A recent study has revealed a startling fact: an unidentified chemical byproduct could be present in the tap water in approximately one-third of U.S. homes.



Now, before you put down your glass of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-found-in-tap-and-bottled-water-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a>, let's emphasize that scientists are not yet sure whether this byproduct is harmful. However, they are worried that it could be, due to the characteristics of the molecules.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemical-byproduct-in-water">Chemical byproduct in water</h2>



This mysterious substance, dubbed "chloronitramide anion," is the offspring of chloramine - a chemical that, ironically, is used to treat water to make it safe for human consumption. 



Chloramine is a concoction of chlorine and ammonia that kills viruses and bacteria in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-4-4-billion-people-lack-access-to-safe-drinking-water/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a> treatment systems, and the newly-identified substance is produced when chloramine breaks down.



"It has similarity to other toxic molecules," said David Wahman, one of the study's authors and a research environmental engineer at the Environmental Protection Agency. 



"We looked for it in 40 samples in 10 U.S. chlorinated drinking water systems located in seven states. We did find it in all the samples."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-methods-of-water-treatment">Methods of water treatment</h2>



Chloramine has been trusted for about a hundred years to keep our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/too-much-fluoride-in-tap-water-supply-might-lower-kids-iq-by-few-points/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a> free of pathogens. It's often used to maintain the water that stays in our pipes for several days after leaving a water treatment plant.



In fact, chloramine has become the preferred water warrior. Chlorine, the alternative disinfectant, also produces byproducts – some of which are linked to the incidence of bladder cancer and are patrolled by the EPA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gauging-the-safety-of-chemicals-in-water">Gauging the safety of chemicals in water</h2>



David Reckhow, a research professor in civil and environmental engineering at the <a href="https://www.umass.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Massachusetts, Amherst</a>, who wasn't part of the study, thinks the discovery is significant. His major concern is understanding whether this newfound substance is hazardous.



“It’s a pretty small molecule and it can probably for that reason enter into biological systems and into cells. And it is still a reactive molecule. Those are the kinds of things you worry about,” explained Reckhow.



“We can go about the hard work of trying to figure out what its toxicological relevance is in our water systems,” said Julian Fairey, the study's lead author and an associate professor at the University of Arkansas.



While this ongoing investigation may cause controversy, past studies have alluded to a connection between disinfected drinking water and higher rates of certain cancers.



Whether these risks are associated with the newly-identified compound is yet to be determined.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-regulation-of-water-byproducts">Regulation of water byproducts</h2>



Drawing conclusions about the potential toxicity of chloronitramide anion and establishing regulations based on those findings is more likely to be a marathon than a sprint.



"It’s a lot (of time) - probably a decade of research once a funding source is found," said Alan Roberson, executive director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators.



In the meantime, water utilities should take the ongoing research into account and try to limit public exposure. “You do what you can to minimize. You make the best judgment you can on the toxicity and you run with incomplete information,” said Reckhow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-questions-about-chloramine">New questions about chloramine </h2>



This study has also cast doubt on whether, from a health perspective, chloramine is indeed a safer disinfection process than chlorine.



“This study really calls into question whether or not this disinfection process is safer from a health perspective,” said David Andrews, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization that pushes for more scrutiny of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collecting-water-from-the-air-to-tackle-a-global-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chemicals</a>.&nbsp;



He noted that there are several disinfection byproducts found in water systems but that this one deserves scrutiny.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-risks-of-water-byproducts">Health risks of water byproducts</h2>



Any treatment of drinking water involves some level of health risk. 



While disinfection processes have largely eradicated waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid, research suggests that some byproducts may pose cancer risks and increase the chances of miscarriage or low birth-weight babies.



Yet, these processes are crucial to neutralize real bacterial and viral threats. Thankfully, many U.S. water utilities provide information on their websites about whether the supplied water is treated with chlorine or chloramine.



There is also some evidence that activated carbon filters, like those used in home water purification devices or fridge filters, can rid water of disinfectant byproducts. However, more research is needed.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adk6749" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Mysterious chemical found in U.S. tap water has been identified

A recent study has revealed a startling fact: an unidentified chemical byproduct could be present in the tap water in approximately one-third of U.S. homes. Now, before you put down your glass of water, let's emphasize that scientists are not yet sure whether this byproduct is harmful. However, they are worried that it could be, due to the characteristics of the molecules. Chemical byproduct in water This mysterious substance, dubbed "chloronitramide anion," is the offspring of chloramine - a chemical that, ironically, is used to treat water...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> (UBC), researchers have assessed the nutritional quality of prey for juvenile <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/conservation-efforts-are-needed-to-save-california-salmon/">salmon</a> and herring. The experts analyzed the chemical composition of zooplankton off the British Columbia coast.

While experts can easily access information about the availability and spatial distribution of zooplankton, their nutritional quality has remained unclear.

In collaboration with scientists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the UBC team measured the biochemical properties of zooplankton, including essential fatty acids. The experts wanted to investigate the nutritional value of different zooplankton species and examine whether spatial and seasonal variability influenced this value.

"We showed that seasonal changes in plankton food web pathways drive variability in plankton fatty acid composition," said study lead author David Costalago.

"This seasonal shift conferred a higher nutritional value to zooplankton in the summer, indicating better quality prey for juvenile salmon and herring during this period."

"Essentially, juvenile salmon and herring out-migrating from the rivers into the Strait of Georgia late in the season may encounter better food than the bulk of migrants coming out to the ocean in the earlier May-June period."

The researchers also discovered major discrepancies in nutritional value among different zooplankton species. 

"Differences in the quality of zooplankton as prey are really important for juvenile salmon. They depend on nutritious food for healthy development," said Professor Brian Hunt. 

"The differences we found in the fatty acid composition of zooplankton species in this study tell us that climate driven changes in the composition of zooplankton communities may be an important factor in salmon declines."

The nutritional quality of prey greatly influences the growth and survival of fish, as well as their ability to reproduce. 

The research highlights a need for monitoring nutrition across marine food webs in the ocean, and for further research to understand the nutritional pathways that connect the base of the food-web to the rest of the ecosystem.

"By determining the availability of high-quality prey for these commercially important groups of fish we can improve estimates of herring and salmon productivity and help inform fisheries management of these species in the region," said Costalago.

"Routine surveying of the plankton throughout the Strait of Georgia, using the tools our study described, may be useful in assessing ecosystem health and guiding management of economically and ecologically important marine populations."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Nutritional quality of zooplankton changes with the season 

In a new study from the University of British Columbia...

Seagrass is a powerful weapon in the fight against climate change. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and <a href="https://www.grida.no/">GRID-Arendal</a> released a new report today, World Oceans Day, to emphasize the value of seagrass for building resilience to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-targets-cannot-be-achieved-without-co2-removal/">climate</a> change and natural disasters.

Seagrass meadows can be found in at least 159 countries all over the world. They serve as a barrier to weaken storm surges and filter pollution and bacteria out of seawater, among many other important services. 

Seagrass ecosystems are extremely productive and support 20 percent of the world's largest 25 fisheries. A single acre of seagrass can support thousands of fish and millions of invertebrates.

Despite these enormous benefits, an estimated 7 percent of seagrass habitat is being lost each year. In addition, at least 22 of the world's 72 species are in a state of decline. 

"Seagrasses are the super ecosystems of our oceans, providing an incredible range of benefits to people around the world. Yet, while their flashier counterparts attract more attention, they remain among the most unheralded aquatic environments on Earth," said Dr. Maria Potouroglou, seagrass scientist at GRID-Arendal. 

"The Out of the Blue report showcases the many ways that seagrasses help people thrive and sustain the healthy natural environment that we all depend on."

The biggest threats to seagrass meadows are coastal development, runoff from industry and farms, dredging, unregulated fishing, and climate change.

According to the UN report, seagrass ecosystems play an underestimated role in combating the climate crisis. The meadows serve as incredible carbon sinks that store up to 18 percent of all the carbon absorbed by the ocean - while covering only 0.1 percent of the ocean floor.

"Maintaining the health of seagrass ecosystems - which provide food and livelihoods to hundreds of millions of people, support rich biodiversity, and constitute one of the planet's most efficient stores of carbon - is important for healthy marine life and for healthy people around the world", said Susan Gardner, Director of the Ecosystems Division at UNEP. 

"Seagrasses represent powerful nature-based solutions to the climate challenge and sustainable development. "

The new report reveals that seagrasses are among the least protected coastal habitats. Only 26 percent of recorded meadows fall within marine protected areas (MPAs), compared with 40 percent of coral reefs and 43 percent of mangroves.

"Seagrasses can help us solve our biggest environmental challenges. They purify water, they protect us from storms, they provide food to hundreds of millions of people, they support rich biodiversity, and they efficiently store carbon," said UN Ambassador Ronald Jumeau. "In light of everything seagrasses do for people and nature, protecting and restoring them is vital."

The research was funded by the Norwegian government.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Seagrass is a powerful weapon in the fight against climate change

Seagrass is a powerful weapon in the fight against climate...

The countries that signed the Paris Agreement have agreed to limit CO2 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mangrove-trees-will-vanish-by-2050-without-reduced-emissions/">emissions</a> in an effort to mitigate climate change, but the framework does not establish any guidelines for CO2 removal. According to a team of experts led by <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a>, plans for CO2 removal must be urgently addressed.

Study co-author Dr. David Reiner is a political scientist and lecturer in the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. 

"Countries such as the UK and France have begun to adopt binding 'net-zero targets' and whereas there has been extensive focus on greenhouse gas emissions and emissions reductions, meeting these targets will require greater attention to the negative emissions or carbon dioxide removal side of the equation," said Dr. Reiner.

The researchers found that, in order to allocate CO2 removal in a fair way, countries must coordinate their efforts. This may involve a system where countries that do not have the capacity to fulfill their obligations can trade with countries who can assist with CO2 removal. 

Study co-author Dr. Niall Mac Dowell is an expert at the Centre for Environmental Policy and the Centre for Process Systems Engineering at Imperial.

"Carbon dioxide removal is necessary to meet climate targets, since we have so far not done enough to mitigate our emissions. Both will be necessary going forward, but the longer we wait to start removing CO2 on a large scale, the more we will have to do," explained Dr. Dowell.

"It is imperative that nations have these conversations now, to determine how quotas could be allocated fairly and how countries could meet those quotas via cross-border cooperation. It will work best if we all work together."

The first step is to determine the fairest way to allocate quotas to different nations based on factors such as the amount of CO2 emissions tied to each individual nation or the ability of each country to pay for CO2 removal. 

The team modeled several of these different factors and applied them to countries across Europe. While the results varied significantly according to method of assessment, the analysis only identified a few countries that could meet any of the quotas using only their own resources.

"The exercise of allocating CO2 removal quotas may help to break the current impasse, by incentivising countries to align their future national pledges with the expectations emerging from the fairness principles," said study co-lead author Dr. Ángel Galán-Martín from ETH Zürich.

Carbon dioxide removal can be achieved through various methods, such as reforestation or carbon capture and storage (CCS). However, many countries are too limited to implement large-scale CCS and do not have enough space to plant trees.

The researchers propose that, after quotas have been established, that a system of trading quotas could be established. For example, the UK has abundant space for CCS and could sell some of its capacity.

"By 2050, the world needs to be carbon neutral - taking out of the atmosphere as much CO2 as it puts in. To this end, a CO2 removal industry needs to be rapidly scaled up, and that begins now, with countries looking at their responsibilities and their capacity to meet any quotas," said study co-lead author Dr. Carlos Pozo.

"There are technological solutions ready to be deployed. Now it is time for international agreements to get the ball rolling so we can start making serious progress towards our climate goals."

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;

Climate targets cannot be achieved without CO2 removal

The countries that signed the Paris Agreement have agreed to...

Scientists at <a href="http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/">Tohoku University</a> may be one step closer to unraveling the mystery of the origin of life on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-southern-ocean-has-the-cleanest-air-on-earth/">Earth</a>. The researchers have discovered that ancient asteroid impact sites may provide important clues as to how the essential building blocks of life formed on the planet. 

The experts found evidence that amino acids emerged at the sites of asteroid crash impacts in the ocean. These compounds make up proteins, which are one of the four main molecular components needed to support all forms of life. 

The research highlights the role of meteorites in transporting life's essential molecules to Earth, and potentially to Mars. 

The origin of life on Earth is the one of the biggest scientific problems that is yet to be solved. Life can be traced back to non-living organic compounds, but there are many conflicting theories about how these building blocks first appeared and how they came together.

The presence of amino acids and other biomolecules in meteorites suggests that they provided a mode of extraterrestrial delivery.

For the current study, the experts simulated the reactions that occur between carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water, and iron when a meteorite crashes into the ocean. Carbon dioxide and nitrogen were used because these gases were present in the atmosphere on the Hadean Earth, which existed more than 4 billion years ago.

The simulation produced amino acids such as glycine and alanine. These amino acids are components of proteins that catalyze many biological reactions.

"Making organic molecules form reduced compounds like methane and ammonia are not difficult, but they are regarded as minor components in the atmosphere at that time," said study co-author Yoshihiro Furukawa.

"The finding of amino acid formation from carbon dioxide and molecular nitrogen demonstrates the importance in making life's building blocks from these ubiquitous compounds."

The fact that an ocean may have once existed on Mars, and that carbon dioxide and nitrogen were likely the major constituent gases of the Martian atmosphere when the ocean existed, suggests that amino acids could have formed there as well. 

"Further investigations will reveal more about the role meteorites played in bringing more complex biomolecules to Earth and Mars," said Furukawa.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Asteroid impacts created building blocks of life 

Scientists at Tohoku University may be one step closer to...

A new study has revealed that most protected areas are at risk of being invaded by non-native <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/marine-species-adapt-to-warming-faster-than-terrestrial-species/">species</a>. The researchers found that across the majority of the world's protected areas, there is an invasive animal species present less than 10 kilometers away that could easily adapt and become well-established. 

Study co-author Tim Blackburn is a professor in the Department of Genetics, Evolution &amp; Environment at <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>. 

"One of the most harmful ways that people are impacting the natural environment is through the introduction of 'aliens' - species that do not occur naturally in an area, but have been taken there by human activities," explained Professor Blackburn. 

"These species may kill or compete with native species, or destroy habitats, amongst other impacts. Invasions by alien species are regarded as one of the top five direct drivers of global biodiversity loss, and aliens are establishing themselves in new areas at ever increasing rates."

"Protected areas are a cornerstone of biodiversity conservation, but aliens don't know where their boundaries lie. It's important to know whether these areas might protect against the spread of invasive species."

The study was focused on 894 animal species that have previously established alien populations somewhere in the world, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and invertebrates. 

The experts investigated the proximity of these invasive species to 199,957 conservation areas, such as national parks and wilderness areas.  

The non-native animals were found to be present in less than 10 percent of the protected areas, which indicates that nature reserves are mostly effective in keeping out invaders.

On the other hand, 89 percent of protected areas had an alien species within 10 kilometers, and 99 percent had a neighboring invasive species within 100 kilometers. 

Furthermore, 95 percent of the protected areas consisted of habitat suitable for multiple alien species. 

The study showed that wildlife reserves were more vulnerable to invasion when they were influenced by humans or had human populations nearby. Older protected areas, which are usually in remote locations, were found to be less exposed to human activities and alien species. 

"At the moment most protected areas are still free of most animal invaders, but this might not last. Areas readily accessible to large numbers of people are the most vulnerable," said study senior author Dr. Li Yiming.

"We need to increase efforts to monitor and record invasive alien species that people may bring into protected areas, deliberately or by accident, especially damaging species like the American bullfrog, brown rat and wild boar."

The research did not produce evidence to suggest that areas with higher levels of biodiversity are more protected from invasive species.

"If alien species continue to spread - and we would expect many to do that - many more protected areas will have their boundaries reached, and potentially breached, by these alien species," said Professor Blackburn.

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

&nbsp;

Invasive species lurk just outside of most protected areas

A new study has revealed that most protected areas are...

Climate change is reshaping marine ecosystems in the Northeast Atlantic. Climate change is disrupting the productivity of marine ecosystems across the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a>. The summertime availability of nutrients has dwindled over the last six decades, contributing to a 50 percent decline in large <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/phytoplankton-bloom-off-northwest-africa/">plankton</a>.

Forming the base of the marine food chain, plankton are critical in supporting fish, mammals, and seabirds. Large plankton are being rapidly replaced by much smaller types of plankton as temperatures rise, and the extent of the potential damage is not entirely understood. 

"The increasing dominance of small phytoplankton species might have a broad impact on the marine ecosystem. Other than altering the food chain as suggested in this study, it could also change the biological carbon pump modifying the capacity of the ocean to store carbon," explained study co-author Dr. Luca Polimene.

"We need to make sure that the shift between large to small phytoplankton species is well captured by marine ecosystem models if we want to reliably simulate future oceans."

Cloudy and wet summers are now being replaced by longer periods of sunshine and drought in the Northeast Atlantic, which is diminishing the iron and nutrient supply in surface waters. This puts a strain on nutrient availability for zooplankton during a time when they need energy the most. 

In some regions, large phytoplankton have almost completely vanished while less nutritious picoplankton take over. The tiny picoplankton are not a good source of important dietary supplements, such as Omega-3, and cannot support the continental shelf food web. 

One type of picoplankton, the cyanobacterium Synechococcus, is particularly prevalent in the absence of larger plankton. This is because Synechococcus thrives in surface waters when iron and nitrogen levels are low.

According to the study authors, Synechococcus is now dominant in marine ecosystems from the tropics to the Arctic, and its abundance is increasing worldwide. The experts believe that competition for scarce summer nutrients will become a key factor in the structure of shelf food webs. 

Around 80 percent of all wild-caught seafood originates in the shallower waters on continental shelves. Declining productivity in these marine ecosystems will have a major effect on the quality and amount of seafood available for humans. 

Study lead author Dr. Katrin Schmidt is a plankton ecologist in the University of Plymouth's School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

"Zooplankton such as copepods are considered beacons of climate change, and the 50% decline in their abundance over the last six decades is worrying," said Dr. Schmidt.

"Our study is the first to provide a mechanism for such a wide-spread decline, and this understanding is essential to project future responses to climate change." 

"We also need to explore the wider impacts and whether the changing nutrient supply could, for example, lead to reductions in omega-3 within the entire food chain."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Climate change is reshaping marine ecosystems in the Northeast Atlantic

Climate change is reshaping marine ecosystems in the Northeast Atlantic....

A study from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> is providing new insight into the diets of great white sharks. In the first detailed assessment of great white predatory behavior off the east of Australia, experts have discovered that the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sharks-smaller-human-populations/">sharks</a> spend more time feeding along the seabed than previously thought. 

Study lead author Richard Grainger is a PhD candidate at the Charles Perkins Centre and School of Life and Environmental Sciences.

"Within the sharks' stomachs we found remains from a variety of fish species that typically live on the seafloor or buried in the sand. This indicates the sharks must spend a good portion of their time foraging just above the seabed," said Grainger.

"The stereotype of a shark's dorsal fin above the surface as it hunts is probably not a very accurate picture."

The research represents an important step toward understanding the feeding and migratory habits of the great white shark.

"We discovered that although mid-water fish, especially eastern Australian salmon, were the predominant prey for juvenile white sharks in NSW, stomach contents highlighted that these sharks also feed at or near the seabed," said study co-author Dr. Vic Peddemors.

According to Grainger, the findings are supported by tracking data that show great whites spending a lot of time many meters below the surface.

The experts analyzed the stomach contents of 40 juvenile great white sharks caught in the NSW Shark Meshing Program. The findings were compared with published data from South Africa and other regions to establish the feeding patterns of great whites. 

"Understanding the nutritional goals of these cryptic predators and how these relate to migration patterns will give insights into what drives human-shark conflict and how we can best protect this species," said study co-author Dr. Gabriel Machovsky-Capuska.

The study revealed that, based on abundance, the great white's diet primarily consisted of mid-water ocean swimming fish, such as Australian salmon; bottom-dwelling fish, such as stargazers; and batoid fish, such as stingrays. 

A small percentage of the sharks' diet included reef fish, and the remainder was made up of unidentified fish or less abundant prey. 

"White sharks have a varied diet. As well as east Australian salmon, we found evidence of other bony fish including eels, whiting, mullet and wrasses," said Grainger.

"We found that rays were also an important dietary component, including small bottom-dwelling stingrays and electric rays. Eagle rays are also hunted, although this can be difficult for the sharks given how fast the rays can swim."

"The hunting of bigger prey, including other sharks and marine mammals such as dolphin, is not likely to happen until the sharks reach about 2.2 meters in length."

The researchers also found that the diets of larger sharks are higher in fat content, which is needed for energy during long migratory journeys.

"This fits with a lot of other research we've done showing that wild animals, including predators, select diets precisely balanced to meet their nutrient needs," said study co-author Professor David Raubenheimer.

Tracking data showed that great whites migrate seasonally along the east coast of Australia from southern Queensland to northern Tasmania, and the range of movement increases with age.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Study reveals new details about the diets of great white sharks 

A study from the University of Sydney is providing new...

Experts discover how cancer cells protect themselves from viruses. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.crick.ac.uk/">Francis Crick Institute</a> have discovered how cancer cells evade the viruses that aim to kill them. By identifying the mechanism that protects cancer cells, the research may ultimately lead to improved viral treatments.

Oncolytic viruses, which are not harmful to healthy cells, seek out and infect cancer cells. As the cells are destroyed, the virus releases new infectious particles to attack the remaining tumor.

"These viruses prefer to target cancer cells over healthy cells, which has made them of interest for scientists over the last few decades," said study co-lead author Antonio Rullan.

"However, much more remains to be understood about how they interact with tumors and the immune system."

The viruses are sometimes used to activate an immune response against tumors, but the treatments have not been widely effective. 

To investigate, the researchers took a close look at the environment surrounding a tumor and examined how cancer cells interact with neighboring cells. The study was focused primarily on cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which are known to play a key role in the growth and spread of cancer.

The experts noticed that direct contact between cancer cells and CAFs triggered inflammation. This signaled the surrounding tissue and made it difficult for the viruses to gain access to the cancer cells.

The study revealed that the protective inflammatory response is initiated when small amounts of cytoplasm, or cancer cell fluid, are passed to the CAFs. The fibroblasts alert nearby cells to release molecules called cytokines that cause inflammation.

"This process only occurs when cancer cells and fibroblasts are in direct contact with each other. In healthy tissue, this type of inflammatory response would only happen during injury, as there is usually a membrane keeping them apart," explained study co-author Erik Sahai. "This is an excellent example of the way cancer hijacks our body's protective mechanisms for its own gain."

In cell cultures and tumors grown in the lab, the researchers blocked the signaling pathway that causes the inflammatory response. As a result, the cancer cells became more vulnerable to oncolytic viruses.

The experts hope the findings may help to develop a treatment that will inhibit inflammation and allow oncolytic viruses to effectively target cancer cells.

"If we can more fully understand how cancer cells protect themselves from oncolytic viruses and find effective ways to stop these protective mechanisms, these viruses could become a more powerful tool doctors can use to treat cancer," said co-lead author Emma Milford. "This research is an important, early step towards this."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncb">Nature Cell Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Experts discover how cancer cells protect themselves from viruses

Experts discover how cancer cells protect themselves from viruses. Researchers...

In a recent study led by the <a href="https://www.utu.fi/en">University of Turku</a>, experts have confirmed the theory that girls who suffer trauma in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/vitamin-d-childhood-obesity/">childhood</a> become mothers earlier in life. 

The research suggests that the emotional damage of childhood experiences, such as living in a war zone or enduring a natural disaster, can resurface later in young adulthood.

"Understanding how conditions experienced during development affect reproductive timing is of considerable cross-disciplinary interest," wrote the study authors. 

"Life-history theory predicts that organisms will accelerate reproduction when future survival is unsure. In humans, this can be triggered by early exposure to mortality." 

"Previous studies, however, have been inconclusive due to several confounds that are also likely to affect reproduction."

The current study was focused on an extensive dataset involving thousands of Finnish girls and young women who volunteered during World War II. 

The researchers analyzed the data to gain insight into the effects of childhood trauma on adults.

"If we can measure the effects of trauma on basic things such as the timing of motherhood, then it almost certainly has major effects on many of our other important behaviors, such as overall aversion to risk, sociality or the pace of sexual development," explained study lead author Robert Lynch.

The experts found that girls and young women who served in the war had more children, and at an earlier age, compared to those who did not volunteer.

"This study is groundbreaking because it overcomes many of the pitfalls of research on humans that has made it difficult to know whether trauma is actually the root cause of starting a family at a younger age," said study senior author John Loehr. 

"The extensive dataset made it possible for us to compare women before and after the war and also take family background into account by comparing sisters." "This is strong evidence in support of the idea that trauma affects reproductive schedules." 

The study has major implications for millions of children and adults worldwide who experience the trauma of war. 

According to the researchers, the relevance of the study extends to other sources of trauma as well, such as horrific natural disasters and crises like the current COVID-19 pandemic.

"There appears to be a sensitivity window that extends from childhood into early adulthood where behavior adjusts to match the circumstances experienced," said study co-author Professor Virpi Lummaa.

"The consequences can be far-reaching even after the situation stabilizes. A childhood trauma can influence people's adult lives in ways that they are unaware of, such as the timing of their motherhood."

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

&nbsp;

Girls who experience trauma become mothers earlier in life

In a recent study led by the University of Turku,...

A new study from the <a href="https://nutrition.org/">American Society for Nutrition</a> has found that children and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/social-media-television-depression/">teens</a> consume excessive amounts of added sugars and solid fats, and more than 25 percent of their diet is made up of empty calories. 

The researchers identified the most common sources of empty calories for young people, including soft drinks, fruit drinks, cookies, pizza, and ice cream.

"Our findings suggest a need for continued research into what children and adolescents are eating," said Dr. Edwina Wambogo, the study's primary investigator. "Examining the whole landscape of available foods and beverages for children and adolescents can help inform new ways to promote healthier eating."

The research was focused on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which analyzed diet trends for children between the ages of 2 and 18 from 2007 through 2016.

"Over the time period studied, we observed a downward trend in the percent of calories coming from empty calories without any associated decrease in total calorie intake," said Dr. Wambogo. "This trend was mostly driven by declines in added sugars intake, including those from soft drinks and fruit drinks."

Despite the positive results, the researchers also found that more than 25 percent of the caloric intake for all ages of children came from empty calories, and the percentage of empty calories increased with age. 

The most popular sources of empty calories remained consistent across the study period. However, as children got older, the main sources of empty calories shifted from beverages such as fruit drinks to foods such as pizza and cookies. Overall, older children and teens consumed more calories from soft drinks rather than fruits drinks or flavored milk.

The researchers have proposed several strategies that may help children and teens consume healthier foods, such as increased marketing to promote healthier foods, limited marketing for unhealthy foods, changing the food environment to make healthy foods more accessible, and product changes like reducing added sugars in beverages.

The researchers plan to further examine how the top sources of calories consumed by young people vary according to family income. They also want to investigate how added sugars in beverages may impact the total amount of calories consumed by children and teens.

Dr. Wambogo presented the research as part of Nutrition 2020 Live Online, a virtual conference hosted by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN).

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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;

Experts identify the top sources of empty calories for children and teens

A new study from the American Society for Nutrition has...

The analysis of a tiny shrub has revealed that plants across the Arctic region of Svalbard grow synchronously. The research suggests that the polar willow, Salix polaris, can play an important role as Plants grow synchronously across the Svalvard archipelago an indicator species for the health of the entire Svalbard archipelago. 

Mathilde Le Moullec, a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.ntnu.edu/">Norwegian University of Science and Technology</a> (NTNU), has been studying wildlife in Svalbard for years to gain a better understanding of how this unique community is interconnected.

Over four summers, Le Moullec looked for reindeer in Svalbard to evaluate their population numbers. She also hunted for bones and other reindeer remains that could be analyzed and carbon dated.

The data collected by Le Moullec revealed historical changes in the population size and distribution of reindeer in Svalbard. She documented how the reindeer rebounded after enduring centuries of overhunting.

In order to view the Arctic region from a greater perspective, Le Moullec decided to study the plants that reindeer eat.

"Salix is an important part of their main diet, especially because there is almost no lichen on Svalbard," said Le Moullec. She pointed to previous research on Svalbard reindeer, which found that lichen makes up only two percent of their diets.

Le Moullec explained that by studying what controls the growth of the polar willow across Svalbard, you can also see how climate is affecting primary production in different places, including the growth of plants at the bottom of the food chain. 

Furthermore, the polar willow contains an important geological record in its growth rings. "You can go to one place, one time, dig up a willow, and come back with 40 years or more of data."

In 2015, Le Moullec and PhD candidate Morgen Bender struck out to some of Svalbard's most remote regions to count reindeer. The team also dug up dozens of polar willows for analysis. 

In the lab, the researchers counted the microscopic growth rings on the shrubs. Some of the willows were more than 40 years old, but the oldest was 70, which meant its growth rings were particularly small. 

"The entire root is the thickness of the tip of a fork, it is just a few millimeters across," said Le Moullec. "Each growth ring is just a few micrometers, so we cut cross sections that are a cell thickness of two micrometres."

The researchers examined multiple cross sections from each plant. The tedious work in the lab took almost two years, according to Le Moullec.

Next, the team analyzed weather data to determine which of five weather-related factors were best reflected in tree ring growth. Out of the various weather factors, July temperature had the most influence on all of the willows examined from eight separate sites. 

July temperatures were also found to have an effect on the rest of the vegetation in Svalbard, causing the plants to grow simultaneously. This timing is also significant for grazing animals like reindeer.

Synchronous growing patterns have been found before in boreal and temperate forests, where summer temperatures coordinate large areas of tree growth. However, this is the first time this kind of research has been done in the Arctic, explained Le Moullec, and in a tree where the largest structure - the root - is half the size of a pinky finger.

René van der Wal is a professor at the University of Aberdeen who has been studying plants in Svalbard since 1998.

"We knew that warm summers allowed high arctic plants to grow well, but always believed that this was what happened above ground," said Professor van der Wal. "For Mathilde to show that good years above ground also means good growth below ground, and for this to reflect the productivity of all higher plants together is a major step forward."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/16000706">Oikos</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Plants grow synchronously across the Svalvard archipelago

The analysis of a tiny shrub has revealed that plants...

A disease-carrying <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-mosquito-borne-viruses/">mosquito</a> that made its way from the tropical forests of Southeast Asia to Illinois has now become widespread across the state. Researchers at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> wanted to know how the Asian tiger mosquito established itself in such a different climate. 

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, migrated from Japan to Texas in 1985 and quickly spread to Illinois. The mosquito is known to transmit diseases including Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), West Nile virus, and dengue fever.

Study lead author Chris Stone is a medical entomologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey.

"The global trade in used tires facilitates the spread of the mosquito," said Stone. "The eggs get stuck to the walls of the tires and can survive even in dry conditions. Tires are also great at retaining rainwater, which is perfect for the larvae to develop in."

The team tracked the movements of Asian tiger mosquitoes to get a better idea of how they are thriving in Illinois, where winter seasons are cold compared to their native habitats. 

"We looked at historical records to see where the mosquito has been observed in the state. We then compared that information to the winter temperatures in different counties," said study co-lead author Professor Rebecca Smith. 

"Winters are fairly warm in cities like Chicago because of all the roads and concrete. There are a lot of places like sewers and subways where these mosquitoes can live in the winter."

The spread of the Asian tiger mosquito in Illinois has also been driven by multiple introductions from neighboring counties.

"We used the historical observations to look at whether the mosquitoes were present in one county during a particular five-year period, and whether they were then present in a neighboring county in the previous five-year period," explained Professor Smith.

The researchers analyzed genetic data, with an emphasis on mitochondrial DNA.

"We found that there is a surprising diversity of Aedes albopictus in Illinois," said Stone. "Some were from the Texas population, but a few had previously been found only in Japan. This observation supports the idea that we see multiple introductions of these mosquitoes from different places."

According to the researchers, the data was compiled from a variety of sources.

"We had some collections of mosquitoes from our partners in public health, and we set out some mosquito traps in counties that had not been looked at previously. Unfortunately, we did not have samples that went back as far as the historical observations," said Stone.

The study authors noted that Asian tiger mosquitoes are good at outcompeting other mosquitoes, which can be beneficial, depending on the context. 

"There have been studies from Florida and Texas where Aedes albopictus has displaced Aedes aegypti, a closely related mosquito known as the yellow fever mosquito that can transmit dengue and yellow fever," said Stone. 

"The implications of the establishment of the Asian tiger mosquito in Illinois on other mosquito species is a topic that needs further study."

Professor Smith explained that the ability of the Asian tiger mosquito to establish itself in Illinois could be problematic from a public health perspective. "Although it is not as bad as the yellow fever mosquito, it has the potential to introduce diseases."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jme">Journal of Medical Entomology</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;

Asian tiger mosquito has established itself in Illinois

A disease-carrying mosquito that made its way from the tropical...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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