Young aspen trees in Yellowstone are doing something they have not done in almost 100 years. Rather than sprouting and being eaten back to nubs by elk and bison, they're actually growing into tall, adult forest trees rising up towards the canopy.



This matters more than it might seem, because it shows what happens when a missing piece of an ecosystem returns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yellowstone-aspens-and-elk">Yellowstone, aspens, and elk</h2>



In the 1920s, people <a href="https://www.yellowstone.org/wolf-project/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eliminated wolves in Yellowstone</a>. At the time, with limited scientific knowledge, managers believed it was the right thing to do.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/from-wolves-to-dogs-did-domestication-begin-without-human-help/">Without wolves</a>, elk herds grew very large. Elk love to eat aspen shoots - the tender young growth is highly palatable to them.



For roughly 70 years, elk browsed aspen sprouts down to stub height, and the trees couldn't grow. 



If you had walked through Yellowstone in the 1980s, you would have seen many tiny aspen shoots covering the ground, but almost no young trees gaining height. 



The forest's regeneration was stalled. Old trees died, and no new ones replaced them.



In 1995 and 1996, park managers reintroduced wolves into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-study-sparks-new-debate-on-where-and-when-it-will-erupt/">Yellowstone Park ecosystem</a>. Scientists hoped and wondered whether this would change anything for the trees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-aspen-matter-to-yellowstone">Why aspen matter to Yellowstone</h2>



Aspen groves provide habitat for many species. Birds nest in them. Beavers eat the bark and use the wood for dams. Butterflies and moths lay eggs on the leaves. 



Their canopy admits enough light for wildflowers and shrubs to grow beneath. When it rains, aspen groves hold water in the soil better than some other forest types.



In short, when aspen return, dozens of other species benefit. More trees support more insects, which in turn support more birds, enriching the ecosystem.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-checking-the-trees-three-decades-later">Checking the trees three decades later</h2>



<a href="https://fwcs.oregonstate.edu/users/luke-painter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke Painter</a>, an ecologist at <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a>, sought clear answers. His team returned to 87 aspen stands across Yellowstone that scientists had previously surveyed. 



They measured thousands of young trees, looked for bite marks, and counted how many stems were tall enough that elk could no longer reach the tips.



About a third of these stands now have many tall young aspens pushing toward the canopy. 



"About 26 of the 87 aspen stands we examined had large numbers of tall saplings throughout, a remarkable change from the 1990s when surveys found none at all," Painter said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-wolves-matter-to-yellowstone-aspens">Why wolves matter to Yellowstone aspens</h2>



Breaking it all down, the conclusions of this study are pretty simple. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolves-move-pups-across-mountains-to-adapt-to-climate-pressure/">Wolves hunt elk</a>. When wolves came back, two things happened. First, elk numbers declined from unusually high levels. Second, elk changed their behavior. They spent less time in the same areas feeding.



With fewer elk and shorter feeding bouts, more aspen shoots survived long enough to exceed the browsing zone - about six to seven feet high. 



Once a sapling reaches that height, elk cannot easily reach the growing tip. The tree continues to grow.



"The reintroduction of large carnivores has initiated a recovery process that had been shut down for decades," Painter explained.



Scientists call this a <a href="https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/trophic-cascades-across-diverse-plant-ecosystems-80060347/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trophic cascade</a> - when adding or removing one species causes changes that ripple through the whole system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-places-recover-others-don-t">Some places recover, others don't</h2>



Unfortunately, not every aspen stand has recovered yet. Some valleys still have many short, heavily browsed shoots, because it's not only elk eating them anymore. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstones-iconic-bison-have-merged-into-a-single-herd/">Bison herds have grown</a>, and bison browse on aspen as well. They are strong enough to break young trees. 



"Increasing numbers of bison may be emerging as a new constraint to aspen in some areas," Painter confirmed.



Additionally, winter snow depth varies; droughts stress trees; bears and mountain lions also hunt elk; and hunting outside the park influences elk distribution. 



All of these factors interact, which is why some sites show strong recovery, others show moderate recovery, and a few have changed very little.



The key pattern is that places with many tall saplings experience little browsing, and aspen groves that remain popular eating grounds today stay short. 



This fact is the strongest indication that tree recovery is linked directly to wolf presence, not solely to weather or soil conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-proof-in-the-measurements">Proof in the measurements</h2>



Painter's team did not rely on casual observation. They used the same methods as earlier researchers, measuring the same plots. 



They counted recruitment - when young trees surpass browsing height and begin progressing toward maturity. This measure is crucial. Sprouts are insufficient if they never grow; without recruitment, the forest cannot replace itself.



The results are robust. After being stalled for most of a century, Yellowstone's aspens are increasing in height. In recovering stands today, you will see saplings - six, eight, or ten feet tall - that were not present in the 1990s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-yellowstone-s-aspens">The future of Yellowstone's aspens</h2>



"This is a remarkable case of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-viruses-found-in-yellowstones-hot-springs-may-be-near-the-root-of-all-life-on-earth/">ecological restoration</a>," Painter concluded. "Wolf reintroduction is yielding long-term ecological changes contributing to increased biodiversity and habitat diversity."



Trees grow slowly, so even with wolves restored, it will take decades for these young aspens to form a full-grown forest. 



Some areas might never fully recover if bison numbers continue to rise or if the climate becomes too hot and dry.



Thanks to the work of Painter and his team, scientists are now certain that restoring the Yellowstone predator has restarted aspen forest regeneration. Not everywhere and not perfectly, but enough to be measured, creating hope for the future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112725004499?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest Ecology and Management</a>.



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Yellowstone's aspen trees are growing again thanks to the reintroduction of wolves

Young aspen trees in Yellowstone are doing something they have not done in almost 100 years. Rather than sprouting and being eaten back to nubs by elk and bison, they're actually growing into tall, adult forest trees rising up towards the canopy. This matters more than it might seem, because it shows what happens when a missing piece of an ecosystem returns. Yellowstone, aspens, and elk In the 1920s, people eliminated wolves in Yellowstone. At the time, with limited scientific knowledge, managers believed it was the right...

Earth’s glaciers are shrinking, and current climate pledges are not enough to stop this. A new international study warns that even if today’s promises hold, glaciers could lose 76% of their 2020 mass.



This extent of glacier loss would come with severe consequences - a 9-inch rise in sea levels, disrupted ecosystems, and an increase in the frequency of natural hazards.



The temperature rise associated with the current pledges could push global averages to as much as 4.9 degrees Fahrenheit (2.7 degrees Centigrade) above preindustrial levels.



Alaska, which is home to the third-largest glacier mass outside of Greenland and Antarctica, would lose 69% of its glaciers under these conditions.



The research comes from a team led by scientists from the <a href="https://www.uaf.edu/uaf/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Alaska Fairbanks</a> Geophysical Institute and the University of Oslo.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glaciers-remember-climate-change">Glaciers remember climate change</h2>



“This is the whole point: When you stop <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alpine-glaciers-will-lose-half-of-their-volume-by-2050/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a>, glaciers don’t stop losing mass,” said Professor Regine Hock, a co-author of the study. 



“Glaciers have a memory. They continue losing mass for tens, hundreds, or even thousands of years until they retreat to high elevations where it’s colder.”



This study takes a new approach. Previous research typically stopped at the year 2100. But glaciers don't follow calendars. Instead of an arbitrary end date, this study estimates how long it will take glaciers to reach equilibrium - the point at which gains from colder months balance losses from warmer months.



Scientists project that in Alaska, glaciers will reach this balance in about 330 years under the low-end <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/paris-agreement-which-countries-are-honoring-their-pledges/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paris Agreement</a> target of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Centigrade) warming.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wordwide-effort-to-understate-glaciers">Wordwide effort to understate glaciers</h2>



Hock emphasized the scale of the effort behind the research. "This is not a single study by one researcher; it’s an internationally coordinated effort. It was four years and brought together the entire community to work on global glacier modeling.”



The team included 21 scientists from 10 countries, using eight different glacier models. They focused on more than 200,000 glaciers, excluding the vast ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica. 



Scientists assumed constant temperatures for thousands of years in each scenario to give a clearer picture of the long-term future of glaciers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-warming-levels-change-the-story">How warming levels change the story</h2>



The researchers looked at various levels of warming. Even if temperatures stay at the current 2.1 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 degrees Centigrade) above preindustrial levels, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glacier-melt-in-alaska-is-accelerating-at-an-alarming-rate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alaska</a> would still lose 37% of its glacier mass. 



As average temperatures rise in the coming years, scientists expect Alaska’s glaciers to lose more mass, predicting that a 7.2-degree Fahrenheit (4-degree Centigrade) increase will cause an 80% loss in glacier mass.



For the planet as a whole, glacier mass losses are projected to reach 39% at the Paris Agreement's lower average temperature increase target (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit or 1.5 degrees Centigrade). The predicted loss reaches a staggering 86% globally if the average temperature increase reaches 9 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Centigrade).



Scientists associate current <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emissions-gap-report-paris-pledges-are-not-enough-to-avoid-catastrophe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate pledges</a> - aiming to restrict average temperature rise to 4.9 degrees Fahrenheit (2.7 degrees Centigrade) - with a predicted 63% loss of glacier mass globally.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-every-degree-counts">Why every degree counts</h2>



"Our study makes it painfully clear that every fraction of a degree matters,” said Harry Zekollari from Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium. “The choices we make today will resonate for centuries, determining how much of our glaciers can be preserved.”



Lilian Schuster from the University of Innsbruck noted that glaciers are good indicators of climate change because their retreat allows us to see with our own eyes how climate is changing.



“However, since they adjust over longer timescales, their current size vastly understates the magnitude of climate change that has already happened. The situation for glaciers is actually far worse than visible in the mountains today," said Schuster.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-action-needed-to-save-glaciers">Action needed to save glaciers</h2>



The research highlights that glaciers are slow to respond to change, but once triggered, the losses are difficult to stop. Even ambitious efforts to limit <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5-degrees-celsius-would-save-billions-of-lives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming</a> won’t halt glacier retreat entirely - but they can slow it down.



If nations strengthen their climate commitments, they can limit glacier loss and mitigate the worst impacts on sea level rise and biodiversity. The choice is clear: reduce emissions now, or face centuries of rising seas and shrinking ice.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adu4675" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Current climate goals aren't enough to stop massive glacier losses

Earth’s glaciers are shrinking, and current climate pledges are not...

Many people searching for ways to manage unwanted pounds have turned to semaglutide, a medication that lowers blood sugar and reduces appetite by engaging certain chemical signals. Its track record includes helping patients cut back on daily calorie intake, but it sometimes brings issues such as nausea.



Recent research has uncovered a link between the activity of this weight loss drug and a small group of Adcyap1+ neurons in the dorsal vagal complex.



The study was led by Júlia Teixidor-Deulofeu, a doctoral researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy in the <a href="https://www.gu.se/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Gothenburg</a>, who explored how the affected neurons might alter <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-foods-promote-weight-loss-regardless-of-processing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food</a> cravings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-semaglutide-reduces-hunger">How semaglutide reduces hunger</h2>



One major class of weight-management drugs relies on <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-024-01931-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GLP-1R agonists</a>, which trigger signals in the body that keep hunger in check. These compounds are known for curbing appetite, though the precise pathways often vary from one individual to another.



Semaglutide falls under this umbrella, yet the exact neurons that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weight-loss-drugs-linked-to-unexpected-benefits-and-risks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">process</a> its signals were unclear. Laboratory teams focused on rodents to see which nerve clusters lit up after semaglutide entered the bloodstream.



The experts spotted a pattern in the dorsal vagal complex, where a specific subset of cells responded to the drug. Early <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28266779/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> hinted that removing these neurons dulled semaglutide’s effect on appetite, suggesting a direct role in regulating when and how much animals choose to eat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neuron-targeting-may-reduce-side-effects">Neuron targeting may reduce side effects</h2>



Scientists recognize that controlling weight should not come at the cost of overwhelming discomfort. 



Many people have reported digestive issues after taking semaglutide, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Any treatment that reduces these unpleasant side effects could make everyday life easier.



Investigators noticed that targeting neurons in the dorsal vagal complex might help the body burn more fat without affecting muscle integrity. This discovery raises hopes that certain nerve clusters can keep semaglutide’s metabolic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/want-to-lose-weight-try-eating-more-protein-and-fiber/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">benefits</a> while curbing unwanted symptoms.



“This suggests that these nerve cells control the beneficial effects of semaglutide. If we can target the treatment there, we may be able to maintain the positive effects while reducing side effects,” noted Teixidor-Deulofeu.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-semaglutide-may-influence-stress">How semaglutide may influence stress</h2>



The research highlighted potential shifts in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/corticosterone" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">corticosterone</a>, a hormone associated with stress. Hormonal fluctuations may reflect how semaglutide’s signals reach different hubs in the brain, which can influence both anxiety and energy balance.



Deciphering these overlaps is essential for clinicians working with individuals who are sensitive to stress-related changes. 



The ultimate objective is to isolate the health advantages of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weight-loss-drugs-could-save-an-enormous-number-of-lives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weight</a> loss drugs while avoiding biological pathways that trigger unnecessary stress responses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-potential-medical-uses">Other potential medical uses</h2>



Semaglutide is also under investigation for potential applications beyond weight loss and diabetes control. Recent <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6027455/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> have started exploring whether this medication might help patients struggling with substance use disorders or even certain neurodegenerative diseases.



Early <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8820218/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> indicates semaglutide could alter brain signals involved in reward and motivation pathways, which play key roles in addiction behaviors. 



Researchers suggest that understanding exactly how semaglutide affects these brain circuits could eventually lead to broader therapeutic options for conditions that are currently difficult to manage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-safer-use-of-semaglutide">Safer use of semaglutide </h2>



Worldwide, many people with <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/about/about-type-2-diabetes.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">type 2 diabetes</a> or obesity have been prescribed semaglutide, and <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> report notable decreases in body mass. Medical professionals want to refine such medicines so users can sustain improvements without living in fear of side effects.



This study’s focus on pinpointing nerve clusters in the dorsal vagal complex suggests that the medication’s key influence may hinge on specific cellular signaling. 



Experts continue to examine how fine-tuning these interactions could spark a new era of patient-tailored prescriptions that cut back on fatigue, stomach problems, or other issues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-the-weight-loss-drug">Improving the weight loss drug</h2>



Translating these laboratory findings into everyday practice requires cooperation between scientists, clinicians, and patients. Each group plays a part in testing new formulations, tracking real-world outcomes, and finding safer ways to manage weight while preserving quality of life.



Long-term monitoring can also reveal whether the identified neurons respond differently over months or years of treatment with the weight loss drug.



Such data might direct dosing schedules or therapy combinations, enabling people to enjoy greater flexibility in weight management without constantly worrying about adverse effects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-targeting-neurons-in-future-therapies">Targeting neurons in future therapies</h2>



Experts agree that long-lasting success in weight management depends on treatments that do not add unnecessary burdens. No one wants to trade extra pounds for daily nausea, diarrhea, or a persistent sense of unease.



By highlighting how certain neurons shape the overall experience of using semaglutide, this work points to the possibility of a more precise approach. 



The study also demonstrates that the human body’s regulatory network can sometimes be traced to very focused cells whose actions have wide-ranging effects.



The findings suggest that nerve cells in the dorsal vagal complex may guide semaglutide’s positive outcomes. The hope is that future therapies will capitalize on this insight to yield weight reduction and metabolic health with fewer limitations.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550413125002566" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell Metabolism</a>.



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Secrets of a popular weight loss drug are finally revealed

Many people searching for ways to manage unwanted pounds have...

Climate change research often paints a grim picture. Rising temperatures, vanishing forests, and escalating carbon dioxide (CO2) levels dominate headlines. But new research published in the journal Science offers a reason for cautious optimism. 



An international team of scientists has uncovered findings that could change how we understand tree responses to warming temperatures.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-trees-decide-between-growing-and-breathing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trees</a> play a huge role in managing Earth's CO2 levels. They absorb carbon during photosynthesis and release some of it back through respiration. 



It has long been assumed that as the climate warms, tree respiration and the resulting CO2 emissions would sharply increase. That increase would then add more carbon to the atmosphere and fuel more warming.



This cycle, known as a positive climate feedback, has been a key concern for climate scientists. But according to a global study led by experts at <a href="https://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tsinghua University</a>, trees may not release as much carbon as we once feared.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-trees-release-carbon">How trees release carbon</h2>



The study focuses on a specific type of carbon release: the respiration from tree stems. When trees grow, they use energy, and this process emits carbon dioxide. While photosynthesis captures CO2, respiration does the opposite. 



Understanding this balance is essential to predicting how ecosystems respond to climate change.



Scientists have believed that warmer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-are-losing-the-battle-against-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climates</a> would naturally speed up respiration. That belief was based on short-term experiments, where researchers exposed plants to heat and recorded quick increases in CO2 emissions. These tests, though useful, do not reveal how trees behave over years or decades of warming.



"This is likely true, but this latest research reveals that carbon fluxes under warmer future climates will not increase as much as currently thought," said Professor Ian Wright of <a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Western Sydney University</a>, co-author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-trees-adapt-to-warming">How trees adapt to warming</h2>



To dig deeper, the team built a dataset of thousands of stem respiration measurements from hundreds of tree species. The trees came from all major climate zones: tropical, temperate, arid, and boreal. 



The data included samples from Australian savannas, woodlands, and rainforests collected over the past decade by Professor Wright’s team.



This vast dataset allowed the researchers to test how tree respiration changes not just during sudden heat but over long periods. The results suggest that trees adapt to higher temperatures in ways that slow down CO2 release.



"Short-term, temperature-driven <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-have-unique-fungi-partnerships-that-help-them-survive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">changes</a> in plant respiration rates are measured in seconds, minutes and hours. Due to the quick-acting enzymatic processes in plant tissues, the changes in plant respiration are very fast, and predictable," explained Professor Wright.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trees-release-carbon-differently">Trees release carbon differently</h2>



Professor Wright pointed out that long-term changes behave differently. Plants may quickly ramp up CO2 release in hot weather, but this response does not last forever.



"This contrasts with the long-term, temperature-driven changes in respiration rates that are measured in months, years and decades. Most global ecosystem models in the past have assumed that the same short-term behavior in plants also applies over a longer time period, but this is not the case,” said Professor Wright.



"We now know that thermal acclimation over long timescales will dampen the positive feedbacks between climate warming and carbon emissions from plants."



Thermal acclimation refers to the process where plants adjust their internal systems to handle rising temperatures. This ability could be a hidden strength in forests worldwide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-climate-models-for-better">Changing climate models for better</h2>



The research could ultimately reshape climate modeling. Existing global models often assume that tree respiration continues to rise sharply with temperature. That assumption might now be too simplistic. With better data on long-term plant responses, climate scientists can update their predictions.



The study’s lead authors, Dr. Han Wang and Han Zhang from Tsinghua University, noted that only recently has the global scientific community had enough consistent data to challenge the old assumptions.



The team's research has caught the attention of top vegetation modelers. Professor Sandy Harrison from the <a href="https://www.reading.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Reading</a> believes the implications are broad.



"These findings give scientists a new approach for assessing the degree to which ecosystems around the globe can slow the rate of warming," said Professor Harrison.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trees-may-naturally-limit-carbon-emissions">Trees may naturally limit carbon emissions</h2>



The potential for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-new-trees-brings-hope-for-healthier-babies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees</a> to adjust and regulate their CO2 release adds a layer of resilience to Earth’s systems. Although humans continue to emit carbon at alarming rates, nature may not always respond in a way that intensifies the damage.



Professor Wright highlighted the practical importance of these results, especially in a world already experiencing frequent climate disruptions.



"We're already seeing that play out both here in Australia and around the world. However, these new findings suggest that, to some extent, ecosystems globally will slow the trends in one key driver of these changes, elevated atmospheric CO2," he said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-data-reshapes-carbon-forecasts">New data reshapes carbon forecasts</h2>



The research on trees and carbon brings cautious hope. It does not cancel out climate risks. However, it shows that ecosystems might absorb some shocks more gently than expected. 



With new data, improved models, and a clearer picture of plant behavior, scientists can build better forecasts and solutions.



Nature’s processes are complex. Trees do not simply react, they adjust. This long-term adjustment could be one of the quiet forces helping the planet endure in the face of climate change.



Other institutions involved in the study include <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imperial College London</a> and <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Berkeley</a>. For background on climate-carbon feedbacks, visit the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IPCC Working Group I</a> report.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr9978" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Climate models may overestimate how much carbon trees release

Climate change research often paints a grim picture. Rising temperatures,...

Africa’s farmland often faces unwelcome visitors that gnaw through crops and leave misery behind. Many people have blamed all snakes for causing trouble, but new findings paint a different picture. 



A recent study highlights how puff adders play a major part in controlling rodents that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insecticides-may-be-helping-weeds-thrive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">damage crops</a>. The research was led by Professor Graham Alexander of the <a href="https://www.wits.ac.za" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of the Witwatersrand</a> in Johannesburg.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-puff-adders-are-useful-not-harmful">Puff adders are useful, not harmful</h2>



Puff adders (<a href="https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Bitis_arietans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitis arietans</a>) are found across large parts of sub-Saharan Africa. They move slowly, stay well-hidden, and have long been overlooked by farmers who worry about venomous bites.



They often wait motionless for prey to wander close. This approach has gained attention among scientists who see it as a strategic advantage in tackling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eco-friendly-pest-control-this-simple-cinnamon-trick-keeps-mice-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rodents</a>.



“Puff adders are essentially nature’s perfect rodent control system,” said Professor Alexander. He examined how these snakes help farmers reduce crop losses by limiting rodent outbreaks.



Many rodent populations skyrocket after rainfall. These small mammals then devour anything in sight. Professor Alexander’s study documents how puff adders adjust <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pest-control-product-nemaslug-could-harm-beneficial-snails/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">feeding</a> in response.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-puff-adders-reduce-rodent-plagues">Puff adders reduce rodent plagues</h2>



Rodent infestations can destroy large portions of harvests. Farmers often invest in traps or chemical deterrents, which can be costly. Puff adders present a way to manage <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beneficial-insects-are-severely-impacted-by-air-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pests</a> without expensive inputs.



Professor Alexander found that a single puff adder can down several rodents in a single meal. This provides continuous protection at no financial burden to the farmer.



“They can consume multiple animals when outbreaks occur,” said Alexander. He discovered that each snake has the capacity to eat up to ten small rodents in one sitting.



A week later, they might be ready to eat again. This natural routine keeps rodent numbers in check, which reduces the chance of plagues that can harm entire regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-snakes-vs-mammals-who-eats-more">Snakes vs. mammals: Who eats more?</h2>



While a puff adder can increase its food intake up to 12 times its normal level, mammalian predators don’t come close. For instance, least weasels and <a href="https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/A073?" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lynx</a> only manage to raise <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1890/0012-9658%281998%29079%5B1193%3AFROCAL%5D2.0.CO%3B2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consumption</a> by about threefold during prey surges.



This difference isn’t just academic. When rodents boom, predators that can eat more make a much bigger dent in the problem. Puff adders’ ability to eat frequently makes them more effective than mammals during critical windows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-endurance-of-puff-adders">Extreme endurance of puff adders </h2>



“What’s particularly valuable about puff adders is their natural abundance in many African habitats,” said Professor Alexander. These snakes exist in higher densities than most mammalian predators, which magnifies their impact on rodent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rats-are-spreading-a-deadly-disease-across-cities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">populations</a>.



They hide among grass and scrub, and they stick around as long as they find food. Even if rodents temporarily vanish, the snakes survive on very little for long stretches.



Puff adders can survive for astonishing lengths of time without eating. After a period of heavy feeding, some individuals in the study were estimated to fast for nearly two years before their weight returned to normal levels.



This extreme endurance is due to their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/ectotherm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ectothermic</a> biology and low energy needs. It means puff adders remain in the ecosystem as a kind of “standby” predator, ready to jump back into action when rodent numbers rise again.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecosystem-health-and-crop-productivity">Ecosystem health and crop productivity</h2>



Agricultural communities often face tight budgets. They juggle soil management, irrigation, and day-to-day operations. Puff adders require no special feed or care to keep them around.



This snake-based solution saves money and promotes ecological balance. It spares many farmers from spraying chemicals that can harm other wildlife in the area.



“By protecting these natural controllers, we can harness their remarkable abilities to support both ecosystem health and agricultural productivity across Africa. This also highlights the need to have snakes included in conservation management plans,” said Professor Alexander.



Yet many people remain wary because these vipers are ectothermic, meaning they depend on external heat sources to regulate body temperature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treating-puff-adders-as-allies">Treating puff adders as allies</h2>



Puff adders still pose some risk to humans and livestock if cornered, so awareness campaigns are key. Educational outreach helps locals see these snakes as an ally, not a threat.



A small change in attitude could lead to improved yields. More farmland owners are starting to see that puff adders provide a steady rodent management system. They do not roam widely or chase rodents across great distances.



They wait quietly, blending into the background. As rodents come too close, the snakes strike and remove the danger before it spreads.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-99550-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Nature's rodent control system: How puff adders protect crops

Africa’s farmland often faces unwelcome visitors that gnaw through crops...

When it comes to heart health, focusing on food quality may be more beneficial than cutting carbs or fats. A major new study that tracked nearly 200,000 people over several decades found that the quality of food - not just the type of diet - makes a big difference for the heart.



The study was led by researchers at the <a href="https://hsph.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a>. “We found that what you eat on low-carb or low-fat diets matters just as much as the diet itself,” said Zhiyuan Wu, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in Qi Sun's lab.



“Healthy versions of these diets - those rich in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-foods-promote-weight-loss-regardless-of-processing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant-based foods</a> and whole grains - were linked to better heart health outcomes and improved metabolic function. In contrast, low-carb and low-fat diets emphasizing unhealthy foods were associated with a higher risk of heart disease.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-quality-and-heart-health-outcomes">Food quality and heart health outcomes</h2>



The experts analyzed data from three large groups: 43,430 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986–2016), 64,164 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (1986–2018), and 92,189 women from the Nurses’ Health Study II (1991–2019). 



Over decades, the researchers tracked participants’ diets and recorded who developed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-diet-may-save-your-life-six-key-foods-lower-the-risk-of-heart-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heart disease</a>.



Participants filled out detailed questionnaires about their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poor-eating-habits-can-lead-to-lifelong-diseases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eating habits</a>. Based on the answers, the team assigned scores to indicate how healthy or unhealthy their food choices were within either a low-carbohydrate or low-fat framework.



The researchers classified foods based on nutrient quality. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes were considered high-quality. Meanwhile, foods like potatoes, refined grains, saturated fats, and animal-based proteins were classified as low-quality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diet-quality-and-metabolic-health">Diet quality and metabolic health</h2>



For over 10,000 participants, the researchers went a step further. They measured hundreds of blood metabolites to see how diet quality affected metabolic regulation. 



“This approach allowed us to better understand the biological effects of these diets and strengthened our findings,” said Wu.



The results were clear. Participants who stuck to healthy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/low-carb-diets-have-more-nutritional-value-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">low-carb</a> or low-fat diets had a lower risk of coronary heart disease. 



Those who followed unhealthy versions of these diets faced a higher risk. In fact, choosing high-quality foods lowered <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vitamin-b-paradox-supplement-linked-to-heart-disease-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heart disease risk</a> by about 15 percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-quality-tips-for-a-healthy-heart">Food quality tips for a healthy heart</h2>



“Our findings suggest that improving food quality is crucial for improving heart health,” said Wu. 



“Regardless of whether someone follows a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet, emphasizing whole, minimally processed and plant-based foods and limiting refined grain, sugar and animal foods, can significantly reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.”



For anyone looking to make healthier choices, the advice is straightforward. Add more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes to your meals. Cut back on processed meats, refined carbohydrates, and sugary snacks. 



Reading food labels can also help you spot hidden ingredients like added sugars in juices and packaged foods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-linking-diet-to-health-conditions">Linking diet to health conditions </h2>



The researchers aren’t stopping here. They plan to explore other factors that could influence the link between diet and heart health. 



The experts are interested in how genetics, lifestyle choices, and additional metabolic markers might shape these associations. They also want to see how these diets affect other health conditions like type 2 diabetes and cancer.



Understanding these connections could lead to more personalized dietary advice based on an individual’s unique health profile.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-on-food-quality-every-day">Focus on food quality every day</h2>



Although the study points out the long-term advantages of superior diets, adopting these changes is daunting in the beginning. The secret is to begin small. 



Replacing white rice with brown rice, opting for whole-grain bread over white, or including one additional serving of vegetables at supper can establish healthier habits incrementally.



Preplanned meals are another effective strategy. Creating a shopping list focused on whole foods can reduce impulse purchases of processed treats. 



Cooking at home more often puts more power in your hands when it comes to using ingredients, and it's easier to steer clear of hidden sugars and unhealthy fats.



Experts also suggest considering balance, not restriction. Rather than eliminating entire categories of foods, try to put half your plate of food towards fruits and vegetables, a quarter towards whole grains, and a quarter towards lean protein or legumes. 



Small, regular changes in the quality of food can lead to dramatic gains in heart health over the long term.



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Low-carb or low-fat? Food quality is more important for heart health

When it comes to heart health, focusing on food quality...

What if some of the ocean’s smallest currents turned out to be some of the most powerful forces shaping Earth’s climate? New research is finally giving scientists a detailed look at these elusive ocean features. 



The research was led by scientists from <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Texas A&amp;M University</a>, working in collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), and Caltech. 



The findings mark a major step forward for a $1 billion international mission that's been over 20 years in the making.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-hidden-power-of-ocean-eddies">The hidden power of ocean eddies</h2>



An eddy is like a giant whirlpool in the ocean. Imagine the swirling water you see behind a rock in a river. Now picture that on a massive scale. 



Some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-weather-is-affected-by-the-atmosphere-in-unexpected-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean eddies</a> stretch hundreds of kilometers and help move heat, nutrients, and energy around the planet. They play a vital role in weather, climate, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-extreme-weather-impact-marine-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine ecosystems</a>.



While larger eddies have been studied for years, smaller ones - known as submesoscale eddies - have remained largely invisible.



These eddies, which range from a few kilometers to about 100 kilometers wide, are difficult to detect. For scientists, they’ve been the missing pieces of the ocean's climate puzzle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-clear-view-of-small-ocean-currents">A clear view of small ocean currents </h2>



Using new data from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-launches-revolutionary-satellite-to-monitor-earths-water/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Surface Water and Ocean Topography</a> (SWOT) satellite, the team was finally able to capture a clear picture of these small, swirling currents.



“For the first time, we can directly observe small-scale ocean processes across the globe. And it turns out they are a lot stronger than we thought," said Jinbo Wang, associate professor in the Department of Oceanography at Texas A&amp;M University.



The SWOT satellite carries a Ka-band radar interferometer that measures tiny changes in sea surface height with millimeter precision. This technology has revealed swirling eddies and internal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-waves-can-get-much-bigger-taller-than-we-ever-imagined/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean waves</a> that had never been seen from space before.



“These smaller currents carry surprisingly large amounts of energy,” Wang explained. “They play a huge role in moving heat between the upper and deeper parts of the ocean and shaping how the ocean sustains its ecosystem and interacts with the atmosphere."



'That means they can influence <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-restructures-marine-food-webs-in-unexpected-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine food webs</a> and weather patterns, like how hurricanes form and where they go, or how events like El Niño and La Niña develop. These are not just ocean features - they connect directly to the climate systems that impact all of us.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-performance-of-swot">Surprising performance of SWOT</h2>



The satellite’s performance exceeded many scientists’ expectations. Although SWOT was designed to meet strict science requirements, there was uncertainty about whether it could detect such subtle changes.



“I was pessimistic about the expected outcome before the satellite launch,” Wang said. “But the satellite performed four times better than expected. That surprise is what made this breakthrough possible.”



With these high-quality observations, the researchers showed that small-scale motions - especially the spiral-shaped eddies and long internal solitary waves - are much stronger and more common than once thought. 



These movements mix warm and cold waters and move energy across vast distances, influencing ocean circulation, weather, and climate. The new data will help scientists refine their climate prediction models.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-teamwork-across-decades">Teamwork across decades</h2>



This research stems from the SWOT mission, a collaboration between NASA and CNES, with support from the U.K. and Canadian space agencies. It took over two decades of teamwork, testing, and innovation to reach this point.



“We’re building on work that started two decades ago,” said Dr. Shari Yvon-Lewis, head of the Texas A&amp;M Oceanography Department. “Many people who helped design this satellite and the science have since retired. It’s a tribute to long-term vision, teamwork and dedication.”



Beyond this project, Wang also leads a NASA Ocean AI working group that explores how artificial intelligence and machine learning can improve the analysis of satellite data and aid the design of future missions. He is already thinking about the next steps for satellite technology.



For now, having this work is a milestone to celebrate - and a reminder of how much more the ocean has to reveal. "This is just the beginning,” Wang said. “We finally have the tools to see what’s been hiding in plain sight.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08722-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Image Credit: NASA/JPL/SWOT/CNES



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Small ocean currents play a huge role in Earth's climate

What if some of the ocean’s smallest currents turned out...

Atoms are constantly on the move, sometimes in ways that seem impossible to fully tame. Many researchers have tried to calm this jiggling behavior in atoms, but it has remained a challenge.



A recent study has produced unexpected results. After years of refining methods, the research team has managed to make atomic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-quantum-gravity-discovery-leaps-one-step-closer-to-unified-theory-of-everything/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">motion</a> an advantage rather than a nuisance.



Manuel Endres, professor of physics at <a href="https://www.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Caltech</a>, is a co-author of the study. His team explores the delicate control of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43586-021-00021-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">optical tweezers</a>, which are devices made of laser light that pick up and move single atoms at will.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-controlling-motion-of-jiggling-atoms">Controlling motion of jiggling atoms</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-form-of-quantum-entanglement-discovered-will-transform-next-gen-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Quantum</a> machines depend on subtle interactions between <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42254-022-00552-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum systems</a> and their environments. These fragile interactions can be disturbed by thermal motion, which introduces randomness. 



Even tiny vibrations on the scale of billionths of an inch can throw delicate calculations off track.



Previous methods tried to freeze atoms in place. That approach worked to a degree, but background jitters still caused trouble. 



At times, laser-based cooling methods improved stability, yet the underlying motion never fully vanished.



Experiments recently showed that ordinary jiggling can encode data instead of ruining it. 



“We show that atomic motion, which is typically treated as a source of unwanted noise in quantum systems, can be turned into a strength,” said Adam Shaw, a co-lead author of the study.



Some consider this a big step for quantum computing, since storing data in motion may free up additional ways to process information.



The idea of using vibrations is not entirely new, but applying it to neutral atoms inside optical tweezers opens new possibilities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-optical-tweezers-the-basics">Understanding optical tweezers - the basics</h2>



Optical tweezers are an incredible tool that use focused laser beams to trap and manipulate tiny objects, down to the atomic level. 



By precisely adjusting the light’s intensity and position, scientists can move these microscopic particles without physically touching them. It’s like using a pair of invisible, light-powered fingers to hold something steady or guide it along a path. 



This technique opened up entirely new ways to study the behavior and mechanics of biological systems in real time.



What makes optical tweezers so fascinating is their versatility. Researchers use them to stretch DNA strands, measure the forces between molecules, and watch how proteins fold or unfold under stress. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-atoms-energy-and-shifting-motion">Atoms, energy, and shifting motion</h2>



The concept of erasure cooling transforms certain errors into removable pieces of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-computer-defeats-a-supercomputer-in-crucial-annealing-optimization-task/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">information</a>. 



Researchers measure an atom’s motion and quickly shift its state to reduce unwanted energy. This resembles <a href="https://webhomes.maths.ed.ac.uk/~v1ranick/papers/maxwell1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Clerk Maxwell’s demon</a>, a famous 19th-century thought experiment about selectively removing high-energy particles.



Test runs suggest it surpasses many established cooling techniques. Atoms slow down to a near standstill. From there, any chosen atom can be nudged into distinct motion states, adding a new layer of control.



Basic entanglement aligns one property of two distant particles. <a href="https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/controlling-quantum-motion-and-hyper-entanglement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hyper-entanglement</a> aligns two or more properties at once. Until now, this effect had primarily been demonstrated with <a href="https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsphotons" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photons</a>, which have no rest mass. 



The team managed to generate hyper-entangled states in <a href="https://people.bu.edu/alexserg/Entangled.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neutral atoms</a>, marking what they describe as the first instance of this phenomenon in particles with mass.&nbsp;These atoms show a linked state of motion and internal energy levels. 



If one atom moves in a particular way, the other mirrors that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-may-be-using-quantum-physics-for-migration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pattern</a>. At the same time, their electronic states also match up. This allows more information to be packed into fewer atoms.



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



Researchers hope that precise control of atomic motion leads to more efficient computations and expanded <a href="https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/07/25/quantum-simulation-explained-the-next-big-thing-in-advanced-computing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum simulation</a> work. 



Some see it broadening the path to more stable <a href="https://journals.aps.org/rmp/abstract/10.1103/RevModPhys.87.637" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atomic clocks</a> as well, which might one day redefine standards of time measurement.



By toggling between stationary and oscillatory states, these systems may perform tasks not feasible with older approaches. They also could handle corrections for data losses on the fly. 



Many groups worldwide are exploring related ideas, continuing the legacy of <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspa.1985.0070" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">controlling single atoms</a> for computing tasks.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-isolating-strontium-atoms">Isolating strontium atoms</h2>



Endres and his team used <a href="https://periodic-table.rsc.org/element/38/strontium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strontium atoms</a>, which have favorable properties for quantum experiments due to their long-lived electronic states. 



The atoms were isolated and manipulated with an impressive level of precision that allowed both motion and energy levels to be tuned and read with confidence.



The method relied on setting each atom into a <a href="https://scienceexchange.caltech.edu/topics/quantum-science-explained/quantum-superposition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">superposition</a> of two vibrational states. 



This means the atoms were not simply wobbling back and forth - they were in both motions at once, a feat that only occurs in the quantum world. This enabled them to build highly entangled states from the ground up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-uses-of-controlled-atomic-motion">Future uses of controlled atomic motion</h2>



Atoms in optical tweezers already serve as a key platform for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cells-may-use-quantum-rules-to-manage-energy-flow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum</a> studies. 



Taming motion at a level of around 100 nanometers (about 0.000004 inches) is a vital step. It shows how something as tiny and unpredictable as random shaking can become an asset.



Progress in this area may bring new methods of error correction. It could also unify electronic and vibrational states for bigger computational gains. 



Many watch this field closely for how it could blend physics, engineering, and computer science into new technologies.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn2618" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Hyper-entanglement achieved in jiggling atoms with mass for the first time ever

Atoms are constantly on the move, sometimes in ways that...

In the icy frontier of West Antarctica, sharp, fast-moving winds frequently race across the Amundsen Sea embayment. Known as low-level jets (LLJs), these winds have been largely overlooked until now. 



A new study reveals that the effects of low-level jets could be pivotal in shaping the future of the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers. These are two of the fastest melting ice bodies on the planet.



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.iitkgp.ac.in/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Indian Institute of Technology</a> and the British Antarctic Survey have brought these powerful winds into focus. Their findings offer fresh insight into the processes involved in Antarctica’s melting glaciers.



The melting of Thwaites, grimly nicknamed the "Doomsday Glacier," poses global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-are-intense-heat-waves-affecting-life-in-antarctica/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">risks</a> due to its potential to raise sea levels dramatically .



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-powerful-antarctic-wind-jets-discovered">Powerful Antarctic wind jets discovered</h2>



The team launched 22 radiosondes, which are sensor instruments that relay information using radio waves. These instruments were attached to weather balloons that were launched near the Amundsen coast in 2014.



The experts captured detailed wind and temperature data in the lower atmosphere. LLJs showed up in half of the profiles, and 10 of them blew in an offshore direction.



The jets varied widely, with speeds from 9 to 32 m/s (30 to 105 ft/s) and heights ranging from 80 to 800 meters (260 to 2,600) feet. They were mostly embedded in low-level temperature inversions, which are stable layers that trap cold air near the surface. These inversions enhance the power of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rapid-antarctic-sea-ice-loss-is-causing-severe-storms-around-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">winds</a>.



“We wanted to understand how often these LLJs happen and what causes them. These processes could potentially influence the rate at which Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers melt, and thus their contribution to sea-level rise,” explained Sai Prabala Swetha Chittella, the study’s lead author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-storms-make-antarctic-wind-jets-stronger-nbsp">Storms make Antarctic wind jets stronger&nbsp;</h2>



The study used the Polar WRF model, a high-resolution weather simulation tool. It replicated 8 of the 11 observed low-level jets and explained their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ozone-hole-may-fully-recover-by-2066/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">formation</a>.



One LLJ was driven purely by katabatic winds, which are cold, dense air movements that flow downhill. The other six resulted from these katabatic winds being intensified by nearby cyclones over the Bellingshausen Sea.



“The most important thing we found is that LLJs happen often in this part of Antarctica and are usually made stronger by passing storms,” noted Dr. Andrew Orr, a co-author from the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">British Antarctic Survey</a>.



In fact, CS4, the strongest observed LLJ, reached 32 m/s (105 ft/s) and extended over 150 kilometers (93 miles). It coincided with a deepening cyclone. This created intense southerly winds that enhanced the already present katabatic flow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wind-jets-change-snow-patterns">Wind jets change snow patterns</h2>



These Antarctic winds do more than just blow snow around. They may also shift sea ice, warm the ocean near the ice shelf base, and trigger melt from below. 



The Polar WRF simulations showed antarctic wind jet speeds as high as 24 m/s (79 ft/s) over the ice shelves and nearby ocean during peak LLJ events.



Over time, such strong winds could affect the transport of warm <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctica-ice-shelves-melting-faster-due-to-ocean-currents/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean</a> water under the ice shelves. That may worsen basal melting, the melting of ice from underneath. 



According to the study, even modest increases in snow sublimation or mixing from wind shear can significantly alter the glaciers' surface balance and long-term stability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-research-is-needed">Further research is needed</h2>



“We plan to continue our investigation of these extreme winds over this region of West Antarctica, including focusing on winter, when they are likely to be even more stronger and more frequent,” said Dr. Pranab Deb, another co-author.



Winter LLJs may be more intense due to stronger katabatic flows, though fewer cyclones pass through the Amundsen Sea during that season. 



The researchers suggest building a seasonal climatology of LLJs to predict their long-term impacts more accurately.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antarctic-winds-and-sea-level-rise">Antarctic winds and sea-level rise</h2>



This study provides important insight into how Antarctica’s glaciers are changing. Scientists often focus on warm ocean water melting ice from below, but this research shows that strong winds above the ice also matter a lot.



These winds, especially when intensified by storm systems, can push snow around, expose ice to sunlight, or even carry warmer air that speeds up melting. Some of these winds also help move relatively warm ocean water underneath the glaciers, which may increase melting from below.



By combining knowledge of wind patterns and ocean behavior, researchers now have a better understanding of how these forces work together. This helps them predict how fast glaciers like Thwaites and Pine Island might collapse and how much sea levels could rise as a consequence.



The key takeaway is that climate scientists must look at both what’s under the ice and what’s happening in the air above it. Both are deeply connected and affect our global future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00376-025-4398-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advances in Atmospheric Sciences</a>.



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Powerful winds known as "low-level jets" discovered near Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier

In the icy frontier of West Antarctica, sharp, fast-moving winds...

Singing to a baby isn’t just a way to pass the time - it can have real benefits for your infant’s mood. Many parents find themselves humming a tune or softly singing a lullaby without even thinking. 



Across cultures, singing to babies seems to come naturally. New research confirms that this simple habit could be doing more than just entertaining your little one - it could be improving their overall well-being.



Scientists at <a href="https://medicine.yale.edu/childstudy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yale University’s Child Study Center</a> recently explored this idea in a study published in the journal Child Development. 



Their work shows that singing is not only easy and accessible, but also a powerful tool for boosting infant mood. Importantly, a happier baby can mean better quality of life for the entire family.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-singing-as-therapy-for-babies">Singing as therapy for babies</h2>



“Singing is something that anyone can do, and most families are already doing,” said Eun Cho, a postdoctoral researcher and co-first author of the study. “We show that this simple practice can lead to real health benefits for babies.”



Rather than focusing on complicated or costly interventions, the researchers wanted to look at something simple and practical. 



“We don’t always need to be focusing on expensive, complicated interventions when there are others that are just as effective and easy to adopt,” added Lidya Yurdum, a PhD student at the University of Amsterdam and co-first author, who is also affiliated with Yale’s Child Study Center.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-singing-changed-the-routine">How singing changed the routine</h2>



The team studied 110 parents and their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/talking-to-babies-in-parentese-boosts-their-language-development/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">babies</a>, most under four months old. Parents were divided into two groups. 



One group was given tools to increase the time they spent singing - new songs, karaoke-style instructional videos, baby-friendly songbooks, and weekly newsletters packed with ideas for weaving <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-hear-far-more-speech-at-home-than-music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">music</a> into everyday life.



For four weeks, parents answered daily surveys on their smartphones. The surveys asked about their baby’s mood, fussiness, how much time they spent soothing their baby, their own mood, and how often they used music with their child.



The results were clear. Parents sang more often, and not because they were told when or how to sing. “When you ask parents to sing more and provide them with very basic tools to help them in that journey, it’s something that comes very naturally to them,” said Yurdum.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parents-naturally-turn-to-singing">Parents naturally turn to singing </h2>



Samuel Mehr is an adjunct associate professor at the Child Study Center and director of The Music Lab.



Interestingly, parents gravitated toward singing when their babies were fussy. "We didn't say to parents, 'We think you should sing to your baby when she's fussy,' but that's what they did," said Mehr.



"<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-report-excess-burnout-due-to-unrealistic-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Parents</a> intuitively gravitate toward music as a tool for managing infants' emotions, because they quickly learn how effective singing is at calming a fussy baby."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-happier-babies-healthier-families">Happier babies, healthier families</h2>



The impact was not just immediate. Babies whose parents sang more often were generally rated as having better moods overall. It wasn’t just that music soothed a crying baby in the moment - the general <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-has-the-power-to-change-the-mood-of-our-memories/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mood</a> of the infants improved over the weeks.



While the study did not find a significant effect on parents’ moods in the short term, Mehr noted a potential ripple effect. 



"Every parent knows that the mood of an infant affects everyone around that infant," said Mehr. "If improvements to infant mood persist over time, they may well generalize to other health outcomes."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-research-on-singing-to-babies">Further research on singing to babies</h2>



The researchers believe this might be just the beginning. Yurdum pointed out that even before the study, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teens-with-supportive-families-are-more-likely-to-be-kind/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">families</a> involved were already fairly musical. 



“Despite that, and despite only four weeks of the intervention, we saw benefits. That suggests that the strength of singing to your babies would likely be even stronger in a family that does not already rely on music as a way of soothing their infants,” said Yurdum.



The Child Study Center team has launched a follow-up project called “Together We Grow.” This new study will look at the effects of singing over a longer period - eight months - and examine whether music can have broader benefits like improved sleep or reduced parental stress and postpartum depression.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-universal-phenomenon">A universal phenomenon </h2>



Music has always had a special place in human culture, and previous research from The Music Lab shows that infant-directed music is a universal phenomenon. Humans can even recognize whether a song is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-dancing-and-singing-lullabies-to-babies-are-not-innate-human-behaviors/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lullaby</a> or a dance song in unfamiliar languages and cultures.



Mehr believes that these findings are tied to a fundamental role of music in human communication. 



"Our understanding of the evolutionary functions of music points to a role of music in communication," he said. "Parents send babies a clear signal in their lullabies: I'm close by, I hear you, I'm looking out for you - so things can't be all that bad."



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdev.14246">Child Development</a>.



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Singing to babies is a powerful way to boost their mood

Singing to a baby isn’t just a way to pass...

Coral reefs are on the brink of extinction, but the crisis often goes unnoticed. World Reef Awareness Day, marked each year on June 1, urges us to pay attention and take action. 



Reefs may lie hidden below the surface, but their importance touches every shore. They feed us, protect our coasts, power industries, and support countless <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-offer-new-ways-to-monitor-coral-reef-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine species</a>. 



Would Reef Awareness Day urges individuals, communities, and companies to unite and protect our fragile reef systems before it's too late.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-reefs-survived-millions-of-years">Coral reefs survived millions of years</h2>



Corals are ancient. Scientists believe they first appeared over 500 million years ago. These sea creatures began as simple, solitary organisms. Over time, they transformed into vast reef systems. Their history is marked by struggle and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reefs-may-not-adapt-quickly-enough-to-survive-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resilience</a>.



The Ordovician-Silurian extinction wiped out many early corals. Later, in the Devonian period, new coral forms emerged. Stony corals, which are essential for reef-building, appeared but remained rare. 



Around 350 million years ago, fluctuating sea levels caused corals to vanish again. A hundred million years passed before they returned, only to be devastated during the Permian-Triassic extinction. This event eliminated more than 90 percent of marine life.



Still, corals kept coming back. About 46 million years ago, they reappeared before a final disappearance during the mid-Eocene. Then came their modern form - vibrant reefs like the Great Barrier Reef, discovered in 1770 by British explorer Captain James Cook.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reef-crisis-needs-urgent-awareness">Reef crisis needs urgent awareness</h2>



Today, coral reefs face a new kind of extinction. And this time, the threat is us. Since the 1980s, scientists have documented massive bleaching <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-artificial-light-can-boost-coral-reef-recovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a>. These happen when ocean temperatures rise. Corals lose the algae that give them color and life. If temperatures stay high, they die.



The <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Barrier Reef</a> has lost more than half of its corals since 1995. In 2016, El Niño and global warming destroyed one third of its coral. 



Pollution, including toxic sunscreens and plastic waste, adds further damage. Even tourism contributes. Careless contact and overcrowding put stress on reef ecosystems.



As the reefs suffer, marine life disappears with them. Fish, turtles, mollusks, and countless others rely on coral habitats. Without reefs, entire food chains collapse. And so does a major source of food and income for millions of people.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-coral-reefs-protect-us">How coral reefs protect us</h2>



Reefs are not just pretty underwater structures. They are vital to life. Coral reefs act as natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breaks-in-ancient-coral-growth-reveal-earths-climate-past/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">barriers</a>, shielding coastlines from storms and erosion. They also support fishing industries and feed over a billion people worldwide.



Coral reefs help more than sea life. They help people stay healthy too. Some reef creatures make chemicals that fight germs. These are now used in medicines for infections. 



Scientists are also checking reef animals for clues to treat cancer and brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. If reefs disappear, we may lose cures we haven't even found yet.



Reefs also help keep our oceans clear. They filter out particles and maintain water quality. Coral reefs do not survive in muddy or polluted water, so their presence indicates healthy oceans. When we protect reefs, we also preserve the balance of marine ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-joining-world-reef-awareness-day">Joining World Reef Awareness Day</h2>



World Reef Awareness Day is more than just information. It is about action. Simple efforts matter. You can start by organizing or joining a local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/restored-coral-reefs-can-bounce-back-in-just-four-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beach</a> cleanup. Trash on land often ends up in the ocean, harming marine life.



Curious to see a reef up close? Take a virtual dive from your screen. Online tours let you explore coral reefs without leaving home. It feels like you're underwater with the fish. It shows what’s at risk and brings you closer to ocean life.



Even personal care can make a difference. Many sunscreens contain chemicals like oxybenzone, which harm corals. On June 1, try making your own reef-safe sunblock. One homemade recipe uses coconut oil, olive oil, beeswax, and non-nano zinc oxide. It is gentle on your skin and on sea life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-great-barrier-reef-needs-global-awareness">Great Barrier Reef needs global awareness</h2>



People call the Great Barrier Reef the biggest living thing on Earth. It’s larger than some countries and even visible from space. More than 1,500 marine species live there. Rare animals like humpback whales, loggerhead turtles, and green sea turtles visit it. It’s also one of the seven natural wonders of the world.



But the Great Barrier Reef is disappearing. Coral bleaching, climate change, and ocean acidification continue to damage this once-thriving ecosystem. More than a million people visit the reef each year, but tourism must evolve to protect rather than exploit.



For example, volunteer programs now let people dive with purpose. They train divers to help with reef monitoring and restoration. By getting involved, visitors can contribute to saving what they came to see.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-our-future-depends-on-reef-health">Our future depends on reef health</h2>



Why should we care about World Reef Awareness Day? Because coral reefs do more than look beautiful. They feed over a billion creatures, including people. They help keep coastlines safe and oceans full of life.



Celebrating this day reminds us of our responsibility. It also offers hope. Communities worldwide are finding ways to restore reefs, from artificial reef structures to marine protected areas. Every effort, no matter how small, builds toward resilience.



This June 1, take a moment to care. Learn about reef conservation. Support reef-friendly policies. Share the story with someone new. Every voice counts in this global movement to keep coral reefs alive, for us and for generations yet to come.



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World Reef Awareness Day 2025: Bringing corals back to life

Coral reefs are on the brink of extinction, but the...

Cannabis has been deeply intertwined with human civilization for over 10,000 years. It has served many purposes - from producing textiles and food to providing medicinal oils.



Although most people today associate cannabis with its psychoactive compound <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-relieves-anxiety-without-the-risks-that-come-with-thc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">THC</a> (tetrahydrocannabinol), its historical significance extends far beyond recreational use. 



Despite its long-standing importance, cannabis has remained one of the least developed crops, largely due to a century of legal restrictions. Recent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-legalization-does-not-increase-youth-substance-abuse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">legislative changes</a> in the United States, passed in 2014 and 2018, have revived interest in cannabis cultivation.



Now, scientists from the <a href="https://www.salk.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Salk Institute</a>, in collaboration with Oregon CBD, Oregon State University, and the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology, have created the most detailed genetic atlas of cannabis to date. The findings open the door to new possibilities in agriculture, medicine, and industry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-and-its-untapped-strengths">Cannabis and its untapped strengths</h2>



Cannabis sativa, also known as hemp, is a flowering plant originally from Asia. It stands out for its ability to produce strong fibers and for generating high quantities of cannabinoids - compounds with medicinal properties. 



Researchers and innovators believe cannabis derivatives could one day rival canola or soybean oils and even offer a sustainable alternative to jet fuel.



Cannabis is remarkable for its chemical productivity. It can produce more than 30% of its dry weight in terpenes and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabinoids-as-pesticides-study-reveals-potential-of-hemp-compounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabinoids</a>. Terpenes are responsible for the aromas in many fruits and flowers, while cannabinoids, such as CBD (cannabidiol) and THC, interact with the human body to offer therapeutic benefits. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-cannabis-treatments">Potential cannabis treatments</h2>



CBD gained widespread attention when the "Charlotte's Web" strain helped treat epileptic seizures, broadening the public's perception of cannabis. 



More than 100 other cannabinoids, still poorly studied, are thought to hold promise for treating ailments like pain, arthritis, nausea, depression, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chemical-found-in-cannabis-plants-can-actually-reduce-cannabis-induced-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anxiety</a>.



Yet, the effects of selective breeding on cannabis’s genetic diversity have long been a mystery. Understanding its genome has been a significant challenge. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sequencing-cannabis-genomes">Sequencing cannabis genomes</h2>



Cannabis is a dioecious plant - meaning male and female sexes are on separate plants - and its genome is filled with transposable elements, DNA sequences that can move around and complicate genetic analysis.



To unlock cannabis’s secrets, the researchers used a process called sequencing to map its DNA. Traditional sequencing methods, known as short-read sequencing, break the DNA into small fragments for study. 



However, new long-read sequencing technologies can capture much larger stretches of DNA at once, providing a clearer picture of complex and repetitive regions.



“There are limits to what you can discover with short-read sequencing technologies, since those short genetic excerpts are impossible to stitch together in any meaningful way when looking at complex regions of the genome, especially repetitive DNA sequences,” noted Lillian Padgitt-Cobb, a postdoctoral researcher involved in the study. 



"We’re among the first to harness this long-read technology at scale in the pangenome context, and with that comes all these insights into structural variation and gene ordering that can inform end-game decisions about breeding favorable traits into cannabis plants.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extraordinary-amount-of-genetic-variation">Extraordinary amount of genetic variation </h2>



The Salk team’s work is not the first to apply long-read sequencing to cannabis. In 2018, one of the researchers generated the first chromosome-level genome of cannabis, shedding light on where cannabinoids are synthesized and the genetics behind the Charlotte’s Web strain. 



However, the new project goes much further. It includes 193 different cannabis genomes, making it the most comprehensive cannabis pangenome yet. 



This is also the first study to include sex chromosomes and to achieve what is called haplotype resolution - the decoding of both sets of chromosomes in the plant, inherited separately from male and female parents.



By studying both chromosome sets, the team revealed an extraordinary amount of genetic variation, possibly up to 20 times greater than what is seen in humans. 



“With this haplotype resolution,” Padgitt-Cobb explains, “we can look at what was inherited from just one of the parent plants and start to understand the breeding and background of that plant.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-differences-in-cannabis-strains">Genetic differences in cannabis strains</h2>



The researchers gathered genomes from 144 cannabis plants worldwide. Collectively, these formed the cannabis pangenome, providing an unprecedented view of the plant’s genetic diversity.



The detailed analysis uncovered surprising patterns. About 23% of genes were found in every genome, while 55% were nearly universal. Another 21% were moderately common, and less than 1% were unique. 



Genes involved in cannabinoid production were among the most consistent, showing up across nearly all genomes.



Other genes, particularly those involved in fatty acid metabolism, growth, and defense, varied more widely. These genes could be critical for future breeding efforts, helping to create cannabis plants that are more resilient and nutritionally valuable. 



The team also found that variations in fatty acid biosynthesis are linked to the production of tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), a lesser-known cannabinoid gaining attention for its non-psychoactive, energizing effects.



When it came to cannabinoid genes, researchers noticed that two genes - THCAS and CBDAS - are likely under strong selective pressure from human-directed breeding. 



Interestingly, these genes are located within transposable elements, suggesting that selective breeding has driven even more genetic variation by targeting these “jumping” regions of DNA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-avenues-for-agriculture-and-medicine">New avenues for agriculture and medicine</h2>



The research team found exciting new targets for improving cannabis crops. By comparing European and Asian genomes, they suggest that an undiscovered wild relative of cannabis may exist somewhere in Asia. This plant could possess valuable traits for breeding hardier, more resilient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-production-may-soon-get-a-major-boost/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis strains</a>.



Another important discovery lies in the cannabis sex chromosomes. The team found that male plants contain unique genes not present in feminized plants. 



In modern breeding, "feminization" techniques are used to induce female plants to produce male flowers, bypassing the Y chromosome entirely. However, this practice might be overlooking important genetic diversity.



“Over the last 10 years, breeders have already done a decent job of getting yields up and making cannabis an economically viable crop,” said Ryan Lynch, a postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the study.



“Once there’s market interest there, paired with these new insights into cannabis genomes that can guide breeding efforts, I can see <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabinoids-as-pesticides-study-reveals-potential-of-hemp-compounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hemp</a> and hemp oils really booming in both human health and industry applications.”



In the near future, the researchers hope that this new pangenome will serve as a valuable resource for scientists and farmers. With better information about the plant’s DNA, cannabis can be improved for more uses - fiber, seed oil, medicine - and brought into a new era of innovation.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09065-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Scientists reveal the most complete cannabis genome yet

Cannabis has been deeply intertwined with human civilization for over...

In many parts of Europe, poverty and loneliness create an unrelenting ache, both emotionally and physically. A new investigation suggests that poverty may be a major reason these struggles persist.



Researchers found that about half of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/billions-of-people-cant-afford-healthy-food-despite-not-being-poor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lower-income</a> adults reported loneliness in the past week, compared with 15% of those earning more. These insights come from work led by Arran Davis, a scientist at the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-poverty-and-loneliness-team-up">How poverty and loneliness team up</h2>



When individuals lack funds, life can feel like a maze with no exit. <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4006295/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stress</a> from housing insecurity or unpaid bills can heighten feelings of anxiety that morph into an even heavier emotional burden.



Experts say that being lonely can compound these hardships, leading to a “defensive symptom cluster of pain, fatigue, and low mood.” This cluster likely emerged through evolutionary processes that prioritize protection in times of perceived threat.



Earlier <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4240051/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> have shown that those with fewer financial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-who-were-born-into-poverty-struggle-to-control-their-emotions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resources</a> are especially at risk for these issues. That risk may climb further when emotional support from friends or family feels distant.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-socializing-doesn-t-stop-loneliness">Socializing doesn’t stop loneliness</h2>



Many assume that if people meet with friends or relatives often, they must feel supported. But the study found that individuals in poverty were not socializing any less than wealthier groups.



That means a person can attend gatherings every night yet still feel isolated inside. <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Researchers</a> see loneliness as more about the quality of those interactions and the sense of belonging they provide.



Feeling disconnected in spite of regular meetups may explain why economic pressures can make loneliness even tougher to overcome. People with limited funds may struggle to believe in the reliability of their social <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poverty-impacts-brain-development-in-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">support</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-poverty-loneliness-and-physical-stress">Poverty, loneliness, and physical stress</h2>



The research team identified a notable gap in well-being between those who felt lonely and those who did not, with the difference most pronounced among the lowest earners.



This group was more likely to report severe versions of that symptom cluster, including painful body aches, deep fatigue, and persistent low mood.



Roughly 30% of lonely individuals from the poorest group faced extremely high scores on these symptoms, whereas only 2% of non-lonely high earners showed similar challenges. This gap in well-being is also documented in the official publication by Davis and colleagues.



“The relationship between poverty and poor health is well established, and previous research suggests that loneliness may be as bad for you as smoking. Our study shows that for people who are both on low incomes and lonely the health costs are particularly marked,” concluded Dr. Davis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-science-links-loneliness-to-poor-health">Science links loneliness to poor health</h2>



Researchers across the globe have linked <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11752480/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">social isolation</a> to higher levels of inflammation and other harmful biological changes that can wear down physical well-being.³ This can spark a cascade of pain, exhaustion, and depressed mood if left unaddressed.



Medical professionals emphasize that strong social ties may protect against these risks. They believe such connections could provide emotional support, practical help, and a sense of belonging that eases mental strain.



Loneliness, on the other hand, might heighten the body’s sense of danger, especially for people living paycheck to paycheck. That constant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psychological-poverty-greatly-impacts-decision-making/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">state</a> of alarm could explain why they experience more pain and lower energy overall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-support-and-policy-can-help">How support and policy can help</h2>



Some health advocates suggest that public policies should aim to reinforce local social networks, especially in poorer neighborhoods. They argue that group events, community centers, and mental health services might soften the blow of loneliness among financially struggling residents.



Improving housing, education, and employment opportunities is another strategy that can address the root causes of both isolation and financial hardship. Greater efforts to reduce inequality could help more individuals find both stability and genuine connection.



As Dr. Davis notes, practical interventions that target social bonding could carry extra weight where resources are already scarce. Initiatives that build trust and collaboration may ultimately boost emotional well-being, along with physical health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-the-effects-poverty-and-loneliness">Measuring the effects poverty and loneliness </h2>



Researchers admit that tracking pain, fatigue, and mood isn’t straightforward. The symptom cluster used in this study wasn’t based on a standard clinical tool but instead relied on general survey questions.



Some of these questions, such as those about pain over the past year, may not reflect day-to-day suffering. Because of this, the true burden of emotional and physical distress could be even higher than the data suggest.



All these points shed light on a deeper truth: meaningful social connection involves more than just meeting up with others. For many people on tight budgets, a caring community might be their best defense against the persistent wear and tear of loneliness.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350625001209" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Public Health</a>.



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Poverty-linked loneliness causes real physical and emotional pain

In many parts of Europe, poverty and loneliness create an...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



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



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



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Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.



Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.



The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.



Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."



This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.



Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet Archaeopteris: the first modern tree</h2>



The star of this ancient forest is Archaeopteris – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.



William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.



Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified Eospermatopteris, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.



All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-significance">Scientific significance</h2>



Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.



Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."



The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.



Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.



Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.



These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.



The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" 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.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" 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.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&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> Staff Writer 



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.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" 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 the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://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...

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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