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...

Our bodies are finely tuned to time. From sleep patterns to hormone levels, internal clocks influenced by light regulate every cell. Now, scientists at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, have found that our immune system also tells time and works better during the daylight hours.



The study reveals that neutrophils - our most common white blood cells - have their own internal clock. This clock listens to daylight and responds by boosting immune strength. The work builds on previous findings but goes further to decode the genetic machinery linking light to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-lockdowns-weakened-our-immune-systems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">immunity</a>.



The implications are wide. From shift workers to those with chronic inflammation, this research could change how and when we treat infections. 



The discovery was led by Professor Christopher Hall, along with researchers from the <a href="https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Auckland</a>. The findings add new depth to the fast-growing field of chronobiology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discovering-the-immune-clock">Discovering the immune clock</h2>



To explore how light affects immunity, the scientists turned to zebrafish. These small freshwater fish share a surprising amount of genetic similarity with humans. 



More importantly, their transparent bodies allow researchers to observe immune cells live, under a microscope, without needing surgery or dyes.



“In earlier studies, we had observed that immune <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-deadly-molds-attack-the-immune-system-of-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">responses</a> peaked in the morning, during the fish’s early active phase,” said Hall. “We think this represents an evolutionary response such that during daylight hours the host is more active so more likely to encounter bacterial infections.”



Zebrafish became the perfect test subjects. Infections were introduced, light conditions were altered, and the activity of neutrophils - the first responders of our immune system - was tracked minute by minute. 



The results clearly showed that these cells were more aggressive and efficient during the day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-immune-cells-have-clocks">Immune cells have clocks </h2>



As it turns out, neutrophils do not simply respond passively to external cues. They contain their own circadian clock, driven by a core gene called&nbsp;per2. This gene senses daylight and activates a bacterial killing program inside the cell.



When the scientists removed or deactivated&nbsp;per2&nbsp;in zebrafish, the immune <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reprogramming-the-immune-system-to-attack-cancer-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">response</a> weakened. Even during the day, neutrophils in these mutants failed to control infections as effectively. Bacterial survival rates increased, and inflammation worsened.



Further investigation showed that when light was restored, per2 became active again. Its presence resulted in better bacterial clearance and stronger neutrophil behavior. 



The day-night cycle, therefore, was not just setting the rhythm of sleep or alertness, but directly influencing immune strength at the cellular level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-daylight-genes-help-immune-cells">Daylight genes help immune cells</h2>



But&nbsp;per2&nbsp;was only part of the picture. The real killing power of neutrophils comes from reactive oxygen species (ROS). These toxic molecules are used to break down invading bacteria. And the production of ROS relies on another gene:&nbsp;hmgb1a.



The researchers discovered that when per2 is active, it triggers higher expression of hmgb1a. This leads to greater ROS production and improved bacterial killing. When either <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/temperatures-impact-the-immune-system-of-wild-monkeys/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gene</a> is disrupted, neutrophils lose this power.



In fact, overexpressing per2 or hmgb1a rescued the immune response even in fish kept in constant darkness. 



This showed that the pathway could be activated genetically, independent of light, and offered possible targets for future drug development. The system was robust, precise, and deeply tied to environmental light cycles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-daylight-helps-immune-cells-fight">Daylight helps immune cells fight </h2>



While&nbsp;per2&nbsp;acted as the accelerator, another protein, Cry1a, functioned as a brake. Cry1a is known to repress the activity of the circadian clock. In the immune system, this repression turns into a reduction in neutrophil efficiency.



Mice and zebrafish with inactive Cry1a fought off infections more effectively. The absence of Cry1a allowed&nbsp;per2&nbsp;and&nbsp;hmgb1a&nbsp;to remain active longer, maintaining high ROS levels. This discovery led to a deeper understanding of how balance is maintained in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/computer-model-can-identify-tumor-fighting-immune-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">immune</a> timing.



To test these findings further, the team created zebrafish mutants that lacked both per2 and Cry1a. The double mutants behaved like the Cry1a-only mutants. In other words, per2 normally works by blocking Cry1a’s suppression of immune activity. 



The results show that, in this battle of clock proteins, light tips the scale in favor of the immune system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-presence-of-light-activated-proteins">Presence of light-activated proteins</h2>



The final layer of this mechanism lies in gene regulation. Neutrophils use a DNA region called CNS4 to turn on&nbsp;hmgb1a. This region includes docking points for two important proteins: BMAL1 and NF-κB. These proteins act like keys, unlocking&nbsp;hmgb1a&nbsp;only when the timing is right.



In the presence of light, BMAL1 binds strongly to CNS4. This primes the cell for infection response, making it more effective at producing ROS. If the CNS4 region is deleted or BMAL1 is blocked, neutrophils lose this ability. Their response weakens, and&nbsp;hmgb1a&nbsp;levels fall.



This region of DNA is highly conserved across vertebrates - from fish to birds to mammals. That suggests this light-controlled immune pathway is not just a zebrafish feature. 



It is a shared biological strategy, built through millions of years of evolution, to fight bacteria more effectively during times of activity.



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



“Given that neutrophils are the first immune cells to be recruited to sites of inflammation, our discovery has very broad implications for therapeutic benefit in many inflammatory diseases,” said Hall.



This knowledge might change how we treat infections. For example, drugs that target the circadian machinery of neutrophils could help those with compromised immune systems. Such treatments could be timed with daylight exposure to maximize their effect.



People working night shifts or suffering from jet lag might also benefit. Their disrupted light cycles could be weakening immune responses. Light-based therapies, or drugs that mimic&nbsp;per2&nbsp;activation, might restore balance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-how-we-fight-infections">Improving how we fight infections</h2>



“This finding paves the way for development of drugs that target the circadian clock in neutrophils to boost their ability to fight infections,” noted Hall.



The research was supported by the Royal Society of New Zealand’s Marsden Fund. Though done in zebrafish, the genetic pathways discovered - per2, Cry1a,&nbsp;hmgb1a, and CNS4 - are present in humans too.



Ongoing work now aims to unravel how light fine-tunes these molecular switches in more detail. By understanding the clockwork inside each neutrophil, scientists are moving closer to tailoring immunity by the hour. 



In the future, fighting infections might be as simple as switching on the lights - at just the right time.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.adn3080" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Immunology</a>.



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Daylight boosts the immune system's ability to fight infections

Our bodies are finely tuned to time. From sleep patterns...

Black holes may hold the key to one of space's most puzzling mysteries: ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. These particles - and various forms of radiation - constantly reach Earth. Some, like sunlight and radio waves, are familiar. Others are far more mysterious.



Among the lesser understood are ultra-high-energy cosmic rays - tiny particles, mostly atomic nuclei, traveling near the speed of light with staggering amounts of energy.



Most cosmic rays come from known events like exploding stars. But sometimes, we detect particles with much more energy than expected. These supercharged cosmic rays were first described in the 1960s, but their origin remains unknown.



Now, researchers at the <a href="https://www.ntnu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Norwegian University of Science and Technology</a> (NTNU) are offering a possible explanation that adds a new twist to the story. Their study suggests that winds from supermassive black holes might be the missing link in understanding intense cosmic rays.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-are-black-holes-creating-cosmic-rays">Are black holes creating cosmic rays?</h2>



At the heart of the Milky Way lies <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/high-speed-baby-stars-swarm-around-milky-ways-supermassive-sagittarius-a/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sagittarius-A*</a>, a black hole that's unusually calm right now. It’s not drawing in much matter compared to its more active counterparts across the universe.



“There is a black hole called Sagittarius-A* located right in the center of the Milky Way. This black hole is currently in a quiet phase where it isn’t consuming any stars, as there is not enough matter in the vicinity,” said Enrico Peretti from Université Paris Cité, a collaborator on the project.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-active-black-holes-discovered-where-it-was-believed-they-couldnt-exist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Active black holes</a> behave differently. They devour large amounts of matter - sometimes even more than the mass of our Sun each year - but not all of that matter gets pulled in.



“A tiny portion of the material can be pushed away by the force of the black hole before it is pulled in. As a result, around half of these supermassive black holes create winds that move through the universe at up to half the speed of light,” Peretti said.



These winds have been known for about a decade. They can push gases out of galaxies, stopping new stars from forming. But now, scientists are wondering if these winds are also responsible for something much smaller - and stranger.



“It is possible that these powerful winds accelerate the particles that create the ultra-high-energy radiation,” said PhD researcher Domenik Ehlert.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-power-in-a-tiny-particle">Power in a tiny particle</h2>



To understand the magnitude of this radiation, you have to think small - very small. We're talking about atomic particles.



A typical atom has a nucleus made of protons and neutrons, surrounded by a cloud of electrons. The particles being studied here are even smaller - just protons or atomic nuclei.



“The ultra-high-energy radiation consists of protons or atomic nuclei with energy up to 10²⁰ electron volts,” explained Professor Foteini Oikonomou from NTNU’s Department of Physics. That amount of energy, packed into a single particle, is staggering.



“A particle like this, which is smaller than an atom, contains about as much energy as a tennis ball when Serena Williams serves it at 200 kilometers per hour,” said Oikonomou.



To put it another way, it's a billion times more energetic than the particles smashed together in the Large Hadron Collider in Europe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cosmic-radiation-and-astronaut-safety">Cosmic radiation and astronaut safety</h2>



Luckily, these particles don’t pose a risk to us here on Earth. The atmosphere absorbs their energy long before they reach the ground. "But for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronauts-can-survive-mars-space-journey-but-their-kidneys-will-be-permanently-damaged/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">astronauts</a>, cosmic radiation is a very serious problem,” Oikonomou said.



Airline pilots don’t need to worry - they fly too low. But astronauts face more frequent exposure to solar particles. Even so, the ultra-high-energy rays this study focuses on are so rare that they’re unlikely to ever hit a human in space.



“The main concern for astronauts is cosmic low-energy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/3d-printed-hydrogels-developed-to-protect-astronauts-from-space-radiation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radiation</a> produced by our own Sun, because it is much more common. The rays we study are infrequent enough that it is extremely unlikely they would pass through an astronaut,” noted Oikonomou.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-winds-from-black-holes">Extreme winds from black holes</h2>



This isn’t the first attempt to explain where these powerful particles come from. Scientists have looked into gamma-ray bursts, rapidly star-forming galaxies, and plasma jets from black holes. Each theory has its strengths but lacks direct evidence.



“All the other hypotheses are very good guesses - they are all sources that contain a lot of energy. But no one has provided evidence that any of them are the source. That is why we decided to investigate the winds from the supermassive black holes,” said Ehlert.



The team’s idea is based on something simple: we already know black holes can produce huge winds. Could those winds also be <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-particle-acceleration-new-source-of-cosmic-rays-discovered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">particle accelerators</a>?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-black-hole-winds-and-cosmic-rays">Black hole winds and cosmic rays</h2>



So, are these winds the cause of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays? "Our answer is more of a cautious ‘maybe,’” said Oikonomou.



Still, their model aligns well with the particle acceleration needed to reach these energy levels.



“We find that the conditions related to these winds align particularly well with particle acceleration. But we are still unable to prove that it is specifically these winds that accelerate the particles behind the high-energy cosmic radiation,” Oikonomou said.



The most intriguing part? Their model can explain a chemical pattern in these particles that other theories can’t.



“We can also test the model using neutrino experiments,” said Oikonomou. “In the years to come, we hope to collaborate with neutrino astronomers to test our hypothesis."



Until then, the winds of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supermassive-black-hole-at-the-center-of-our-galaxy-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supermassive black holes</a> remain a compelling suspect in one of physics’ longest-running mysteries.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/539/3/2435/8087347">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</a>.



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Black holes may be the secret force behind cosmic rays

Black holes may hold the key to one of space's...

Scientists have debated the best ways to slow down the effects of time on our cells. New results from a large-scale investigation indicate that vitamin D supplements might give cells a hand in staying intact for longer.



This discovery comes from an extensive research project involving older adults in the United States. It features Dr. JoAnn Manson, a leading expert at <a href="https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mass General Brigham</a>, a major research institution recognized for its commitment to patient care and scientific inquiry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-telomeres-are-and-why-they-matter">What telomeres are and why they matter</h2>



<a href="https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Telomere" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Telomeres</a> are the natural protective ends of chromosomes. They typically shorten during normal aging and can contribute to conditions that appear later in life.



Some researchers think telomeres work like tiny counters in our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-happens-to-our-teeth-as-we-age-new-details-have-emerged/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cells</a>. When these counters get too short, it may set the stage for various medical concerns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vitamin-d-and-cell-aging">Vitamin D and cell aging</h2>



A team recruited participants 50 years of age and older for men, and 55 years of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-undergo-very-rapid-change-aging-at-two-very-specific-times/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">age</a> and older for women, to study vitamin D’s effect. They assigned individuals to take 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 or an inactive capsule for five years, along with testing a separate omega-3 supplement in a related arm of the research.



They examined the length of the telomeres at the start of the trial, then again at Year 2 and Year 4. All measurements were gathered with methods that rely on a specific laboratory technique called <a href="https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/technical-documents/technical-article/genomics/qpcr/quantitative-pcr?srsltid=AfmBOopcWCGqot2ZgMbfIbBgCa0fZRnlBcTcbSldfSku1iyKt6Bhdjuq" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantitative PCR</a>, which precisely analyzes DNA samples.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vitamin-d-helped-slow-down-telomere-shortening">Vitamin D helped slow down telomere shortening</h2>



“VITAL is the first large-scale and long-term randomized trial to show that vitamin D supplements protect telomeres and preserve telomere length,” said Manson. The scientists reported that vitamin D supplementation helped maintain telomere length over the study period.&nbsp;



They discovered that individuals taking vitamin D experienced a smaller reduction in telomere length than the group not taking it. Their reports suggest this difference might equate to an advantage of nearly three years in cellular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-friendships-improve-your-health-as-you-age/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-omega-3-supplements-did-not-protect-cells">Omega-3 supplements did not protect cells</h2>



<a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Omega-3 fatty acids</a> have long been promoted for heart and brain health, so researchers were curious to see if they might also help slow cellular aging. But in this study, omega-3 supplements didn’t make much of a difference.



The participants who took 1 gram of marine-based omega-3 daily showed no significant changes in telomere length compared to those on a placebo. This suggests that omega-3 alone may not be enough to influence this specific aging process, at least not over four years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vitamin-d-linked-to-lower-inflammation">Vitamin D linked to lower inflammation</h2>



Past <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa1809944" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> hint that vitamin D might reduce markers of inflammation in certain populations. Reduced inflammation has been linked to positive effects on conditions related to aging.



“Our findings suggest that targeted vitamin D supplementation may be a promising strategy to counter a biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/muscles-defy-aging-with-remarkable-resilience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging</a> process, although further research is warranted,” said Haidong Zhu, PhD, first author and molecular geneticist at the Medical College of Georgia, <a href="https://www.augusta.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Augusta University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vitamin-d-may-support-cell-health">Vitamin D may support cell health</h2>



Experts caution that this evidence does not guarantee vitamin D will spare individuals from all age-related diseases. Yet the findings indicate a potential benefit for supporting cellular health in some adults who may not get enough of this nutrient in their daily routines.



This study highlights the notion that regular intake of vitamin D supplements may preserve part of our cellular protection. Scientists are hoping future work can clarify the best dosage and the people who stand to gain the most.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-much-vitamin-d-is-enough">How much vitamin D is enough?</h2>



The dose used in the study — 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily — is higher than the typical recommended daily intake for adults in the U.S., which ranges from 600 to 800 IU depending on age. However, the study dose is still considered safe for most healthy adults according to the National Institutes of Health <a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">guidelines</a>.



That said, not everyone needs extra supplementation. People who get regular sunlight exposure or eat vitamin D-rich foods like fatty fish, egg yolks, or fortified dairy products may already be getting enough. It’s a good idea to consult a doctor before starting a higher-dose supplement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps">Next steps</h2>



The team behind this project is calling for more trials in different groups. They want to see if these results hold up in younger populations or in those with existing ailments.



Efforts are also underway to investigate factors like genetic makeup or lifestyle choices. These details may reveal why vitamin D works for some but not for others, and whether it pairs well with other vitamins or dietary strategies.



The study is published in <a href="https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(25)00255-2/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>.



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Taking vitamin D supplements may add years to your life

Scientists have debated the best ways to slow down the...

What if saving a forest helped both birds and humans? What if the same landscape that shields towns from floods also offered refuge to songbirds? For decades, conservationists and policy makers have argued that nature's benefits reach far beyond wildlife. 



But measuring where and how those benefits align has remained elusive. Now, a new study provides some answers.



Scientists from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell University</a> and the Wildlife Conservation Society (<a href="https://www.wcs.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WCS</a>) explored where areas valued by humans for things like clean water, flood control, and carbon storage also help conserve bird populations.



Their work is rooted in data - over 1.5 billion bird observations from eBird and high-resolution mapping of eleven <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-forests-2024-new-solutions-for-a-better-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystem</a> services. It’s an approach that seeks win-wins, or even win-win-wins: for biodiversity, climate, and people.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-helping-birds-people-and-climate">Helping birds, people, and climate </h2>



"We all know that nature provides us with many benefits - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-are-still-fighting-climate-change-against-all-odds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a>, climate regulation, recreation, and many others - but until now, we haven't been able to demonstrate where those benefits coincide in space," noted Dr. Rachel Neugarten, formerly of Cornell and now at WCS.



"Given the limited resources for conservation, this information is critical for helping decision-makers protect our natural heritage. The paper shows that win-win-wins for biodiversity, climate, and people are possible but not guaranteed."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-birds-and-human-needs-overlap">Where birds and human needs overlap</h2>



To find these overlaps, the researchers examined maps that captured where ten ecosystem services - such as food provisioning, flood control, and recreation - are most concentrated.



The team also used separate maps for carbon storage, a priority in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-orangutan-day-2024-protecting-the-people-of-the-forest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> mitigation. These ecosystem service (ES) and carbon priority areas covered 37% and 44% of the U.S. land area, respectively.



Next, they overlaid these areas with population estimates for 479 bird species. These estimates came from eBird’s Status and Trends project, which uses a sophisticated modeling system to handle observer bias and detectability differences. 



The experts assessed how much of each species’ population lived within these ES or carbon priority zones. The results were surprising and hopeful. More than half of all species - 257 of 479 - had populations better represented in ES priority areas than random chance would predict. 



Carbon storage areas fared slightly worse, with 204 species seeing better-than-random coverage. However, the benefits weren’t evenly spread across species or habitats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-benefit-birds-and-ecosystems">Forests benefit birds and ecosystems</h2>



Forest-dwelling species saw the most gains from ES and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-are-relocating-in-a-race-against-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon</a> conservation priorities. Of the 202 forest species analyzed, 151 were well represented in ES zones and 159 in carbon-rich zones. This is likely because forests provide many overlapping services: timber, flood control, water purification, and carbon sequestration.



Species like the Cerulean Warbler thrived in these protected forests. Ninety percent of this species' U.S. population lives in ES priority areas. Even more - 93% - overlaps with carbon storage zones.



Other forest birds, such as the Prairie Warbler, Hooded Warbler, and Eastern Whip-poor-will, also saw high representation. These findings support the idea that forests are ecosystem service powerhouses. Protecting them meets multiple goals at once.



Some of the country’s richest landscapes for both birds and ecosystem benefits include the Appalachian Mountains, the southeastern U.S., New England, the Ozarks, and the Cascade and Sierra ranges. 



In these regions, forest protection is not just a biodiversity issue - it's a climate and public health matter too.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-at-the-margins">Birds at the margins</h2>



However, not all habitats shared in the success. Birds living in wetlands and aridlands were poorly represented within ES and carbon zones. 



Only 34% of wetland species and 42% of aridland species were well represented in ES priority areas. The numbers were worse for carbon zones: 23% for wetland birds and a mere 10% for those in aridlands.



Tipping Point species - those that have lost more than 50% of their populations in the past 50 years - also faced mixed outcomes. Of the 57 such species examined, fewer than half were well supported by either ES or carbon zones. This suggests that many vulnerable birds occupy habitats outside human-prioritized landscapes.



Some species, like the Yellow-billed Loon and Bendire’s Thrasher, had less than 10% of their populations within conservation priority zones. Others, like the King Eider, had virtually no overlap with carbon-focused areas. 



These gaps show the limits of relying solely on ecosystem services as a guide for biodiversity protection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forest-birds-benefit-from-carbon-zones">Forest birds benefit from carbon zones</h2>



Carbon priority areas - identified for their role in holding vulnerable carbon stocks - overlapped best with forest species.



For example, the Black-backed Woodpecker, Red-faced Warbler, and Mountain Quail had over 90% of their populations in carbon-rich zones. These findings support policies that link biodiversity protection with climate action.



But the overlap breaks down outside forests. Aridland and wetland species showed little representation in carbon zones. This mismatch suggests that climate-focused conservation, if not paired with broader ecological goals, may overlook entire communities of at-risk birds.



"This study is especially timely, given recent reports of continued, if not worsening, population declines in North American birds," said Amanda Rodewald, co-author and faculty director at the Cornell Lab.



"Now more than ever, we must find ways to conserve birds as part of broader efforts to protect the environment - in this case, safeguarding the ecosystem services that support human health and well-being."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smart-maps-can-guide-better-plans">Smart maps can guide better plans</h2>



The study's most important takeaway is this: co-benefits exist, but they cannot be assumed. High-quality spatial data allows for smarter, more inclusive planning. 



The areas where bird conservation aligns with ecosystem services can be prioritized first. But other areas - particularly wetlands, deserts, and grasslands - need additional, targeted protection.



The researchers urge caution in generalizing the co-benefit narrative. "While win-win situations do exist, we should be careful not to generalize about biodiversity and ecosystem service benefits," noted Neugarten.



"With limited resources and competing demands for land, we need data-driven approaches to achieve multiple conservation goals simultaneously."



Future work should refine ecosystem service models with local data, include cultural values of nature, and consider the needs of vulnerable human communities. Only then can conservation support both people and the full richness of life on Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-forests-to-save-birds">Looking beyond forests to save birds</h2>



This study, supported by the National Science Foundation and Cornell’s environmental institutes, provides more than insight. It offers a framework. By mapping where people’s needs and wildlife conservation meet, decision-makers can act with greater precision.



Forests shine as clear examples of mutual benefit. But wetlands, deserts, and many bird species still wait for their moment in the spotlight. 



Protecting these regions will require more than ambition. It will demand targeted action, guided by science and shaped by shared values. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041625000373?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecosystem Services</a>.



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Protecting forests helps birds and humans in many ways

What if saving a forest helped both birds and humans?...

Middle-aged and older adults often blame graying hair or tired joints for everyday twinges. Yet evidence suggests many of those sore spots might have been brewing in the mind long before the body felt them. Recent work from a large English study points to depression and loneliness as key early signals of worsening pain. 



Researchers tracked participants for years, uncovering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-adult-depression-linked-to-worse-memory-skills/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">patterns</a> that hint at the value of helping people feel better emotionally to prevent later bodily struggles.



“Pain and depression are known to be linked, with each exacerbating the other,” said Dr. Mikaela Bloomberg from the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University College London</a>. 



It has long been clear that these two conditions frequently occur together, but less clear how far back mental issues might set the stage for physical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-related-brain-inflammation-linked-to-depression/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">distress</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-midlife-mood-predicts-physical-pain">Midlife mood predicts physical pain</h2>



The study included older adults dealing with moderate to severe discomfort, though the specific cause varied. Some mentioned back or knee problems, others named different body regions. 



Experts have repeatedly <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/6/e010364" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found</a> that as people age, ongoing pain affects an estimated 20-40% of adults, which makes it one of the more widespread health challenges around.



“This is important as it suggests the potential for early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teens-with-problematic-smartphone-use-suffer-from-depression/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mental health</a> and social support to reduce or delay later pain,” said Dr. Bloomberg. Changes in mood appeared quite a while before persistent pain which points to a window of opportunity where intervention might ease future strain.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-depression-inflammation-and-pain">Depression, inflammation, and pain</h2>



Scientists have proposed various biological explanations for the connection. Inflammatory processes in the body seem more active when a person feels down. Some have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032710007305" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">noted</a> that prolonged sadness can raise the risk of low-grade inflammation, which may heighten the intensity of discomfort.



Loneliness also emerged as a contributing factor. Feeling isolated might drive people to withdraw, neglect physical activity, or adopt unhealthy habits. 



Though social isolation itself did not stand out in this particular work, participants who felt cut off emotionally were more likely to slide into worsened wellbeing overall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-depression-changes-pain-sensitivity">Depression changes pain sensitivity</h2>



The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539845/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">autonomic nervous system</a>, which regulates unconscious functions like heart rate and digestion, may play a bigger role in pain than people realize.



When someone is under ongoing emotional strain, this system can stay in a constant “on” position, heightening stress responses and making the body more reactive to discomfort.



Researchers have found that this overactivation may also interfere with how the body manages inflammation and processes pain signals. The end result is that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-americans-have-lost-years-of-time-to-poor-mental-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stress</a> and sadness don’t just weigh on the mind - they also change how the body feels and reacts over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-people-with-fewer-resources-suffer-more">People with fewer resources suffer more</h2>



The report revealed that those with fewer resources had stronger ties between mental health struggles and subsequent pain. Researchers suspect that wealth and education might affect how well individuals cope or access support. 



A more secure financial status often allows for stress-management tools and lifestyle choices that buffer against chronic aches.



Experts say these differences underscore the need to help vulnerable groups who could face both emotional and financial hurdles in taking care of themselves. 



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20538198/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Studies</a> have shown that self-reported health conditions can be reliable indicators of overall outcomes, but they may miss important social factors that deepen health gaps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emotional-support-may-prevent-pain">Emotional support may prevent pain </h2>



Depressive symptoms do not always manifest in obvious ways. An individual might function day to day, yet experience subtle feelings of sadness or hopelessness that gradually worsen. 



Researchers believe that emotional changes from depression can ramp up stress responses, distort pain perception, and leave people more vulnerable to pain once physical problems arise.



Professionals emphasize that interventions do not have to be complicated. Simple steps like counseling, therapy, and improving connection with friends might go a long way. Such efforts could stave off or at least lessen the impact of persistent aches later in life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-issues-in-midlife">Addressing issues in midlife</h2>



Though this investigation centered on older English adults, the core insight holds broad relevance. Other <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10311415/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> has mapped similar trends, suggesting that a supportive environment and good psychological care can play a big part in promoting healthier aging.



Experts hope future work will explore more diverse populations and younger adults. Pinpointing triggers that set off sadness-driven pain might help doctors tailor earlier care. 



Addressing feelings of disconnection or low mood in midlife could offer protective benefits for aches down the road.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-depression-signs-may-predict-pain">Depression signs may predict pain </h2>



Some people may assume pain is just part of getting older. But there could be warning signs hidden in emotional health. Treating depression is never a guaranteed cure-all, yet there are hints it might help break the chain that leads to bodily suffering.



Many older adults keep busy schedules and active social lives. When those bonds and their sense of happiness falter, it may be wise to look closer at the body’s signals. 



Pain that crops up later can sometimes be another chapter of the story that started with low spirits.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(25)00141-5/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eClinicalMedicine</a>.



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Depression and isolation trigger physical pain years later

Middle-aged and older adults often blame graying hair or tired...

Flowers often appear to grow with perfect precision. Each stem, leaf, and petal follows a pattern that repeats with astonishing consistency. But a closer look inside plant cells tells a different story. 



A recent study has uncovered that while flowers may look orderly on the outside, the genetic activity within each cell is anything but predictable.



This surprising discovery could change how scientists design plants or even how we understand cell behavior in fields like cancer research or synthetic biology. The research was led by a team of experts at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-secret-disorder-powering-flowers">The secret disorder powering flowers</h2>



The researchers examined a small flowering plant called thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana), often used in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-plants-build-their-cell-walls-is-seen-by-scientists-for-the-first-time-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant biology</a>. 



The goal was to investigate what’s known as “stochastic gene expression.” In simpler terms, this means that genes can turn on or off randomly - even if they’re getting the same signals.



To test this, the team looked at how cells responded to auxin, a hormone that tells flowers when and how to grow. 



The experts found something unexpected: even when cells received the same hormone instructions, their genetic reactions were wildly different from one another. 



Some genes turned on in some cells, while others stayed quiet, all without any obvious reason. This wasn’t just background noise. The randomness was significant.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-flower-genes-with-fluorescence">Tracking flower genes with fluorescence </h2>



To see what was happening, the scientists used fluorescent markers - glowing molecules that light up when a gene turns on. They tracked three specific auxin-responsive genes in the flowers, including one known as DR5.



The result? DR5 showed major variation from cell to cell. It wasn’t the hormone levels that changed - those remained constant. The difference came from within the cells themselves, driven by internal fluctuations.



The team observed this activity in the sepals of the plant. Sepals are the small green leaf-like parts at the base of a flower that protect the budding bloom. Despite the noisy internal behavior of each cell, the plant still formed four perfectly placed sepals every time.



“I really thought by the time we got to these four [sepal forming] regions, there would be a lot less randomness - but there’s not,” said Adrienne Roeder, one of the study’s authors. “Somehow, despite the noise, you still get these very clear patches where sepal organs initiate.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-plants-manage-unpredictability">How plants manage unpredictability</h2>



What’s going on here? How do plants produce such predictable results when the internal signals are so chaotic?



The answer lies in how groups of cells behave together. While one cell might act randomly, clusters of cells “average out” the noise. This process, known as spatial averaging, helps the plant form stable and consistent patterns even when individual parts are unpredictable.



“Ultimately, the research challenges the idea that biological precision requires perfect control,” Roeder explained. “Instead, it shows that nature doesn’t eliminate randomness - it builds reliable systems and processes that work despite it.”



The study also showed that not all genes respond with the same level of randomness. Two other auxin-responsive genes, AHP6 and DOF5.8, behaved more consistently than DR5. This suggests that plants may have evolved ways to control randomness when it matters most.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-gene-expression-in-flowers">Beyond gene expression in flowers</h2>



This discovery is more than just a fun fact about flowers. It has real implications for plant engineering, synthetic biology, and even <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cancer-research-ai-will-change-the-way-we-see-tumors/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer research</a>, where gene expression noise can drive tumor growth.



“The organism can use this randomness when it wants to and ignore it when it doesn’t,” Roeder said. “That’s super powerful.”



“Spatial averaging is one way that plants manage gene expression noise, but how exactly does that buffering happen, and under what conditions does it fail? How can we incorporate that when we’re trying to engineer our favorite gene to express in interesting places?”



As scientists continue to uncover the hidden mechanics of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-life-cycles-predicting-the-impacts-of-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant life</a>, one thing is clear: nature doesn’t need perfect order to create beautiful results.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flowers-as-teachers-of-resilience">Flowers as teachers of resilience</h2>



The next time you look at a blooming flower, consider the hidden struggle behind its perfect form. Beneath its calm surface, a world of cellular unpredictability is constantly being managed. This study reminds us that flowers don’t require perfection to flourish - they rely on balance, cooperation, and adaptability.



Understanding how plants like flowers manage genetic noise could inspire new strategies in genetic engineering and beyond. It shows that resilience isn’t about eliminating chaos, but learning how to live with it.



Flowers aren’t just symbols of beauty - they're examples of nature's clever design choices, proving that order can emerge even when everything underneath is uncertain.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59943-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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How flowers grow perfectly despite chaotic gene activity

Flowers often appear to grow with perfect precision. Each stem,...

The slow march of seawater across riverbanks and through underground aquifers may not grab headlines like a flood or wildfire. Yet, in many coastal regions, especially in river deltas, salinity is advancing with relentless force.



Salinization - the intrusion of saltwater into freshwater systems - is reshaping landscapes, threatening crops, displacing families, and challenging the resilience of communities.



This creeping threat stems from rising seas, dwindling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-about-earths-bending-rivers-could-help-us-find-water-on-other-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">river</a> flows, and intensifying storms. The changes are quiet but far-reaching. 



One of the most vivid and instructive examples comes from the Bengal Delta in Bangladesh, where scientists have tracked salinity changes for nearly two decades. Their work is more than a regional study; it’s a glimpse into the future of low-lying coasts everywhere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-salinity-rises-across-bangladesh">Salinity rises across Bangladesh</h2>



The Bengal Delta, formed by the mighty Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna Rivers, is home to over 150 million people. 



Its vast wetlands and intricate network of rivers, creeks, and estuaries support rice paddies, mangrove forests, and some of the densest rural populations on Earth. But as global temperatures rise, this fragile <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-amount-of-water-do-earths-rivers-hold/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystem</a> is being transformed.



Salinity has become an especially serious concern here. Ocean tides, which already reach deep inland through the delta’s tidal creeks, are now carrying more salt. 



Researchers found that since the mid-2000s, salinity levels have climbed steadily, especially in the western delta near Khulna, where levels exceed 25,000 µS/cm. In comparison, the eastern stretches near the Meghna River maintain much lower levels below 3,000 µS/cm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-decades-of-growing-salinity">Two decades of growing salinity </h2>



The study, conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Portsmouth</a>, <a href="https://www.du.ac.bd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dhaka University</a>, and <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Curtin University</a>, used data from 54 monitoring stations from 2000 to 2017. 



The team discovered an average annual rise in river salinity of 76 µS/cm, with some sites recording increases above 800 µS/cm per year. These rates are not uniform. The western delta shows the fastest and most intense changes, while the east remains relatively buffered.



But the most striking observation was the pattern of stepwise increases. Around 2007, salinity jumped noticeably and remained elevated. This sudden rise coincided with major cyclonic events, including Cyclone Sidr. 



The data showed that storm surges, compounded by rising sea levels and shifting offshore dynamics, played a central role in pushing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-disrupting-the-seasonal-flow-of-rivers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">saltwater</a> inland and keeping it there.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-delta-salinity-is-rising-faster">Why delta salinity is rising faster</h2>



To decode these changes, the researchers proposed a new conceptual model: the Offshore Controlled Estuarine and Aquifer Nexus (OCEAN) framework. 



This model explains how offshore bathymetry, particularly steep underwater slopes like the Swatch-of-No-Ground, interacts with tides and sedimentation to trap salt in estuarine and groundwater systems.



The steeper gradient in the west dissipates tidal energy, leading to slower water flushing and more salt entrapment. Embankments and polders - human-made dikes - exacerbate the issue by limiting the movement of freshwater. 



Dense networks of tidal creeks in these low-lying zones act as storage areas for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-heat-of-2024-triggered-a-surge-in-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">saline</a> water, which eventually seeps into shallow aquifers.



“What we’re seeing in the Bengal Delta is not just a local crisis, it’s a signal of what’s coming for low-lying coastal areas around the world,” Dr. Mohammad Hoque explained.



“Salinity is rising faster and reaching farther inland than many people realise, and it's happening quietly with major consequences for water security, agriculture, and livelihoods. This study helps us understand the mechanics behind it, and underscores the urgency for coordinated, global action.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reduced-river-flow-makes-salinity-worse">Reduced river flow makes salinity worse </h2>



Seasonal changes in river discharge used to help flush salt from the delta during monsoons. However, upstream water withdrawals, reduced rainfall, and sediment buildup are weakening this natural defense. 



The experts found that salinity levels surged when river flows dropped, especially in the dry months. In the Gorai River system, for example, reduced freshwater flow correlated closely with rising salinity at sites like SW241 and SW244.



The fluvial dominance of the eastern delta helps maintain lower salinity. The eastern zone receives stronger flows from the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, which dilutes incoming <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salty-plants-can-teach-us-how-to-grow-crops-with-seawater/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">salt</a>. In contrast, the western zone, with fewer freshwater inputs, is at greater risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cyclones-transfer-seawater-to-rivers">Cyclones transfer seawater to rivers</h2>



Cyclonic storms have become increasingly destructive, not only due to wind and rain but because they carry seawater deep into freshwater regions. During La Niña years, which are linked to intensified cyclonic activity in the Bay of Bengal, salinity spikes have been particularly severe.



Between 2006 and 2009, the study recorded a pronounced rise in salinity across the delta. This period coincided with Cyclones Akash, Sidr, Bijli, and Aila. 



The geomorphological disruptions caused by these storms - such as scouring of riverbeds and changes in sediment flow - may have altered the very shape of channels, making them more vulnerable to future saltwater intrusions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fertile-lands-turning-into-barren-fields">Fertile lands turning into barren fields</h2>



Rising salinity in rivers is not just a water issue. It is also a soil issue. The researchers used satellite imagery to observe trends in soil salinity near monitoring stations. 



The team found that areas like SW24, SW258, and SW259 experienced increased soil salinity between 2000 and 2020, especially after 2007. As river water became saltier, the soil nearby became less fertile.



This affects farmers first. High salt levels reduce crop yields, damage irrigation systems, and push families toward debt or migration. The mangrove-rich Sundarbans region, which buffers the coast from storms, also faces threats. 



With higher salinity, its delicate ecosystem may struggle to survive, further exposing inland areas to climate extremes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-bangladesh-s-crisis-means">What Bangladesh’s crisis means</h2>



“While the focus is on Bangladesh, the study’s implications are global,” noted Dr Sean Feist, a co-author of the study.



“Coastal regions from the Mekong Delta in Vietnam to Louisiana’s wetlands in the United States face similar pressures. As sea levels continue to rise, the risk of agricultural land turning salty, drinking water becoming undrinkable, and shallow groundwater becoming permanently brackish grows ever more serious.”



The patterns seen in Bangladesh are also emerging in the Mekong and Pearl River Deltas. Model projections show that even a modest 30 cm rise in sea level could significantly increase salinisation in these areas. This study offers a roadmap to understand and manage similar risks elsewhere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-planning-is-key">Long-term planning is key</h2>



The researchers call for long-term monitoring, not just short-term surveys. Data from 1965 to 2017 helped them detect slow-building patterns that would have been missed otherwise. 



Using robust statistical methods like the modified Mann-Kendall test and robust linear models, they were able to identify critical change points, especially around 2007.



Solutions require more than engineering fixes. Short-term projects like dredging rivers or building embankments may help temporarily but won’t reverse the underlying trend. 



The study stresses the need for integrated planning - across river basins, national boundaries, and environmental systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-call-to-protect-the-future">A call to protect the future</h2>



“Ultimately, this study highlights that the creeping salinisation of deltas is a slow-moving but deeply disruptive force," noted Dr. Ashraf Dewan.



"Without urgent investment in salt-tolerant agriculture, better water storage, and strategic planning across entire river basins, the disruptive impacts of salinity are likely to intensify."



“The Bengal Delta is on the frontline of climate change, but it is not alone. The patterns observed here are emerging in many of the world’s great coastal regions. What happens next depends on how quickly we respond.”



The time for action is now. While saltwater rises quietly, its effects are loud and lasting. Without decisive, collective, and long-term interventions, the fertile deltas that nourish millions may turn into barren landscapes. The Bengal Delta’s story is a warning - but it’s also a guide, if we choose to listen.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X2500473X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecological Indicators</a>.



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Salinity is rising in coastal areas and hurting farmlands

The slow march of seawater across riverbanks and through underground...

Across the wind-swept tundras of the Arctic and the icy plateaus of Eurasia, a handful of remarkable creatures defied extinction. These animals, from woolly mammoths to arctic foxes, were not born into the cold - they became its masters. 



But how exactly did they gain their thick fur, compact bodies, and resilience against subzero temperatures?



In a recent study, scientists traced the evolutionary paths that led to these remarkable adaptations. Drawing on fossil evidence and ancient DNA, they uncovered how glacial cycles shaped life over the past three million years.



The results offer a detailed picture of how cold-adapted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-meltdown-is-accelerating-global-warming-already-changing-earth-in-unimaginable-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animals</a> and plants came to exist - and what that means in a rapidly warming world.



This new understanding could help predict which species might survive today’s climate shifts and which may vanish forever.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-periods-of-cold-evolution">Two periods of cold evolution</h2>



The evolution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-climate-will-permanently-change-by-2050-scientists-warn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arctic</a> animals and other cold-adapted species was not a single event but unfolded in two sweeping phases. The first began between three and two million years ago, during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene.



This is when early forms of mammals such as mammoths, reindeer, and musk oxen emerged. These species likely began their adaptations as the Earth cooled and ice sheets began forming more consistently at the poles.



The second, more critical phase began with the Middle Pleistocene Transition, roughly 700,000 years ago. During this time, the planet’s glacial periods grew longer and harsher. 



Many of the cold-weather specialists we know today - such as the woolly rhinoceros and true lemmings - appeared during or shortly after this period.



The researchers found that some of these animals, like early mammoths, might have lived in both cold glacial periods and warmer interglacials. Their flexible nature likely gave them a starting point for the more specialized traits that followed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-arctic-animals-gained-cold-traits">When Arctic animals gained cold traits</h2>



Until recently, much of what we knew about these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drastic-warming-will-transform-the-arctic-beyond-recognition/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">creatures</a> came from bones and teeth. Today, ancient DNA - or aDNA - has added a powerful new tool to the field. This molecular evidence helps determine not only when a species appeared but also when specific cold-adapted traits evolved.



“This is the first concerted effort to compare the evolution of cold-adapted animals and plants since modern methods of palaeogenetics appeared,” Professor Stewart said.



The study showed that woolly mammoths already had many cold-related genes one million years ago, well before their full physical transformation. Later developments, such as changes to their hair, metabolism, and ear size, appeared closer to 700,000 years ago.



Similarly, DNA from ancient lemmings shows a burst of new species as recently as 100,000 years ago. The Norway lemming, for example, is among the youngest known mammalian species. 



These findings illustrate how even in the later stages of the Ice Age, evolutionary change continued to shape species in profound ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-animals-adapted-in-different-ways">Arctic animals adapted in different ways</h2>



The paper identifies three main theories for how species adapted to frigid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rock-weathering-drives-further-warming-in-the-arctic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environments</a>, each supported by both fossil and genetic data. 



Some animals, like the polar bear and woolly mammoth, may have moved northward from warmer zones and adapted after encountering the cold. This is known as the “out of the temperate zone” theory.



Others, like the reindeer and arctic fox, appear to have evolved directly in the Arctic. According to this “evolving in situ” theory, these species developed traits gradually as the northern climate cooled around them.



A third path, known as “montane preadaptation,” suggests that animals evolved in high-altitude regions like the Tibetan Plateau before migrating north. This might explain the origins of the woolly rhinoceros and the Arctic fox, whose ancestors lived in cold mountainous areas long before reaching polar latitudes.



These varied routes show that cold adaptation did not follow one script. Instead, it depended on local geography, climate patterns, and the traits a species already possessed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-plants-tell-a-subtler-story">Arctic plants tell a subtler story</h2>



While animals like the mammoth evolved visibly, Arctic plants followed a different trajectory. Most living Arctic plant species appeared in the last two million years, with many arriving from southern alpine or boreal zones. A small number evolved in place through hybridisation or chromosome duplication.



Dispersal played a bigger role than mutation. The largest genetic study of Arctic flora found that species more often moved into the Arctic than evolved there. 



Western North America, the Himalayas, and the Asian steppe were major source regions. Yet despite these movements, Arctic plant species today show remarkably little endemism - only around 5 percent are unique to the region.



Researchers also found that while no large-scale extinctions were previously documented, recent DNA from sediments suggests some losses did occur. 



Still, most Arctic plants proved resilient, thanks to their ability to reproduce asexually, survive with few resources, and carry multiple sets of chromosomes that store useful traits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beetles-seem-unchanged-but-are-they">Beetles seem unchanged - but are they?</h2>



Beetles represent another piece of the Arctic puzzle. Their fossils suggest remarkable stability. Many modern species were already present over 2.6 million years ago, leading scientists to believe they barely changed during the Ice Age.



But this may not be the whole story. One study of ancient sedimentary DNA found beetle communities in northern Greenland that have no modern equivalent. This suggests that some beetles did adapt or vanish, but their changes were too subtle to see in fossil form.



Unlike mammals, beetles don’t show obvious structural changes. Their evolutionary shifts might lie in internal traits, such as metabolic processes or reproductive strategies - areas that ancient DNA is only just beginning to reveal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-assembled-the-modern-arctic-ecosystem">What assembled the modern Arctic ecosystem?</h2>



Despite the rich fossil and genetic records, one major question remains: when did today’s Arctic ecosystem truly come together? 



The study suggests that between 2.6 and 1.8 million years ago, the Arctic featured a mix of boreal, temperate, and extinct species, including early arctic animals - nothing like the ecosystems we see now.



It wasn’t until after 700,000 years ago that species like the woolly mammoth, reindeer, and arctic fox began to dominate. This suggests a relatively recent origin for the modern tundra environment.



“The cold-adapted species are amongst the most vulnerable animals and plants to ongoing climate change. Therefore, an understanding of how species evolved in the past is essential to help us understand the risks faced by endangered species today,” explained John Stewart.



By identifying where, when, and how these species evolved, scientists can now better predict which species are most at risk. It also helps conservationists decide how to protect them, whether by preserving habitat, guiding migration, or even using gene banks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-animals-help-us-prepare-for-future">Arctic animals help us prepare for future</h2>



The Ice Age was not just a time of frozen landscapes - it was a crucible of evolution. Today’s cold-weather survivors carry the legacy of countless trials, migrations, and adaptations. 



Their story, now sharpened by genetic science, reveals the astonishing power of evolution to shape life in the harshest places on Earth.



“We can now build on these findings to understand more about how more cold-adapted species evolved and how the Arctic ecologies arose in the past and use this to help conservation efforts in the future,” Professor Stewart concluded.



As the world warms, the past may offer the clearest guidance yet. The secrets buried in ancient genomes could be the key to helping life on Earth survive what comes next.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/fulltext/S0169-5347(25)00094-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trends in Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Arctic animals evolved in different ways to beat the cold

Across the wind-swept tundras of the Arctic and the icy...

Sloths are famous for their laid-back lifestyle. They cling to trees, digest food at a glacial pace, and only use the bathroom once a week. But today’s tree-dwelling sloths are just a tiny branch of what was once a vast and varied family. 



Long ago, the sloth lineup was far more impressive. Some even walked the earth instead of hanging in the treetops - and they came in all shapes and sizes, from modest desert-dwellers to elephant-sized giants.



New research from the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Florida Museum of Natural History</a> and other institutions is offering fresh insight into this now-extinct diversity. 



Scientists combined fossil measurements, DNA, and ecological data to uncover why some sloths evolved to become massive, while others remained small and nimble. 



“They looked like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grizzly-bears-help-huckleberries-thrive-in-a-changing-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">grizzly bears</a> but five times larger,” said Rachel Narducci, a co-author of the study and collection manager of vertebrate paleontology at the museum.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-sloths-were-giant">When sloths were giant</h2>



Most extinct sloths didn’t live in trees because they were too big. The Megatherium, one of the largest species, was the size of an Asian elephant and weighed around 8,000 pounds. 



These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-in-america-coexisted-with-giant-sloths-and-mastodons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prehistoric sloths</a> roamed the land, feeding on leaves they could reach with long tongues, much like a giraffe.



Others, like the Shasta ground sloth, were much smaller and occupied very different environments. They lived in the deserts of North America and were known for their fondness for cacti. 



These sloths often made their homes in caves, where they also left behind fascinating fossilized clues.



In 1936, researchers discovered a massive pile of fossilized dung, bat guano, and packrat nests in Rampart Cave near Lake Mead. The deposit was over 20 feet thick.



Some sloths didn’t need to find caves - they made their own. Using enormous claws, they carved shelters directly into the earth. You can still find these ancient burrows today, complete with claw marks etched into the stone walls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-sloths-are-smaller-today">Why sloths are smaller today</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sloths-are-struggling-to-survive-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tree-dwelling sloths</a> today are not giant for a reason. Trees can only support so much weight. The average tree sloth weighs about 14 pounds.



Even those that split their time between ground and canopy rarely top 174 pounds. If a branch breaks, there's little a sloth can do to stop a fall. 



Although they’ve been known to survive 100-foot drops, that doesn’t mean falling is safe - especially when trees in the Amazon can reach 300 feet high.



But the puzzle scientists wanted to solve wasn’t why sloths in trees are small - it was why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/darwins-ground-sloth-was-not-fully-vegetarian/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ground sloths</a> varied so much in size.



Some sloths stayed relatively petite, while others evolved into lumbering beasts. The team behind the new study explored everything from predator avoidance to food access to climate and shelter options. To do this, they needed a lot of data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-family-tree">Building a family tree</h2>



The researchers examined over 400 fossils from 17 different museums. They collected data on sloth anatomy, location, diet, and lifestyle.



At the Florida Museum, Narducci measured 117 limb bones from their vast collection of North American and Caribbean sloths - the largest such collection in the world. 



“We have the largest collection of North American and Caribbean-island sloths in the world,” she said.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sloths_giant_dna-bones-comparison_ancient-species_mystery_credit-Diego-Barletta_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sloths_giant_dna-bones-comparison_ancient-species_mystery_credit-Diego-Barletta_1s.webp" alt="Scientists analyzed ancient DNA and compared more than 400 fossils from 17 natural history museums to figure out how and why extinct sloths got so big. Credit: Florida Museum of Natural History, Kristen Grace" class="wp-image-1971080"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists analyzed ancient DNA and compared more than 400 fossils from 17 natural history museums to figure out how and why extinct sloths got so big. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Florida Museum of Natural History, Kristen Grace</figcaption></figure>



With fossil measurements and genetic data in hand, the team created a “sloth tree of life” stretching back more than 35 million years. They then layered in other key information, like whether the animals were climbers or walkers. 



Finally, the researchers used this framework to estimate sloth body weights and analyze how these changed over time. Their conclusion: habitat and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animal-extinction-risk-is-heavily-influenced-by-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> were the strongest forces driving sloth size.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-climate-shaped-sloth-evolution">Earth’s climate shaped sloth evolution</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-in-america-coexisted-with-giant-sloths-and-mastodons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Early sloths</a> likely looked more like Great Danes than elephants. The earliest known sloth, called Pseudoglyptodon, lived in Argentina about 37 million years ago. 



For the next 20 million years, sloth size stayed fairly stable, and then there was a dramatic shift.



Volcanic eruptions in the Pacific Northwest released huge amounts of lava and greenhouse gases. These eruptions aligned with a period of global warming known as the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum. Forests spread. Temperatures rose. Sloths shrank.



“It makes sense,” Narducci explained. Smaller bodies lose heat more easily and are better suited for warm, wet climates. More trees also meant more food for smaller, tree-loving species.



But the world didn’t stay hot. After about a million years, the Earth began cooling again. Sloths responded by bulking up. 



They expanded into new environments - mountains, grasslands, deserts, and forests stretching all the way to Alaska. Some species even adapted to life in the sea.



“They developed adaptations similar to those of manatees,” Narducci said. “They had dense ribs to help with buoyancy and longer snouts for eating seagrass.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-and-risks-of-bigger-bodies">Benefits and risks of bigger bodies</h2>



Being big had its perks. It helped conserve water and energy, especially in dry or cold places. 



“This would’ve allowed them to conserve energy and water and travel more efficiently across habitats with limited resources,” Narducci said. “And if you’re in an open grassland, you need protection, and being bigger provides some of that.”



“Some ground sloths also had little pebble-like osteoderms embedded in their skin,” noted Narducci. These bony growths, shared with armadillos, likely offered extra protection.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sloths_giant_ancient-species_mystery_credit-Diego-Barletta_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sloths_giant_ancient-species_mystery_credit-Diego-Barletta_1s.webp" alt="Ancient sloths lived in trees, on mountains, in deserts, boreal forests and open savannahs. These differences in habitat are primarily what drove the wide difference in size between sloth species. Credit: Diego Barletta" class="wp-image-1971078"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ancient sloths lived in trees, on mountains, in deserts, boreal forests and open savannahs. These differences in habitat are primarily what drove the wide difference in size between sloth species. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Diego Barletta</figcaption></figure>



Sloths reached their peak size during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-were-likely-the-leading-cause-of-megafauna-extinctions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pleistocene</a> ice ages. But their giant size also made sloths vulnerable. When humans arrived in North America about 15,000 years ago, they began to vanish.



“About 15,000 years ago is when you really start to see the drop-off,” Narducci said. They were too slow to escape and too large to hide. Even sloths in the Caribbean, who lived in trees, eventually disappeared after humans arrived around the time the Egyptian pyramids were built.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-giant-sloths-to-tree-huggers">From giant sloths to tree huggers</h2>



This study shows how animals adapt - or don’t - when the world around them changes. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-sloth-day-embracing-a-slower-pace-of-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sloths grew and shrank</a> in response to Earth’s climate shifts, much like many species do today. Their story is a reminder of how closely life on Earth is tied to the environments we live in.



As researchers continue to study extinct sloths, we get a clearer picture of what ancient ecosystems looked like - and how life has always had to find new ways to survive.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adu0704" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Lost world of giant sloths: Why did they shrink and when did it happen?

Sloths are famous for their laid-back lifestyle. They cling to...

A pair of far-flung galaxies has grabbed the spotlight by engaging in a high-speed collision that stretches our understanding of cosmic interactions. One galaxy is blasting the other with intense radiation, and astronomers say this barrage is limiting new star formation in the battered galaxy.



The study was led by Pasquier Noterdaeme from the<a href="https://www.iap.fr/?langue=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Paris Institute of Astrophysics</a> and the French-Chilean Laboratory for Astronomy in Chile and Sergei Balashev from the Ioffe Institute in St Petersburg, Russia.



The researchers noted that these two galaxies are racing toward each other at about 310 miles per second. Their study describes how this collision plays out when one <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-watched-an-entire-galaxy-turn-on-the-lights-in-real-time-black-hole-awoke/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy</a> packs a powerful quasar weapon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxy-collision-and-a-quasar-blast">Galaxy collision and a quasar blast</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxies-are-much-bigger-than-we-originally-believed-gas-clouds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> lie more than 11 billion years in the past. Our current observations reveal them when the universe was only about 18% of its present age.



“We hence call this system the ‘cosmic joust,'” said Noterdaeme. One galaxy harbors a <a href="https://www.tmt.org/page/supermassive-black-holes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supermassive black hole</a> that unleashes extreme radiation and transforms ordinary gas clouds in its unwary companion. 



A quasar forms when enormous amounts of matter spiral into a supermassive black hole, shining with brightness that can outmatch entire galaxies. Such intensity can wreak havoc on star-forming gas if it blasts through a neighboring galaxy.



“Here we see for the first time the effect of a quasar’s radiation directly on the internal structure of the gas in an otherwise regular galaxy,” explained Balashev. 



Observations reveal that only the smallest, densest pockets of gas remain intact, which appear incapable of supporting much star formation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-galaxies-and-quasars">Evolution of galaxies and quasars</h2>



The intense radiation from the quasar didn’t just scatter the gas - it compressed what was left into tiny, dense clumps. These <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/molecular-clouds" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">molecular clouds</a> are far smaller than typical star-forming regions, some measuring less than 0.02 light-years across.



Astronomers estimate that these compact clouds are at least 100,000 times denser than the surrounding space. But even with their density, they’re too small to kickstart new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxy-found-in-the-early-universe-that-shouldnt-exist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars</a>. 



This points to <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/0004-637X/820/1/10" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">negative feedback</a>, a process where energy from black holes actively shuts down star formation in surrounding areas.



Even though this galactic clash happened over 11 billion years ago, it's giving scientists a rare window into how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-geomagnetic-storm-reveals-earths-technological-vulnerabilities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> and quasars evolved in the early universe. Most of what we know about these processes comes from models or indirect observations.



Seeing a real-time <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/459/3/2618/2595170" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">example</a>, frozen in light that just reached us, helps confirm long-standing theories about how radiation from black holes can shut down star formation in nearby galaxies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-telescopes-reveal-two-galaxies">Telescopes reveal two galaxies</h2>



By combining data from the <a href="https://public.nrao.edu/telescopes/alma/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array</a> and the <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Very Large Telescope</a>, researchers were able to study the quasar’s light as it carved through the second galaxy. They found that what once looked like a single fuzzy object in older images turned out to be two galaxies in a fierce collision.



The team identified disruptions in the attacked galaxy’s gas clouds, linking them to the quasar’s intense radiation. Astronomers also discovered that the chaos supplies fresh gas to the ravenous black hole, prolonging its brutal assault.



The data came from two observatories located in the <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/first-time-in-atacama-desert" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atacama Desert</a>, one of the driest places on Earth. These high-altitude sites offer some of the clearest views of the night sky, with minimal atmospheric interference.



<a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/alma/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ALMA</a>’s ability to detect fine detail in millimeter wavelengths, combined with the VLT’s precise light analysis, made it possible to separate the two galaxies and trace the radiation's path through the victim galaxy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-aftermath-of-galaxy-collisions">The aftermath of galaxy collisions </h2>



“This will certainly allow us to push forward a deeper study of this, and other systems, to better understand the evolution of quasars and their effect on host and nearby <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-telescope-confirms-hubble-constant-our-understanding-of-universe-expansion-very-wrong/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a>,” said Noterdaeme. 



The researchers predict that future instruments like the <a href="https://elt.eso.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Extremely Large Telescope</a> could investigate the aftermath of such collisions in closer detail. 



When galaxies collide, they don’t just create chaos, they also feed the supermassive black holes at their centers. These mergers funnel gas and dust inward, giving black holes the fuel they need to flare up as quasars.



This process explains why quasars were more common in the early universe. Galaxy interactions were far more frequent, and each one offered another chance for a black hole to ignite and reshape its surroundings.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08966-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Image Credit: ESO / M. Kornmesser.



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Ancient galaxy collision reveals a quasar shutting down star birth

A pair of far-flung galaxies has grabbed the spotlight by...

Caribbean,Sea,Covered,By,Sargasso,Algae.,Seaweed,Top,View

The Atlantic Ocean holds a secret: a patch of calm water ringed by swift currents, sitting about 590 miles east of Florida yet never touching land. Known as the Sargasso Sea, sailors have crossed it for centuries, but few notice the border when they slip into glassy indigo waters. 



Those who linger find the surface scattered with golden-brown seaweed - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-drives-the-great-atlantic-sargassum-belt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sargassum</a> - named for the Portuguese word sargaço, a type of grape-like algae. The plants bob in slow motion, rolling gently like tumbleweeds on a prairie of water.



Within minutes, the stillness feels uncanny. No surf pounds. No gulls scream from cliffs. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sargassum-seaweed-a-growing-problem-could-become-a-sustainable-solution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The seaweed</a>, however, bursts with residents: shrimp the size of rice grains, neon juvenile fish, porcelain-white crabs, and even young loggerhead turtles paddling their first miles of life. 



This floating cover grows so thick that early Spanish crews feared their wooden caravels would halt and “never again feel a breath of wind,” as Christopher Columbus wrote in 1492.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-sargasso-sea-holds-a-drifting-forest">The Sargasso Sea holds a drifting forest</h2>



Strip away the romance, and the Sargasso Sea looks like an 800-mile-wide nursery. Scientists call the drifting mats “habitat islands,” and for good reason. Hatchling turtles hide here until their shells harden.



Porbeagle sharks cruise the shade below, while Bermuda storm-petrels skim the fringe, plucking shrimp in mid-dive.



Researchers have counted more than 100 invertebrate species clinging to the weed—tiny colonists that hitch a ride for years before the mats eventually break apart.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-cycles-in-migration">Life cycles in migration</h2>



European and American eels begin their lives beneath these mats, no bigger than clear threads. They drift west or east on ocean currents, slip into rivers as far inland as Indiana, then, after decades in freshwater, swim back the entire 3,000-mile journey to spawn once and die. 



How they locate the same watery cradle baffles zoologists. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-humpback-whales-are-born-in-places-we-didnt-expect/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humpback whales</a> also cross the sea each spring, and high-speed tuna streak through on their way to spawning grounds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unique-climate-engine-calls-the-shots">Unique climate engine calls the shots</h2>



Longtime observers quickly learn that calm water masks heavy lifting. In summer, the surface warms to about 82–86 °F; in winter, it cools to roughly 64–68 °F. 



Those seasonal swings drive mixing that helps push warm, salty water northward and return cooler water south - a conveyor that steadies weather patterns on both sides of the Atlantic. 



The open water also pulls carbon dioxide from the air, locking it into plankton shells that eventually snow to the seafloor.



Only after two years of sampling did chemical oceanographer Nicholas Bates and colleagues at the <a href="https://bios.asu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences</a> realize just how much heat the sea was absorbing. 



“The ocean is the warmest it’s been for ‘millions and millions of years,’” he told LiveScience, warning that the trend could reshape “where it rains or where it doesn’t.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-problems-threaten-the-sargasso-sea">Human problems threaten the Sargasso Sea</h2>



Jules Verne once called the Sargasso “a perfect lake in the open Atlantic.” Today that lake collects trash from four converging currents: the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collapse-of-main-atlantic-ocean-circulaton-current-amoc-is-already-happening/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Atlantic Current</a>, Canary Current, North Equatorial Current, and Antilles Current. 



Those loops act like a mile-wide drain, funneling plastic bags, bottle caps, and ghost fishing gear into a slowly rotating slick. 



One survey estimated roughly 200,000 pieces of debris per square kilometer - about 518,000 pieces per square mile - spreading for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-hotspots-currents-identified-cleanup-efforts-great-pacific-garbage-patch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">several hundred miles</a>.



Underwater microphones pick up the growl of cargo vessels cutting straight through mats. Propellers shred the weed; paint chips flake from hulls, releasing copper and zinc. 



Noise can mask the low-frequency calls of sperm whales passing beneath. Meanwhile, floating nets entangle juvenile turtles exactly where they once found refuge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-change-through-decades">Tracking change through decades</h2>



Researchers have monitored these waters near Bermuda since 1954, recording temperature, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caribbean-salt-affects-global-climate-study-reveals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">salinity</a>, dissolved oxygen, and pH every month. 



Instruments show that winter water is slightly saltier than summer water, thanks to dry winds that whisk moisture off the surface, while rainfall each June and July freshens the mix. 



Since the 1980s, the average temperature has climbed roughly 1 °C - a small number that packs a punch. Warmer layers resist vertical mixing, starving deeper water of oxygen and hoarding nutrients that would normally rise to feed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-from-africa-sparked-a-massive-phytoplankton-bloom/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plankton blooms</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sargasso-sea_map-location_credit-Bates-Johnson_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sargasso-sea_map-location_credit-Bates-Johnson_1s.webp" alt="Location map of the island of Bermuda and two ocean time-series (Hydrostation S, 1954 to present; and the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series, BATS, 1988 to present) sites. The position of the Ocean Flux Program (OFP, 1978 to present; deep ocean sediment trap program) is also shown. Ruth Curry is thanked for the main panel figure which is modified here. Credit: Bates and Johnson" class="wp-image-1970759"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Location map of the island of Bermuda and two ocean time-series (Hydrostation S, 1954 to present; and the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series, BATS, 1988 to present) sites. The position of the Ocean Flux Program (OFP, 1978 to present; deep ocean sediment trap program) is also shown. Ruth Curry is thanked for the main panel figure which is modified here. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Bates and Johnson</figcaption></figure>



Scientists have developed new metrics, such as “salinity anomaly” maps and basin-scale alkalinity indices, to compare one year to the next. 



Paired with drifting Argo floats and satellite color scans, the 60-year record has become a gold standard for tracking ocean acidification.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-race-against-warmth">Race against warmth</h2>



<a href="https://www.sargassoseacommission.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Sargasso Sea Commission</a>, an intergovernmental body formed in 2014, calls the region a “haven of biodiversity” and urges countries to designate shipping lanes that skirt dense mats. 



Marine protected area status remains complicated; no nation owns the sea, and enforcement on the high seas is costly. 



Yet conservationists note that simple steps - rerouting tankers by 50 miles or banning longline fishing during peak turtle season - could preserve critical habitat without hampering trade.



Policy moves slowly, while climate shifts quickly. 



Between stronger hurricanes and hotter summers, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robot-discovers-surprising-food-source-sargassum-for-deep-ocean-creatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sargassum</a> now grows so prolifically in the Caribbean that beach resorts hire bulldozers to clear it. Excess weed sinks, rots, and releases greenhouse gases, turning a carbon sink into a source. 



Paradoxically, the very organism that lends the sea its name may become a casualty of warming if rising acidity weakens its holdfasts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-protecting-the-sargasso-sea">Importance of protecting the Sargasso Sea</h2>



If we lose the Sargasso Sea, rivers from Newfoundland to the Gulf of Mexico would send eels searching in vain for a birthplace erased by heat. 



Humpbacks might arrive in spring to find the larder bare. Storm tracks over Europe could drift, and the Atlantic might store even more of the planet’s excess heat, accelerating feedback loops we scarcely understand.



Governments are now weighing a treaty to curb plastic discharge at sea and expand no-take zones around key migratory corridors. 



Shipping firms experiment with quieter propeller designs and biodegradable packing bands. None of these fixes alone will restore the Sargasso, but together they could keep the floating forest alive long enough for cooler heads - and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oceans-hidden-skin-could-protect-us-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cooler oceans</a> - to prevail.



For something that looks like an empty patch of blue on a map, the Sargasso Sea manages to knit continents together, nourish creatures halfway across the world, and offer humanity a running log of planetary change. 



The still water speaks softly, but its message rings clear: protect the calm, or brace for the storm that follows.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1289931/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.



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Earth has one sea that touches no land, because it has no shore

The Atlantic Ocean holds a secret: a patch of calm...

Bacteria,Bifidobacterium,,Gram-positive,Anaerobic,Rod-shaped,Bacteria,Which,Are,Part,Of

Life in orbit has always intrigued scientists, but few expected to find a microbe that had never been seen on Earth. A bacterium named niallia tiangongensis has popped up aboard China’s Tiangong station, sparking curiosity and concern.



The new species was identified by Dr. Junxia Yuan, from the <a href="https://www.cast.cn/3g/english/channel/wid/1823" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shenzhou Space Biotechnology Group</a> in Beijing, following detailed genetic and biochemical tests. 



Early research suggests that this tiny organism is well suited to the environment hundreds of miles above Earth’s surface and might offer fresh perspectives on how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-have-become-immune-to-radiation-and-live-in-microwaves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbes</a> adapt to low gravity and high radiation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-space-bacteria-was-discovered">How the space bacteria was discovered</h2>



Space stations host people, plants, and countless <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/enough-water-to-fill-trillions-of-earths-oceans-found-circling-black-hole-quasar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbes</a>. Many come from crew members or cargo, so it can be tough to figure out if a microbe has simply stowed away or developed new traits during the mission.



This odd finding has prompted more investigation into whether the microbe was originally part of Earth’s enormous microbial pool. 



Experts say that the next step is to confirm if it acquired extra survival skills once exposed to orbital conditions.



There’s a lot of interest in how microorganisms behave when contained in a sealed cabin with limited resources. Crew members took swab samples back in May 2023 for the China Space Station Habitation Area Microbiome Program (CHAMP). 



Scientists hope these samples will explain how bacteria adjust to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/space-travel-has-unexpected-effects-on-gut-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microgravity</a> and whether such shifts could pose hazards in the future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strange-traits-help-the-bacteria-survive">Strange traits help the bacteria survive </h2>



The microbe is microscopic and rod-shaped, but that’s not the only special quality it has. The bacteria appears to form spores, which are resilient structures known to help some organisms get through harsh conditions. 



"This aids their survival in the space environment,” wrote the authors of the study.



According to the researchers, the bacteria also breaks down gelatin in a unique way, which might be critical in nutrient-poor environments.



Experts looking at microbial behavior on crewed space stations have examined how certain species can form <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2732559/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biofilms</a>. These structures can make the bacteria more resistant to stress.



One NASA-led <a href="https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-015-0116-3">study</a> on the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Space Station</a> showed how microbes sometimes endure high radiation levels in orbit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-space-bacteria-may-affect-astronaut-health">Space bacteria may affect astronaut health</h2>



Space travelers already face risks from radiation, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microgravity-causes-big-problems-with-human-gene-expression/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microgravity-induced</a> health problems, and psychological stress. The presence of new microbes with uncertain health implications adds another layer of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronauts-microbiome-health-is-crucial-to-future-space-exploration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">complexity</a>.



Some strains might be harmless, but scientists worry about infections if a species learns to thrive in low-gravity settings. 



Future missions to the Moon or Mars could last for months or even years, so it’s crucial to understand any microbial surprises that might appear along the way.



Investigations into the microbe’s genetic profile suggest it is akin to a known bacterium called <a href="https://microbe-canvas.com/Bacteria/gram-positive-rods/cells-with-spores/facultative-anaerobic-1/lecithinase-negative/bacillus-circulans.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">niallia circulans</a>, which can cause sepsis in immunocompromised individuals. It remains unclear whether the variant on China's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiangong_space_station" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tiangong Space Station</a> carries the same risks.



Researchers plan to compare genetic data, growth patterns, and resilience to radiation in both microbes. The hope is to figure out if the station-based bacterium has gained additional traits that make it more threatening.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-effects-on-spacecraft-systems">Potential effects on spacecraft systems</h2>



Past missions have shown that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-says-the-international-space-station-is-too-clean-add-microbes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria on station surfaces</a> can hinder machinery. Equipment may be exposed to microbial films that could degrade important materials and introduce safety issues.



Maintaining reliable cleaning processes becomes essential in confined habitats. If this new microbe proves challenging to remove, engineers might have to rethink how surfaces and components are protected.



Experts say <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronauts-will-search-the-exterior-of-the-space-station-for-living-microbes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consistent surveillance</a> and swift responses are vital. Identifying and isolating unfamiliar species prevents damage and reduces any potential health hazards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-questions-for-upcoming-missions">Questions for upcoming missions</h2>



No one is sure if niallia tiangongensis emerged spontaneously in space or hitchhiked from Earth. The bacteria's robust nature suggests it might survive more than just a few weeks in orbit.



This uncertainty highlights how little we know about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/space-travel-has-unexpected-effects-on-gut-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">huge array of microorganisms</a> around us. Tens of thousands of bacterial species have been cataloged, but billions more remain undiscovered.



Scientists also wonder what happens when humans travel beyond low-Earth orbit. If longer missions encounter microbes that adapt quickly, protocols for disinfection and waste management will need serious upgrades.



The next generation of space explorers might deal with concerns involving multiple resistant bacteria. Studies like this aim to stay ahead of potential surprises.



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



Investigations plan to zero in on the bacterium’s stress response and its ability to repair radiation damage. One part of the research covers how certain proteins may help these cells handle oxidative challenges.



Researchers are also analyzing how the bacterium’s unique gelatin-hydrolyzing properties could be harnessed. If this trait has commercial applications, there might be spinoffs for biotechnology here on Earth.



“It is still too early to determine whether the space bacterium poses any danger to taikonauts aboard Tiangong,” stated the original press release. Its full significance will likely become clearer when scientists complete further assessments of its virulence.



Nonetheless, space agencies around the globe will keep watching such developments. The safety of astronauts and station hardware is on the line.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-more-strange-bacteria-in-space">Finding more strange bacteria in space</h2>



Experts predict more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/conan-the-bacterium-can-endure-extreme-radiation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unusual microbes</a> turning up as space exploration advances. Closed-loop living quarters and reliance on limited resources create a setting where bacteria can mutate in unexpected ways.



Efforts like CHAMP are part of a broader plan to gather data on microbial diversity during missions. Observing these organisms throughout long flights should clarify how they adapt and evolve.



Better detection tools and advanced gene sequencing help scientists act quickly once a newcomer is spotted. Quick responses might prevent problems if the microbe turns out to be invasive or harmful.



For now, the story of niallia tiangongensis stands as a reminder that space remains full of puzzles. The research is still unfolding, and more surprises may lie ahead.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijsem.0.006693" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology</a>.



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Bacteria found on Chinese space station has never been seen on Earth or anywhere else

Life in orbit has always intrigued scientists, but few expected...

<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.

<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/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter 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/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

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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"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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