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...

Ozone layer collapse caused a mass extinction event . At the end of the Devonian period 360 miilion years ago, a large number of plants and aquatic species were wiped out by a mass extinction event. 

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a> have now discovered that the Late Devonian extinction resulted from a breakdown of Earth's ozone layer that exposed the planet to damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation. 

This is the first time that a mass extinction event has been linked to the erosion of the ozone layer, and has important implications for the global climate changes that are taking place today. 

In the history of life on Earth, there were five mass extinctions. Three of these major events, including the Great Dying 252 million years ago, were caused by massive volcanic eruptions that destabilized the atmosphere and oceans.

Another mass extinction event 66 million years ago was triggered when an asteroid struck the Earth. Enormous amounts of sulphur and other gases were released into the upper atmosphere where they blocked the sun and triggered a nuclear winter that killed 75 percent of all life on the planet, including the dinosaurs. 

In the current study, researchers have found evidence to suggest that high levels of UV radiation were responsible for the Late Devonian extinction. 

The ozone breakdown occurred as the climate rapidly warmed following an intense ice age. The experts said that Earth could reach comparable temperatures today, possibly triggering a similar extinction event. 

The team analyzed rock samples from polar regions in East Greenland and from the Tropical Andes in South America. This enabled the researchers to compare the impacts of the Late Devonian extinction close to the pole and close to the equator.

A microscopic analysis of the rocks revealed that many of the spores had formed spines on their surface, which is a response to UV radiation damage to DNA. In addition, many spores had dark pigmented walls that may have served as a protective shield against elevated UV levels.

The experts concluded that during a period of rapid global warming, the ozone layer collapsed for a short period and exposed Earth to harmful levels of UV radiation. This led to widespread extinctions on land and in shallow water at the end of the Devonian period.

Study lead researcher Professor John Marshall of the University of Southampton is a National Geographic Explorer.

"Our ozone shield vanished for a short time in this ancient period, coinciding with a brief and quick warming of the Earth," said Professor Marshall.

"Our ozone layer is naturally in a state of flux - constantly being created and lost - and we have shown this happened in the past too, without a catalyst such as a continental scale volcanic eruption."

"Current estimates suggest we will reach similar global temperatures to those of 360 million years ago, with the possibility that a similar collapse of the ozone layer could occur again, exposing surface and shallow sea life to deadly radiation." 

"This would move us from the current state of climate change, to a climate emergency."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Ozone layer collapse caused a mass extinction event 

Ozone layer collapse caused a mass extinction event . At...

Rising ocean temperatures not only threaten coral <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/resilient-coral-reefs-north/">reefs</a> with heat stress and bleaching, but also with damage from intense cyclones. 

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/">Australian Institute of Marine Science</a> (AIMS), experts have discovered that strong cyclones can harm coral reefs as far as 1,000 kilometers away from their paths.

Study co-author Dr. James Gilmour said the research illustrates the complexity and severity of the threats that reefs are now facing.

"Coral reef communities around the world are under increasing threat from a range of stressors, and we must understand which parts of the reef should be the focus of conservation efforts," said Dr. Gilmour.

"In particular, it is the combination of cyclones with exposure to rising water temperatures that is the most significant emerging threat to reefs globally."

Conventional models assume that strong cyclone winds and waves impact coral reefs within 100 kilometers of their track.

To investigate, a team of researchers led by Dr. Marji Puotinen set out to examine Scott Reef off the northwestern coast of Australia. The reef was impacted by Cyclone Lua, a slow-moving storm that developed in 2012.

The study revealed that the most intense cyclone winds did not come any closer than within 500 kilometers of the reef. On the other hand, the reef was battered with waves that were four to 20 meters high for three and a half days.

In the areas that sustained the most damage, Scott Reef lost 50 percent of its massive Porites corals and nearly all of its fragile branching Acropora coral species. 

The researchers observed similar damage on a reef about 300 kilometers away. Computer simulations indicated that waves were intensified up to 1,000 kilometers away from the path of Cyclone Lua.

"This example demonstrates that if we assume damage from all cyclones occurs within a 100 kilometer radius of a cyclone's track, we will underestimate the spatial extent for big, strong cyclones by up to 10 times," said Dr. Puotinen. "This could lead to making unfortunate choices when trying to prioritize conservation targets."

Dr. Puotinen explained that estimates of wave damage from cyclones involve highly complex calculations because they change constantly - varying in strength, size, and speed over time. Storms that move more slowly produce the biggest waves and the highest winds over the largest area.

"Coral reefs have been living with cyclones for millions of years. But recovery after a big battering is a slow process, which can take a decade or more. This means that many coral reefs around the world will not have time to fully regrow before the next cyclone hits."

Some climate change models predict that the total number of cyclones will not increase during any given time period. According to Dr. Puotinen, however, this is not necessarily good news for vulnerable reefs.

"Changes in the atmosphere mean it will be harder for cyclones to form in the first place, but warmer ocean water, which fuels their intensity, means it will be easier for them to strengthen once they do," said Dr. Puotine.

She hopes that the findings will help to improve reef management and conservation strategies.

"When deciding where on the Great Barrier Reef, for instance, to invest millions of dollars to repair or enhance reefs, you don't want to select a location likely to be regularly battered by cyclone waves."

"Our research should make it easier for reef managers to choose between candidate reefs."

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;

Cyclones impact coral reefs 1,000 kilometers away

Rising ocean temperatures not only threaten coral reefs with heat...

By copying the proteins that keep plants and animals from freezing in cold conditions, researchers at <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">UC Boulder</a> have developed a way to minimize freeze-thaw damage in concrete <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/engineers-are-improving-the-resilience-of-civil-infrastructure/">infrastructure</a>.

The experts demonstrated that a synthetic molecule which mimics compounds found in Arctic and Antarctic organisms can be added to concrete as a "natural antifreeze." 

The research has the potential to greatly improve the strength and durability of concrete infrastructure while reducing carbon emissions over its lifetime. 

The study also challenges more than 70 years of conventional approaches in mitigating frost damage in concrete.

"No one thinks about concrete as a high-tech material," said study co-author Professor Wil Srubar III. "But it's a lot more high-tech than one might think." 

"In the face of climate change, it is critical to pay attention to not only how we manufacture concrete and other construction materials that emit a lot of carbon dioxide in their production, but also how we ensure the long-term resilience of those materials."

Since the 1930s, small air bubbles have been mixed into concrete to protect it from water and ice crystal damage. This way, any water that seeps into the concrete has room to expand when it freezes.

This process, however, makes concrete more permeable and compromises some of its strength. For example, the concrete is more vulnerable to degradation by road salts and chemicals that can leach into the air bubbles. 

"While you're solving one problem, you're actually exacerbating another problem," said Professor Srubar.

In the United States, billions of dollars are spent each year to prevent damage in aging infrastructure. The antifreeze molecule could dramatically reduce costs.

Testing has already shown that concrete made with the new molecule in place of air bubbles has equivalent performance, improved strength, lower permeability, and a longer lifespan.

The team has patented their method, and Professor Srubar hopes it will enter the commercial market in the next 5 to 10 years.

Concrete is one of the most consumed materials on Earth - second only to water. Currently,  two tons per person are manufactured each year. According to Professor Srubar, this amount of concrete is equivalent to a New York City being built every 35 days for at least the next 32 years.

"Its manufacture, use and disposal have significant environmental consequences. The production of cement alone, the powder that we use to make concrete, is responsible for about 8 percent of our global CO2 emissions."

Climate change itself will worsen the strain on concrete and aging infrastructure, with increased freeze and thaw cycles occurring more often in many regions.

"The infrastructure which is designed today will be facing different climatic conditions in the future," said Professor Srubar. "In the coming decades, materials will be tested in a way they've never been before. So the concrete that we do make needs to last."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-physical-science/home">Cell Reports Physical 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;

"Natural antifreeze" could revolutionize the future of concrete 

By copying the proteins that keep plants and animals from...

Global warming is changing where birds breed. Global warming is shifting the behavior of migratory <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/why-do-some-birds-develop-so-much-faster-than-others/">birds</a> in the eastern regions of North America. Researchers have discovered that the breeding range of some birds is shrinking, while for others this range is expanding. 

A research team led by Professor Clark Rushing at Utah State University's <a href="https://qcnr.usu.edu/">Quinney College of Natural Resources</a> set out to investigate how climate change has affected where birds breed. 

In collaboration with experts at the U.S. Geological Survey, the team analyzed data from the Breeding Bird Survey. 

"Thousands of devoted volunteers, cooperators, and a joint U.S.-Canadian wildlife management team have contributed to the success of the surveys for the last 54 years," said study co-author Andy Royle, a USGS senior scientist. 

"The Breeding Bird Survey is fundamental to our understanding and management of wild bird populations in North America."

Survey data was combined with computer models to reveal breeding range shifts for 32 species of birds found in eastern North America. 

According to the study, birds that both breed and winter in North America are extending their ranges north where warming temperatures have created new, suitable places to breed. 

The findings indicate that bird species such as Carolina wrens and red-bellied woodpeckers will be able to adapt to future climate change.

On the other hand, some birds have breeding ranges that are dwindling. Neotropical migratory birds breed in North America during the summer and migrate to the Caribbean, Central America, and South America for the winter. 

Neotropical migrants include warblers, orioles, flycatchers, and other species that birdwatchers look forward to spotting in the spring. The researchers found that Neotropical birds are not expanding north, yet their suitable southern range is shrinking.

Over the past five decades,  Neotropical bird populations have decreased by about 2.5 billion individuals. 

"There's a real risk that, if these declines continue at their current pace, many species could face extinction within this century," said Professor Rushing. "Neotropical migrants are vulnerable to future climate change, putting them at risk of greater declines."

While it would seem the birds would simply extend their range a bit farther north, the researchers suspect that conditions where the birds are wintering may not provide them with enough food and energy reserves. Many Neotropical habitats in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America are being degraded. 

"That's just one explanation," said Professor Rushing, "and it highlights how little we know and how much more research is needed."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of 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;

Global warming is changing where birds breed

Global warming is changing where birds breed. Global warming is...

A team of researchers at <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/">Tel Aviv University</a> has examined evidence of persistent ear infections in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/worldwide-decline-of-insects-is-a-threat-to-the-environment/">humans</a> 15,000 years ago. The study was focused on the skull remains of humans who lived in the Levant, the eastern Mediterranean region of Southwest Asia.

Before antibiotics became available in the 20th century, ear infections developed into chronic conditions that often caused permanent hearing loss or even death.

"Our research seeks to determine the impact of our environment on illnesses in different periods," explained study lead author Dr. Hila May of Tel Aviv University. 

"Using advanced technologies and unique methods developed in our lab, we have been able to detect signs of prolonged inflammation in the middle ear."

"A prolonged ear infection would cause permanent damage to the bony wall of the middle ear, which is preserved into adulthood. When we sought to investigate changes in communal health over time in our region, we chose to focus on ear infections, developing a special method for doing so."

The researchers inserted a tiny camera mounted on the end of a flexible tube through the skull's ear canal to the middle ear. They also performed high-resolution micro-CT scans to examine the bony walls of the middle ear with a light microscope.

The experts noted a decline in the rate of ear infections after the Levant population shifted from hunting and gathering to farming.

The team also found that ear infections reemerged and peaked among a sedentary population that lived in the region about 6,000 years ago during the Chalcolithic period.

Dr. May explained that the rate of ear infections was driven by both social and environmental factors. 

"We know from archaeological excavations of this period, similar to preceding periods, that people lived in a communal area where all activities, from cooking to raising livestock, took place. As a result, the population density in the 'home' was high, hygiene was poor and they suffered from indoor air pollution," said Dr. May.

"Two other factors known about this period - dietary change, the advent of dairy consumption; and climate change, a dip in temperature and a rise in rainfall - also contributed to the prevalence of ear infections."

The study revealed that as living conditions improved, severe ear infections became less prevalent. 

"Houses were larger and featured several rooms, including separate areas for specific activities, i.e. the kitchen was set up in a separate room or outside, and livestock were kept in a separate area."

"Our study deals with the impact of the environment and social behavior on morbidity rates. To explore this, we examined a common disease that has accompanied humanity since inception - the ear infection."

Dr. May explained that understanding how diseases appear, spread and disappear throughout human history can help prevent and cure modern illnesses. 

"The study clearly points out risk factors and shows how lifestyle changes can affect the incidence of the disease."

"In both ear infections and COVID-19, social distancing and adherence to hygiene reduced the spread of infection, while close quarters and unhygienic living conditions saw infections spike."

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10991212">International Journal of Osteoarchaeology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Ear infections detected in 15,000-year-old human skulls

A team of researchers at Tel Aviv University has examined...

To stop deforestation, we must first understand humans. A research team led by the <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/">International Institute for Applied Systems</a> has determined that despite years of hard work and widespread negotiations, efforts to stop deforestation are not working. 

The experts are calling for an entirely new approach that will  address the real issue that is driving deforestation - the complexities of human <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-explore-the-basis-of-animal-decision-making/">decision-making</a>.

According to the researchers, reforestation and forest conservation efforts would have much greater potential if we understood more about human values and why we make certain choices. 

National, international, public, and corporate initiatives to reverse the trend of deforestation have multiplied in recent years. 

However, the IIASA team found no clear evidence to suggest that these initiatives are actually working. The study revealed that targets are being missed and trends of deforestation have persisted.

Last year, both Nestlé and Procter &amp; Gamble announced that they would fail to meet their self-imposed targets for zero deforestation. 

Meanwhile, 10 percent of the countries involved in the Bonn Challenge have set unattainable reforestation goals that involve more land than they have available.

The researchers noted that there has also been a surge of deforestation in Brazil during the COVID-19 crisis. In all of the cases mentioned, the driving force lies in human decision-making.

In order to get back on track, the researchers emphasize the need for a better understanding of how individuals view the world and make decisions.

The fact that human agency has been largely overlooked in decisions about forest transitions may explain why negotiations and commitments often fail or prove ineffective.

The study authors explained that the assumption everyone must share a common goal needs to be thrown out. 

Instead, specially designed board games could be used to help stakeholders and decision makers "align forces" despite their opposing values and worldviews. 

These types of games have been proven to help people overcome biases and resolve deadlocks in the past. 

The researchers hope that negotiators at major international talks, such as the COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the COP26 of the UN Climate Change Conference, will also be willing to participate.

Study lead author Claude Garcia is an ecologist at the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD).

"We have been talking for a quarter of a century, and we are nowhere close to reversing the current trends. Maybe it's time to try something new," said Garcia.

The proposed games are designed to help participants become aware of their outlooks and decision-making processes to identify goals that are compatible with other parties. 

This method was particularly successful in 2018 when a psychological game was used to end two years of deadlock over forest landscape management in the Congo Basin.

Study co-author Stephan Pietsch is a researcher in the IIASA Ecosystems Services and Management Program.

"Currently, all our models neglect this human agency. While we may be able to elicit worst pathways and advise policy accordingly, we fail to predict a future that has not happened so far," said Pietsch.

"To include this human agency with its adaptive behavior, changing views, and decision criteria into our models is the logical next step." 

"Instead of just avoiding the worst case scenario, this approach will enable a better understanding on how to shape and style the Anthropocene ensuring a better future for all."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/one-earth/home">One Earth</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

To stop deforestation, we must first understand humans

To stop deforestation, we must first understand humans. A research...

The Chicxulub <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dust-asteroid-ice-age/">asteroid</a> that crashed into the Earth 66 million years ago struck the planet at the deadliest possible angle, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a>. 

Simulations of the event show that the asteroid hit at an angle of about 60 degrees. This trajectory maximized the amount of sulphur and other hazardous gases that were released into the upper atmosphere. 

The researchers estimated that at an angle of 60 degrees, the asteroid impact would have stirred up billions of tons of sulphur. 

The enormous gas cloud completely blocked out the sun, which gave rise to the nuclear winter that killed 75 percent of life on Earth, including the dinosaurs.

"For the dinosaurs, the worst-case scenario is exactly what happened. The asteroid strike unleashed an incredible amount of climate-changing gases into the atmosphere, triggering a chain of events that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. This was likely worsened by the fact that it struck at one of the deadliest possible angles," explained lead researcher Professor Gareth Collins.

"Our simulations provide compelling evidence that the asteroid struck at a steep angle, perhaps 60 degrees above the horizon, and approached its target from the north-east." 

"We know that this was among the worst-case scenarios for the lethality on impact, because it put more hazardous debris into the upper atmosphere and scattered it everywhere - the very thing that led to a nuclear winter."

The Imperial team created the first-ever 3D models to reproduce the entire event, from the asteroid's initial impact to the final stage of the Chicxulub crater formation.

Located in present-day Mexico, the Chicxulub crater is surrounded by porous carbonate and evaporite rocks. When disturbed by the asteroid impact, these rocks released massive amounts of carbon dioxide, sulphur, and water vapor into the air.

The researchers analyzed the shape and structure of the 125-mile-wide Chicxulub crater and used this geophysical data in their simulations to help calculate the angle at which the asteroid struck. 

The 3D Chicxulub simulations reconstructed the crater formation in unprecedented detail.

"Despite being buried beneath nearly a kilometer of sedimentary rocks, it is remarkable that geophysical data reveals so much about the crater structure - enough to describe the direction and angle of the impact," said study co-author Dr. Auriol Rae of the University of Freiburg.

The researchers noted that while the study provides important insights into the Chicxulub impact, it also helps us understand how large craters form on other planets.

"Large craters like Chicxulub are formed in a matter of minutes, and involve a spectacular rebound of rock beneath the crater. Our findings could help advance our understanding of how this rebound can be used to diagnose details of the impacting asteroid," said study co-author Dr Thomas Davison.

The research 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;

Chicxulub asteroid struck at deadliest possible angle

The Chicxulub asteroid that crashed into the Earth 66 million...

Researchers at the <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk/">University of Warwick</a> have discovered how the body responds to fasting to induce <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/alternate-day-fasting/">autophagy</a>. This process promotes enormous health benefits on a cellular level, including weight loss.

The study has major implications for the development of new treatments to help people who struggle with obesity. 

The obesity epidemic has grown rapidly across America over the last two decades, jumping from a rate of 30 percent in 2000 to 42 percent by 2019. In the UK, it is estimated that more than half the population will be obese by the year 2050. 

While some people are genetically predisposed to obesity, the condition is primarily caused by adjustable lifestyle factors such as sedentary behavior and high-calorie diets.

Many people turn to calorie restriction and fasting diets to maintain a healthy weight. 

In response to fasting, cells go into preservation mode and launch a process known as autophagy, where genes are switched on to clean out old, unnecessary material and proteins that build up inside of cells.

Beyond cell renewal, autophagy genes have been linked to incredible health benefits including weight loss, lower heart disease risk, longevity, and tumor prevention. 

In the Warwick study, researchers led by Professor Ioannis Nezis identified the proteins that are required to switch on autophagy and its cellular recycling pathway.

The team found that three proteins - Sequoia, YL-1, and Sir2 - recruit the autophagy-related protein Atg8a in the cell nucleus to control the transcription of autophagy genes. 

The study is the first to uncover a nuclear role of the cytoplasmic protein Atg8a.

"Understanding the molecular mechanisms of activation of autophagy genes during fasting will help us to use interventions to activate the autophagic pathways to maintain a normal body weight and promote healthy well-being," said Professor Nezis.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/home">Cell 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;

Cellular response to fasting may be key to promoting weight loss

Researchers at the University of Warwick have discovered how the...

Children do not always grow out of being picky eaters and many are set in their ways by the age of four, according to a new study from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a>. 

The researchers found that the more parents try to control and restrict the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/diets-better-environment-healthier/">diets</a> of children who have limited food preferences, the pickier they become. 

On the bright side, most children who are finicky eaters still manage to maintain a healthy weight during childhood. 

Study senior author Dr. Megan Pesch is a developmental behavioral pediatrician at Michigan Medicine C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.

"Picky eating is common during childhood and parents often hear that their children will eventually 'grow out of it.' But that's not always the case," said Dr. Pesch.

The researchers found that while fussy eaters have a lower body mass index, most are still in the healthy range and are not underweight. Furthermore, these children are less prone to becoming overweight or obese compared to more liberal eaters. 

"We still want parents to encourage varied diets at young ages, but our study suggests that they can take a less controlling approach," explained Dr. Pesch.

She added that more research is needed to better understand how limited food choices impact healthy weight gain and growth among children in the long term.

The study was focused on more than 300 mother-child pairs from low-income households over the course of four years. 

Family members reported on the children's eating habits, as well as the mothers' behaviors and attitudes about feeding, when the children were four, five, six, eight, and nine years old.

The study showed that picky eating habits remained stable from preschool to school-age, which indicates that attempts to expand food preferences may be most effective during toddler or preschool years. 

The pickiest eaters were often linked to moms who pressured the kids more into eating or avoiding certain foods. 

This finding confirms the results of a previous study from Michigan Medicine which revealed that pressuring children to eat foods they dislike does not lead to a well-rounded diet later in life or promote better health and development.

"We found that children who were pickier had mothers who reported more restriction of unhealthy foods and sweets," said Dr. Pesch. "These mothers of picky eaters may be trying to shape their children's preferences for more palatable and selective diets to be more healthful. But it may not always have the desired effect."

According to Dr. Pesch, it is not yet known if children who are picky eaters would have become even more selective if they did not receive higher levels of controlling feeding behaviors, and more research is needed to investigate. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/">Pediatrics</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;

Kids who are picky eaters don't always grow out of it

Children do not always grow out of being picky eaters...

A team of scientists led by the <a href="https://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter Medical School</a> has identified a faulty gene linked to dementia that doubles the risk of developing a severe case of <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/impacts-of-covid-19-are-visible-from-space/">COVID-19</a>.

Analyzing data from the UK Biobank, the researchers found that European ancestry participants who carry two faulty copies of the APOE gene have an elevated risk of dangerous COVID-19 infection.

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) is the most common gene associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

The Exeter study revealed that one in 36 people of European ancestry have two copies of the mutated APOE gene.

Carrying these gene mutations is known to increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's by up to 14 times, and also increases the risk of developing heart disease.

In the new study, the team linked the APOE faulty gene to double the risk of severe COVID-19, even among individuals who do not have Alzheimer's or heart disease.

"This is an exciting result because we might now be able to pinpoint how this faulty gene causes vulnerability to COVID-19. This could lead to new ideas for treatments," said study co-author Dr. Chia-Ling Kuo of the UConn School of Medicine.

"It's also important because it shows again that increasing disease risks that appear inevitable with aging might actually be due to specific biological differences, which could help us understand why some people stay active to age 100 and beyond, while others become disabled and die in their sixties."

The Exeter team had previously demonstrated that people with dementia are three times more likely to develop a serious case of COVID-19.

"Several studies have now shown that people with dementia are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19," said lead author Professor David Melzer. 

"This study suggests that this high risk may not simply be due to the effects of dementia, advancing age or frailty, or exposure to the virus in care homes."

"The effect could be partly due to this underlying genetic change, which puts them at risk for both COVID-19 and dementia."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology">Journal of Gerontology, Medical Sciences</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Dementia gene elevates risk of severe COVID-19

A team of scientists led by the University of Exeter...

As global <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/arctic-temperatures-rise-when-plants-stop-breathing/">temperatures</a> rise, plants and animals are forced to seek out more suitable living environments. According to a new study led by <a href="http://www.cnrs.fr/">CNRS</a> researcher Jonathan Lenoir, marine species are migrating about six times faster than terrestrial species.

The results add to growing concerns about the capacity of terrestrial organisms to adapt to the temperatures that are projected for later this century.

The experts analyzed the rate of changes in the distribution range of more than 12,000 plant and animal species based on isotherm shifts in latitude and altitude. 

Isotherms are invisible lines of constant or equal temperatures. The researchers discovered that under certain conditions, marine species can follow these invisible migration patterns toward the poles. 

The pressure of human activities such as fishing, aquaculture, and agriculture can speed up or slow down the movement of species toward more suitable conditions. 

"There is mounting evidence of species redistribution as climate warms. Yet, our knowledge of the coupling between species range shifts and isotherm shifts remains limited," wrote the study authors.  

"Despite a spatial imbalance towards the most developed regions of the Northern Hemisphere and a taxonomic bias towards the most charismatic animals and plants of the planet, data show that marine species are better at tracking isotherm shifts, and move towards the pole six times faster than terrestrial species." 

"More specifically, we find that marine species closely track shifting isotherms in warm and relatively undisturbed waters (for example, the Central Pacific Basin) or in cold waters subject to high human pressures."

The researchers explained that on land, human activities limit the ability of terrestrial species to track isotherm shifts in latitude, with some species shifting in the opposite direction of isotherms. 

"Along elevational gradients, species follow the direction of isotherm shifts but at a pace that is much slower than expected, especially in areas with warm climates," wrote the study authors.  

"Our results suggest that terrestrial species are lagging behind shifting isotherms more than marine species, which is probably related to the interplay between the wider thermal safety margin of terrestrial versus marine species and the more constrained physical environment for dispersal in terrestrial versus marine habitats."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</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 species adapt to warming faster than terrestrial species 

As global temperatures rise, plants and animals are forced to...

A new analysis has identified 29 genetic variants that are linked to problem <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/adolescent-drinking-liver-problems/">drinking</a>. The multi-institutional study, led by the <a href="https://medicine.yale.edu/">Yale University School of Medicine</a>, was focused on the genomes of 435,000 individuals with European ancestry. 

"The new data triple the number of known genetic risk loci associated with problematic alcohol use," said study senior author Professor Joel Gelernter.

The researchers analyzed the complete DNA sets, or genomes, of Europeans that were contained in four separate datasets. 

The experts looked for common genetic variants among individuals who met criteria for problematic alcohol use, such as a history of alcohol use disorder or alcohol use with medical consequences.  

Disorders associated with problem drinking are major contributors to a range of medical problems, including heart disease, liver disease, stroke, and certain cancers.

The Yale team pinpointed 19 independent genetic risk factors for problematic alcohol use that were previously unknown, and confirmed 10 known risk factors.

The data used in the meta-analysis included information on genetic risk factors for several psychiatric disorders. This made it possible for the researchers to examine genetic links between problematic drinking and disorders such as depression and anxiety.

The experts also determined that heritability of the genetic variants associated with problem drinking was reinforced in the brain and in regulatory regions of the genome that are conserved throughout evolution. 

The team used a technique called Mendelian randomization to investigate how one genetically influenced trait affects another genetically linked trait.

"This gives us ways to understand causal relations between problematic alcohol use traits such as psychiatric states, risk-taking behavior, and cognitive performance," said study lead author Hang Zhou.

Professor Gelernter said the findings of the research will ultimately help experts evaluate the risk for problematic alcohol use on an individual level.

The study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/neuro">Nature Neuroscience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Problem drinking linked to 29 genetic variants   

A new analysis has identified 29 genetic variants that are...

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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



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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



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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

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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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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



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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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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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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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



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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...