented situation. 

"Compared to those who are sleeping more, those who have later sleep schedules or shorter sleep cycles showed increased symptoms of insomnia and worsening symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression."

The survey results indicate that new sleep difficulties disproportionately affected women, individuals with families, and people with chronic illnesses. Sleep disruptions have also strongly impacted individuals with earlier wake-up times, higher stress levels, heavier alcohol use, and extra television exposure.

"We have seen an increase in the use of sleeping medications during the pandemic. Considering the known risks for the development of tolerance with these medications, this may forecast a surge in more complex chronic insomnia cases in the long run," said Dr. Robillard.

"The large scale of sleep changes in response to the pandemic highlights the need for more accessible, yet tailored interventions to address sleep problems. Sleep and mental health issues are something to be expected with the current circumstances, but we never expected to see it hit this level. It is important to intervene to address the unique phenomenon that we are facing right now."

Dr. Robillard recommends some simple habits that can improve sleeping patterns, such as getting up at the same time every morning, engaging in relaxing pre-sleep rituals such as reading, exercising regularly, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol within six hours of bedtime.

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/loi/13652869">Journal of Sleep Research</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe sleep disruptions

The results of a recent survey indicate that the COVID-19...

A team of geoscientists at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Sydney">University of Sydney</a> has discovered why Australia's east coast is such a hotbed of volcanic activity. The findings may help to explain patterns of volcanic activity in other regions as well. 

The remnants of hundreds of volcanoes can be found across the east coast of Australia, and scientists have struggled to explain why so many eruptions have occurred over the past 80 million years.

"We aren't on the famous Pacific 'Ring of Fire' that produces so many volcanoes and earthquakes," said study co-author Dr. Ben Mather. "So, we needed another explanation why there have been so many volcanoes on Australia's east coast."

Dr. Mather explained that many of the volcanoes that form in Australia are one-off events. "Rather than huge explosions like Krakatoa or Vesuvius, or iconic volcanoes like Mount Fuji, the effect is more like the bubbles emerging as you heat your pancake mix."

The remnants may look like regular hills or like notable structures such as Cradle Mountain in Tasmania or the Organ Pipes in Victoria. Many of the remnants are yet to be identified, said Dr. Mather.

"Under our east coast we find a special volatile mix of molten rock that bubbles up to the surface through the younger, thinner east coast Australian crust."

The researchers analyzed how hundreds of eruptions occurred along the east coast, focusing mostly on "recent" peaks of volcanic activity in the last two to 20 million years. 

"Most of these eruptions are not caused by Australia's tectonic plate moving over hot plumes in the mantle under the Earth's crust. Instead, there is a fairly consistent pattern of activity, with a few notable peaks," explained study co-author Dr. Maria Seton.

The team noticed that these peaks coincided with increased volume of seafloor material being pushed under the continent from the east by the Pacific plate.

"The peaks of volcanic activity correlate nicely with the amount of seafloor being recycled at the Tonga-Kermadec trench east of New Zealand," said Dr. Mather. 

Based on their findings, the team has constructed a new model that unifies the observations of eruptions occurring over millions of years along Australia's east coast. "The most recent event was at Mount Gambier in Victoria just a few thousand years ago," noted Dr. Mather.

In a process known as subduction, the seafloor of the Pacific plate is being pushed under the Australian plate. The material is literally shoved under the Australian continental shelf.

"From there it is being slammed into the transition zone between the crust and the magma at depths of about 400 to 500 kilometers. This material is then re-emerging as a series of volcanic eruptions along Australia's east coast, which is thinner and younger than the center and west of the continent," said Dr. Mather.

He explained that this subduction process is not unique to the Australian east coast, but what sets the east Australia-Zealandia region apart is that the seafloor being pushed under the continent from the western Pacific is highly concentrated with hydrous materials and carbon-rich rocks. "This creates a transition zone right under the east coast of Australia that is enriched with volatile materials."

The model may also be applied to other intraplate volcanic regions in the Western United States, Eastern China, and near Bermuda, according to the researchers.

"We now need to apply this research to other corners of the Earth to help us understand how other examples of enigmatic volcanism have occurred," concluded study co-author Professor Dietmar Müller.

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

Why Australia's east coast is a hotbed of volcanic activity

A team of geoscientists at the University of Sydney has...

The environmental benefits of renewable energy vary significantly from place to place, according to researchers at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_State_University">North Carolina State University</a>. The gains associated with renewable energy depend on the types of conventional <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/powerhouse-plants-support-insects-and-the-entire-food-chain/">power</a> generation that are being offset, and the benefits are not always confined to one particular region.

The experts hope their research will help to pinpoint the areas where investment in renewable energy will be the most beneficial.

"For years, researchers have taken different approaches to try to assess the environmental benefits of renewable energy," said study co-author Professor Harrison Fell. "The Energy Information Administration started releasing detailed data on renewable power generation in 2018, and we realized that we finally had an opportunity to address this issue using real-world data.

"Our study is the first to quantify emissions reductions from solar and wind generation relying on renewable generation data across a broad array of regions, while also accounting for electricity trade between regions."

For the investigation, the researchers analyzed data from regions across the contiguous 48 states that was collected between July 2018 and March 2020.

The most important finding is that the environmental value of renewable energy is significantly different across the country. More specifically, one megawatt hour (MWh) of renewable power varies depending on where that power was generated.

"For example, one MWh of solar power produced in Florida reduces carbon dioxide emissions by about twice as much as one MWh of solar power produced in California," said study co-author Professor Jeremiah Johnson. 

"That's because California already has a cleaner grid when compared to other regions. So offsetting an hour of conventional power generation in California reduces CO2 emissions less than offsetting an hour of conventional power generation in Florida."

Professor Johnson said that in the near term, the findings provide insight into where we should target investments in renewable power in order to maximize the environmental benefits.

The study also revealed that the environmental benefits of renewable energy often crossed regional lines. For example, renewable power generated in one state might be used to offset power generation in a neighboring state.

"Right now, renewable energy is largely driven by policies that vary from state to state," said Professor Fell. "Our work here highlights one reason that this is not a very efficient approach to energy policy. A federal approach to renewable energy policy would be better able to account for the interstate nature of energy production, energy consumption and environmental benefits."

"It will be interesting to see how the distribution of benefits changes as regions expand their sustainable energy infrastructure."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain">Nature Sustainability</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

The value of renewable energy depends on the location

The environmental benefits of renewable energy vary significantly from place...

Forests were expanding and thriving during the disappearance of dinosaurs about 66 million years ago, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a>. The researchers believe that an increase in terrestrial plants coincided with the loss of large plant-eating dinosaurs.

"We hypothesize the extinction of all large herbivores at the boundary may have facilitated this transition to a terrestrial angiosperm dominated flora immediately after the boundary," explained the researchers.

While it is widely accepted that a catastrophic asteroid impact was the initial cause of the mass extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous Period, the cascading effects of the impact that may have killed the dinosaurs are not entirely clear. 

Drastic climate changes are expected to have played a major role, yet the new study suggests that the climate may not have actually shifted too dramatically. For example, the experts found evidence that changes in precipitation were very short-lived.

"Changes in terrestrial environments across the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, including plant ecology and carbon and water-cycling, remain poorly defined," said the study authors. 

To investigate how specific ecosystems were affected, the team analyzed the microscopic remains of plants from this time period. The samples were collected from Canadian river sediments.

"Fluvial sediments spanning the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary of southern Saskatchewan, Canada contain well preserved plant wax n-alkanes that provide a means of reconstructing changes to plant ecology and carbon and water cycling during this mass extinction event," wrote the researchers.

"We measured n-alkane carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios in two sedimentary sections and applied established fractionation factors to estimate the isotopic compositions of precipitation and bulk sedimentary organic matter sources. We also analyzed the distribution of n-alkanes as an indicator of the relative abundance of aquatic and terrestrial plants." 

The analysis revealed that in this particular region, local plant communities and ecosystems experienced a long-term shift toward fewer aquatic plants and more terrestrial plants, including a notable increase in birch and elm trees. 

The researchers were surprised to find that changes in rainfall patterns during the extinction event were relatively minor and short-lived.

"This could be important as we look to the future of global warming, where many scientists have predicted that changes in precipitation could have big impacts on humans and ecosystems," said study senior author Peter Douglas. 

"At other times of major climate change in Earth's history we typically do see evidence for such changes. The absence of such a signal during the most recent mass extinction event is intriguing."

"Surprisingly, scientists know more about what happened in the oceans at the end-Cretaceous extinction than on land. By clarifying the environmental changes occurring during this period, we narrowed down the factors that are likely to have caused the disappearance of dinosaurs."

"The research also provides an important analogue for environmental changes humans are causing to the planet, and the potential for future mass extinction."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/palaeogeography-palaeoclimatology-palaeoecology">Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology</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

When the dinosaurs vanished, forests expanded and thrived

Forests were expanding and thriving during the disappearance of dinosaurs...

Eating avocados on a daily basis can improve gut health, according to a new study from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a>. A healthy gut is important for maintaining <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/loneliness-strengthens-the-brains-focus-on-imagination-and-planning/">brain</a> function, heart health, effective digestion, and a strong immune system, and may even prevent some cancers and autoimmune diseases.

"We know eating avocados helps you feel full and reduces blood cholesterol concentration, but we did not know how it influences the gut microbes, and the metabolites the microbes produce," said study lead author Sharon Thompson.

The researchers found that people who consumed avocado once per day had a greater abundance of gut microbes that break down fiber and produce beneficial metabolites. Individuals who ate avocados regularly also had greater microbial diversity.

"Microbial metabolites are compounds the microbes produce that influence health," said Thompson. "Avocado consumption reduced bile acids and increased short chain fatty acids. These changes correlate with beneficial health outcomes."

The study was focused on 163 adults between the ages of 25 and 45 who were overweight or obese, but otherwise healthy. The participants received one meal per day as a replacement for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner. One group consumed daily meals that included avocado, while the control group was provided with similar meals that did not include avocado. 

Over the course of 12 weeks, the participants provided blood, urine, and fecal samples. The purpose of the study was to explore the effects of avocado consumption on the gastrointestinal microbiota, explained senior study author Professor Hannah Holscher.

"Our goal was to test the hypothesis that the fats and the fiber in avocados positively affect the gut microbiota. We also wanted to explore the relationships between gut microbes and health outcomes."

The fats in avocados are monounsaturated, which are heart-healthy fats. Soluble fiber content is also very important, noted Professor Holscher. A medium avocado provides around 12 of the 28 to 34 grams of fiber that is recommended each day. 

"Less than 5% of Americans eat enough fiber. Most people consume around 12 to 16 grams of fiber per day. Thus, incorporating avocados in your diet can help get you closer to meeting the fiber recommendation."

According to Professor Holscher, eating fiber is not only good for us, but is also important for the gut microbiome. "We can't break down dietary fibers, but certain gut microbes can. When we consume dietary fiber, it's a win-win for gut microbes and for us."

"Just like we think about heart-healthy meals, we need to also be thinking about gut healthy meals and how to feed the microbiota."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jn/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jn/nxaa219/5893497">Journal of Nutrition</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

&nbsp;

A daily dose of avocado improves gut health

Eating avocados on a daily basis can improve gut health,...

The analysis of ancient <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/common-starfish-may-not-survive-extreme-ocean-conditions/">fish</a> fossils has revealed the developmental origins of teeth. Using high-resolution X-ray imaging, scientists have identified an evolutionary relationship between teeth and hard structures called dermal odontodes.

Study lead author Donglei Chen is a researcher in the Department of Organismal Biology at <a href="https://www.uu.se/">Uppsala University</a>.

Odontodes are made of dentine, the main substance in ivory. Teeth are an example of odontodes, but some animals also have them on their skin in the form of the tooth-like "scales" known as dermal odontodes.

"Teeth and dermal odontodes are thought to have evolved separately because they seem to develop in different ways," said Chen. "However, most of what we know is limited to modern sharks in which the difference between these structures has become very distinct. To understand the relationship between the two more clearly, we needed to turn to the fossil record."

The research was focused on fossils of one of the earliest bony fishes called Lophosteus, which lived more than 400 million years ago. The fish represents an early stage of tooth evolution, not long after teeth and dermal odontodes may have diverged. 

The researchers used high-resolution X-ray imaging to look at the three-dimensional structure of odontodes in Lophosteus at different stages of development. The study revealed that the appearance of odontodes were similar during early development, but they changed depending on whether they grew in the mouth or on the face of the fish. This finding indicates the presence of different chemical signals in each area directing odontode development. 

In the later stages, some dermal odontodes would move from the face to the mouth and begin to look like teeth, suggesting that both types are made by the same developmental system rather than by separate systems.

"In addition to casting light on the early evolution of our own teeth, our results point to a previously unrecognised evolutionary-developmental relationship between teeth and dermal odontodes," said study senior author Dr. Per Ahlberg. 

"This has potential implications for understanding the signaling that occurs during development and could inspire new lines of developmental research in other organisms."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/">eLife</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

Fish fossils provide new insight into the origins of teeth

The analysis of ancient fish fossils has revealed the developmental...

In a new study from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California,_Santa_Barbara">UC Santa Barbara</a>, scientists have uncovered new details about the 9,000-year-old history of corn by analyzing the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ancient-genomes-central-south-america/">genomes</a> of ancient cobs.

Maize was first partially domesticated in southwestern Mexico before spreading throughout Central and South America. However, the analysis of three 2,000-year-old cobs from Honduras showed that they were more related to varieties from South America than to varieties from Mexico. 

"I was most surprised that improved maize varieties developed by Indigenous South Americans were reintroduced northward into Central America,"said study co-lead author Professor Douglas J. Kennett. "We could only know this through whole genome sequencing."

The research suggests that the arrival of corn from South America may have played a role in the development of more productive varieties and greater consumption of corn in Central America about 4,700 years ago.

"We show that humans were carrying maize from South America back towards the domestication center in Mexico," said study co-lead author Logan Kistler. "This would have provided an infusion of genetic diversity that may have added resilience or increased productivity. It also underscores that the process of domestication and crop improvement doesn't just travel in a straight line."

According to Professor Kennett, genetic research has been challenging due to the scarcity of suitable corn cobs in an environment that is not kind to organic material. 

"Well-preserved maize is extremely rare in the Americas, but the El Gigante rock shelter has over 10,000 specimens to work with," said Professor Kennett. "Most of these fragmentary remains date later than 2,500 years ago, and locating earlier material in the assemblage was challenging and required directly radiocarbon dating large numbers of maize cobs."

"Using this approach, we did identify about 20 early cobs dating to between 4,300-4,000 years ago and we attempted to extract ancient DNA from all of these along with a set of cobs dating to between 2,300 and 1,900 years old. Using the best available techniques we were able to extract working genomes from only three cobs and all of these dated to between 2,300 and 1,900 years ago. This is the frustrating reality of ancient DNA work."

Professor Kennett noted that research on maize has entered into a new era of discovery because whole genome sequencing is revolutionizing our understanding of the past.

"We can now know much more about the biochemical processes involved in the domestication process and the sequence of domestication alleles that became fixed during the domestication syndrome. It is also allowing us to track the spread of maize in much greater detail and how these changes altered the path of human history."

While researchers now know that improved varieties of maize spread from South America into parts of Central America, they do not know precisely when it happened, explained Professor Kennett. The experts theorize that it occurred by 4,300 years ago based on cob morphology.

"Testing this hypothesis will require recovering earlier samples with well-preserved genetic material, We also don't know how far north these new varieties spread. This will require whole genome work on cobs of equivalent age farther north (e.g., Mexico)." 

"We also don't know if people migrated north carry these newly improved varieties or if seeds simply passed through preexisting exchange networks. This will require working collaboratively with Indigenous populations in Central America to sequence ancient genomes to determine if the appearance of new varieties parallels the appearance of new populations."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.jstor.org/journal/procnatiacadscie">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists use genomic testing to trace the history of corn

In a new study from UC Santa Barbara, scientists have...

A new study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a> has identified a neural signature in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/playing-brain-games-before-surgery-improves-recovery-time/">brain</a> that seems to reflect feelings of loneliness and social isolation. The researchers say that this signature is distinctive based on variations in the volume of different brain regions, and also based on how these regions communicate with each other across a specific network.

Previous studies have shown that older people who experience loneliness have a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Experts may be able to help mitigate this risk by understanding how loneliness manifests itself in the brain.

"We are just beginning to understand the impact of loneliness on the brain. Expanding our knowledge in this area will help us to better appreciate the urgency of reducing loneliness in today's society," said study senior author Danilo Bzdok.

The study was focused on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, genetics, and psychological self-assessments of approximately 40,000 adults who are included in the UK Biobank. For the investigation, the researchers compared the brain images of participants who reported loneliness and those who did not. 

In the brains of lonely people, the analysis revealed several differences centered around the default network. The interconnected brain regions that make up the default network are involved in introspective processes such as reminiscing, planning for the future, and imagination.

The default networks of lonely people were not only more strongly connected, but also shared a greater volume of grey matter. Loneliness was also found to coincide with better preservation of the fornix - a bundle of nerve fibres that carries signals from the hippocampus to the default network. The brain regions that belong to this network are active when we remember the past, envision the future, or think about the present hypothetically. 

According to the researchers, changes in the structure and function of the default network associated with loneliness may be explained by the fact that lonely people are more likely to use imagination, memories of the past, or hopes for the future to cope with feelings of social isolation.

"In the absence of desired social experiences, lonely individuals may be biased towards internally-directed thoughts such as reminiscing or imagining social experiences. We know these cognitive abilities are mediated by the default network brain regions," said study lead author Nathan Spreng. "So this heightened focus on self-reflection, and possibly imagined social experiences, would naturally engage the memory-based functions of the default network."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature Communications</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

Loneliness strengthens the brain's focus on imagination and planning

A new study from McGill University has identified a neural...

In a new study, experts describe how drinking water can protect against metabolic syndrome. The researchers discovered that while fructose stimulates the release of vasopressin, a hormone linked to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/limiting-tv-commercials-could-help-reduce-childhood-obesity/">obesity</a> and diabetes, water can suppress the hormone and alleviate these conditions in mice.

Study lead author Dr. Miguel A. Lanaspa is an associate professor at the <a href="https://www.cuanschutz.edu/">University of Colorado School of Medicine</a> who specializes in renal disease and hypertension.

"The clinical significance of this work is that it may encourage studies to evaluate whether simple increases in water intake may effectively mitigate obesity and metabolic syndrome," said Dr. Lanaspa.

The researchers set out to investigate why vasopressin, which maintains the body's water levels, is elevated in people with obesity and diabetes. 

In an experiment based on a mouse model, the experts fed mice sugar water - specifically fructose - and noticed that it stimulated the brain to make vasopressin. As a result, the vasopressin stored the water as fat, causing dehydration that triggered obesity. When the mice were treated with non-sugary water, their obesity was reduced.

According to Dr. Lanaspa, this is the first time scientists have shown how vasopressin acts on dietary sugar to cause obesity and diabetes.

"We found that it does this by working through a particular vasopressin receptor known as V1b. This receptor has been known for a while but no one has really understood its function. We found that mice lacking V1b were completely protected from the effects of sugar. We also show that the administration of water can suppress vasopressin and both prevent and treat obesity."

The researchers also discovered that dehydration can stimulate the formation of fat. "This explains why vasopressin is so high in desert mammals as they do not have easy access to water," noted study co-author Dr. Richard Johnson. "So vasopressin conserves water by storing it as fat."

The findings support previous observations that obese patients often exhibit signs of dehydration. The research also explains why high salt diets tend to cause obesity and diabetes.

The study revealed that water therapy effectively protects against metabolic syndrome, which is a collection of coexisting conditions including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high triglyceride levels. Metabolic syndrome greatly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

"The best way to block vasopressin is to drink water," said Dr. Lanaspa. "This is hopeful because it means we may have a cheap, easy way of improving our lives and treating metabolic syndrome."

"Sugar drives metabolic syndrome in part by the activation of vasopressin. Vasopressin drives fat production likely as a mechanism for storing metabolic water," concluded said Dr. Johnson. "The potential roles of hydration and salt reduction in the treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome should be considered."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/3101/">JCI Insight</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Water is a powerful weapon against obesity and diabetes

In a new study, experts describe how drinking water can...

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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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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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...