You probably know at least a little bit about ocean circulation around the world, also known as currents. In fact, you may have felt smaller currents yourself on a day at the beach.



But have you heard bout the "great global ocean conveyor belt," which is a vast network of currents that constantly moves water around the entire planet?



This massive system helps distribute heat around the world, influencing everything from temperatures to rainfall. Unfortunately, it's slowing down and on the verge of total collapse.



Scientists have been studying this phenomenon, and according to recent research published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01568-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>, it's a bigger deal than we thought. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-circulation-and-the-amoc">Ocean circulation and the AMOC?</h2>



The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, is like a massive ocean conveyor belt that moves warm and cold water around the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-the-atlantic-ocean-may-ultimately-vanish/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atlantic Ocean</a>. 



It starts in the Gulf of Mexico, where warm, salty water flows northward along the eastern coast of the United States and across the Atlantic towards Europe. 



As this warm water reaches the North Atlantic, it cools down, becomes denser, and sinks deep into the ocean. 



This sinking process pulls more warm water north to replace it, creating a continuous loop that helps <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collapse-of-major-ocean-system-would-cause-weather-chaos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">regulate the climate</a> by distributing heat across the planet. 



Thanks to the AMOC, regions like Western Europe enjoy milder winters than they would otherwise.



Humans rely on the AMOC in several important ways. By regulating global temperatures, it helps maintain stable weather patterns, which are crucial for agriculture, ecosystems, and our daily lives. 



Researchers point out that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is now weaker than at any other time in the past 1,000 years.



The research team from several leading universities explains that global warming is behind this slowdown. 



Their new modeling suggests that meltwater from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenlands-melting-icebergs-may-not-be-threat-to-ocean-currents-amoc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland ice sheet</a> and Canadian glaciers could be the missing piece of the puzzle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-should-we-care-about-this">Why should we care about this?</h2>



"Our results show the Atlantic overturning circulation is likely to become a third weaker than it was 70 years ago at 2°C of global warming," says the research team. 



"This would bring big changes to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-arctic-is-melting-fast-but-a-slowing-ocean-current-could-help/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate and ecosystems</a>, including faster warming in the southern hemisphere, harsher winters in Europe, and weakening of the northern hemisphere's tropical monsoons."



Think about that for a second. A weaker ocean current could mean colder winters in Europe and shifts in rainfall patterns that affect millions of people. It's not just about the ocean; <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disastrous-climate-changes-of-the-last-ice-age-could-happen-again/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">it's about our daily lives</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meltwater-and-ocean-circulation">Meltwater and ocean circulation</h2>



The Earth has already warmed 1.5ºC since the industrial revolution. And get this: the Arctic has been heating up nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet. 



All that heat is melting Arctic sea ice, glaciers, and the Greenland ice sheet.



"Since 2002, Greenland lost 5,900 billion tons (gigatons) of ice," notes the research team. "To put that into perspective, imagine if the entire state of Texas was covered in ice 26 feet thick."



All this fresh meltwater flowing into the subarctic ocean is lighter than salty seawater, so it doesn't sink as much. 



That messes with the southward flow of deep, cold waters from the Atlantic and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-impact-the-gulf-stream-more-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weakens the Gulf Stream</a> -- the same current that gives Britain its mild winters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ripple-effects-around-the-globe">Ripple effects around the globe</h2>



So, what's the big deal with the Gulf Stream slowing down? Well, for starters, Europe could face harsher winters. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-paradox-ocean-current-collapse-could-plunge-europe-into-cold/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Places like Britain</a> might start feeling more like their chilly counterparts at the same latitude, such as parts of Canada.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Atlantic-Meridional-Overturning-Circulation_AMOC_collapsing_Nature-Geoscience_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Atlantic-Meridional-Overturning-Circulation_AMOC_collapsing_Nature-Geoscience_1s.webp" alt="The addition of meltwater in the North Atlantic leads to localised cooling in the subpolar North Atlantic and warming in the South Atlantic. Credit: Nature Geoscience (2024)." class="wp-image-1951410" style="width:300px;height:auto"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The addition of meltwater in the North Atlantic leads to localised cooling in the subpolar North Atlantic and warming in the South Atlantic. Credit: Nature Geoscience (2024).</figcaption></figure>



"Our new research shows meltwater from the Greenland ice sheet and Arctic glaciers in Canada is the missing piece in the climate puzzle," the researchers explain. 



When they included this meltwater in their simulations, the slowing of the oceanic circulation made sense.



The study confirms that the Atlantic overturning circulation has been slowing down since the mid-20th century. It also gives us a sneak peek into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atlantic-and-arctic-mixing-is-crucial-for-earths-climate-stability/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">what's coming next</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-northern-and-southern-oceans-connected">Northern and Southern oceans connected</h2>



"Our new research also shows the North and South Atlantic oceans are more connected than previously thought," the team states. 



Changes in one part of the ocean can quickly affect distant regions. When the oceanic circulation is strong, it transfers a lot of heat to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-warming-triggers-rising-north-atlantic-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Atlantic</a>. 



But when it weakens, the surface of the ocean south of Greenland doesn't warm up as much, leading to what's called a "warming hole." Meanwhile, the South Atlantic ends up storing more heat and salt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-is-not-on-our-side">Time is not on our side</h2>



"Our simulations show changes in the far North Atlantic are felt in the South Atlantic Ocean in less than two decades," the researchers reveal. This means the effects of the slowdown are spreading faster than we thought.



Climate projections have suggested the Atlantic overturning circulation will weaken by about 30% by 2060. But hold on -- that's without considering all that extra meltwater.



"The Greenland ice sheet will continue melting over the coming century, possibly raising global sea level by about 4 inches," the study notes. 



"If this additional meltwater is included in climate projections, the overturning circulation will weaken faster. It could be 30% weaker by 2040. That's 20 years earlier than initially projected."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-can-we-do">What can we do?</h2>



Such a rapid decrease in the overturning circulation will shake things up. 



Europe might see colder winters, the northern tropics could get drier, and places like the southern United States might experience warmer, wetter summers.



"Our climate has changed dramatically over the past 20 years," the researchers warn. "More rapid melting of the ice sheets will accelerate further disruption of the climate system."



So, what does this all mean for us? It means we have even less time to get our act together. Reducing emissions isn't just a good idea -- it's crucial.



Our planet's systems are interconnected in ways we're only beginning to understand. If we want to keep things from getting worse, we need to act now. Every little bit counts, and the clock is ticking.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01568-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



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Collapse of Earth's main ocean water circulation system is already happening

You probably know at least a little bit about ocean circulation around the world, also known as currents. In fact, you may have felt smaller currents yourself on a day at the beach. But have you heard bout the "great global ocean conveyor belt," which is a vast network of currents that constantly moves water around the entire planet? This massive system helps distribute heat around the world, influencing everything from temperatures to rainfall. Unfortunately, it's slowing down and on the verge of total collapse. Scientists have...

Every planet in our Solar System will be visible in the sky this month, and you can observe most of them without binoculars or a telescope. 

Venus and Mercury can be viewed just before dawn, while Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars will be brightest in the evening sky. Using a telescope, you can spot Uranus and Neptune during the evening as well.

Jupiter and Saturn will appear to have a close encounter on the sky's dome, known as a great conjunction, on December 21, 2020. According to <a href="https://earthsky.org/">EarthSky</a>, great conjunctions of these two worlds occur every 20 years, but this year Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer together than they have since 1623. 

Up until the winter solstice on December 21st, the two planets will be visible every evening just after sunset in the southwestern sky. Use a telescope to catch a glimpse of Saturn’s rings, which are tilted toward the Earth this year, and to view Jupiter's major moons. While Saturn shines as bright as some stars, Jupiter shines 12 times brighter than Saturn. 

In the eastern half of the sky, Mars will shine the brightest. Even though Mars is fading from sight compared to its close approach to Earth in October, it will still appear unusually large throughout November.

Venus will rise a couple of hours before sunset this month, and will look just like a brilliant morning star. Venus is the brightest celestial object that can be seen at night besides the Moon. Before daybreak on November 11th, 12th, and 13th, look for the waning crescent moon to line up with Venus and Mercury in the eastern sky just before daybreak. 

To find Mercury, just look close to the horizon below Venus, which is 70 times brighter than Mercury. According to EarthSky, Mercury can be seen most clearly about an hour before sunrise. The planet will gradually move higher in the sky throughout the month. 

On a dark night, about 9 hours after sunset, you may be able to catch a glimpse of Uranus with the naked eye. Neptune will be much harder to spot, and will require a very dark sky and binoculars or a telescope. 

Finally, be sure to look out for the South Taurids meteor shower that is expected to peak on the night of November 4th, as well as the North Taurids, which are expected to peak one week later on November 11th.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Every planet in our Solar System is visible this month

Every planet in our Solar System will be visible in...

In a new study from the <a href="https://gorillafund.org/">Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund</a>, scientists have used five decades of data to investigate how <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/how-you-use-social-media-affects-your-sense-of-happiness/">social</a> behavior may be affecting the population growth rate of mountain gorillas. The study revealed that violent encounters between groups with overlapping home ranges dramatically slowed the growth rate of a Virunga gorilla population. 

"This is one of the few studies to demonstrate the considerable impact that social behavior can have on whether or not a population grows," said study co-lead author Dr. Winnie Eckardt.

Around 600 of the estimated 1,063 remaining mountain gorillas live in the countries of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Virunga Mountains. Across a 430-square-kilometer area of forest, conservation measures have more than doubled the Virunga gorilla population since the 1980s.

By 2006, the Virunga study population was composed of three large groups that each had multiple silverbacks. These groups were much larger than average, ranging from 25 to 65 gorillas with up to eight silverbacks, but were very stable.

However, when young silverbacks started challenging the older group leaders, things became unstable. The three groups separated off into 11 groups that now occupied a relatively small region. Movement and expansion into new areas was limited by surrounding agricultural fields, as well as by the presence of other gorillas.

The eleven groups now faced higher overlap in their home ranges and more violent encounters. While trying to impress females, male mountain gorillas often target the males and infants of other groups. As a result of this type of conflict, infant mortality increased by 57 percent and the annual population growth rate dropped from 5.05 percent to 2.37 percent among the Virunga subpopulation.

"Before 2007, we would talk about intergroup encounters for months because they were so rare," said Dr. Eckardt. "After that, they began to happen with such frequency that we could hardly keep up with documenting them."

The findings suggest that it is the density of groups rather than the density of individuals that plays a bigger role in regulating population growth. 

"Scientists often talk about how many individuals an environment can hold, also known as carrying capacity," said study co-author Jean Paul Hirwa. "But what these data clearly show is that for social species, this number can depend on how the animals chose to organize themselves. For example, 100 gorillas living in three groups, as we saw in the 2000s, likely require less space than 100 gorillas living in 10 groups."

"The Virunga gorilla population has been increasing for almost 40 years, but its habitat has not. As the gorilla density reaches unusually high value, scientists fear that between-group aggression and stress will significantly affect the welfare of the animals," said study co-author Dr. Damien Caillaud.

The research also highlights the challenges for the broader Virunga mountain gorilla population. There are currently other mountain gorilla subpopulations in the region that look similar to the study group when it had high growth rates, large sizes, and multiple males.

"This study highlights the value of long-term data in understanding the ever-changing population dynamics of a species, which is ultimately linked to its conservation," said study co-author Dr. Tara Stoinski, CEO of the Fossey Fund. 

"Mountain gorillas are an incredible conservation success story, but their population is very small - just over 1,000 individuals. Our hope is that improving our understanding of what factors are influencing the population's growth will aid in developing effective conservation strategies."

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

Violent clashes have lowered the Virunga gorilla population

In a new study from the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund,...

Sea-level rise will impact humans and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-protect-coastlines/">coastlines</a> in complicated and unpredictable ways, according to research from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. The experts found that in the past, there were variable rates of changes across societies and landscapes that did not match the pace of rising sea levels.

"When we're thinking about future sea-level rise, we need to consider the complexity of the systems involved, in terms of both the physical geography and the human response," said study lead author Dr. Robert Barnett.

"The speed at which land disappears is not only a function of sea-level rise, it depends on specific local geography, landforms and geology. Human responses are likely to be equally localized. For example, communities may have powerful reasons for refusing to abandon a particular place."

The study was focused on the Isles of Scilly off the southwest coast of the UK. Less than 1,000 years ago, this chain of 140 islands existed as one single island.

The researchers reconstructed sea-level rise to produce maps of coastal changes over the last 12,000 years across the Isles of Scilly. The maps were compared to reconstructions of the region's landscape, vegetation, and human population. Much of the data had been collected by the Lyonesse Project, a study of the historic coastal and marine environment of the Isles of Scilly.

The findings suggest that during a period between 5,000 and 4,000 years ago, the land was rapidly becoming submerged. As the coastline shifted, people did not abandon the new landscape, but rather stayed put and adapted to it. 

The study suggests that land was being lost at a rate of 10,000 square meters per year. About half of this land was transforming into intertidal habitats, which may have been able to support the coastal communities.

"This new research confirms that the period immediately before 4,000 years ago saw some of the most significant loss of land at any time in the history of Scilly - equivalent to losing two-thirds of the entire modern area of the islands," said Charlie Johns, who is the co-director of the Lyonesse Project.

The islands continued to be submerged, even when the rate of sea-level rise was as low as one millimeter per year.

"It is clear that rapid coastal change can happen even during relatively small and gradual sea-level rise," said Dr. Barnett. "The current rate of mean global sea-level rise (around 3.6 mm per year) is already far greater than the local rate at the Isles of Scilly (1 to 2 mm per year) that caused widespread coastal reorganization between 5,000 and 4,000 years ago."

"It is even more important to consider the human responses to these physical changes, which may be unpredictable. As can be seen today across island nations, cultural practices define the response of coastal communities, which can result in polarised agenda, such as the planned relocation programmes in Fiji versus the climate-migration resistance seen in Tavalu."

Dr. Barnett pointed out that the coastal reorganization at the Isles of Scilly led to the availability of new resources for coastal communities. "It is perhaps unlikely that future coastal reorganization will lead to new resource availability on scales capable of supporting entire communities."

"More certain though, is that societal and cultural perspectives from coastal populations will be critical for responding successfully to future climate change."

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

The impacts of sea-level rise are too complex to predict

Sea-level rise will impact humans and coastlines in complicated and...

Sapria,Poilanei,(himalayana),,Rafflesia,Kerrii,,Sapria,Himalayana,,Biggest,Flower,Grows

Parasitic plants rely on ethylene to successfully launch an attack, according to a new study from the <a href="http://www.naist.jp/en/">Nara Institute of Science and Technology</a>. The researchers found that a signal from the plant hormone ethylene initiates the invasion of the roots of a host plant. 

In order to become established, parasitic plants form a specialized structure known as a haustorium. This structure attaches to and penetrates the tissues of the host plant to absorb nutrients and water, as well as small materials including plant hormones and RNAs. The formation of the haustoria is regulated by signal molecules derived from the host plant.

"To understand the genetic programs for haustorium development, we identified mutants that displayed haustorial defects on host invasion," said study lead author Songkui Cui. "Genome sequencing showed that these mutants have defective ethylene signaling, and it turned out that ethylene signaling genes are crucial for the parasitic plant to infect its host plant."

Ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone that is involved in the ripening of fruit, aging of leaves, and the formation of root nodules. Ethylene can also provide resistance or susceptibility to viruses and invasive insects depending on the type of pathogen.

"Our results indicate that ethylene mediates host recognition in parasitic plants for host invasion," explained project leader Satoko Yoshida. "This is the first time that the mediation of host invasion by parasitic plant genes has been identified via forward genetics. Our findings offer a new understanding of how a parasitic plant uses the ethylene molecule to tweak haustorium development and host invasion."

The research was focused on a family of parasitic plants that includes destructive weeds. Prior to the study, the molecular basis for parasitism has been largely unexplored.

"Our results suggest that parasitic plants have taken over ethylene signaling for parasitism at multiple stages of their life cycle, such as germination, haustorium growth termination, and host invasion," said Cui. "This knowledge could provide new ways to use ethylene and ethylene inhibitors to control a broader range of parasitic weeds, including those that don't rely entirely on hosts to complete their life cycle, by manipulating haustorial function."

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

Parasitic plants depend on the hormone ethylene to launch an attack

Parasitic plants rely on ethylene to successfully launch an attack,...

Human development has impacted the genetic diversity of lions. Human activities have notably damaged the genetic diversity of lions in the last century. Experts at the <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/">Texas A&amp;M University</a> College of Veterinary Medicine &amp; Biomedical Sciences have found clear genetic changes in lion populations that are tied to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/top-predators-face-the-most-imminent-threat-from-habitat-loss/">habitat</a> fragmentation. 

When groups of the same species are isolated from each other, there is a lack of genetic flow that can have long-term consequences for the overall health of the species. 

"I was surprised at what we found - surprised and disappointed, because it's not what I wanted to see," said study co-author Dr. James Derr. "I really wanted to be able to tell everyone that the management we've been doing for the last 100 years is perfect and to keep doing what we've been doing and everything will be fine. But that's not the take-home lesson; unfortunately, that's not the story we can tell."

The researchers set out to examine whether the genetic structure of lion populations has changed over the last 100 years.

The study was focused on existing DNA data from modern lions that lived between 1990 and 2012. To obtain genetic data from historical populations, study co-author Dr. Caitlin Curry used DNA extracted from the preserved remains of 143 lions that lived between 1880 and 1949.

Both the modern and historical DNA datasets represent the same geographical range from India to Southern Africa. This type of analysis, which compares data from the same region at different times, is called a spatiotemporal study.

Female lions tend to stay close to where they were born, while male lions travel great distances to find new prides. This means that males are responsible for the movement of genes in the population, which promotes a high level of genetic diversity within the species.

The rapid growth of human development across Africa has increasingly limited the movement of lions through barriers such as cities, fences, and farms. These barriers prevent male lions from traveling over the great distances they once freely roamed. 

According to study co-author Dr. Curry, while lions are still genetically diverse right now, the results in the DNA were more pronounced than she expected.

"In the historical population, you couldn't easily identify where a lion was from based on its nuclear DNA. This is due to high historical levels of gene flow across the population," said Dr. Curry. "But in the modern population, you can determine the general area, or sub-population, for most of the lions. But, even with sub-populations being more isolated, the overall level of genetic diversity is still considered high across all lion populations."

However, the restricted movement of lions could gradually lead to much lower levels of genetic diversity, which comes along with health consequences.

"Over the last 100 years or so, we have restricted the natural movements of many species," said Dr. Derr. "This isolation leads to reduced gene flow and ultimately may result in reducing genetic diversity to a level that threatens the survival of local populations."

The African cheetah serves as an example of what happens with a lack of genetic diversity. Based on DNA evidence, scientists believe that cheetahs have suffered two large bottleneck events that have rapidly shrunk the gene pool. Today's cheetah population has difficulty breeding, faces serious health issues, and struggles to fight off new diseases. 

For lions, however, this fate can still be avoided in lions. The study findings provide clear evidence of the genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation and isolation, and this evidence can be used to protect lions. 

"This should not be a disheartening story but rather one of hope," said Dr. Curry. "Yes, we see a decrease in genetic diversity across lion populations over the past century. But, currently, compared with other mammalian species, lion genetic diversity is still considered high across all lion populations."

"With responsible management focused on giving prides enough space to breed and allowing males to move more freely between isolated pockets, it is possible to increase the genetic diversity and reduce population subdivision across lion populations."

Multiple projects have begun reintroducing lions back to areas they once roamed, and wildlife conservation programs are increasingly focused on coexistence strategies.

"The positive take-home message is now that we've documented this and we understand it, policies can be tailored to manage these populations differently," said Dr. Derr. "We know now that you can't treat all lions the same. Now we have the responsibility to manage these animals, and many other managed wildlife species, in ways that better reflects their current biology."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mbe">Molecular Biology and Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Human development has impacted the genetic diversity of lions

Human development has impacted the genetic diversity of lions. Human...

Planets that orbit very close to their <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dead-stars-will-help-astronomers-find-signs-of-life-on-exoplanets/">stars</a>, which have the potential to contain oceans of hot lava, are some of the most fascinating of all of the exoplanets that have ever been discovered. But now, a new study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a> suggests that one such exoplanet is even more intriguing than what has been anticipated. 

The research suggests that an Earth-size exoplanet known as K2-141b has a magma ocean that is 100 kilometers deep and supersonic winds that reach over 5,000 kilometers per hour. 

The researchers used computer simulations to predict the conditions on K2-141b. They found that the surface, ocean, and atmosphere are all made up of rocks that can evaporate and "rain" back down on the planet. 

The extreme weather that is predicted by the study would gradually and permanently change the surface and atmosphere of K2-141b over time.

"The study is the first to make predictions about weather conditions on K2-141b that can be detected from hundreds of light years away with next-generation telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope," said study lead author and PhD student Giang Nguyen.

K2-141b is so close to its star that it is gravitationally locked in place - with the same side of the planet constantly facing the heat. The experts determined that about two-thirds of the surface of K2-141b experiences endless daylight, while the remaining one-third of the exoplanet experiences frigid temperatures of below -200 degrees Celsius. 

On the hot side of K2-141b, temperatures of an estimated 3,000 degrees Celsius are hot enough to not only melt rocks but also to vaporize them, ultimately creating a thin atmosphere in some areas. 

"Our finding likely means that the atmosphere extends a little beyond the shore of the magma ocean, making it easier to spot with space telescopes," said study co-author Professor Nicolas Cowan.

The extreme heat on K2-141b would cause the rock vapor atmosphere to undergo precipitation just like the water cycle on Earth. On our planet, water evaporates and rises into the atmosphere, where it condenses and falls back as rain. This is also the case for the sodium, silicon monoxide, and silicon dioxide on K2-141b. Here, the mineral vapor formed by evaporated rock is pushed over to the frigid night side by supersonic winds, and the rocks "rain" back down into a magma ocean. The rocks are then swept back over to the hot side of the exoplanet, and the rocks evaporate all over again. 

The researchers explained that the weather cycle is not as stable on K2-141b as it is on Earth. For example, the magma flow returning to the hot side of K2-141b is slow, which could ultimately reshape the surface of the planet.

"All rocky planets­, including Earth, started off as molten worlds but then rapidly cooled and solidified," said Professor Cowan. "Lava planets give us a rare glimpse at this stage of planetary evolution."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

An exoplanet exists where rocks evaporate and rain back down

Planets that orbit very close to their stars, which have...

For decades, a network of 14 research facilities located across five different continents has been working to predict the impacts that future CO2 levels will have on crop production. The research involves "Free-Air Concentration Enrichment" (FACE) experiments, which are real-world field surveys designed to study the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/environmental-era-of-pandemics/">environmental</a> factors that impact crop growth and yield.

Based on the analysis of 30 years of FACE data, researchers have found some discouraging details of how global crop production may be impacted by rising CO2 levels.

Study co-author Lisa Ainsworth is a research plant physiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). 

"It's quite shocking to go back and look at just how much CO2 concentrations have increased over the lifetime of these experiments," said Ainsworth."We are reaching the concentrations of some of the first CO2 treatments 30 years back. The idea that we can check the results of some of the first FACE experiments in the current atmosphere is disconcerting."

The study was focused on two groups of plants: C3 plants such as soybeanand rice, which are less efficient at converting CO2 and light into energy through photosynthesis; and C4 plants, such as corn and sugarcane, which are up to 60 percent more efficient at using CO2 and light for energy. 

Many commercial growers elevate CO2 levels in greenhouses to boost photosynthesis and crop production among plants like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.

In the current analysis, the researchers found that CO2 levels expected at the second half of this century could increase C3 crop production by 18 percent with adequate nutrients and water.

Study co-author Stephen Long is a professor of Crop Sciences and Plant Biology at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> and a member of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology.

"So should we anticipate a bounty as CO2 rises?" said Professor Long. "Sadly not because rising CO2 is the primary cause of change in the global climate system. The anticipated 2° C rise in temperature, caused primarily by this increase in CO2, could halve yields of some of our major crops, wiping out any gain from CO2."

While CO2 could increase crop production, the experts found that the resulting crops would lose some critical components of their quality, such as nutrient and protein content. The study also revealed that major food crops become considerably more vulnerable to pests and diseases when exposed to higher levels of CO2.

"Lots of people have presumed that rising CO2 is largely a good thing for crops: assuming more CO2 will make the world's forests greener and increase crop yields," said Ainsworth. "The more recent studies challenge that assumption a bit. We're finding that when you have other stresses, you don't always get a benefit of elevated CO2."

Looking on the bright side, the study authors noted that there is sufficient genetic variation in major crops to overcome some of the negative effects of higher CO2 levels and to capitalize on the yield benefits. 

"Where genetic variation is lacking, there are some bioengineering solutions with one already demonstrated to prevent yield loss when the temperature is raised with CO2," explained Professor Long. "But, given the time taken to develop new crop cultivars, this potential could only be realized if we start now."

"We are driven by a motivation to prepare for the future and to identify the traits that are going to be important for maximizing this CO2 response while dealing with the aspects of global change that may drive down yields," said Ainsworth. "The last 15 years have taught us to account more for the complex interactions from other factors like drought, temperature, nutrients, and pests."

According to Ainsworth, researchers should explore a wider variety of crops and genotypes as well as different management practices, such as seeding density, tillage, and cover crops, to find solutions that are less burdensome on the environment. In addition, it would be greatly beneficial to make the FACE data on crop production more accessible.

"We don't have a formal database of all of the FACE results from the last two decades of research. There's an opportunity to put all of the information together in one place and make it openly accessible for everyone to use and to encourage more people to use the data to think about solutions."

"The ideal solution will be that we dramatically decrease our release of CO2 into the atmosphere and quickly achieve carbon neutrality," said Professor Long. "But we also need to take out an insurance policy against this not being achieved. That is, we need to breed and engineer future-proof crops and systems that can be sustainable and nutritious under the combined changes in atmospheric composition and climate to help realize the goal of zero hunger."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How does rising CO2 affect crop production?

For decades, a network of 14 research facilities located across...

Ants swallow acid that is secreted by their poison glands to improve their gut microbial communities and prevent <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cats-can-fight-off-sars-cov-2-with-no-symptoms-of-infection/">infection</a>. According to a new study from <a href="https://www.uni-halle.de/?lang=en">Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg</a> (MLU), the acidic environment that ants create in their stomach can kill harmful bacteria that is ingested with food, which reduces their risk of getting sick.  

"Animals continuously encounter microorganisms that are essential for health or cause disease. They are thus challenged to control harmful microbes while allowing the acquisition of beneficial microbes. This challenge is likely especially important for social insects with respect to microbes in food, as they often store food and exchange food among colony members," explained the study authors.

Numerous species of ants have a special gland in their abdomen that produces formic acid. Dr. Simon Tragust said that scientists have long assumed that the acid was used for the sole purpose of warding off predators like insects and birds. In a previous study, however, Dr. Tragust showed that ants can also use formic acid to disinfect their brood and prevent the spread of harmful fungi. 

The current investigation was based on the observation of some puzzling behavior. "Whenever ants swallow food or water, they start cleaning their hindquarters afterwards," said Dr. Tragust. He explained that this behavior did not seem to be linked to digestion, considering that they cleaned their hindquarters even after they had only consumed water. 

After conducting several experiments, the team discovered that the ants were disinfecting themselves on the inside. "When the ants were able to access the acid, their chances of survival increased significantly after eating food enriched with pathogenic bacteria," said Dr. Tragust. 

Given that ants pass food from their mouth to the mouths of their nest mates, the benefits of cleaning were found to extend beyond the individuals. If the ant passing food around had previously ingested the acid, the recipients had a lower risk of getting sick. According to Dr. Tragust, this behavior may reduce the spread of infection within the ant colony.

"In addition to improving their own survival, the ability of donor ants to access their poison also improved the survival of receiver ants without access to their poison following trophallactic exchange of pathogen-contaminated food," wrote the study authors.

"Acidic crop lumens might therefore act as a barrier to disease spread in formicine ant societies, alleviating the cost of sharing pathogen contaminated food and counteracting the generally increased risk of pathogen exposure and transmission associated with group living."

The findings also provide new insight into why some ants have very few bacteria in their digestive tracts. "Acid swallowing acts as a filter mechanism, structuring the ant's microbiome," explained Dr. Tragust. He said that acidic stomachs are only known to occur in humans and a few other vertebrates. Humans produce acid directly in the stomach, but the results are the same - the stomach acid kills germs in food and influences the gut microbiome.

The researchers conclude that the ability of formicine ants to access their own poison and filter out the harmful microbes they ingest may help to explain the ecological and evolutionary success of this group of insects.

The study is published in the <a href="https://elifesciences.org/">eLife</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ants swallow their own acid to avoid getting sick

Ants swallow acid that is secreted by their poison glands...

A new study published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a> explains how music can flood your <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/motivation-to-learn-declines-as-a-specific-brain-circuit-ages/">brain</a> with positive emotions. When neuroscientists investigated the source of "chills" that many people get while listening to music, they linked the experience to multiple brain regions involved in activating reward and pleasure systems.

The study was focused on 18 participants with an average age of 40 who reported regularly getting the chills during their favorite songs. A team led by Thibault Chabin at the Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté used electroencephalogram (EEG) scans to detect electrical activity in the brains of the individuals as they listened to music. The participants were asked to document when they experienced chills and to rate their degree of pleasure from them.

"Participants of our study were able to precisely indicate 'chill-producing' moments in the songs, but most musical chills occurred in many parts of the extracts and not only in the predicted moments," said Chabin.

At the exact times when the participants experienced chills, Chabin identified specific electrical activity in several brain regions including: the orbitofrontal cortex, which is involved in emotional processing; the supplementary motor area, which regulates the planning of complex movement; and the right temporal lobe, which is involved in auditory processing and musical appreciation.

These three brain regions coordinate their activity to process music, trigger the brain's reward systems, and to release the feel-good hormone dopamine. It is this series of events that produces the chills - a physiological response thought to indicate greater cortical connectivity.

"The fact that we can measure this phenomenon with EEG brings opportunities for study in other contexts, in scenarios that are more natural and within groups," said Chabin. "This represents a good perspective for musical emotion research."

The EEG scans revealed that when the individuals felt chills, low frequency electrical signals called "theta activity" either increased or decreased in the brain regions that are involved in musical processing. Theta activity is associated with successful memory performance in the context of high rewards and musical appreciation.

"Contrary to heavy neuroimaging techniques such as PET scan or fMRI, classic EEG can be transported outside of the lab into naturalistic scenarios," said Chabin. "What is most intriguing is that music seems to have no biological benefit to us. However, the implication of dopamine and of the reward system in processing of musical pleasure suggests an ancestral function for music."

As we wait for the chill-inducing parts of music, our brains are busy anticipating the future and releasing dopamine. Evolutionarily speaking, being able to predict what will happen next is essential for survival.

During the trials, the participants reported more than 300 chills which lasted an average of 8.75 seconds. The same brain regions associated with increased activity in this study have been previously linked to musical pleasure in PET and fMRI studies. Going forward, the researchers plan to continue to study the chills.

"We want to measure how cerebral and physiological activities of multiple participants are coupled in natural, social musical settings," said Chabin. "Musical pleasure is a very interesting phenomenon that deserves to be investigated further, in order to understand why music is rewarding and unlock why music is essential in human lives."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience">Frontiers in Neuroscience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Music can flood your brain with feelings of pleasure

A new study published by Frontiers explains how music can...

In a groundbreaking new study, Professor Derrick Wirtz of <a href="https://ok.ubc.ca/">UBC Okanaga</a> has examined the relationship between social media and life satisfaction. He explains that it is not if or when, but how we use social media that can negatively influence our overall sense of happiness and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/spiritual-experiences-linked-to-improved-overall-well-being/">well-being</a>.

"Social network sites are an integral part of everyday life for many people around the world," said Professor Wirtz. "Every day, billions of people interact with social media. Yet the widespread use of social network sites stands in sharp contrast to a comparatively small body of research on how this use impacts a person's happiness."

The study was focused on how people use three major social platforms - Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Professor Wirtz said that even before COVID-19 and self-isolation became standard practice, social media transformed how we interact with others. Online social interaction is quickly replacing conversations that take place in person.

While face-to-face interactions are associated with satisfaction and contentment, Professor Wirtz notes that many people come away from social media with negative feelings. There are a variety of underlying reasons for this, and one of the biggest issues is social comparison. For example, study participants said the more they compared themselves to others while using social networks, the less happy they felt.

"Viewing images and updates that selectively portray others positively may lead social media users to underestimate how much others actually experience negative emotions and lead people to conclude that their own life - with its mix of positive and negative feelings - is, by comparison, not as good."

Professor Wirtz explains that viewing other people's posts and images while not interacting with them lends itself to comparison without the mood-boosting benefits that ordinarily follow social contact, which can undermine well-being and lower self-esteem. 

"Passive use, scrolling through others' posts and updates, involves little person-to-person reciprocal interaction while providing ample opportunity for upward comparison."

For the study, individuals were asked about four specific functions of Facebook: messaging, checking a news feed, reading world news, and posting status updates. The analysis revealed that the most frequently used function is passively checking one's news feed without making contact with other users. The effects on happiness and well-being associated with this form of Facebook use were found to be consistently negative.

"The three social network sites examined - Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - yielded remarkably convergent findings. The more respondents had recently used these sites, either in aggregate or individually, the more negative effect they reported when they responded to our randomly-timed surveys over a 10-day period."

Through his research, which was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Wirtz found that people use social media more when they are lonely, but time spent on social media only increases feelings of loneliness. "Today, the necessity of seeing and hearing friends and family only through social media due to COVID-19 might serve as a reminder of missed opportunities to spend time together."

Despite the discouraging findings, the research showed that social media can also be used in positive ways. Professor Wirtz suggests that users avoid passively scrolling and resist comparing themselves to other people on social media. He says the sites should be used for direct interactions and social connectedness, such as chatting with others.

"If we all remember to do that, the negative impact of social media use could be reduced - and social networks sites could even have the potential to improve our well-being and happiness. In other words, we need to remember how we use social media has the potential to shape the effects on our day-to-day happiness."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/10902">Journal of Happiness Studies</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How you use social media affects your sense of happiness

In a groundbreaking new study, Professor Derrick Wirtz of UBC...

Based on three fossilized baby <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plants-from-ancient-rainforests-can-be-identified-in-fossil-teeth/">teeth</a>, researchers at the <a href="https://www.unibo.it/it">Università di Bologna</a> have discovered that Neanderthals raised their children much like we do today. The team found that Neanderthal children were surprisingly similar in how they developed and also in how they were weaned off their mother's milk.

"The beginning of weaning relates to physiology rather than to cultural factors," said study co-first author Alessia Nava. "In modern humans, in fact, the first introduction of solid food occurs at around 6 months of age when the child needs a more energetic food supply, and it is shared by very different cultures and societies. Now, we know that also Neanderthals started to wean their children when modern humans do."

A combination of geochemical and histological analyses of the teeth revealed that they belonged to three different Neanderthal children who lived between 70,000 and 45,000 years ago in a small area of Northeastern Italy.

Just like trees store a record of environmental data in their tree rings, teeth register information in their growth lines. Using various techniques to access this information, the scientists were able to show that the Neanderthal children had been introduced to solid foods at around 5 to 6 months of age.

"In particular, compared to other primates, it is highly conceivable that the high energy demand of the growing human brain triggers the early introduction of solid foods in child diet," said study co-first author Federico Lugli.

Despite the fact that Neanderthals are closely related to Homo Sapiens, there has been a lot of uncertainty regarding their pace of growth and early life metabolic constraints.

"This work's results imply similar energy demands during early infancy and a close pace of growth between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals. Taken together, these factors possibly suggest that Neanderthal newborns were of similar weight to modern human neonates, pointing to a likely similar gestational history and early-life ontogeny, and potentially shorter inter-birth interval," explained study co-senior author Stefano Benazzi.

The three baby teeth analyzed for the study were found between the modern-day provinces of Vicenza and Verona in the Broion Cave, Fumane Cave and the De Nadale Cave. Using time-resolved strontium isotope analysis, the scientists collected data on the movement of these particular Neanderthals.

"They were less mobile than previously suggested by other scholars," said study co-senior author Wolfgang Müller. "The strontium isotope signature registered in their teeth indicates in fact that they have spent most of the time close to their home: this reflects a very modern mental template and a likely thoughtful use of local resources."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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

Neanderthal children were raised like modern humans

Based on three fossilized baby teeth, researchers at the Università...

The earliest evidence for mammal social behavior dates back to the Age of Dinosaurs, according to a new study led by paleontologists at the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> Burke Museum of Natural History &amp; Culture. This evidence is tied to the discovery of a small mammal that lived during the Late Cretaceous period.

The previously unknown species was part of an <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plankton-began-hunting-their-own-food-to-survive-a-mass-extinction-event/">extinct</a> group of rodent-like mammals known as multituberculates. The new mammal has been named Filikomys primaevus, which translates to "youthful, friendly mouse." 

The fossils examined for the study are the most complete mammal fossils ever found from the Mesozoic era in North America. The analysis suggests that F. primaevus engaged in group nesting and burrowing behavior, and possibly lived in colonies. 

Dating back about 75 million years, the fossils were recovered from a dinosaur nesting site called Egg Mountain in modern-day western Montana.

The excavation produced skulls and skeletons of at least 22 F. primaevus individuals that were typically clustered together in groups of two to five. About 13 individuals were found in the same rock layer within a 30 square-meter area. 

The researchers noted that the ancient mammal had powerful shoulders and elbows that are similar to those of burrowing animals that exist today. The experts theorize that the ancient animals also lived in burrows and nested together. 

The combination of F. primaevus individuals found clustered together included multiple mature adults and young adults, which indicates that these were truly social groups as opposed to just parents raising their young.

"It was crazy finishing up this paper right as the stay-at-home orders were going into effect - here we all are trying our best to socially distance and isolate, and I'm writing about how mammals were socially interacting way back when dinosaurs were still roaming the Earth!" said study lead author Luke Weaver. 

"It is really powerful, I think, to see just how deeply rooted social interactions are in mammals. Because humans are such social animals, we tend to think that sociality is somehow unique to us, or at least to our close evolutionary relatives, but now we can see that social behavior goes way further back in the mammalian family tree." "Multituberculates are one of the most ancient mammal groups, and they've been extinct for 35 million years, yet in the Late Cretaceous they were apparently interacting in groups similar to what you would see in modern-day ground squirrels."

It was previously assumed that social behavior first emerged in mammals after the mass extinction that killed off the dinosaurs. 

Social behavior was also thought to have initially appeared in the group Placentalia - mammals that carry the fetus in the mother's uterus until a late stage of development, including humans. However, the new fossils show that an entirely different group of mammals was socializing during the Age of Dinosaurs.

"These fossils are game changers," said study senior author Gregory Wilson Mantilla. "As paleontologists working to reconstruct the biology of mammals from this time period, we're usually stuck staring at individual teeth and maybe a jaw that rolled down a river, but here we have multiple, near complete skulls and skeletons preserved in the exact place where the animals lived. We can now credibly look at how mammals really interacted with dinosaurs and other animals that lived at this time."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mammal social behavior dates back to the Age of Dinosaurs

The earliest evidence for mammal social behavior dates back to...

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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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" 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.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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" 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.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[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"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...