For decades, astronomers have puzzled over the intense heat and persistence of the fiery hot gas surrounding the Milky Way.&nbsp;



New research by scientists from the <a href="https://www.rri.res.in/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Raman Research Institute</a> (RRI), <a href="https://iitpkd.ac.in/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IIT-Palakkad</a>, and <a href="https://www.osu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ohio State University</a> sheds light on this mystery. The team has proposed a model to identify the sources responsible for heating and maintaining this extraordinary phenomenon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-milky-way-s-hidden-gas-reservoir">The Milky Way’s hidden gas reservoir</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-like-galaxies-were-present-in-the-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a> contains more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mechanism-discovered-that-creates-the-gas-disks-around-black-holes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gas</a> than stars, and this gas plays a crucial role in sustaining star formation. This massive gas reserve has enabled the galaxy to continue forming stars over billions of years.&nbsp;



However, the gas is so tenuous that it has long eluded observation, making it difficult for astronomers to measure its true volume.



In the past few decades, scientists confirmed the existence of a vast sphere of hot gas enveloping the Milky Way. This gas extends up to 700,000 light-years and reaches temperatures of several million degrees Kelvin.&nbsp;



Researchers initially attributed its high temperature to the galaxy’s gravitational forces. The gas swirls constantly, preventing it from falling inward under the pull of gravity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-discovery-of-even-hotter-gas">The discovery of even hotter gas</h2>



Recent observations revealed something even more astonishing: a hotter layer of gas surrounding the Milky Way.&nbsp;



This gas, estimated to be around 10 million degrees Kelvin, was identified through faint X-ray emissions detected in all directions. The same gas also appeared as an absorbing medium in the spectra of three distant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-quasars-defied-the-laws-of-physics-with-rapid-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quasars</a>.



This discovery posed new questions: What was causing this gas to reach such extreme temperatures, and how was it being sustained? These findings sparked a surge of research aimed at identifying the mysterious heat sources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supernovae-the-engines-heating-the-milky-way">Supernovae: The engines heating the Milky Way</h2>



The new model proposed by RRI and its collaborators provides a detailed explanation for the heating mechanism.&nbsp;



The research shows that the X-ray-emitting gas and the absorbing gas are not the same. Instead, the X-ray-emitting gas originates from a puffed-up region surrounding the Milky Way’s stellar disk.



This region is created by the ongoing star formation within the Milky Way. Massive stars in these star-forming regions eventually explode as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernovae</a>, releasing vast amounts of energy. These explosions heat the surrounding gas to extreme temperatures.



“Explosions keep heating up the gas floating around the disk of the Milky Way, and they enrich the gaseous matter with elements synthesized within massive stars,” explained Mukesh Singh Bisht, a PhD student at RRI.



The turbulent gas, propelled by supernovae, either escapes into the surrounding medium or cools and falls back onto the disk. This process sustains the hot gas layer observed in X-rays.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-enriched-gas">Clues from enriched gas</h2>



The absorbing hot gas also provided critical insights into its origins. Researchers found that it was enriched with α-elements such as sulfur, magnesium, and neon.&nbsp;



These elements, whose nuclei are multiples of helium nuclei, are produced through nuclear reactions within massive stars. They are expelled into space during supernova explosions.



“This fiery gas, at least in a few directions, seems to be enriched with large quantities of α-elements. This is a vital clue of nuclear reactions occurring within the stellar core,” said Biman Nath, an RRI faculty member and co-author of the studies.



Runaway stars - stars ejected from the Milky Way’s disk - also play a role in this process. When these stars explode as supernovae above the disk, they create pockets of α-enriched gas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-explaining-the-observed-signals">Explaining the observed signals</h2>



The researchers found that the absorbing gas interacts with light from distant sources, such as quasars. When aligned with these light sources, the gas absorbs specific wavelengths, creating shadow signals that match observations.



Meanwhile, the X-ray-emitting gas forms a veil around the stellar disk, produced by the continuous star formation and supernova activity within the Milky Way.



“A veil of fiery hot gas keeps engulfing the Milky Way disk as a result of the star-forming activities in the stellar disk,” Bisht added .



This dual mechanism explains both the absorbing and emitting signals detected by astronomers, offering a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics within our galaxy.



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



The faint X-ray signals emitted by the hot gas offer valuable opportunities for further study. The research team plans to test their models at other frequencies, hoping to gather more clues about the composition and behavior of the gas.



Their work also raises questions about how these processes affect the larger-scale evolution of the Milky Way. Understanding the interplay between star formation, supernovae, and the surrounding gaseous envelope could provide insights into the life cycles of galaxies.



This research not only solves a long-standing mystery but also highlights the importance of gas dynamics in shaping the Milky Way. The interplay between supernovae and the surrounding gas regulates the galaxy’s star formation and energy distribution.



The enriched gas observed in the study also points to the ongoing recycling of materials within the galaxy, where elements created in stellar cores are redistributed through explosions, fueling new generations of stars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sources-of-the-milky-way-s-fiery-gas">Sources of the Milky Way’s fiery gas</h2>



The new model proposed by RRI and its collaborators sheds light on the sources of the fiery hot gas surrounding the Milky Way, offering answers to a decades-old mystery.&nbsp;



By identifying supernovae as the primary heat engines, the study reveals the complex interplay between star formation, explosions, and gas dynamics that sustain the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-galactic-explosion-provides-clues-about-galaxy-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy’s evolution</a>.



With future research planned to explore these phenomena further, scientists are poised to gain even deeper insights into the processes that shape our galaxy and others like it.



The findings are <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ad77c0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in two studies in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ad77be" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal</a>.



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Fiery gas surrounds the Milky Way, but what is heating it?

For decades, astronomers have puzzled over the intense heat and persistence of the fiery hot gas surrounding the Milky Way.&nbsp; New research by scientists from the Raman Research Institute (RRI), IIT-Palakkad, and Ohio State University sheds light on this mystery. The team has proposed a model to identify the sources responsible for heating and maintaining this extraordinary phenomenon. The Milky Way’s hidden gas reservoir The Milky Way contains more gas than stars, and this gas plays a crucial role in sustaining star formation. This massive gas reserve...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en">Kyoto University</a>, researchers have found that Japanese bats are in desperate need of protection. Among the bats that are native to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/rare-species-discovered-in-the-deep-sea-near-japan/">Japan</a>, 90 percent are threatened with extinction. 

Bats fill important ecological roles in pest control and pollination. They also disperse the seeds of hundreds of different plant species. But while bats have been the focus of research across many fields, their conservation has been understudied, particularly in Japan. 

Researchers from Kyoto University's Graduate School of Informatics investigated the state of bat research in Japan and found poor alignment between conservation needs and allocation of resources. They noted that research efforts have gradually increased over the last two decades, yet endangered endemic bat species are getting the least attention. 

"Conservation status alone is not enough to promote research on these threatened species," said study co-author Jason Preble. "We systematically reviewed the literature of the last fifty years, assessing patterns in research distribution across multiple categories in order to identify gaps and future priorities."

The researchers found a pronounced shortage of both ecological and conservation-motivated studies on nearly half of the extant species in Japan. Furthermore, even though many threats to Japanese bats have been identified, there was a shortage of data measuring the impacts of these threats.

"All of these factors are immensely concerning," said study co-author Christian E. Vincenot. "We were distressed to see threats such as wind turbines and climate change severely understudied."

Based on their findings, the team established some recommendations for strengthening Japanese bat conservation. 

"For example, we need to prioritize research efforts that provide the ecological information needed to design and implement concrete conservation plans," explained Vincenot. He added that data disclosure is imperative. 

The authors also emphasized the importance of communicating research findings to the public, which in turn can facilitate support from funding agencies.

"While hopeful signs of improvement exist, ultimately a stronger spirit of research and collaboration - along with informed conservation practices - will determine if these creatures can reach the road to recovery or ultimately decline into extinction," said Vincenot.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652907">Mammal Review</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nearly all native Japanese bats are endangered

In a new study from Kyoto University, researchers have found...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> confirms that preserving peatlands, along with the carbon they hold, is critically needed to limit climate change. After investigating peatland losses over human history, the researchers predict these will be "amplified" in the future.

Peatlands are expected to shift from absorbing massive amounts of carbon to releasing it at some point this century, which is mainly due to human development. The study warns that more than 100 billion tons of carbon could be released by 2100, but there are still some unknowns.

The Earth System Models used for climate change projections do not account for peatlands. The researchers say this oversight must be urgently addressed.

"Peatlands contain more carbon than all the world's forests and, like many forests, their future is uncertain," said Professor Angela Gallego-Sala. "Peatlands are vulnerable to climate change impacts such as increased risk of wildfires and droughts, the thawing of permafrost and rising sea levels."

"However, the main threats to peatlands are more direct - particularly destruction by humans to create agricultural land. So the future of peatlands is very much in our hands."

Peatlands can be found in more than 175 countries. These wetlands cover around four million square kilometers, or three percent of the global land surface. 

Professor Gallego-Sala explained that peatlands have been overlooked in some climate models because they are often viewed as being "inert" - neither absorbing nor releasing carbon at a rapid rate when left undisturbed.

It has been difficult to estimate future changes across the wetlands since they are excluded from climate models. For their investigation, the study authors analyzed survey estimates from 44 leading experts as well as existing research. 

The analysis revealed that 104 billion tons of carbon will be lost from peatlands between 2020 and 2100. While the researchers acknowledge that this estimate is highly uncertain, their findings highlight the need for inclusion in models and better preservation.

"Even though we would like more information, we clearly need to make decisions now about how we manage these ecosystems," said Professor Gallego-Sala. "We simply can't afford for peatlands to go up in smoke."

"We have a responsibility to find a way forward that works for people and the planet. Where people have a strong economic incentive - or even necessity - to destroy peatlands, we need plans and policies that offer more sustainable alternatives."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Peatlands could release more than 100 billion tons of carbon this century

A new study led by the University of Exeter confirms...

Extreme <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dog-ticks-prefer-human-hosts-in-hotter-weather-conditions/">weather</a> events that have been referred to as "once in a lifetime floods" will become common over the next few decades, according to a study from the <a href="https://www.stevens.edu/">Stevens Institute of Technology</a>.

In particular, the researchers found that by the end of this century, 100-year and 500-year floods will be regular threats to thousands of homes surrounding Jamaica Bay, New York. Hurricane Sandy devastated communities in this region with flood kennels that had not been experienced for generations. 

The study findings will help policymakers and the coastal municipality of Jamaica Bay make decisions on managing flood risk with flood mitigation infrastructure or other strategies. The research also provides insight into how coastal flooding will increase in the areas beyond New York due to the impacts of climate change.

Study lead author Reza Marsooli is an assistant professor of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering at Stevens.

"While this study was specific to Jamaica Bay, it shows how drastic and costly of an impact that climate change will make," said Professor Marsooli. "The framework we used for this study can be replicated to demonstrate how flooding in other regions will look by the end of the century to help them mitigate risk and best protect communities and assets in impacted areas."

&nbsp;

Based on the, Marsooli and his

&nbsp;

In collaboration with study co-author Ning Lin of Princeton University, Professor Marsooli conducted high resolution simulations based on the anticipated greenhouse gas concentration by the end of the 21st century. They explored various scenarios to estimate the probability of different flood levels being reached. The team accounted for both sea level rise and hurricanes to investigate the future impacts on Jamaica Bay from storm surge and wave hazards.

The study revealed that the historical 100-year flood level would occur every nine years by 2030 to 2050, and would occur annually by 2080 to 2100. In addition, the 500-year flood levels reached by Superstorm Sandy will take place once every four years by the end of the century.

To make matters even worse, sea-level rise will result in larger waves that produce more flood hazards such as erosion and damage to coastal infrastructure.

"Future projections of the hurricane climatology suggest that climate change would lead to storms that move more slowly and are more intense than we have ever seen before hitting Jamaica Bay," said Professor Marsooli. "But the increase in these once-in-a-generation or even less frequent floods is so dramatic because the impact of sea-level rise will create greater flooding, even if the storms we were seeing today stayed the same."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/10584">Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

100-year floods could occur every year by the end of this century

Extreme weather events that have been referred to as "once...

In the first comprehensive report of its kind, experts describe how the impacts of ocean pollution are directly harmful to human health, and plastic is only part of the problem. The researchers found that toxic ocean pollution endangers the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/a-plant-based-diet-can-transform-your-health-and-body/">health</a> and well-being of more than three billion people.

Dr. Philip Landrigan is the director of <a href="https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/centers/schiller-institute/programs/global-observatory-on-pollution-and-health.html">Boston College's Global Observatory on Pollution on Health</a>. "Simply put, ocean pollution is a major global problem, it is growing, and it directly affects human health," said Dr. Landrigan.

"People have heard about plastic pollution in the oceans, but that is only part of it. Research shows the oceans are being fouled by a complex stew of toxins including mercury, pesticides, industrial chemicals, petroleum wastes, agricultural runoff, and manufactured chemicals embedded in plastic. These toxic materials in the ocean get into people, mainly by eating contaminated seafood."

"We are all at risk, but the people most seriously affected are people in coastal fishing communities, people on small island nations, indigenous populations and people in the high Arctic. The very survival of these vulnerable populations depends on the health of the seas."

The researchers analyzed data from more than 584 scientific studies. Beyond food contamination, oil spills and chemical waste threaten the marine microorganisms that provide much of the world's oxygen supply. According to Prince Albert of Monaco, the analysis can be used to mobilize global resolve to curb ocean pollution.

"The link between ocean pollution and human health has, for a long time, given rise to very few studies. Taking into account the effects of ocean pollution - due to plastic, water and industrial waste, chemicals, hydrocarbons, to name a few - on human health should mean that this threat must be permanently included in the international scientific activity," wrote Prince Albert.

"This document on Human Health and the Ocean, prepared with the contributions of the Monaco Science Centre and Boston College, substantiates that the pollution of the ocean is not inevitable."

The researchers found that mercury pollution has become widespread in the oceans, and accumulates to high levels in predator fish. Once mercury enters the food chain, it poses documented risks to humans. The study showed that burning coal is the biggest source of mercury pollution.

The analysis confirmed that human sources of pollution such as industrial waste, agricultural runoff, pesticides, and sewage have increased the frequency of harmful algal blooms (HABs). These blooms produce toxins associated with dementia, amnesia, neurological damage, and rapid death.

Plastic waste is now entering the oceans at a rate of more than 10 million tons each year, according to the researchers. This waste is consumed by people in the form of toxic microscopic particles, which are now found in all humans.

The study also revealed that the Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea, and Asian rivers are the water bodies that are most severely impacted by ocean pollution.

"The key thing to realize about ocean pollution is that, like all forms of pollution, it can be prevented using laws, policies, technology, and enforcement actions that target the most important pollution sources," said Dr. Landrigan. 

"Many countries have used these tools and have successfully cleaned fouled harbors, rejuvenated estuaries, and restored coral reefs. The results have been increased tourism, restored fisheries, improved human health, and economic growth. These benefits will last for centuries."

"Our Global Observatory on Pollution and Health at Boston College is extremely proud to have been able to partner with the Centre Scientifique de Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to produce this report and develop the Declaration of Monaco."

"This work advances the mission of the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society at Boston College to use scientific research to benefit society, and it fulfills Pope Francis' call in Laudato Si' to care for our Common Home and to protect the poor and the vulnerable among us."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.annalsofglobalhealth.org/">Annals of Global Health</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ocean pollution threatens the health of more than three billion people

In the first comprehensive report of its kind, experts describe...

Sea turtles may not survive human-driven temperature changes. Sea turtles born around the Red Sea may now be predominantly female, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.kaust.edu.sa/">KAUST</a>. The researchers have been monitoring the sand temperatures at marine turtle nesting sites in the region. 

"Marine turtles are particularly vulnerable to temperature shifts because they demonstrate temperature-dependent sex determination, meaning that the sex of hatchlings is determined by the temperature of the nest during incubation," said study co-author Lyndsey Tanabe.

The Red Sea is home to five out of seven species of sea turtles, including the endangered green turtles and critically endangered hawksbill turtles. 

Previous research suggests that the critical temperature threshold for maintaining a 50-50 sex ratio is 29.2 degrees Celsius. Above this threshold, hatchlings become predominantly female. Temperatures that exceed 33 degrees Celsius can cause widespread deformities and fatalities.

"Marine turtles have survived since the late Triassic period and have adapted to past climatic shifts," explained Tanabe. "The current rate of anthropogenic-driven temperature change is unprecedented."

"We examined sand temperature profiles at Red Sea nesting sites to improve our understanding of the current turtle population."

The investigation was focused on five sites on the Red Sea shoreline that are favored by hawksbill and green turtles. Sand temperature data was collected by automated loggers at the nest depths of both species every 15 minutes for five months.

With the exception of one study site in the northern Red Sea, the sand temperature exceeded 29.2 degrees Celsius at all study sites. These results indicate that the shift to feminization of hatchlings is already underway.

"We must be cautious in claiming that feminization is definitely happening," said Tanabe. "The Red Sea is generally warmer than other nesting beaches around the world, so these turtles may have already adapted to a higher pivotal temperature threshold."

"It is concerning, however, that sand temperatures as high as 36 degrees Celsius were measured at some sites. This could pose a considerable threat to their survival."

The findings will contribute to ongoing national discussions on marine conservation, which are particularly important with proposed megadevelopments along Red Sea coasts. 

"I hope these development projects prioritize the conservation of turtle nesting sites, especially those likely to produce balanced sex ratios."

Tanabe is also studying sea turtle genetics, as well as the effects of plastic and heavy metal pollution on turtle populations. She said that understanding these factors is critical to the success of conservation strategies.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25784854">Conservation Science and Practice</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Sea turtles may not survive human-driven temperature changes

Sea turtles may not survive human-driven temperature changes. Sea turtles...

In a new study from the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a>, experts have found that global warming will lead to irreversible melting of the Greenland ice sheet. As the massive ice sheet steadily declines, it is approaching a tipping point at which it will no longer be able to bounce back - and will permanently alter <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/beaches-with-space-to-migrate-will-survive-rising-sea-levels/">sea levels</a> worldwide.

"During 1961–1990 the Greenland ice sheet had a roughly constant mass, in which snowfall was balanced by the sum of surface ablation (meaning all processes of mass loss, predominantly liquid run-off due to melting) and solid discharge of ice into the sea," wrote the study authors. "Over the last 30 years both ablation and discharge have increased significantly, while snowfall has not."

According to the researchers, under scenarios in which global warming goes beyond two degrees Celsius, we can expect significant ice loss and several meters of global sea level rise to persist for tens of thousands of years.

Even if temperatures were to eventually fall, the scientists have shown that the Greenland ice sheet will never fully rebound once it melts beyond a critical point. At this tipping point, sea levels will be permanently two meters higher than they are now, regardless of other factors contributing to sea level rise.

The experts identified some scenarios in which the ice sheet melting could be reversed,  but they rely on urgent action to address global warming. 

The Greenland ice sheet is seven times the area of the UK. At the current rate of decline, ice lost from Greenland results in about one millimeter of sea level rise each year. Despite some seasonal gains, the ice sheet has lost three and a half trillion tons of ice since 2003.

To investigate the future of the ice sheet, the scientists used a computer model that combines climate and ice-sheet models to simulate potential temperature rise. Under all of the climates that were like today or warmer, the ice sheet declined in size and contributed to sea-level rise to some degree.

"Our experiments underline the importance of mitigating global temperature rise," said study lead author Professor Jonathan Gregory. "To avoid partially irreversible loss of the ice sheet, climate change must be reversed - not just stabilized - before we reach the critical point where the ice sheet has declined too far."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.the-cryosphere.net/">The Cryosphere</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

At the current rate, Greenland will lose its ice sheet forever

In a new study from the University of Reading, experts...

Researchers at institutions all over the world have collaborated to track the impacts of climate change on human <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/a-plant-based-diet-can-transform-your-health-and-body/">health</a>. In a comprehensive report, the experts reveal that millions of lives can be saved and improved with urgent climate action. 

Without urgent action, however, we can expect an increasingly hotter world that threatens global health, disrupts lives, and overwhelms healthcare systems, warn the study authors. 

Brittany Shea is the project director of the Global Consortium on Climate &amp; Health Education at the <a href="https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/">Mailman School of Public Health</a>.

"Whether it's the spread of viruses and infectious diseases, heat exposure, or wildfires, the 2020 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change U.S. Policy Brief shows how climate change makes communities and health care systems more vulnerable," said Shea. "The Brief lays out how climate action across sectors will lead to major environmental and public health gains."

The researchers investigated the potential impacts of converging climate crises across 41 key indicators. These indicators are organized into five categories: climate change impacts, exposures, and vulnerabilities; adaptation planning and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement.

"An important aspect of public health involves ensuring food security following a climate change induced extreme event. Here we look for common occurrences, problems and potential solutions that can be used as recommendations to ensure that no one goes hungry following a hurricane, flood or intense windstorm. But more needs to be done," explained study co-author Dr. Lewis Ziska.

According to Dr. Kim Knowlton, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, this year's report from the Lancet is the latest warning that the United States is going in the wrong direction on climate action and human health. 

"But it's not too late to change course," said Dr. Knowlton. "The incoming Biden/Harris administration should seize this opportunity to embrace the knowledge, expertise, and passion of the American public health and healthcare community. Together, we can build back a healthier, more equitable, and climate-resilient nation."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/">The Lancet</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Urgent climate action could save and improve millions of lives

Researchers at institutions all over the world have collaborated to...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.uri.edu/">University of Rhode Island</a>, scientists have discovered single-celled microorganisms that live in boiling hot deep sea sediments. Professor Arthur Spivack explained that while water boils on the Earth's surface at 100 degrees Celsius, the team found organisms living in deep sea sediments at 120 degrees Celsius.

"Marine sediments represent a massive microbial ecosystem, but we still do not fully understand what factors shape and limit life underneath the seafloor," wrote the study authors.

In 2016, Professor Spivack was part of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 370, which aimed to explore the limits of life in the deep subseafloor biosphere.

The study follows a recent report that microbial diversity below the seafloor is as rich as it is on Earth's surface. The researchers had discovered 40,000 different types of microorganisms from core samples from 40 sites around the globe.

The current investigation focused on the Nankai Trough off the coast of Japan, where scientists drilled a hole 1,180 meters deep to reach deep sea sediment at 120 degrees Celsius. 

According to Professor Spivack, one way to identify life is to look for evidence of metabolism. "We found chemical evidence of the organisms' use of organic material in the sediment that allows them to survive. This research tells us that deep sediment is habitable in places that we did not think possible.'

Professor Spivack said the research could point to the possibility of life in harsh environments on other planets.

According to the study, sediments that lie deep below the ocean floor contain increasingly extreme and inhospitable environments. Temperature and pressure steadily rise with depth, and the energy supply becomes more and more scarce. 

It was only about three decades ago that scientists discovered that microorganisms inhabit the seabed at depths of several kilometers despite the harsh conditions. The deep biosphere is still not well understood, and many basic questions remain such as what are the limits of life and what factors determine them.

"Only a few scientific drilling sites have yet reached depths where temperatures in the sediments are greater than 30 degrees Celsius," explained Professor Kai-Uwe Hinrichs. "The goal of the T-Limit Expedition, therefore, was to drill a thousand-meter deep hole into sediments with a temperature of up to 120 degrees Celsius - and we succeeded."

The researchers said that, like the search for life in outer space, determining the limits of life on the Earth is full of technological challenges.

"Surprisingly, the microbial population density collapsed at a temperature of only about 45 degrees," said study co-author Fumio Inagaki. "It is fascinating - in the high-temperature ocean floor, there are broad depth intervals that are almost lifeless. But then we were able to detect cells and microbial activity again in deeper, even hotter zones - up to a temperature of 120 degrees."

Professor Spivack said the project was like going back to his roots. He and fellow URI Professor David Smith had been involved in a drilling expedition at the same site about 20 years ago. The findings from that expedition helped to spark interest in the study of the deeply buried marine biosphere.

The experts will continue to analyze the samples for months and years to come. "The technology to examine samples collected from the moon took several years to be developed, and the same will be true for these samples from deep in the ocean sediments," said Professor Spivack. "We are developing the technology now to continue our research."

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

Life in deep ocean sediments can survive boiling hot temperatures

In a new study from the University of Rhode Island,...

Replacing red meat with plant foods such as beans and nuts can reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a study published by <a href="https://www.bmj.com/">The BMJ</a>. The research suggests that the risk of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/less-sedentary-time-greatly-reduces-the-risk-of-heart-failure/">heart</a> disease may also be mitigated by substituting whole grains, eggs, and dairy for red meat.

A growing collection of studies show that frequent consumption of red meat is linked to an increased risk of premature death and to serious chronic conditions such as coronary heart disease (CHD). This association is the strongest for processed red meat, such as bacon, hot dogs, and salami. 

According to the experts, studies that have produced inconsistent results often failed to compare red meat with similar protein and energy sources.

To investigate, the researchers analyzed data on more than 43,000 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study who were free from cardiovascular disease and cancer at the time of enrollment. Medical records were used to track both fatal and non-fatal CHD events over a period of 30 years. 

The team examined the relationships between total, processed, and unprocessed red meat and the risk of CHD. The experts also estimated the effects of substituting plant foods for red meat with CHD risk.

During the follow-up period, 4,456 CHD events were documented and 1,860 were fatal. After accounting for other cardiovascular disease risk factors, the researchers determined that for every one serving per day, total red meat was associated with a 12 percent higher risk of CHD. Similar associations were seen for unprocessed and processed red meat

By contrast, intake of one serving per day of plant protein sources - including nuts, beans, and soy - was associated with a 14 percent lower risk of CHD. The risk was reduced even more for men over the age of 65 who replaced red meat with high quality plant foods. 

The study revealed that substituting whole grains and dairy products for total red meat, and swapping eggs for processed red meat, were also associated with lower CHD risk. Among younger men, the replacement of red meat with egg was associated with a 20 percent lower risk of CHD.

"These findings are consistent with the effects of these foods on low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and support a health benefit of limiting red meat consumption and replacement with plant protein sources," said the study authors. They concluded that switching to plant foods would also be very beneficial to the environment.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.bmj.com/">The BMJ</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;

Substituting plant foods for red meat reduces the risk of heart disease

Replacing red meat with plant foods such as beans and...

A researcher at <a href="https://www.osaka-u.ac.jp/">Osaka University</a> has identified a simple mechanism that gives <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/animals-with-higher-genetic-variation-are-much-more-adaptable/">animals</a> their complex color patterns, including zebra stripes and leopard spots. 

"Animals exhibit a fascinating variety of skin patterns, but mechanisms underlying this diversity remain largely unknown, particularly for complex and camouflaged colorations. A mathematical model predicts that intricate color patterns can be formed by 'pattern blending' between simple motifs via hybridization," explained Dr. Seita Miyazawa.

Many experts have speculated on the purpose of animal coloration, but little is known about the evolutionary mechanisms that promoted such an incredible diversity of skin patterns.

Each animal lineage has a variety of color patterns, yet few studies have examined their diversity across an entire group.

In a previous study, Dr. Miyazawa's team had presented a theory on animal color pattern formation, showing that the blending of two simple spot patterns by hybridization resulted in a complex maze-like pattern

To investigate further, Dr. Miyazawa conducted a comparative analysis of more than 18,000 fish species to investigate the relationships among color patterns. 

"Here, I analyzed the skin patterns of 18,114 fish species and found strong mechanistic associations between camouflaged labyrinthine patterns and simple spot motifs, showing remarkable consistency with the pattern blending hypothesis," wrote Dr. Miyazawa.

"Genomic analyses confirmed that the coloring on multiple labyrinthine fish species has originated from pattern blending by hybridization, and phylogenetic comparative analyses have further substantiated the pattern blending hypothesis in multiple major fish lineages."

This seems counterintuitive because these patterns are very different in appearance, explained Dr. Miyazawa. However, the results were strikingly consistent with the prediction derived from his previous mathematical model.

"I found that several fish species with maze patterns have actually been derived from hybridization between light- and dark-spotted species. Although expected, this was amazing." 

Dr. Miyazawa also found evidence that pattern blending events have occurred in many other fish groups. "This indicates that the pattern blending mechanism may be extensively involved in the enrichment of color pattern diversity, possibly in other animal groups as well."

"Pattern blending may also have contributed to biodiversity as one of the driving forces that hybridization can bring to animal evolution."

"This study could not have been possible without access to the vast and valuable collection of fish photographs from the public databases: FishBase and FishPix. I am deeply grateful to all those involved in the construction and management of these databases, as well as to the fish researchers and fish enthusiasts who contributed the amazing photographs."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</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 animals got their complex color patterns

A researcher at Osaka University has identified a simple mechanism...

Investment in solar energy is urgently needed to meet climate targets. According to a new study from <a href="https://international.au.dk/">Aarhus University</a>, the cheapest and easiest way to reach the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/jaguars-in-the-amazon-are-threatened-by-climate-extremes/">climate</a> targets of the Paris Agreement is to immediately invest in a lot of solar energy. The team found that early and steady action is the best approach for transitioning to green energy.

"Achieving a climate-neutral European Union in 2050 requires meeting the milestones in between. Although carbon emissions will most likely sink by 20% in 2020 relative to 1990, it is unclear whether the 40% objective settled for 2030 will be met," wrote the study authors. 

"The national energy plans for the coming decade submitted by member states do not add up the necessary reduction to meet the target, while in the context of a European Green Deal a more ambitious reduction of 55% is under discussion in 2020."

The researchers have modeled the decarbonization of the sector-coupled European energy system using hourly data for every European and Scandinavian country.

Using the university's supercomputer, PRIME, the experts mapped out how to modify the production of electricity, heating, and transport sector energy, in such a way that will cover the demands for every hour even in the coldest weeks of winter. 

Study co-author Professor Marta Victoria is an expert in photovoltaics (PV) and energy systems in the Department of Engineering at Aarhus.

"We ask the question of which energy strategy to employ in order to reach the 2050 goal. We have a 'carbon budget' - a maximum amount of CO2 we can emit - and how do we make sure, that by 2050 we reach climate-neutrality in the cheapest and most feasible way?" 

"There are two scenarios: Early and steady or late and rapid," explained Professor Victoria. "Our model clearly shows that the cost optimized solution is to act now. To be ambitious in the short term. And we find solar energy and onshore and offshore wind to be the cost optimized cornerstone in a fully decarbonized 2050 energy system."

Professor Victoria noted that both paths require a massive deployment of wind and solar PV during the next 30 years.

"It's not an easy task. In some years, we will have to install more than a 100 Gigawatts of solar PV and wind power, and to achieve full decarbonisation the CO2 prices will have to be a lot higher than today."

The study reveals the need for a slowly rising CO2 price that maximizes around 400 €/ton in the year 2050, which is around 20 times higher than today's prices. 

The model also includes hydro power and small amount of gas-based electricity and heating production to account for so-called "nightmare weeks."

"District heating systems are efficient for very cold and critical periods where electricity demand and heating demand is high, but wind and solar energy production is low. Large hot water tanks discharge during those weeks. This way we make sure that the future energy systems work for every possible scenario."

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

Investment in solar energy is urgently needed to meet climate targets

Investment in solar energy is urgently needed to meet climate...

Women with PTSD and depression are four times more likely to die prematurely. Women who suffer from post-traumatic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tropical-birds-handle-heat-stress-much-better-than-expected/">stress</a> disorder and depression have a risk of premature death that is four times higher compared to women without trauma exposure or depression, according to a study from the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a>. 

The researchers found that depression and PTSD greatly increased the risk of early death from cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, type 2 diabetes, accidents, suicide, and other major causes.

"The study examines longevity - in a way, the ultimate health outcome - and the findings strengthen our understanding that mental and physical health are tightly interconnected," said study lead author Andrea Roberts. 

"This is particularly salient during the pandemic, which is exposing many Americans and others across the world to unusual stress while at the same time reducing social connections, which can be powerfully protective for our mental health."

The study is the first of its kind to examine the health outcomes of concurrent PTSD and depression in a large population of civilian women. Previous research on this topic has been primarily focused on men in the military.

The investigation involved more than 50,000 women between the ages of 43 and 64 years old. Over nine years, the subjects with high levels of both PTSD and depression symptoms were nearly four times more likely to die from almost every major cause of death compared to the other women.

The researchers expected that the link between premature death and depression and PTSD could possibly be explained by health risk factors such as smoking and obesity. However, they determined that these types of risk factors only contributed to a relatively small number of the deaths. This particular finding indicates that other factors, such the effect of stress hormones on the body, may account for the higher risk of early death in women with the disorders.

According to the experts, treatment of PTSD and depression in women with symptoms of both disorders may reduce their substantial increased risk of mortality.

"These findings provide further evidence that mental health is fundamental to physical health - and to our very survival," said study senior author Professor Karestan Koenen. "We ignore our emotional well-being at our peril." 

The study is published in the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen">JAMA Network Open</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Women with PTSD and depression are four times more likely to die prematurely

Women with PTSD and depression are four times more likely...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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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

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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

[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

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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

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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...