Do you recall those childhood days when you eagerly anticipated bedtime stories about Peter Rabbit, Toad or Ratty from The Wind in the Willows? Or the excitement that washed over you every time you opened a children's book teeming with playful, animated animals? 



Well, a new study is giving us a fresh perspective on the role of these furry, iconic characters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-children-s-books-animal-characters">Children's books animal characters</h2>



The research has shed light on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toddlers-learn-faster-after-witnessing-impossible-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">potential influence</a> of non-human characters in children's books.



The researchers aimed to gauge how these animal characters affected children's theory of mind skills - crucial abilities which include deciphering social changes in the environment based on voice tone, word choice, or facial expressions.



They worked with over 100 children aged five to 10, each of whom were tested on their theory of mind skills after hearing stories featuring animal characters, as well as those highlighting human characters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-vs-animal-characters-in-books">Human vs. animal characters in books</h2>



The study unveiled an interesting pattern. When exposed to stories centered around human characters, an age-related progression was observed. 



Older children were consistently outperforming their younger counterparts, with 3rd grade children surpassing the researchers' expectations in tests featuring human characters.



But the revelations didn't stop there. The tests that involved animal characters threw up another surprise. 



The younger participants were able to match the scores achieved by pupils in 3rd grade, who were two years their senior. That's quite a feat for our young champions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-insight-into-children-s-development">New insight into children's development</h2>



These findings, published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, highlight the importance of both human and non-human characters in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/outdoor-classes-improve-childrens-mental-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">children's developmental stages</a>.



The research was led by Dr. Gray Atherton and Dr. Liam Cross from the University of Plymouth’s <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/schools/psychology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">School of Psychology</a>.



"Animals play a huge part of children’s stories, whether that is in books and comics or through TV and film. We wanted to test if that is down to more than simply liking the characters, and whether there are actual benefits of children learning through by watching or reading about animals and if this changes over time," said Dr. Atherton.



"Our findings showed that both human and non-human characters are important in helping children interpret the world around them, and that they play differing roles at different stages in their development. Adapting activities and lessons in nurseries and the early school years to take that into account could be hugely effective in helping to support their development."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-educators-and-parents">Implications for educators and parents</h2>



The insights gained from this study have substantial implications for educators and parents aiming to support children's cognitive and social development.



By incorporating both human and animal characters into books, educators can craft a more balanced learning environment that caters to the diverse needs of children across age groups. 



Parents, too, can enrich their children's home learning experiences by selecting a variety of stories that include both human and animal protagonists. 



This approach not only makes reading sessions more engaging but also aids in developing empathy and understanding of complex social scenarios.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



While this study provides valuable insights, it also opens avenues for further exploration. 



Future research could go deeper into the types of animal characteristics that are most effective in nurturing children's theory of mind. For instance, exploring whether anthropomorphized animals or more realistic portrayals have differing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-who-use-humor-have-better-relationships-with-their-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impacts</a>. 



Similarly, cross-cultural studies could investigate whether the affinity towards animal characters holds true in diverse cultural contexts. These inquiries could refine understanding and application in educational strategies, enhancing the efficacy of storytelling as a developmental tool.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animal-characters-and-autism-treatment">Animal characters and autism treatment</h2>



In previous studies, Dr. Atherton and Dr. Cross examined the factors influencing the educational and social development of individuals with autism and learning difficulties.



The experts launched initiatives proving how board and online games can bolster confidence among people with autism. 



Borrowing insights from this research, the scholars now plan to dig deeper to explore if their findings could provide specific benefits to children with such conditions.



Dr. Cross envisions a significant impact of this study on individuals with autism or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kids-with-behavioral-issues-have-high-cortisol-levels-in-their-hair/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">other conditions</a> affecting their learning. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-way-of-looking-at-animal-characters">A new way of looking at animal characters</h2>



The researchers have observed how tasks involving animal characters can result in autistic individuals performing on par with non-autistic children. 



The plan is to replicate this study with autistic children in an effort to unveil more effective ways to support them at a critical stage in their development.



In a nutshell, this study has unraveled an entirely new dimension of how we view animals in children's books. 



Those delightful animal characters do more than simply entertain; they help shape our children's minds and understanding of the world around them in their formative years.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002209652400256X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Experimental Child Psychology</a>. 



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Animal characters boost social and emotional skills in children

Do you recall those childhood days when you eagerly anticipated bedtime stories about Peter Rabbit, Toad or Ratty from The Wind in the Willows? Or the excitement that washed over you every time you opened a children's book teeming with playful, animated animals? Well, a new study is giving us a fresh perspective on the role of these furry, iconic characters. Children's books animal characters The research has shed light on the potential influence of non-human characters in children's books. The researchers aimed to gauge how these...

A study from <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University</a> is providing new details on how <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-how-plants-protect-themselves-from-pathogens/">pathogens</a> can make plants more susceptible to future infections. The researchers found that exposure to powdery mildew makes plants much more likely to develop a secondary infection.

"We found that early infection facilitated later infection," said study co-first author Professor Rachel Penczykowski. "And the order in which pathogen strains infect a plant matters. Some pathogen strains are especially likely to facilitate infection by later-arriving strains."

Professor Penczykowski teamed up with study senior author Anna-Liisa Laine to conduct a series of field experiments, which demonstrated how pathogen strains naturally accumulate on plants over a growing season. 

Powdery mildew is one of the most widespread plant fungal diseases, and the infection is caused by the pathogen Podosphaera plantaginis.

In their natural habitats, plants are exposed to and infected by multiple powdery mildew strains over the course of their lifetime. The researchers set out to investigate how prior exposure to one strain of powdery mildew may affect the plant's susceptibility to a second strain.

The experiments showed that out of four strains of powdery mildew, none protected the plants from a secondary infection. The researchers found that prior exposure to mildew actually made the plants more susceptible to a second powdery mildew infection.

"If you look at each strain individually, some of the strains were better than others at promoting later infection," explained Professor Penczykowski.

"Because crop plants may also be exposed to a diversity of pathogen strains during a given growing season, understanding the ways in which different pathogen strains impact each other is important for developing sustainable disease control strategies in agricultural systems."

The scientists placed healthy "sentinel plants" from greenhouses into field populations to measure the risk of pathogen infection. They moved potted sentinel plants into wild populations and waited for mildew spores to arrive.

The researchers found that sentinel plants that had been previously introduced to powdery mildew developed secondary infections more often than control plants that had never been exposed. 

"What we saw in both our common garden and our sentinel plant experiments was that previously inoculated plants were more susceptible to later infection," said study co-first author Fletcher Halliday.

"But could we detect the signature of pathogen strain facilitation in naturally infected wild plant populations? That would require an intensive survey of wild plant-pathogen dynamics."

Some strains of powdery mildew arrive earlier in the growing season, which means they were able to survive the winter and reproduce. 

Halliday analyzed genetic data from field surveys and found that strains detected early in the season facilitated subsequent infections, and strains that arrived later in the season reaped the benefits.

"The early-arriving strains are the ones that are driving the course of epidemics and also affecting the diversity of pathogen strains that assemble in plant populations," said Halliday.

"In other words, the strains that are ready to hit the ground running in spring may impact both the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of plant-pathogen interactions," said Professor Penczykowski.

The findings highlight the importance of understanding interactions among pathogens when developing strategies for maintaining healthy crop populations.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Early infection makes plants more vulnerable to later infection

A study from Washington University is providing new details on...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a> have pinpointed regions where marine heatwaves will accelerate at the greatest rate of speed. The study suggests that the world's strongest <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/giant-pumice-raft-transports-life-across-the-ocean/">ocean</a> currents, which have a powerful influence on ecosystems, will experience the most frequent abnormally high temperatures in the coming decades.

Over the next 30 years, the intensity of heatwave events is expected to rise along the following currents: the United States Gulf Stream, areas of Australia's Leeuwin current and East Australian Current, Japan's Kuroshio current, and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

However, while marine heatwaves across these regions are expected to become more intense, their duration may actually increase at a slower pace compared to the global average.

Study lead author Dr. Hakase Hayashida is a research associate at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes. 

"We know marine heatwaves are on the rise globally, but policymakers, fisheries experts, aquaculture industries and ecologists need to know how this will play out at regional levels, especially in terms of where they will occur and how much hotter they will be," said Dr. Hayashida.

"Our detailed modeling is the first step in peeling back these layers, revealing the temperature variation that occurs across these currents and around them, indicating where the sharpest rises in marine heatwaves are likely to occur."

"For instance, we found intense marine heatwaves were more likely to form well off the coast of Tasmania, while along the Gulf Stream more intense marine heatwaves start to appear more frequently close to the shore along the stretch of coastline from the state of Virginia to New Brunswick. This will almost certainly change ecosystems in these regions."

The research was conducted using two high-resolution simulations of current and future periods developed by CSIRO Ocean Downscaling Strategic Project. This detailed approach clearly revealed distinct patterns of regional variability in ocean temperature extremes. 

To confirm the accuracy of the new model, the researchers simulated ocean temperatures from 1982 to 2018 and compared these outputs with documented observations. Then, they used the model to predict the evolution of marine heatwaves through 2050.

The simulations showed more intense marine heatwaves in every western boundary current that was examined, and for most regions these events will also occur more frequently.

However, on the edge of these currents, the conditions were very different. Eddies that spun off from the main current created areas where the intensity and duration of heatwaves declined.

"Like so many aspects of the climate system, the warming of the oceans isn't the same everywhere, which means the ecology will respond differently to global warming, depending on location," said study co-author Professor Peter Strutton.

"Detailed modeling like this is the first step in understanding which ecosystems will thrive or decline, how the productivity of the ocean will change, and those parts of the food chain most likely to be affected. This is exactly the kind of knowledge we need to adapt to the inevitable consequences of global warming."

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

&nbsp;

Marine heatwaves will intensify in the strongest ocean currents

Researchers at the University of New South Wales have pinpointed...

In a recent study from <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">CU Boulder</a>, researchers have found that exposure to air <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/babies-exposed-to-air-pollution-have-impaired-breathing-by-childhood/">pollution</a> has a detrimental effect on gut bacteria. Changes to the gut microbiome can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

Trillions of cells, bacteria, viruses, and other material present in the digestive tract make up the human gut microbiome. A growing collection of studies shows that the contents of the gut microbiome have a powerful influence on the body's ability to defend itself against a range of illnesses. 

The current study is the first to link air pollution to changes in gut microbial communities. Ozone was found to cause the most profound effects. Young adults exposed to higher concentrations of ozone had less microbial diversity and elevated levels of microbes associated with obesity and disease.

Study senior author Tanya Alderete is an assistant professor of Integrative Physiology. She noted that previous studies have linked smog with Type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and inflammatory bowel diseases.

“We know from previous research that air pollutants can have a whole host of adverse health effects,” said Professor Alderete. “The takeaway from this paper is that some of those effects might be due to changes in the gut.”

Prior to this study, Professor Alderete determined that pollution can impair the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and raises the risk for obesity. 

To investigate the potential impacts of pollution in the gut, the researchers used advanced genetic testing techniques to analyze stool samples collected from 101 young adults in Southern California. The experts also used data from air-monitoring stations near the participants' homes to calculate their exposure to ozone, fine particle pollution, and nitrous oxide in the previous year.

The analysis revealed that ozone had the greatest effect on the gut microbiome. Ozone pollution accounted for 11 percent of the variation seen among the participants, which is larger than the impacts associated with gender, ethnicity, or even diet. 

Higher exposure to ozone pollution was linked to substantially less diverse gut bacterial communities. “This is important since lower diversity has been linked with obesity and Type 2 diabetes,” said Professor Alderete.

Individuals who had been exposed to higher levels of ozone in the past year were also found to have more of a bacterial species called Bacteroides caecimuris, which is known to promote obesity.

Overall, the researchers identified 128 bacterial species that are influenced by ozone pollution. Some of these species may affect insulin and inflammation levels, for example.

“Ozone is likely changing the environment of your gut to favor some bacteria over others, and that can have health consequences." Professor Alderete is currently expanding the research to include a larger group of participants in the Denver area. She hopes the findings will ultimately encourage policymakers to move parks, playgrounds, and housing developments away from busy roads and high pollution areas, and to invest in improving air quality.

“A lot of work still needs to be done, but this adds to a growing body of literature showing that human exposure to air pollution can have lasting, harmful effects on human health.”

The research also involved experts from UNC Charlotte, USC, and UC San Diego.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international">Environment International</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Air pollution linked to detrimental changes in gut bacteria

In a recent study from CU Boulder, researchers have found...

More than 160 years after its discovery, the first complete dinosaur skeleton ever identified has been described in great detail. Research from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>, published as four separate studies, reveals what the mysterious <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/birds-got-their-diverse-skulls-in-the-time-of-dinosaurs/">dinosaur</a> looked like, as well as where it falls in the family tree.

The dinosaur, known as Scelidosaurus, was recovered from rocks on the infamous Jurassic Coast. These rocks date back about 193 million years to the Mesozoic Era, which is often called the “Age of Dinosaurs.”

The skeleton was initially sent to Richard Owen - the man who invented the word dinosaur - at the British Museum. Owen published two short papers on the anatomy of the specimen, but some of the most important details were not documented. For example, Owen did not reconstruct the skeleton or analyze the relationships of Scelidosaurus with other dinosaurs.

For the past three years, Dr. David Norman has been preparing a detailed description of Scelidosaurus. The work has revealed that it was an early ancestor of Ankylosaurus, an armor-plated herbivore of the Late Cretaceous Period.

For more than 100 years, dinosaurs have been primarily classified according to the shape of their hip bones as either "lizard-hipped" saurischians or "bird-hipped" ornithischians.

However, Dr. Norman and his team proposed that bird-hipped and lizard-hipped dinosaurs evolved from a common ancestor. The researchers also discovered that the first ornithischians appeared in the Early Jurassic Period. 

"Scelidosaurus is just such a dinosaur and represents a species that appeared at, or close to, the evolutionary 'birth' of the Ornithischia," said Dr. Norman. "Given that context, what was actually known of Scelidosaurus? The answer is remarkably little!"

"Nobody knew that the skull had horns on its back edge. It had several bones that have never been recognized in any other dinosaur. It's also clear from the rough texturing of the skull bones that it was, in life, covered by hardened horny scutes, a little bit like the scutes on the surface of the skulls of living turtles. In fact, its entire body was protected by skin that anchored an array of stud-like bony spikes and plates."

Scelidosaurus was regarded for many years as an early relative of the family that includes Stegosaurus, but the new investigation suggests that the dinosaur is an ancestor of Ankylosaurus alone.

"It is unfortunate that such an important dinosaur, discovered at such a critical time in the early study of dinosaurs, was never properly described," said Dr. Norman. "It has now - at last! - been described in detail and provides many new and unexpected insights concerning the biology of early dinosaurs and their underlying relationships. It seems a shame that the work was not done earlier but, as they say, better late than never."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean">Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Scientists describe the first complete dinosaur skeleton ever identified

More than 160 years after its discovery, the first complete...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.umt.edu/">University of Montana</a> describes a previously unknown strategy used by tropical songbirds to adjust to the stress of climate change. The researchers have discovered that these birds reduce their reproductive activity during severe <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/latest-climate-models-show-more-intense-droughts-ahead/">droughts</a>, and this actually works to their advantage.

"We were extremely surprised to find that not only did reductions in breeding activity mitigate costs to survival, many long-lived species actually experienced higher survival rates during the drought year than during non-drought years," said study co-author Thomas Martin. "In contrast, shorter-lived species that kept breeding during droughts faced strong reductions in survival."

Over the course of his career, Martin has spent months at a time living in remote jungles to study birds. For the current investigation, he observed 38 different tropical bird species in Venezuela and Malaysia over multiple years. At each field site, there was one drought year during the study period.

The scientists modeled future population results for the birds using three different climate change scenarios. They monitored nests of each species to evaluate reproductive activity before and during the droughts. The researchers also marked birds with colored material to estimate survival rates. 

The analysis revealed that drought reduced reproduction by an average of 36 percent in the Malaysian species and by 52 percent in the Venezuelan species.

"The negative impacts of drought on survival are well documented," said  Martin. "We therefore also expected the droughts to reduce survival, but thought that the reduced breeding activity might limit the decrease in survival."

He said the population impacts of droughts were largely offset by the reproductive behavioral shifts in longer-lived species, but shorter-lived species did not benefit as much.

"Overall, our results have several major implications," said Martin. "First, we show that understanding behavioral responses to drought are critical for predicting population responses. Behavioral responses to environmental conditions can help buffer the most sensitive vital rates for a given species and mitigate the overall effect on fitness."

"Second, our results provide unique support to the idea that reproduction can negatively affect survival. This idea of a 'cost of reproduction' is central to life history theory but only rarely documented in wild populations."

The research suggests that many longer-lived tropical songbirds may actually be more resilient to droughts than previously expected.

"Ultimately, we hope our study can help motivate future studies into behavioral and demographic responses to shifting patterns of rainfall in more species so we can better anticipate the different impacts of climate change among species," said Martin.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Tropical songbirds reproduce less during severe droughts

A new study from the University of Montana describes a...

While the climate and biodiversity impacts of land use changes have been widely documented, not much is known about how changes in land use may affect local water cycles. In a new study from the <a href="https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/1.html">University of Göttingen</a>, researchers have found that the expansion of palm oil plantations and other monocultures is causing more intense <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-has-transformed-flooding-patterns/">flooding</a> across Indonesia. 

The findings suggest that flooding associated with rapid land use change is triggered by the interaction of complex factors - including soil degradation and the construction of flood protection dams. 

For the investigation, the researchers did not rely on science alone. They conducted almost 100 interviews with Indonesian land managers, residents of local villages, and decision-makers in the Jambi province of Sumatra. 

The study was also focused on measurements of precipitation, river and groundwater levels, soil properties, and land use maps. 

"Many studies on the relationship between land use changes and flooding are only based on analyses by individual disciplines and thus provide only fragmentary insights into the underlying processes," said lead author Jennifer Merten. 

"It was therefore important for us to use the widest possible range of data from different disciplines and also to include observations from the local population."

The study highlights the impact of expanding oil palm and rubber plantations on local water cycles. 

"The large-scale land-use change leads to a compaction of the soil, so that less rain is absorbed by the soil and the water quickly runs off at the surface," explained study co-author Christian Stiegler. "In particular, the advancing destruction of floodplains plays an important role in this process." 

From the perspective of village residents, the construction of flood dams and drainage channels contributes to a change in local patterns of flooding. Such infrastructure is often built by larger plantation owners when their operations are expanded into wetlands such as river floodplains or peatlands.

"However, such dams often lead to increased flooding on neighboring smallholder plantations," said Merten, drawing from her observations in the area. This increase in flooding also leads to new social tensions and conflicts.

Soil protection and improved land use planning can play an important role in reducing the impact of land use change on the water cycle, especially in floodplains and wetlands.

"Yet, it is just as important to regulate and control landscape interventions for flood protection and drainage more closely," says Merten. "Otherwise it might happen that the effects of increasing flooding will affect above all the poorest in society, because larger companies simply pass on the water."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/">Ecology and Society</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Land use changes can cause more intense flooding

While the climate and biodiversity impacts of land use changes...

The vast majority of people who own bulldogs, French bulldogs, and pugs say they would own these breeds again and would recommend them to prospective dog owners, according to a study published by <a href="https://plos.org/">PLOS</a>. Such widespread loyalty to brachycephalic, or flat-faced, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dogs-improve-social-and-emotional-well-being-in-children/">dogs</a> suggests that the popularity of these breeds will persist despite some shocking health risks.

The demand for brachycephalic dogs has exploded in recent years, even though these breeds are strongly predisposed to a range of serious health conditions such as pneumonia, respiratory disease, heat stroke, eye disease, and spinal disease. Compared to other breeds with longer muzzles, bulldogs and pugs have shorter lifespans by about four years.

Some veterinarians consider these health concerns to be too risky to continue breeding flat-faced dogs. To make matters worse, owners of pets with chronic illnesses often experience psychological distress and have a lower quality of life.

Researchers led by Rowena Packer of the <a href="https://www.rvc.ac.uk/">Royal Veterinary College</a> set out to investigate breed loyalty among brachycephalic dog owners to gain a better understanding of why the dogs are so popular. The team also wanted to know whether the popularity of bulldogs and pugs is likely to persist.

"Although dog breed popularity often follows a boom and bust pattern, our results are of real concern as they indicate that this 'brachy boom' is here to stay," wrote the study authors. "Owners are becoming hooked on the loving personalities of these sweet dogs, but also accepting and normalizing their shocking health issues."

The researchers surveyed more than 2,000 owners and found that 93 percent would choose to own their current breed again in the future. About 66 percent of the respondents said they would recommend a bulldog or pug to a potential first-time dog owner. Owners often said they would recommend their breed as a great companion dog or for households with children. 

"Five themes described why owners recommended against their breed: high prevalence of health problems, expense of ownership, ethical and welfare issues associated with breeding brachycephalic dogs, negative effects upon owner lifestyle, and negative behavioral attributes," wrote the study authors.

"Understanding how breed-loyalty develops, and whether it can be attenuated, will be key to controlling the current population boom in brachycephalic breeds in the long-term."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Bulldogs are popular despite frightening health issues

The vast majority of people who own bulldogs, French bulldogs,...

Sea turtles will lose habitats due to climate change and coastal development. Some sea turtles will lose a significant amount of suitable nesting habitat in the United States due to the pressures of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/changes-in-climate-and-land-use-could-lead-to-catastrophic-levels-of-soil-erosion/">climate</a> change and coastal development. Researchers led by <a href="https://admissions.fsu.edu/">Florida State University</a> found that even in areas that will remain or become suitable despite climate change, increased development will make it difficult for sea turtles to adapt.

Study lead author Mariana Fuentes is an assistant professor of Oceanography in the FSU Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science.

"A reduction in available nesting habitat coupled with the pressures associated with coastal development could likely have detrimental impacts on the reproductive output of sea turtle nesting areas in the U.S. and population stability," said Professor Fuentes. 

The researchers used computer models to simulate future climate and sea-level conditions on the East Coast through 2050 to estimate the suitable coastal habitats for loggerhead, green, and leatherback sea turtle nesting,

The results varied across different regions, but the overall outcome was the same - decreasing suitable nesting grounds accompanied by increasing pressure from coastal development.

Loggerhead turtles will see a decrease of about 10 percent in suitable nesting areas in Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Green turtles will see some improved nesting habitat in southwest Florida, but less suitable habitat elsewhere. Meanwhile, leatherback turtles will not experience major changes in the availability of suitable areas through 2050.

Sea turtles need certain climate conditions for egg incubation, but will face shifting temperatures and levels of precipitation at climate change. The study showed that about 80 percent of habitat that will have a suitable climate for nesting will be submerged by sea level rise. Sea turtles will lose habitats due to climate change and coastal development

The researchers also found that sea level rise will more than compensate for the area it submerges by creating new beaches. In most of these areas, however, coastal development will impact how well the sea turtles function at their nesting sites.

The team identified a few regions in North and South Carolina that are projected to have high climate suitability for sea turtle egg incubation, little risk from sea-level rise, and no substantial housing growth. Pinpointing these optimal nesting habitats could inform management and conservation policies.

In places where coastal development is expected to add pressure to sea turtles, management strategies are needed to help minimize the impacts of human activity. These strategies could include turtle-friendly lighting, beach debris removal, and the protection of nesting areas.

"Sea turtles have existed for millions of years, and they have persisted through dramatic changes in climate in the past," said Professor Fuentes. "They have the ability to adapt to changing conditions, but coastal development and the unprecedented speed of current climate change are things they have never had to deal with, which may hinder their ability to adapt to the future."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/10113">Regional Environmental Change</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Sea turtles will lose habitats due to climate change and coastal development

Sea turtles will lose habitats due to climate change and...

Plants have the remarkable ability to protect themselves against pathogens, and a new study reveals previously unknown details of this phenomenon. An international team of researchers led by Professor Cyril Zipfel of the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a> has identified the calcium channel that initiates stomatal closure when <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-altering-the-life-cycles-of-bees-and-plants/">plants</a> encounter microbes.

While it was known that calcium floods the cells surrounding the pores and triggers them to close, the underlying mechanism was not clear. "The identity of the channels that mediate this rapid calcium movement was still unknown and has vexed researchers for a long time," said Professor Zipfel.

Using the model plant Arabidopsis, the scientists discovered that a protein called OSCA1.3 forms a channel which leaks calcium into the cells surrounding a plant's pores. The team also identified a known immune system protein that triggers the process.

The findings represent a major step toward understanding the defense mechanisms plants use to resist infection, which may ultimately lead to the development of crops that are resistant to pathogens. 

Study co-author José Feijó is a professor of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics at the <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">University of Maryland</a>.

"This is a major advance, because a substantial part of the world's food generated by agriculture is lost to pathogens, and we now know the molecular mechanism behind one of the first and most relevant signals for plant immune response to pathogens--the calcium burst after infection," said Professor Feijó.

"Finding the mechanism associated with this calcium channel allows further research into its regulation, which will improve our understanding of the way in which the channel activity modulates and, eventually, boosts the immune reaction of plants to pathogens."

Previous studies had shown that a protein called BIK1 was a necessary component of the immune calcium response in plants. Professor Zipfel's team searched for proteins that may be modified by exposure to BIK1, and noticed that a protein called OSCA1.3 transformed in a very specific way that suggested it could be a calcium channel for plants. OSCA1.3 is a part of a family of proteins that are known to exist as ion channels in many organisms, including humans, and it seems to be specifically activated upon detection of pathogens.

To confirm this theory, the Professor  team reached out to Feijó, who is well known for identifying and characterizing ion channels and signaling mechanisms in plants. Study co-author Erwan Michard, a visiting assistant research scientist in Professor Feijó's lab, conducted experiments which showed that BIK1 triggers OSCA1.3 to open up a calcium channel into a cell.

According to the study authors, BIK1 only activates when a plant gets infected with a pathogen, suggesting that OSCA1.3 opens a calcium channel to close stomata as a defensive response to pathogens.

"This is a perfect example of how a collaborative effort between labs with different expertise can bring about important conclusions that would be difficult on solo efforts," said Professor Feijó. "This fundamental knowledge is badly needed to inform ecology and agriculture on how the biome will react to the climatic changes that our planet is going through."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Scientists discover how plants protect themselves from pathogens

Plants have the remarkable ability to protect themselves against pathogens,...

Expectant and hopeful mothers should completely avoid caffeine, according to a new study published by <a href="https://www.bmj.com/">The BMJ</a>. The research suggests that there is no safe level of caffeine consumption prior to or during <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/vegetable-consumption-before-pregnancy-lowers-risk-of-preterm-birth/">pregnancy</a>.

Professor Jack James of Reykjavik University found more than 1,200 published studies on the link between caffeine and pregnancy outcomes. He narrowed his investigation down to focus on 48 observational studies and meta-analyses published over the past two decades.

Professor James found strong evidence of an association between maternal caffeine consumption and a range of negative pregnancy outcomes including miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, childhood acute leukaemia, and childhood obesity.

Caffeine is considered the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in history, and many people drink it daily. Pregnant women are often advised that a small amount of will not harm the baby. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set this level at 200 milligrams of caffeine, which is roughly two cups of moderate-strength coffee per day.

Professor James reviewed the relevant articles to determine whether the recommended level of consumption for pregnant women is actually safe.

Among a total of 42 separate findings reported in 37 observational studies, 32 found that caffeine significantly increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and 10 either found no link or inconclusive associations. 

There were moderate to high levels of consistency in the caffeine-related risk for miscarriage, low birth weight, childhood acute leukaemia, and stillbirth. The analyses did not find an association with preterm birth.

This is an observational study, so it does not confirm caffeine as the cause of the outcomes. Professor James noted that the results could be impacted by other confounding factors, such as maternal cigarette smoking.

However, he added that the dose-responsive nature of the associations between caffeine and adverse pregnancy outcomes, and the fact some studies found no threshold below which negative outcomes were absent, supports likely causation rather than mere association.

As a result, current health recommendations concerning caffeine consumption during pregnancy are in need of "radical revision," said Professor James. "Specifically, the cumulative scientific evidence supports pregnant women and women contemplating pregnancy being advised to avoid caffeine."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://ebm.bmj.com/">BMJ Evidence Based Medicine</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

There is no safe level of caffeine for pregnant women

Expectant and hopeful mothers should completely avoid caffeine, according to...

Soil erosion will accelerate in the next few decades as a result of water runoff caused by <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/waterbirds-are-being-forced-out-of-the-tropics-by-climate-change/">climate change</a> and extensive agricultural land use. A new study from the <a href="https://www.unibas.ch/en.html">University of Basel</a> describes how soil loss will intensify through the year 2070.

"Soil erosion is a major global soil degradation threat to land, freshwater, and oceans. Wind and water are the major drivers, with water erosion over land being the focus of this work; excluding gullying and river bank erosion," wrote the study authors.

"Improving knowledge of the probable future rates of soil erosion, accelerated by human activity, is important both for policy makers engaged in land use decision-making and for Earth-system modelers seeking to reduce uncertainty on global predictions."

The impacts of soil erosion are potentially catastrophic, including the loss of fertile soil and food production. Ultimately, soil loss could compound the growing global crisis of food insecurity.

Beyond projecting the impacts of wind and water, the researchers had to account for the uncertainties of climate change and higher levels of precipitation that will hit some parts of the world harder than others. 

The team use computer models to simulate soil erosion in roughly 200 different countries based on three scenarios used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). All of the simulations predicted persistent water erosion. 

Depending on the scenario, soil erosion will increase by up to 66 percent by 2070 compared to 2015. 

The study predicts that if agricultural practices do not change and global warming is not mitigated, more than 28 billion additional metric tons of soil will be lost every year. 

According to the investigation, the regions most vulnerable to extreme soil erosion are low- to middle-income tropical and subtropical countries. The researchers said it will be critical for countries in the Global South to promote more widespread use of sustainable agricultural practices.

"Soil erosion can be mitigated by sustainable land cultivation and the right policies," said study co-author Dr. Pasquale Borrelli. "We hope that our predictions will help to identify the magnitude of the threat from erosion and allow policy-makers to develop effective measures to soften the impact."

The study is published in the <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

&nbsp;

Changes in climate and land use could lead to catastrophic levels of soil erosion

Soil erosion will accelerate in the next few decades as...

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nasal-vaccine-shows-potential-to-stop-covid-19-before-it-starts/">COVID-19</a> pandemic is shedding new light on the widespread lack of water security, and experts report that action is critically needed to prepare for a future global health crisis. In a new commentary, researchers at the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/">University of Birmingham</a> and <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a> are urging policy makers across the world to focus on investment in water infrastructure and clean water technologies. 

Recent studies have shown that nearly a quarter of households in low and middle income countries have been unable to follow recommendations for regular handwashing to prevent the community spread of the coronavirus.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the urgent need for global action on water security," said co-author Professor David Hannah. "This is a basic human right that is not being met in large sections of the world's population and COVID-19 has provided us with a wake-up call that we cannot afford to ignore."

The study authors noted that an estimated four billion people experience "severe water scarcity" for the duration of at least one month every year, causing difficulties for handwashing and sanitation. 

"Challenges with availability are projected to become more widespread and acute due to climate change and associated increases in hydrological extremes (such as floods and drought), as well as changed water demand due to population growth, displacement, intensification of agriculture and infrastructure degradation," wrote the researchers.

The commentary outlines specific areas that must be addressed to promote water security. For example, it is necessary to improve existing water infrastructure, such as treatment and distribution systems, to protect water sources from degradation. New technologies to recycle and reuse domestic wastewater and rainwater are also needed to promote water security. These types of measures are often cheaper and more effective than building new infrastructure, according to the researchers.

"The COVID-19 pandemic may serve as an opportunity to change behaviors. For example, over-reliance on commercially bottled water can quickly become self-sustaining and disincentivise investment in sustainable water infrastructure. Rethinking the value of water as a multi-purpose resource and how to use it sustainably is required urgently," said co-author Professor Iseult Lynch.

"Both the World Health Organization and <a href="https://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF</a> acknowledge the scale of this challenge, Water insecurity has consequences for the well-being - both mental and physical - of billions of people. The costs of not preparing for future crises will be catastrophic," concluded co-author Professor Stefan Krause.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain">Nature Sustainability </a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

COVID-19 has exposed an urgent need for global action on water security

The COVID-19 pandemic is shedding new light on the widespread...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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