For the past two months, a small asteroid named 2024 PT5 has been keeping Earth company, acting as a temporary "mini-moon." This week, it's set to drift away, pulled by the stronger gravity of the sun.



Richard Binzel, an astronomer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (<a href="https://www.mit.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIT</a>), has been following these kinds of celestial visitors for years. 



"These happen more often than we think, but they're small and tough to spot," Binzel explained. "Only lately have our telescopes become powerful enough to catch them regularly."



In August, a team of astronomers from the <a href="https://www.ucm.es/english" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Complutense University</a> of Madrid detected 2024 PT5 using a powerful telescope in Sutherland, South Africa. 



They weren't the only ones watching; NASA's Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (<a href="https://fallingstar.com/home.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ATLAS</a>) at Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii first noticed the asteroid on August 7, 2024.



This discovery has excited astronomers, offering a rare chance to learn more about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-test-simulation-shows-earth-not-prepared-prevent-large-asteroid-strike/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">near-Earth objects</a>. But what exactly is 2024 PT5, and why does it matter?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2024-pt5-tiny-asteroid-big-role">2024 PT5: Tiny asteroid, big role</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/its-official-earth-now-has-two-moons-captured-asteroid-2024-pt5/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth occasionally captures small asteroids</a> like 2024 PT5, placing them into temporary orbits around our planet. 



While most asteroids orbit the sun on regular paths, some come close enough for Earth's gravity to grab them for a brief visit. 



These cosmic hitchhikers stay with us for a short time -- typically a few weeks or months -- before breaking free and continuing their journey around the sun.



"All mini-moons are unique in their own way," said William Blackmore, Planetarium Director and Astronomy Instructor at <a href="https://www.mhcc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mt. Hood Community College</a>. "This one isn't different from others except that it's the most recent."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comparing-2024-pt5-to-the-moon">Comparing 2024 PT5 to the Moon</h2>



To put things into perspective, 2024 PT5 is about 37 feet across. In contrast, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-earth-get-its-moon-a-new-theory-has-emerged/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's main moon</a> stretches a massive 2,159 miles in diameter. 



That makes our moon over 300,000 times wider than this tiny asteroid. Knowing it's up there is pretty exciting, even if we can't see it without some serious telescopic equipment.



"These temporary captures are natural cosmic laboratories," Binzel mentioned. "They help us understand the small bodies that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/27500-hidden-near-earth-asteroids-discovered-using-google-cloud/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">come close to Earth</a> and could be important for future space missions."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-2024-pt5-became-a-mini-moon">How 2024 PT5 became a mini-moon</h2>



Understanding how 2024 PT5 became Earth's temporary companion involves a bit of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/finding-order-in-the-chaos-of-the-three-body-problem/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">orbital mechanics</a>. 



Blackmore explained, "It's moving along with us in our orbit around the sun. It's part of a group of asteroids called the Arjuna asteroids, which move at about the same pace as Earth."



He added an analogy to make it clearer: 



"Imagine a skateboarder dropping into a skate park. They ride the curves, adding energy as they go. That's like the asteroid getting caught in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dart-mission-debris-will-create-a-human-made-meteor-shower/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's gravitational field</a>, riding the curve before moving on."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spotting-mini-moons-like-2024-pt5">Spotting mini-moons like 2024 PT5</h2>



Catching sight of mini-moons is no easy task. 



They're incredibly small and faint, often just a few dozen feet across, which means they don't reflect much sunlight. This makes them nearly invisible against the dark backdrop of space.



Astronomers use powerful telescopes equipped with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gaia-reveals-moons-around-hundreds-of-asteroids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sensitive detectors and smart software</a> to find them. 



Projects like the ATLAS system scan the skies every night, searching for any objects that weren't there before. 



When they spot something moving in a way that suggests it's close to Earth, they alert other astronomers to help confirm the find.



"It's a collaborative effort," Blackmore said. "Combining technology and teamwork helps us spot these elusive cosmic visitors."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



While 2024 PT5 doesn't pose any threat to Earth, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-there-a-fifth-force-of-nature-asteroids-provide-new-clues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studying it is crucial</a>. 



"It's important to analyze how it moves and interacts with Earth's gravitational pull," Blackmore noted. "This helps us refine our techniques for tracking objects that could cross our path again."



Another expert, Todd, highlighted the practical applications of this knowledge. 



"We need to understand how to intercept an asteroid at a distance and change its direction," he said. "This could be vital in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-dart-mission-proves-humanity-can-be-saved-from-asteroid-collision/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preventing potential impacts</a> in the future."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-in-observing-2024-pt5">Challenges in observing 2024 PT5</h2>



For those eager to see this mini-moon, experts warn that it would be extremely difficult. 



"You'd need a telescope with a diameter of at least 30 inches," Blackmore mentioned. "That's beyond what most amateur astronomers have."



Todd agreed, adding, "It won't be visible to the naked eye. Being 33 feet wide and so far away, you'd need a very large telescope."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inspiration-for-future-space-missions">Inspiration for future space missions</h2>



Blackmore envisioned future missions that could take advantage of these temporary visitors. 



"It would be fascinating if we had missions ready to send small satellites or probes to these objects when they come close," he mused. "Imagine building a network of sensors or cameras traveling along with us, like space webcams."



Todd also saw potential in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-named-psyche-is-worth-10000-quadrillion-for-whoever-can-extract-minerals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">asteroid mining</a> and scientific discovery. 



"There might be materials on these asteroids that we can't find on Earth," he said. "They could solve problems in medicine or technology. But we need to weigh the benefits carefully."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brief-visit-with-a-lasting-impact">Brief visit with a lasting impact</h2>



The short stay of asteroid 2024 PT5 serves as a reminder of the dynamic nature of our solar system. While it didn't stick around long, its presence offered valuable opportunities for learning and exploration.



As technology advances, we'll likely spot more of these mini-moons. Each one gives us a chance to understand our cosmic environment better and prepare for the future.



The full study was published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2515-5172/ad781f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">journal IOPscience</a>.



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Earth has lost its mini-moon, which may have come from our main Moon

For the past two months, a small asteroid named 2024 PT5 has been keeping Earth company, acting as a temporary "mini-moon." This week, it's set to drift away, pulled by the stronger gravity of the sun. Richard Binzel, an astronomer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has been following these kinds of celestial visitors for years. "These happen more often than we think, but they're small and tough to spot," Binzel explained. "Only lately have our telescopes become powerful enough to catch them regularly." In August,...

Populations of wild <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-use-scent-training-on-honeybees-to-boost-sunflower-production/">bees</a> are dramatically declining as a result of pesticides and food scarcity, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a>. The researchers found that the compounding effects of pesticide exposure and the loss of flowering plants have reduced blue orchard bee reproduction by 57 percent.

"Just like humans, bees don't face one single stress or threat," said study lead author Dr. Clara Stuligross. "Understanding how multiple stressors interplay is really important, especially for bee populations in agricultural systems, where wild bees are commonly exposed to pesticides and food can be scarce."

The study showed that pesticides have the greatest impact on nesting activity and reproductive success. Pesticide exposure was found to reduce bee reproduction at least 1.75 times more than food scarcity.

For their investigation, the researchers exposed blue orchard bees to the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid, which is the most widely used neonicotinoid in the United States. 

Nesting female bees were set up in large experimental cages under various conditions. The artificial environments contained either high or low densities of wildflowers. In some of the cages, the flowering plants had been treated with insecticide. 

Reproduction among bees is mainly affected by two factors - the probability that females will nest and the total number of offspring they have. The study demonstrated that pesticide-exposed and food-deprived female bees delayed the onset of nesting by 3.6 days and spent five fewer days nesting.

According to study co-author Professor Neal Williams, this is a substantial delay considering that bees only nest for a few weeks. The production of female bees also determines the health of future bee populations.

"In the bee world, males don't matter so much," said Professor Williams. "Male numbers rarely limit population growth, but fewer females will reduce the reproductive potential of subsequent generations."

The experts discovered that pesticide exposure dramatically reduced the probability that even one single female bee would be born among the offspring. Only 62 percent of nesting females that were exposed to pesticides produced a daughter. On the other hand, 92 percent of the bees that were not introduced to pesticides produced at least one female.

The study authors said the findings could help farmers make decisions about how they manage the environment around orchards. The study results reinforce the need for growers to carefully think about where they plant flowers to help avoid pesticide exposure.

The study is published in the journal <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

Pesticide exposure dramatically reduces wild bee populations

Populations of wild bees are dramatically declining as a result...

Experts at <a href="https://www.elte.hu/en/">Eötvös Loránd University</a> in Hungary have compared how dogs and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mammal-extinctions-are-driven-almost-exclusively-by-humans-not-climate-change/">humans</a> process visual information about others. The study showed some striking similarities, but also revealed that faces do not matter nearly as much to dogs as they do to people.

In humans, faces are central to visual communication - we have an entire brain network that is dedicated to face processing. While dogs pay attention to faces and use them to read our emotions, they also rely on other body signals to communicate. Prior to this study, it was not yet clear whether dog brains are specialized for face processing like human brains.

To explore how the brains of both species respond to visual information about others, the researchers tested 20 dogs and 30 people people in the same functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment. The study subjects were all presented with short videos of dog and human faces, as well as the back of the heads for comparison.

The experts identified brain regions in both dogs and humans that had a different response to the images depending on whether they contained individuals of their own species. 

"Earlier, our research group already showed a similar correspondence between dog and human brains for voice processing," said study senior author Attila Andics. "We now see that species-sensitivity is an important organizing principle in the mammalian brain for processing social stimuli, in both the auditory and the visual modality. " 

On the other hand, the researchers found no brain areas in dogs that encode whether the images showed a face or the back of a head. For humans, there was an obvious distinction made between the two. 

"A preference analysis of the brain response patterns confirmed that in dogs, conspecific-preference is primary over face-preference and in humans, face-preference is primary over conspecific-preference," said study co-first author Nóra Bunford. "This is an essential difference. It demonstrates that there can be substantial dissimilarities in cortical specialization for face perception across mammals."

"Actually, these findings also shed new light on previous dog fMRI studies claiming to have found 'face areas': we now think that the stronger activity to dog faces in those studies indicated dog-preferring rather than face-preferring brain areas."

The team also identified dog and human brain regions that showed a similar activity pattern in response to the videos. 

"This so-called representational similarity analysis can directly compare brain activity patterns across species," said study co-first author Raúl Hernández-Pérez.

"Interestingly, similarities between dog and human activity patterns were stronger for what we named functional matching (comparing activity for dog face in the dog brain to activity for human face in the human brain), than for physical matching (comparing activity for dog face in the dog brain to activity for dog face in the human brain)."

"This shows that here we may have tapped into high-level categorical processing of social information rather than low-level visual processing, in dogs as well as in humans."

According to Andics, similarities in species-sensitivity yet differences in face-sensitivity show that the visual processing of social information is not organized in the same way among dogs and humans. 

"This is another demonstration that comparative neuroimaging with phylogenetically distant mammalian species can advance our understanding of how social brain functions are organized and how they evolved," said Andics.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/">Journal of Neuroscience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dogs do not pay as much attention to faces as humans do

Experts at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary have compared how...

Intelligence evolved among animals to help them handle the challenges that come along with conflict, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>. The researchers found that beyond the various types of social interactions that have been thoroughly explored, battles among rivals have also driven cognition in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/not-enough-is-known-about-how-rainfall-affects-tropical-animals/">animals</a> ranging from insects all the way up to primates.

"Outside threats and opportunities likely present a range of cognitive challenges. Animals have to defend their territories, find mates and compete for resources - we believe negotiating such challenges requires considerable brain power," said study lead author Dr. Ben Ashton.

"A vast amount of time and effort in the animal kingdom is devoted to gathering information about outsiders, and to avoiding, exploiting and winning interactions with them," said study senior author Professor Andy Radford. "But this aspect of sociality has traditionally been ignored in explanations of animal brain evolution."

Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian philosopher and writer that is best known for his political work, The Prince - a commentary on how to establish and retain power.

Corsican military leader Napoleon Bonaparte is considered one of the greatest military minds in history whose strategic intelligence on the battlefield is still admired two centuries later.

"Biologists have shown how interactions with groupmates can generate 'Machiavellian' intelligence, the House of Cards-style cunning needed to get ahead in social politics within groups," said study co-author Dr. Patrick Kennedy. "We argue that animals also need 'Napoleonic' intelligence, the more Game of Thrones-style sharpness necessary to triumph in a world packed with rival outsiders."

Dr. Ashton noted that cognitive evolution is one of the most hotly debated topics in biology, with considerable uncertainty remaining over the predominant drivers. "Some of that uncertainty might be because a whole social axis - interactions with rival outsiders - has been largely ignored in both theoretical and empirical work."

According to Dr. Kennedy, 

The possibility that outsiders have shaped human intelligence has been proposed before, said Dr. Kennedy, but it is time to apply this x theory beyond human cognition.

"What do big-brained animals have in common with Napoleon Bonaparte? We suspect that their ancestors possessed the intelligence to triumph in one of the highest-stakes games of all: outmanoeuvring outsiders," said Professor Radford.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rivalry helped drive intelligence among animals

Intelligence evolved among animals to help them handle the challenges...

Plants from ancient rainforests can be identified in fossil teeth. In an effort to identify the tropical plants that existed in closed-canopy rainforests, and also to understand where on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/planet-identified-that-is-more-suitable-for-life-than-earth/">Earth</a> these ecosystems existed millions of years ago, scientists analyze the vegetation that is contained in the fossil teeth of extinct animals. A new study led by scientists at the <a href="https://www.amnh.org/">American Museum of Natural History</a> has exposed some flaws that may ultimately improve this technique.

"The Amazon is the world's most diverse rainforest, home to one in 10 known species on Earth," said study lead author Julia Tejada-Lara. "Closed-canopy rainforests have been proposed to occur in this area since at least the Eocene, some 50 million years ago, but we know very little about their extent and evolution through time."

Tropical plants do not preserve well in the fossil record so it is difficult to tell how long closed-canopy rainforests have existed. When reconstructing ancient ecosystems such as these, experts often use stable carbon isotope analyses on both extinct and modern day herbivores. 

Stable carbon isotopes from plants are well-preserved in the body tissues of the animals that eat them. Samples from the bones, teeth, or other biological material can help scientists determine what types of plants specific animals were eating. 

In the new study, the researchers analyzed specimens from the American Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Natural History in Lima. The fossils represented 45 modern herbivores and 12 species animals that ate meat, insects, and fish in western Amazonia. 

Next, the study authors compared their results with a detailed analysis of modern mammals in equatorial Africa. In addition, the researchers obtained nitrogen isotope values from 35 Amazonian mammal species. The team found an unexpected amount of complexity in how nitrogen from fats, carbohydrates, and proteins is incorporated into body tissues in animals from different levels of the food chain.

"Up to this point, there had only been one other broad isotopic sampling--and inferences of food sources--of a tropical closed-canopy rainforest mammal community, and that was in central Africa," said study co-author John Flynn. 

"So we knew that if we wanted to learn more about both modern and ancient Amazon ecosystems, we had to test whether we should expect the tropical forest conditions to be roughly the same in these two continents that separated more than 90 million years ago and have a 1,600-mile-wide ocean between them today."

The study revealed that Amazonian and African closed-canopy rainforests have a very similar dietary carbon isotopic value that may be representative of mammals in any closed-canopy rainforest. At the same time, mammals examined from the Amazon lacked highly negative dietary values that were detected among some of the African animals. The study authors explained that these negative values are often used outright to infer closed-canopy rainforests in fossil records.

"We have found that these negative isotopic values can no longer be used as an indispensable indicator of a rainforest," said Tejada. "And further, that many of the longtime assumptions about ecological niches, feeding habits, and isotopic signatures characterizing tropical communities likely need to be reassessed."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants from ancient rainforests can be identified in fossil teeth

Plants from ancient rainforests can be identified in fossil teeth....

Scientists at <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> have discovered two dozen <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meteors-may-transfer-life-from-earth-to-other-planets/">planets</a> outside of the solar system that may be more suitable to host life than Earth. The researchers found that some of these planets orbit stars that may be better than even our sun.

The "superhabitable" planets that are being described are older, larger, a little warmer, and possibly wetter than Earth. The researchers also noted that life could thrive more easily on planets that orbit stars with longer lifespans than our sun, which change more slowly.

While these planets are all more than 100 light years away, study lead author Professor Dirk Schulze-Makuch said the findings could help direct future observation efforts.

"With the next space telescopes coming up, we will get more information, so it is important to select some targets," said Professor Schulze-Makuch. "We have to focus on certain planets that have the most promising conditions for complex life. However, we have to be careful to not get stuck looking for a second Earth because there could be planets that might be more suitable for life than ours."

Professor Schulze-Makuch collaborated with astronomers Rene Heller of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research and Edward Guinan of Villanova University to establish the criteria for superhabitable planets by analyzing the 4,500 known exoplanets. 

The researchers used data from the Kepler Object of Interest Exoplanet Archive of transiting exoplanets to identify planets orbiting within the host star's liquid water habitable zone.

A longer lifespan would allow a planet to exist long enough to support complex life just like that which evolved here on Earth. In order to be habitable, however, planets should not be so old that they have exhausted their geothermal heat and lack protective geomagnetic fields. 

While Earth is around 4.5 billion years old, the researchers argue that the sweet spot for life falls between 5 billion to 8 billion years old.

Habitability also involves size, mass, and water.  The researchers said that more water, especially in the form of moisture, clouds, and humidity would be most suitable. 

In addition, a slightly overall warmer temperature, a mean surface temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius greater than Earth, combined with the additional moisture, would also be better for life. The benefits of additional warmth and moisture can be seen in tropical rainforest ecosystems that are biodiversity hotspots on Earth. 

Among the 24 top candidates for superhabitability, only one planet had as many as four of the desired features. The experts said this planet is probably much more comfortable for life than Earth.

"It's sometimes difficult to convey this principle of superhabitable planets because we think we have the best planet," said Professor Schulze-Makuch. "We have a great number of complex and diverse lifeforms, and many that can survive in extreme environments. It is good to have adaptable life, but that doesn't mean that we have the best of everything."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://home.liebertpub.com/publications/astrobiology/99">Astrobiology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Planet identified that is more suitable for life than Earth

Scientists at Washington State University have discovered two dozen planets...

Scientists from leading research institutions across the United States are urging that experts unite to deliver a clear message to the public about how viruses like <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/many-types-of-mammals-could-be-infected-by-covid-19/">COVID-19</a> spread in the air. In an open letter published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>, the team emphasizes that the scientific community must clarify the terminology used related to aerosols and droplets.

The letter states that public health officials should make a clear distinction between droplets ejected by coughing or sneezing,  which have inspired the social distancing standard of six feet, and aerosols that can carry the virus over much greater distances. Virus-containing aerosols that are smaller than 100 microns can remain airborne in a confined space for hours at a time. These aerosols also accumulate in poorly ventilated air, leading to virus transmission.

Kimberly Prather is the director of the Center for Aerosol Impacts on Chemistry of the Environment based at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Prather, who led the team of experts, said that the attention must be shifted to focus on protecting the public against airborne transmission.

"Viruses in aerosols can remain suspended in air for many seconds to hours, like smoke, and be inhaled," wrote the experts. "They are highly concentrated near an infected person, so they can infect people most easily in close proximity. But aerosols containing infectious virus can also travel more than [two meters] and accumulate in poorly ventilated indoor air, leading to superspreading events."

In addition to wearing a mask, social distancing and hygiene efforts, the researchers are urging public health officials to express the importance of moving activities outdoors, using ventilation and filtration to keep indoor air as safe as possible, and improving protection for high risk workers.

"The goal of this letter is to make it clear that the SARS-Cov-2 virus travels in the air and people can become infected via inhalation," said Prather. "It is important to acknowledge this pathway so efforts can focus on cleaning the air and providing guidance on how to avoid risky indoor settings."

Co-author Linsey Marr is a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech and an expert on airborne transmission of viruses.

"It is important for people to wear masks at all times in public buildings and confined spaces, not only when we can't maintain social distance," said Marr. "This isn't just an academic question, but a point that will help reduce transmission if public health officials offer clear and forceful guidance about this."

The letter 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

Viruses can linger for hours in areas with poor ventilation

Scientists from leading research institutions across the United States are...

Spinach is not only good for charging up the body, but also for powering fuel cells. According to a new study from <a href="https://www.american.edu/">American University</a>, spinach can be converted into carbon nanosheets to serve as a catalyst for an <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ancient-mass-extinction-event-was-caused-by-ocean-deoxygenation/">oxygen</a> reduction reaction in fuel cells.

An oxidation-reduction reaction is a type of chemical reaction that involves a transfer of electrons that generates energy. This reaction can be used to control the energy output of fuel cells and metal-air batteries.

While it is known that certain carbon materials can catalyze an oxidation-reduction reaction, carbon-based catalysts do not always outperform the traditional platinum-based catalysts.

For the current study, the researchers set out to investigate the potential for spinach to serve as an inexpensive and sustainable yet efficient catalyst. 

"This work suggests that sustainable catalysts can be made for an oxygen reduction reaction from natural resources," said study lead author Professor Shouzhong Zou. "The method we tested can produce highly active, carbon-based catalysts from spinach, which is a renewable biomass. In fact, we believe it outperforms commercial platinum catalysts in both activity and stability. The catalysts are potentially applicable in hydrogen fuel cells and metal-air batteries." 

Additional studies that are focused on creating catalysts for fuel cells and metal-air batteries from natural resources are making progress using plants or plant products like cattail grass and rice. Professor Zou's team is the first to explore the use of spinach. 

Beyond the fact that spinach is abundant and easy to access, it is a good candidate because it is rich in iron and nitrogen, which are essential for an oxygen reduction catalyst.

The catalysts being tested are spinach-derived carbon nanosheets that are about one thousand times thinner than a piece of human hair. 

The researchers have found that the spinach-derived catalysts perform better than platinum-based catalysts that lose their strength over time.

Going forward, the team will test out prototypes such as hydrogen fuel cells and develop catalysts from other plants. Professor Zou would also like to make the process more sustainable by reducing the energy consumption that is required.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/acsodf">ACS Omega</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Spinach can be used to power fuel cells

Spinach is not only good for charging up the body,...

A new study from <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> suggests that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/acropora-corals-are-thriving-in-belize-yet-vanishing-from-nearby-reefs/">corals</a> rely on iron in their environment to survive the stress of rising temperatures. The researchers found that the combination of warmer water and low iron levels impairs the growth and function of the microalgae that live within coral cells.

Iron levels are already limited and could decline even more as ocean temperatures continue to rise, which means that the lack of iron will compound the impacts of climate change.

"Corals are the foundation for one of the most important ecosystems in the world," said study co-author Todd LaJeunesse. "They support significant amounts of biodiversity, protect our shorelines from storms, provide habitat for our fisheries, and boost our economies with their opportunities for tourism."

"Climate change affects not only the coral, but also their symbiotic microalgae and the partnership between them. In this study, we explored two aspects of climate change - warming waters and altered amounts of trace metals like iron - on the algae."

In a previous study, the Penn State team determined that the photosynthetic microalgae living within the cells of coral require high levels of iron to grow and function properly. These algae provide up to 90 percent of the coral's daily nutritional needs.

"In this study, we found that limiting the available iron lowered the heat tolerances of two species of microalgae, which potentially could have cascading effects on the coral and on the reef ecosystem," said study co-author and grad student Hannah Reich.

In the lab, the researchers investigated the simultaneous effects of high water temperatures and low iron levels on the growth of two species of microalgae, including one typically found in tropical waters and one from more temperate areas. Regardless of their native environment, both types of algae grew poorly at high temperatures with limited iron availability.

"High temperatures increase metabolic demands, which forces the microalgae to work harder to function properly," said Reich. "It also increases dependence on processes that require iron, like photosynthesis and assimilating other nutrients. We found that under high temperatures, the microalgae needed more than five times as much iron to reach typical, exponential growth rates."

Under the compounding pressures of low iron levels and hotter water, the algae became less efficient at photosynthesis, which likely contributed to a lack of growth. In addition, warmer temperatures affected the amounts of trace metals within the algae.

"These alterations could indicate differences in metal usage, likely affecting the biological functions in which they are used," said Reich. "Notably, with limited iron, the more tropical species grew better and had less compromised photosynthetic ability at high temperatures and a larger reserve of many trace metals."

"While it is important to understand how access to iron supplies can impact the ability of corals to respond to climate change stressors, there is still a dire need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to combat the climate crisis."

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15298817">Journal of Phycology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Low iron levels will make it hard for corals to endure global warming

A new study from Penn State suggests that corals rely...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.baylor.edu/">Baylor University</a>, researchers used smartphone surveys to explore the connection between daily spiritual experiences and overall <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/experiencing-awe-in-nature-has-a-powerful-effect-on-emotional-well-being/">well-being</a>.  The experts found that the positive impacts of spirituality on personal satisfaction are long-lasting. 

The team collaborated with researchers at Harvard University to analyze nationwide data, which was collected from volunteers who participated in smartphone check-ins twice a day for two weeks. The study is significant because it evaluates the effects of spiritual experiences over 14 days rather than only one or two points in time, noted the researchers.

Study co-author Dr. Matt Bradshaw is a research professor of Sociology at Baylor University Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR).

"This study is unique because it examines daily spiritual experiences - such as feeling God's presence, finding strength in religion or spirituality, and feeling inner peace and harmony - as both stable traits and as states that fluctuate," said Dr. Bradshaw. 

"Because surveys usually capture only one or two points in time, researchers often have to assume that associations between spirituality and positive emotions capture stable traits in respondents rather than momentary states of mind."

"But these findings suggest that stable, consistent spiritual experiences as well as short-term periodic ones both serve as resources to promote human flourishing and help individuals cope with stressful conditions."

Study lead author Dr. Blake Victor Kent is a research fellow at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital.

"The prevalence of smartphones makes this sort of 'experience sampling' study doable on a much larger scale than in the past, when pagers or palm pilots were used to trigger data collection," said Dr. Kent.

The research was focused on data from SoulPulse, a project designed to study religion, spirituality, and mental and physical well-being. The program involved nearly 2,800 Americans who learned about the study through national media such as the Associated Press.

According to Dr. Kent, daily spiritual experiences are measured as one of two types. Theistic spiritual experiences examine the degree to which God is experienced as present, available, and active in the individual's life using six questions: "I feel God's presence," "I find strength and comfort in my religion or spirituality," "I feel God's love for me directly or through others," "I desire to be closer to God or in union with the divine," "I feel guided by God in the midst of daily activities" and "I feel close to God."

Non-theistic spiritual experiences include transcendent feelings that are not specifically connected to God using three questions: "I feel a deep inner peace or harmony," "I am spiritually touched by the beauty of creation" and "I feel thankful for my blessings."

To keep the daily surveys short and engaging, 10 to 15 items were selected and appeared with varying frequency. These topics were designed to assess depressive symptoms or positive emotions using statements such as "I feel downhearted and blue," "I feel that life is meaningless," "I am unable to become enthusiastic about anything," "I am feeling happy," "I am feeling that I have a warm and trusting relationship with others" and "I have something important to contribute to society."

The participants also reported on whether they had experienced a stressful situation such as an argument with a loved one, illness, job stress, financial problems, or tragedy since their last check-in.

"The findings indicate, as you would expect, that the wear and tear of daily stressors are associated with increased depressive symptoms and lower levels of flourishing," said Dr. Kent. 

"What this study really contributes is that daily spiritual experiences play an important role as well. Essentially, if you take two people who have equal levels of stress, the one with more spiritual experiences will be less likely to report depressive symptoms and more likely to indicate feelings of flourishing. That's a comparison between two people.

"But what about one person? The unique thing about this study is we are able to show that when someone's spiritual experiences vary day to day, the 'above average' days of spiritual experience are associated with better mental well-being than the 'below average' days."

The study is published in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/hjpr20/current">The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Spiritual experiences linked to improved overall well-being

In a new study from Baylor University, researchers used smartphone...

The virus that causes <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-can-circulate-in-the-air-throughout-enclosed-spaces/">COVID-19</a> inhibits a pain signaling pathway in the body, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>. The discovery was made after researchers identified a second protein receptor, neuropilin, that is used by SARS-COV-2 to gain entry into cells.

Study co-author Dr. Rajesh Khanna is a professor in the College of Medicine at Tucson's Department of Pharmacology. He said the fact that SARS-COV-2 relieves pain may explain why nearly half of people who get COVID-19 experience few or no symptoms, even though they are able to spread the disease.

"It made a lot of sense to me that perhaps the reason for the unrelenting spread of COVID-19 is that in the early stages, you're walking around all fine as if nothing is wrong because your pain has been suppressed," said Dr. Khanna. "You have the virus, but you don't feel bad because you pain is gone. If we can prove that this pain relief is what is causing COVID-19 to spread further, that's of enormous value."

On September 10, the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">CDC</a> released updated data on COVID-19 which estimates that 50 percent of transmission occurs prior to the onset of symptoms and 40 percent of infections are asymptomatic.

"This research raises the possibility that pain, as an early symptom of COVID-19, may be reduced by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as it silences the body's pain signaling pathways," said Dr. Michael D. Dake. "University of Arizona Health Sciences researchers at the Comprehensive Pain and Addiction Center are leveraging this unique finding to explore a novel class of therapeutics for pain as we continue to seek new ways to address the opioid epidemic."

Scientists established early on in the pandemic that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein uses ACE2 receptors located on cell membranes to enter the body. In June, two studies identified a second receptor for the SARS-COV-2 spike protein called neuropilin-1, which is active in nerve cells.

"That caught our eye because for the last 15 years my lab has been studying a complex of proteins and pathways that relate to pain processing that are downstream of neuropilin," said Dr. Khanna, who is an expert in the UArizona Health Sciences Comprehensive Pain and Addiction Center. "So we stepped back and realized this could mean that maybe the spike protein is involved in some sort of pain processing."

There are different biological pathways that signal the body to feel pain, and one such pathway involves a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). This protein plays an essential role in blood vessel growth but also has been linked to diseases such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.

The researchers explained that VEGF-A binds to the receptor neuropilin like a key in a lock, triggering a series of events that causes an excessive reaction in neurons and initiates pain transmission. Dr. Khanna and his team found that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds to neuropilin in exactly the same location as VEGF-A.

Using mouse models, the experts conducted experients to investigate whether the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein acts on the VEGF-A/neuropilin pain pathway. The researchers used VEGF-A as a trigger to induce neuron excitability and pain transmission - then added the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

"Spike completely reversed the VEGF-induced pain signaling," said Dr. Khanna. "It didn't matter if we used very high doses of spike or extremely low doses - it reversed the pain completely."

Dr. Khanna will continue to investigate  neuropilin's role in the spread of COVID-19 with UArizona Health Sciences immunologists and virologists. The experts are also exploring the potential for neuropilin to be used as a target for non-opioid pain relief. 

While conducting various trials, Dr. Khanna tested small molecule neuropilin inhibitors that are designed to suppress tumor growth in certain cancers. The small molecule inhibitors provided the same pain relief as the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein when binding to neuropilin receptors.

"We are moving forward with designing small molecules against neuropilin, particularly natural compounds, that could be important for pain relief," said Dr. Khanna. "We have a pandemic, and we have an opioid epidemic. They're colliding. Our findings have massive implications for both. SARS-CoV-2 is teaching us about viral spread, but COVID-19 has us also looking at neuropilin as a new non-opioid method to fight the opioid epidemic."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.lww.com/pain/pages/default.aspx">Pain</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Virus that causes COVID-19 silences pain in the body

The virus that causes COVID-19 inhibits a pain signaling pathway...

National guidelines should be established to make sure that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/children-of-divorced-parents-have-less-of-the-love-hormone-oxytocin/">children</a> continue to receive traditional handwriting training, according to a study led by Professor Audrey van der Meer of <a href="https://www.ntnu.edu/">NTNU</a>. The research confirms the findings of previous studies that both children and adults learn and commit more to memory when writing by hand versus using a keyboard.

The study is the first of its kind to evaluate the benefits of handwriting among children. The researchers used an EEG to track and record the brain wave activity of the participants, who wore a hood with over 250 electrodes attached. When the brain is active, electrical impulses can be detected by sensors in the electrodes. 

The experts found that the brain was far more active when the volunteers were writing by hand compared to when they were typing on a keyboard.

"The use of pen and paper gives the brain more 'hooks' to hang your memories on. Writing by hand creates much more activity in the sensorimotor parts of the brain," explained Professor Van der Meer. 

"A lot of senses are activated by pressing the pen on paper, seeing the letters you write and hearing the sound you make while writing. These sense experiences create contact between different parts of the brain and open the brain up for learning. We both learn better and remember better."

According to Professor Van der Meer, the findings emphasize the importance of children being challenged to draw and write at an early age, especially at school. She believes that there are many positive aspects of digital learning, but urges that handwriting training must be kept in schools as well. 

"Given the development of the last several years, we risk having one or more generations lose the ability to write by hand. Our research and that of others show that this would be a very unfortunate consequence."

"Some schools in Norway have become completely digital and skip handwriting training altogether. Finnish schools are even more digitized than in Norway. Very few schools offer any handwriting training at all."

Many teachers have argued that keyboards create less frustration for children, and that students are more motivated to write because they experience greater mastery with a keyboard.

"Learning to write by hand is a bit slower process, but it's important for children to go through the tiring phase of learning to write by hand. The intricate hand movements and the shaping of letters are beneficial in several ways. If you use a keyboard, you use the same movement for each letter. Writing by hand requires control of your fine motor skills and senses. It's important to put the brain in a learning state as often as possible. I would use a keyboard to write an essay, but I'd take notes by hand during a lecture," said Professor Van der Meer.

"The brain has evolved over thousands of years. It has evolved to be able to take action and navigate appropriate behaviour. In order for the brain to develop in the best possible way, we need to use it for what it's best at. We need to live an authentic life. We have to use all our senses, be outside, experience all kinds of weather and meet other people. If we don't challenge our brain, it can't reach its full potential. And that can impact school performance."

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

Writing by hand boosts learning and memory

National guidelines should be established to make sure that children...

Throughout our lives, we are constantly making random choices that shape our personal <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mating-routines-birds-paradise/">preferences</a>, like when we decide which bottle of shampoo or pair of jeans to buy. As a result, we become unconsciously biased against the things that we do not choose - even when the options are essentially the same. 

In a new study from <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a>, experts have discovered that humans begin to develop arbitrary preferences and biases in the earliest phase of life. The research has revealed that when babies choose a particular toy, they also commit to disliking the other options. 

"The question of how people’s preferences are shaped by their choices has generated decades of research," wrote the study authors. "In a classic example, work on cognitive dissonance has found that observers who must choose between two equally attractive options subsequently avoid the unchosen option, suggesting that not choosing the item led them to like it less." 

"However, almost all of the research on such choice-induced preference focuses on adults, leaving open the question of how much experience is necessary for its emergence."

The discovery that babies engage in developing unconscious biases suggests that this way of justifying choice is intuitive and a basic aspect of the human experience.

"The act of making a choice changes how we feel about our options," said study co-author Alex Silver. "Even infants who are really just at the start of making choices for themselves have this bias."

The researchers explained that people assume they choose the things they like, but research suggests that the opposite is sometimes true. We often like things simply based on random choices, and dislike the things that we do not choose.

"I chose this, so I must like it. I didn't choose this other thing, so it must not be so good. Adults make these inferences unconsciously," said study co-author Lisa Feigenson. "We justify our choice after the fact."

But at what point in our lives do we begin to shape our preferences through random choices? To investigate, the team focused on babies, who do not have very many decisions to make.

Babies between the ages of 10 and 20 months were presented with two equally bright and colorful soft blocks. The researchers strategically placed the blocks far apart, so the babies had to crawl to one or the other.

Once the baby selected one of the blocks, it was taken away and replaced with a new option. This gave the infants the option of choosing the toy they did not play with the first time or the new toy.

"The babies reliably chose to play with the new object rather than the one they had previously not chosen, as if they were saying, 'Hmm, I didn't choose that object last time, I guess I didn't like it very much,'" said Feigenson. "That is the core phenomenon. Adults will like less the thing they didn't choose, even if they had no real preference in the first place. And babies, just the same, dis-prefer the unchosen object."

When the researchers selected a toy for the baby, they no longer showed a strong preference for a specific toy. If you take the element of choice away, the phenomenon goes away, said Feigenson.

"They are really not choosing based on novelty or intrinsic preference," said Silver. "I think it's really surprising. We wouldn't expect infants to be making such methodical choices."

The researchers will continue to study the evolution of random choices in babies by analyzing how they handle having too many options to choose from at once, or "choice overload." 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/pss">Psychological Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Babies develop preferences based on random choices

Throughout our lives, we are constantly making random choices that...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" 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 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

[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

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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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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...