A recent NASA-funded study has deepened the enigma of why life uses molecules with specific orientations.&nbsp;



Researchers have discovered that RNA - a crucial molecule thought to have potentially carried life's instructions before DNA emerged - can favor making the building blocks of proteins in either left-handed or right-handed forms. This finding could provide valuable clues to the origin of life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-puzzle-of-life-s-molecular-orientation">The puzzle of life's molecular orientation</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-life-begins-egg-sperm-and-a-covert-team-of-proteins/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proteins</a> are essential molecules in all living organisms, serving functions from structural components like hair to enzymes that speed up or regulate chemical reactions. 



Similar to how the 26 letters of the alphabet combine to form countless words, life uses 20 different amino acids in a vast array of arrangements to create millions of different proteins.&nbsp;



Some amino acids exist in two mirror-image forms, like left and right hands, but life predominantly uses the left-handed variety - a phenomenon known as homochirality.&nbsp;



Scientists remain puzzled about why life chose left-handed amino acids over right-handed ones, especially since life based on right-handed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-the-building-blocks-of-life-form/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amino acids</a> would presumably function just as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-the-rna-world-hypothesis">Exploring the “RNA world” hypothesis</h2>



DNA holds the instructions for building and maintaining living organisms but is complex and specialized. It “subcontracts” the work of reading instructions to RNA molecules and building proteins to ribosomes.&nbsp;



Due to DNA's complexity, scientists theorize that a simpler molecule preceded it billions of years ago during early life evolution. RNA, capable of both storing genetic information and building proteins, is a leading candidate, giving rise to the “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rna-world-unraveling-mysteries-life-origin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RNA world</a>” hypothesis.



If this proposition is correct, perhaps something about RNA caused it to favor building left-handed proteins over right-handed ones.&nbsp;



However, the new research did not support this idea, deepening the mystery of why life favored left-handed proteins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-evolutionary-pressures-nbsp">The role of evolutionary pressures&nbsp;</h2>



The experiment tested RNA molecules that act like enzymes to build proteins, called ribozymes.&nbsp;



“The experiment demonstrated that ribozymes can favor either left- or right-handed amino acids, indicating that RNA worlds, in general, would not necessarily have a strong bias for the form of amino acids we observe in biology now,” said corresponding author Irene Chen, a scientist at the <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Los Angeles</a> (UCLA) Samueli School of Engineering.



In simulating potential early-Earth conditions of the RNA world, researchers incubated a solution containing ribozymes and amino acid precursors to observe the relative percentages of right-handed and left-handed phenylalanine amino acids produced.&nbsp;



They tested 15 different ribozyme combinations and found that ribozymes can favor either left-handed or right-handed amino acids. This lack of inherent preference challenges the notion that early life was predisposed to select left-handed amino acids, which dominate in modern proteins.



“The findings suggest that life’s eventual homochirality might not be a result of chemical determinism but could have emerged through later evolutionary pressures,” said co-author Alberto Vázquez-Salazar, a UCLA postdoctoral scholar and member of Chen’s research group.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-understanding-life-s-origins">Implications for understanding life's origins</h2>



Earth's prebiotic history predates the oldest fossil records, which have been erased by plate tectonics - the slow movement of Earth's crust.&nbsp;



During that time, the planet was likely bombarded by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-would-happen-small-asteroid-hit-earth-nasa-ai-simulation-found-out/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">asteroids</a>, which may have delivered some of life's building blocks, such as amino acids. Alongside chemical experiments, other origin-of-life researchers are examining molecular evidence from meteorites and asteroids.



Study co-author Jason Dworkin is a senior scientist for astrobiology at NASA’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goddard Space Flight Center</a> in Greenbelt, Maryland, and director of <a href="https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/691/analytical/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goddard’s Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory</a>.



Dworkin is also the project scientist on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission - which extracted samples from the asteroid Bennu and delivered them to Earth.



“Understanding the chemical properties of life helps us know what to look for in our search for life across the solar system,” said Dworkin.&nbsp;



“We are analyzing OSIRIS-REx samples for the chirality (handedness) of individual amino acids, and in the future, samples from Mars will also be tested in laboratories for evidence of life including ribozymes and proteins.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-search-for-life-s-molecular-secrets">The search for life's molecular secrets</h2>



This discovery adds complexity to our understanding of life's molecular orientations, suggesting that homochirality might not have resulted from initial chemical conditions but could have developed due to evolutionary factors.&nbsp;



The findings prompt further research into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-clues-about-the-origins-of-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">origins of life</a> and may influence how scientists search for life beyond Earth.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-52362-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



Image Credit: NASA



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Life’s molecular orientation: New discovery deepens the mystery

A recent NASA-funded study has deepened the enigma of why life uses molecules with specific orientations.&nbsp; Researchers have discovered that RNA - a crucial molecule thought to have potentially carried life's instructions before DNA emerged - can favor making the building blocks of proteins in either left-handed or right-handed forms. This finding could provide valuable clues to the origin of life. The puzzle of life's molecular orientation Proteins are essential molecules in all living organisms, serving functions from structural components like hair to enzymes that speed up...

Social interactions are extremely important for maintaining positive mental <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-boosts-health-and-lifespan-regardless-of-intensity/">health</a>, and research shows that face-to-face encounters have a powerful effect on our happiness and sense of well-being. A new study published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a> has revealed that, like humans, cows prefer intimate communication with people. 

"The quality of the animal-human relationship and, consequently, the welfare of animals can be improved by gentle interactions such as stroking and talking," wrote the study authors. "The perception of different stimuli during these interactions likely plays a key role in their emotional experience, but studies are scarce."

For the current study, the researchers set out to investigate whether cows respond differently to the sound of recorded voices compared to direct communication from humans. 

"Cattle like stroking in combination with gentle talking," said Annika Lange of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. "In scientific contexts, a recording of a human voice speaking gently could be used to relax the animals, because it can be difficult to repeat the same phrases in the same way during experiments."

The investigation revealed that the cows were substantially more relaxed when they were spoken to by a human face-to-face, rather than through a loudspeaker.

"Our study suggests that live talking is more relaxing for our animals than a recording of a human voice," said Lange. "Interactions may be less positive when they become artificial through standardization."

The research, which was focused on a herd of 28 cattle, compared the benefits of either stroking the animals while playing a recording of an experimenter's voice, or stroking while speaking to the animals directly. The team monitored the responses and found that heart rate variability was higher when cattle were spoken to directly, which indicates that they were enjoying themselves. 

The heart rates of the cows dropped lower after the direct interactions than after they listened to voice recordings, showing that they were more relaxed after face-to-face communication.

"When relaxed and enjoying the interaction, the animals will often stretch out their necks as they do when they groom each other," said Lange. "Additionally, it is thought that ear positions may indicate mood: hanging ears and low ear positions appear to be linked to relaxation."

The study authors noted that the welfare of animals is strongly influenced by their perception and evaluation of the surrounding environment. "Humans constitute a substantial part of their environment, especially in farm animals. The way animals perceive humans and the quality of their interactions has a strong impact on their welfare," wrote the researchers.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology">Frontiers in Psychology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cows are relaxed by face-to-face interactions with people

Social interactions are extremely important for maintaining positive mental health,...

Excessive sugar consumption can cause impulsive <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-respond-to-dynamic-environments-by-learning-new-behaviors/">behavior</a> and may even contribute to certain behavioral disorders, according to a new study from the University of Colorado. The researchers identified a link between high fructose intake and aggression, ADHD, and bipolar disorder. 

The study proposes a new theory that excessive amounts of high fructose corn syrup and sugary foods increase the risk for behavioral disorders. The researchers also theorize that the link between sugar intake and behavioral issues may have an evolutionary basis.

Study lead author lead Dr. Richard Johnson is a professor of Medicine on the <a href="https://www.cuanschutz.edu/">CU Anschutz Medical Campus</a>. In his lab, Dr. Johnson and his colleagues study the role of diet - particularly fructose and uric acid - in the epidemics of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease. For example, Dr. Johnson's team has found evidence that fructose and uric acid promote not only obesity, but also fatigue and decreased exercise.

For the current investigation, the researchers focused on the body's cellular response to fructose and uric acid. "We present evidence that fructose, by lowering energy in cells, triggers a foraging response similar to what occurs in starvation," said Dr. Johnson.

The study summarizes research which shows that this foraging response shifts the body and mind into a survival mode that once evolved in humans to secure food, triggering risk taking, impulsivity, novelty seeking, rapid decision making, and aggressiveness. 

The overactivation of this survival response as a result of excessive sugar intake may cause impulsive behavior ranging from ADHD to bipolar disorder, or even aggression, according to the researchers.

"While the fructose pathway was meant to aid survival, fructose intake has skyrocketed during the last century and may be in overdrive due to the high amounts of sugar that are in the current Western diet," explained Dr. Johnson.

The excessive intake of fructose present in refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup may have contributed to the development of behavioral disorders that are associated with obesity and Western diet.

"We do not blame aggressive behavior on sugar, but rather note that it may be one contributor," said Dr. Johnson. "The identification of fructose as a risk factor does not negate the importance of genetic, familial, physical, emotional and environmental factors that shape mental health."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/evolution-and-human-behavior">Evolution and Human Behavior</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

High fructose intake may contribute to bipolar disorder and aggression

Excessive sugar consumption can cause impulsive behavior and may even...

In a new study from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a>, experts have found that rituals such as those centered around holidays help <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/having-first-emotional-bond/">couples</a> determine whether they see a future together. The researchers explained that rituals and celebrations play an important role in human relationships, and these experiences can serve as a diagnostic tool for couples. 

Study lead author Chris Maniotes is a graduate student in the U of I Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS).

"Rituals have the power to bond individuals and give us a preview into family life and couple life. We found they help magnify normative relationship experiences," said Maniotes.

Even though rituals are typically associated with holidays or ceremonies, they could be any recurring event or traditional activity, such as a weekly date night. Maniotes explained that these activities have symbolic meaning that goes beyond routine interaction.

"Rituals provide a unique time to review one's partner and relationship; you get to see a host of behaviors and interactions that might normally be obscured. Some of the ways rituals affected commitment to wed with these couples was by altering their view of their partner, giving them a new perspective."

The research team analyzed in-depth interviews with 24 couples in the southwestern region of the United States. The respondents, who were randomly selected from a larger study that examined commitment, had been in their relationship for 2.5 years.

The current analysis revealed that rituals can reinforce bonds and strengthen commitment, but they can also highlight areas of conflict and make people feel less confident in a long-term commitment. 

"Rituals seem to really play a role in pausing and slowing down individuals, helping them take a better look at their relationship. They help them see, 'this is who we are as a couple; this is who we are as a family,'" said Maniotes.

"Just recognizing the importance of rituals in our lives, and the magnitude of the role they play, can help us integrate them in an intentional way."

The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/spr">Journal of Social and Personal Relationships</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rituals can strengthen commitment among couples who are dating

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

Dogs have personality traits that change over time at their own rate, following a distinct <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sleep-apnea-and-alzheimers-linked-to-identical-brain-damage/">age</a> trajectory, according to a study led by <a href="https://www.elte.hu/en/">Eötvös Loránd University</a> (ELTE). As humans get older, we become more emotionally stable, agreeable, and conscientious, while dogs have personalities that are not as well understood.

"Even though dog personality is a highly popular topic in the literature, there are still gaps about long-term stability, as well as about the dynamics of personality development," said study first author Borbála Turcsán. 

She explained that these dynamics include which personality traits remain consistent over several years, how much dogs actually change throughout their life, and at what age the most prominent personality changes occur.

To investigate, the researchers analyzed the personalities of more than 200 Border collies ranging from 6 months to 15 years old using a comprehensive test battery known as the Vienna Dog Personality Test (VIDOPET). Four years after the initial assessment, the experts tested many of the subjects again.

"Longitudinal studies covering multiple years and using the same method at both time points are very rare in dog literature," said study co-author Professor Friederike Range. "Following up the same dogs across ~4 years allowed us to address not only the question of personality stability, but also if there are individual differences in personality development, that is, if dogs with certain personality profiles change more than others."

The researchers found that dog personality has some stability, as the dogs ranked fairly consistently on all five personality traits across the study period. For example, the most active dogs remained the most active 4 years later. 

The study also showed that individuals with a more mature personality profile - including those that were less active, less curious, and more oriented to problems - did not exhibit changes in these traits compared to their peers.

To identify any age-related shifts in personality traits, the researchers compared dogs belonging to seven age groups. "We found that dogs' personality changes with age, and these changes occur unevenly during the dogs' life course, just like in humans," said study co-author Zsofia Viranyi.

"Crucially, however, the dynamics of change seem to be specific for each personality trait. For example, the problem orientation trait, which describes the dogs' attentiveness and ability to solve problems, changes largely during early life, increasing strongly until ~6 years of age, after which further changes became negligible."

"In contrast, the novelty seeking trait did not change markedly during the younger life stages, but ~3 years of age their curiosity about novel objects and situations started to decrease which continued until geriatric age."

The activity-independence of the dogs also decreased continuously over their lives, but the most pronounced shift in this trait occurred from puppyhood to adolescence. 

On the other hand, some traits did not noticeably evolve with age, such as the dogs' level of sociability or their tolerance for frustrating situations.

"By describing in detail the normative patterns of personality development throughout different life stages, our study can help in the identification of age-related impairments," said study co-author Eniko Kubinyi. "Dogs are already recognized as a natural model for human cognitive ageing, and our results suggest that similar rules govern the age-related changes in both human and dog personality."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dog personality traits change over time, but not at the same pace

Dogs have personality traits that change over time at their...

Forests in the southern Rocky Mountains have been ravaged by regional bark beetle outbreaks in recent decades. But now, in a surprising new study from <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/">Colorado State University</a>, experts have found some silver lining. The researchers discovered that life beneath the treetops has become more abundant as a result of the destructive bark beetle <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/snow-leopards-disease-epidemic/">epidemic</a>.

"Bark beetle outbreaks are a central factor driving large-scale changes in structure, function, and composition of forest landscapes in western North America and in temperate conifer forests globally," wrote the study authors. "The view of the general public and many ecosystem management practitioners holds that bark beetle outbreaks are associated with negative impacts on forest ecosystems and that control efforts should be implemented to improve forest health."

"However, recent work from European forest systems indicate that bark beetle outbreaks may enhance forest insect biodiversity with beneficial consequences for natural resource conservation."

The latest research suggests that bark beetle outbreaks create new habitats for wild pollinator communities. The experts found significant increases in wildflower and bee diversity in areas of forest that were impacted by bark beetles. 

Study lead author Professor Seth Davis said it may seem counterintuitive that landscape-level damage by one type of insect could still benefit another. "Disturbances from bark beetles are typically regarded as undesirable for ecosystem function and human use, but there is conservation value in post-outbreak forests; they appear to be the areas supporting more robust bee populations."

The bee species identified in the study are adapted to high elevations and are not found in warmer habitats. A greater presence of the bees is good news, as these and many other bee populations are in a state of decline.

In previous work conducted in high-elevation forests, Professor Davis noticed a correlation between the structure of the forest and the number and diversity of bees observed. He used his training in bark beetles to expand upon the bee diversity research.

"Disturbance studies on bees have primarily focused on fire," said Professor Davis. "There hasn't been a lot of research looking at bee responses to beetle outbreaks."

For the current study, the team collected and compared data in 28 sites in north-central Colorado, including areas affected by beetles as well as undisturbed regions. Tree measurements, plant data, and bee abundance and diversity were observed for two years at three different times across each growing season.

In beetle-affected sites, average floral abundance was 67 percent higher, and the number of bee species was 37 percent greater, compared to unaffected sites. 

"It appears there are different controls over bee abundance and diversity. Bee abundance was correlated to the floral species, while the diversity is more related to the forest structure, both of which are affected by bark beetles."

Professor Davis is interested in exploring this topic further to better understand the relationships on a larger scale. He is interested in seeing how long certain benefits last for wild pollinator communities as forests recover from bark beetle outbreaks. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Destructive bark beetles create new habitats for wild bees

Forests in the southern Rocky Mountains have been ravaged by...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.cnic.es/en">Spanish National Center of Cardiovascular Research</a> (CNIC), scientists have uncovered an immune defense strategy used by human cells to block viral and bacterial infections. The evolutionarily conserved mechanism may ultimately be targeted to develop new drugs that could kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The previously unknown immune defense mechanism is mobilized by lipid droplets (LDs), which are cellular organelles capable of attracting and eliminating invading pathogens.

Cells accumulate nutrients in LDs that provide the energy they need to function. For example, LDs provide the energy needed for the heart to beat, for the liver to do its metabolic function, and for muscles to move. 

Study co-author Albert Pol is a professor at IDIBAPS, where he leads the Lipid Trafficking and Diseases team. 

"The lipid droplet is like the pantry of our cells, where we accumulate the food that we will use later. This happens in all eukaryotic cells, from yeasts or insects to plants or mammals," explained Pol.

As viruses or bacteria infect cells, they need large amounts of nutrients to multiply and to reach the LD. The new study shows that LDs respond to infection by mobilizing antibiotic and antiviral proteins that team up to fight the pathogen and eliminate it. 

According to the study authors, this mechanism would work in other cells in the body, and not just in immune cells. This immune defense strategy has also been observed among insects, which indicates that it has been preserved throughout the evolution of our innate immunity.

Cells are known to place large amounts of antibiotic and antiviral proteins on LDs. By comparing normal cells and infected cells, the study has identified 400 candidate proteins that would perform the protective function of LDs when they encounter a pathogen. 

According to study co-first author Marta Bosch, the team focused on six of these proteins and demonstrated that they protect the cell during the infection of different types of bacteria. 

"The concentration of these antibiotic and antiviral proteins in a single compartment inside the cell allows creating synergies while reducing their toxicity and allowing the rest of the cellular machinery to function normally," said study co-first author Miguel Sánchez-Álvarez.

The study shows that the lipid droplet mechanism is very efficient because it involves many antibiotics and antivirals that offer different types of defense. The researchers explained that there are collaborations that take place among the proteins: for example, one breaks the membrane of the pathogen and the other destroys its genomic material.

"This study represents a paradigm shift since until now it was thought that LDs were at the service of viruses or bacteria during infection," said Pol. "Given the widespread resistance to current antibiotics, this study has deciphered an important defense mechanism that could be used for the development of new therapeutic strategies to stop infections."

The international research project involved experts from Spain, the United States, Australia, and Brazil, and was financed by the Human Frontier Science Program.

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

Scientists uncover a very efficient immune defense mechanism

In a new study from the Spanish National Center of...

Modern humans, or Homo sapiens, are the only one out of six different species of early humans that has managed to survive on <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/new-clues-emerge-about-the-near-earth-asteroid-bennu/">Earth</a>. A new study published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a> suggests that early humans were primarily driven to extinction as a result of their inability to adapt to the warming or cooling temperatures associated with climate change.

"Our findings show that despite technological innovations including the use of fire and refined stone tools, the formation of complex social networks, and - in the case of Neanderthals - even the production of glued spear points, fitted clothes, and a good amount of cultural and genetic exchange with Homo sapiens, past Homo species could not survive intense climate change," said study co-author Pasquale Raia. "They tried hard; they made for the warmest places in reach as the climate got cold, but at the end of the day, that wasn't enough."

The researchers analyzed high-resolution simulations of the climate over the last 5 million years to investigate the extinctions of Homo habilis, Homo ergaster, Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis, and Homo sapiens.

To model the evolution of the climate niche of various Homo species over time, the team looked at an extensive fossil database spanning more than 2,750 archaeological records. The goal was to understand the climates that early humans were adapted to and how they reacted to climatic changes.

The study revealed that three Homo species - H. erectus, H. heidelbergensis, and H. neanderthalensis - lost a significant portion of their climate niches just before going extinct. The population declines coincided with sharp, unfavorable changes in the global climate. For Neanderthals, competition with H. sapiens likely compounded the effects of climate change.

"We were surprised by the regularity of the effect of climate change," said Raia. "It was crystal clear, for the extinct species and for them only, that climatic conditions were just too extreme just before extinction and only in that particular moment."

Raia noted that there is some uncertainty in paleoclimatic reconstruction, the identification of fossil remains at the level of species, and the aging of fossil sites. However, he added that the main insights "hold true under all assumptions," and that the findings may serve as a kind of warning to humans today as we face unprecedented changes in the climate.

"It is worrisome to discover that our ancestors, which were no less impressive in terms of mental power as compared to any other species on Earth, could not resist climate change," said Raia. "And we found that just when our own species is sawing the branch we're sitting on by causing climate change. I personally take this as a thunderous warning message. Climate change made Homo vulnerable and hapless in the past, and this may just be happening again."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/one-earth/home">One Earth</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Early humans were likely driven to extinction by climate change

Modern humans, or Homo sapiens, are the only one out...

The removal of dairy cows from the United States would only make a small contribution to reducing greenhouse gas <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-caused-an-unprecedented-drop-in-co2-emissions/">emissions</a> while detrimentally impacting the country's supply of essential nutrients. This is the conclusion of a recent study conducted by scientists at <a href="https://vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a> and the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center.

Dairy production has been linked to about 1.6 percent of the overall greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. At the same time, the dairy industry is responsible for supplying the protein requirements of 169 million people, the calcium requirements of 254 million people, as well as the energy requirements of 71.2 million people.

A growing collection of research has explored the potential for a shift away from animal products - and toward plant-based alternatives - to increase food production and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale. 

The current study investigated the effects of dairy product removal on emissions and nutrient availability in the United States under various removal scenarios, including depopulation, current management, and retirement. 

In the first scenario, consumers would stop using dairy products, resulting in the depopulation of the animals. Current management means that cattle management would remain the same and the milk would either be exported or used for products other than human food. Under the third condition, retirement, cattle would be reduced to numbers that could be supported by available pastureland.

Overall, the dairy cow removal scenarios reduced the availability of essential micronutrients such as vitamins A, D, B 12, and choline. At the same time, these conditions did not reduce harmful emissions relative to the current production system. 

"Land use was a focus in all animal removal scenarios because the assumptions surrounding how to use land made available if we remove dairy cattle greatly influence results of the simulations," said study lead author Dr. Robin R. White. 

"If dairy cattle are no longer present in U.S. agriculture, we must consider downstream effects such as handling of pasture and grain land previously used for producing dairy feed, disposition of byproduct feeds, and sourcing fertilizer."

The results of the study suggest that the removal of dairy cows from U.S. agriculture would only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.7 percent, while substantially lowering the available supply of essential nutrients for the growing American population.

"Production of some essential nutrients, such as calcium and many vitamins, decreased under all reallocation scenarios that decreased greenhouse gas emissions, making the dairy removal scenarios suboptimal for feeding the U.S. population," said Professor White. 

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/">Journal of Dairy Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dairy cows contribute more to nutritional needs than to harmful emissions

The removal of dairy cows from the United States would...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/">University of Portsmouth</a> have discovered a unique pterosaur that is unlike any other pterosaur species that has ever been described. The unusual creature was about the size of a turkey with a long, toothless <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cross-mating-finches-exchanged-genes-and-beak-shape/">beak</a> that was slender. 

This beak was such an unexpected find that it was initially thought to be part of the fin spine of a fish. In collaboration with experts at the University of Bath, the Portsmouth team noticed the unusual texture of the bone, which is only seen only in pterosaurs. The scientists realized that they were looking at a piece of beak.

"We've never seen anything like this little pterosaur before. The bizarre shape of the beak was so unique, at first the fossils weren't recognized as a pterosaur," said study co-author Professor David Martill.

A detailed search of the site in Morocco where the beak was recovered produced additional fossils of the animal, which the team ultimately determined was a new species of pterosaur that is now known as Leptostomia begaaensis. 

"Just imagine how delighted I was, while on field work in Morocco, to discover the lower jaw to match the upper jaw found by Dr. Longrich of this utterly unique fossil animal," said study lead author and PhD student Roy Smith.

There are more than 100 known species of pterosaurs, which are winged reptiles related to dinosaurs. Pterosaurs are extremely diverse, ranging from groups as small as a sparrow to those as large as a fighter jet.

Leptostomia begaaensis used its beak to probe dirt and mud for hidden prey, hunting like present-day sandpipers in search of worms and crustaceans. 

"The pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight and they staged a major radiation in the Cretaceous," wrote the study authors.

"Cretaceous pterosaurs occupied many of the niches occupied today by birds, including aerial insect hawkers, piscivores, and filter feeders. The diversity of this radiation remains poorly known due to the uneven stratigraphic and geographic distribution of pterosaur fossils." 

Professor Martill noted that the diets and hunting strategies of pterosaurs were also diverse, likely including meat, fish, and insects. He added that the giant 500-pound pterosaurs probably ate whatever they wanted.

"Some species hunted food on the wing, others stalked their prey on the ground. Now, the fragments of this remarkable little pterosaur show a lifestyle previously unknown for pterosaurs," said Professor Martill.

Using a computerized tomography (CT) scan, the scientists discovered an incredible network of internal canals for nerves that helped L. begaaensis detect prey underground.

"Leptostomia may actually have been a fairly common pterosaur, but it's so strange - people have probably been finding bits of this beast for years, but we didn't know what they were until now," said study co-author Dr Nick Longrich. He added that the new species shows how, more than a century after pterosaurs were first discovered, there is still so much to learn about them.

"We're underestimating pterosaur diversity because the fossil record gives us a biased picture. Pterosaur fossils typically preserve in watery settings - seas, lakes, and lagoons - because water carries sediments to bury bones," said Dr. Longrich.

"Pterosaurs flying over water to hunt for fish tend to fall in and die, so they're common as fossils. Pterosaurs hunting along the margins of the water will preserve more rarely, and many from inland habitats may never preserve as fossils at all."

"There's a similar pattern in birds. If all we had of birds was their fossils, we'd probably think that birds were mostly aquatic things like penguins, puffins, ducks and albatrosses. Even though they're a minority of the species, their fossil record is a lot better than for land birds like hummingbirds, hawks, and ostriches."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/cretaceous-research">Cretaceous Research</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

New species of pterosaur had a long, skinny beak for hunting

Scientists at the University of Portsmouth have discovered a unique...

An international team of scientists led by the <a href="http://www.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> has refined a solar-powered system that can extract drinkable water from the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-can-circulate-in-the-air-throughout-enclosed-spaces/">air</a>. The technology, which was initially designed three years ago, is now more efficient and practical. The device pulls moisture out of the air and condenses it into clean water using heat from the sun.  

By improving the design with more advanced materials, the researchers have transformed a small prototype into a system that could be scaled up for greater water output. The technology will be particularly useful in remote areas where there is a lack of access to clean water and electricity. 

Researchers including Professor Evelyn Wang, the head of MIT's Department of Mechanical Engineering, previously demonstrated a proof of concept for the water extraction system. The original device used an adsorbent material to draw in moisture at night, which was released as water when the material was heated by the sun the following day. 

This system, however, required the use of specialized materials called metal organic frameworks (MOFs) that are expensive and scarce. Furthermore, the system's water output was not sufficient enough to be practical. 

The researchers say that by incorporating a second stage of desorption and condensation, and by using a readily available adsorbent material, the device's output has been significantly increased and its scalability is greatly improved.

The new design replaces MOFs with adsorbent materials called zeolites, which are widely available, stable, and have the right properties to support an efficient water production system.

The overall productivity of the system has been roughly doubled by the new design, although the water extraction rates depend on local temperature variations, solar flux, and humidity levels. 

The device can work at humidity levels as low as 20 percent and requires no energy input other than sunlight or any other source of heat. The experts will continue to search for even better, more absorbent materials for the system, and they plan to adapt it for specific applications, such as a portable version for military field operations.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/joule/home">Joule</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

New system pulls clean water from the air using only heat

An international team of scientists led by the Massachusetts Institute...

The world has been transformed by the ongoing COVID-19 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-consumption-surges-during-pandemic-shutdown/">pandemic</a>, and its impact on global CO2 emissions is unprecedented. According to a study led by the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a>, the drop in emissions during the first half of 2020 is larger than what was seen during the financial crisis of 2008, the oil crisis in 1979, or even during World War II.

The researchers determined that from January to June, CO2 emissions were 8.8 percent lower compared to the same time period in 2019, with an overall decrease of 1,551 million tons. 

The study is providing a much more clear understanding of how COVID-19 has affected global energy consumption compared to previous reports. The experts also highlight fundamental steps that could be taken to stabilize the climate after the pandemic.

Study lead author Zhu Liu is a researcher in the Department of Earth System Science at Tsinghua University in Beijing. 

"What makes our study unique is the analysis of meticulously collected near-real-time data. By looking at the daily figures compiled by the Carbon Monitor research initiative we were able to get a much faster and more accurate overview, including timelines that show how emissions decreases have corresponded to lockdown measures in each country," explained Liu.

"In April, at the height of the first wave of Corona infections, when most major countries shut down their public life and parts of their economy, emissions even declined by 16.9 %. Overall, the various outbreaks resulted in emission drops that we normally see only on a short-term basis on holidays such as Christmas or the Chinese Spring Festival."

The analysis reveals which sectors of the global economy have been hit the hardest by the pandemic. Study co-author Daniel Kammen is a professor in the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. 

"The greatest reduction of emissions was observed in the ground transportation sector," said Professor Kammen. "Largely because of working from home restrictions, transport CO2 emissions decreased by 40 % worldwide. In contrast, the power and industry sectors contributed less to the decline, with -22 % and -17 %, respectively, as did the aviation and shipping sectors." "Surprisingly, even the residential sector saw a small emissions drop of 3 %: largely because of an abnormally warm winter in the northern hemisphere, heating energy consumption decreased with most people staying at home all day during lockdown periods."

The comprehensive research was focused on a wide range of data, including hourly datasets of electricity power production in 31 countries, daily vehicle traffic in more than 400 cities, daily passenger flights, and monthly production rates for industry in 62 countries.

The experts also found that, with the exception of the transportation industry, most economies resumed their usual levels of CO2 emissions by July after lockdown measures were lifted. 

Even if emissions remained low, however, those improvements would do little to offset the harmful levels of CO2 that have accumulated in the atmosphere in the long term. With this in mind, the researchers emphasize that the only valid strategy to stabilize the climate is a complete overhaul of the industry and commerce sector. 

Study co-author Hans Joachim Schellnhuber is the founding director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. 

"While the CO2 drop is unprecedented, decreases of human activities cannot be the answer," said Schellnhuber. "Instead we need structural and transformational changes in our energy production and consumption systems. Individual behavior is certainly important, but what we really need to focus on is reducing the carbon intensity of our global economy."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms">Nature Communications</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

COVID-19 caused an unprecedented drop in CO2 emissions

The world has been transformed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,...

The Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its corals, and fish are left with fewer habitats as the <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/intervention-is-needed-to-save-the-great-barrier-reef/">reef</a> structure vanishes. In a new study, scientists have determined that populations of small, medium, and large corals have all declined across the Great Barrier Reef in the last three decades.

Study lead author Dr. Andy Dietzel is an expert at the <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/">ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies</a> (CoralCoE). He said that while numerous studies have investigated changes in the structure of other species' populations over centuries, not much is known about the historical changes that have taken place in coral populations.

"We measured changes in colony sizes because population studies are important for understanding demography and the corals' capacity to breed," said Dr. Dietzel.

The researchers examined coral communities across the Great Barrier Reef between 1995 and 2017, and found a drastic depletion of coral populations.

"We found the number of small, medium and large corals on the Great Barrier Reef has declined by more than 50 percent since the 1990s," said study co-author Professor Terry Hughes.

"The decline occurred in both shallow and deeper water, and across virtually all species - but especially in branching and table-shaped corals. These were the worst affected by record-breaking temperatures that triggered mass bleaching in 2016 and 2017."

According to Dr. Dietzel, one of the major implications of coral size is its effect on survival and breeding.

"A vibrant coral population has millions of small, baby corals, as well as many large ones - the big mamas who produce most of the larvae," said Dr. Dietzel. "Our results show the ability of the Great Barrier Reef to recover - its resilience - is compromised compared to the past, because there are fewer babies, and fewer large breeding adults."

The study authors said that better data on the demographic trends of corals is urgently needed.

"If we want to understand how coral populations are changing and whether or not they can recover between disturbances, we need more detailed demographic data: on recruitment, on reproduction and on colony size structure," said Dr. Dietzel.

"We used to think the Great Barrier Reef is protected by its sheer size - but our results show that even the world's largest and relatively well-protected reef system is increasingly compromised and in decline," said Professor Hughes.

Climate change is driving an increase in the frequency of marine heatwaves, and the study showed steep coral declines in the Northern and Central Great Barrier Reef after two mass coral bleaching events struck the region in 2016 and 2017. In early 2020, the southern part of the reef was exposed to record-breaking temperatures.

The researchers conclude that "there is no time to lose." If we want to save the corals that remain, greenhouse gas emissions must be drastically decreased as quickly as possible.

The study is published in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its corals

The Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its corals,...

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" 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.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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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...