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...

In 2024, the planet faced more hot, sticky days than ever before. The American Meteorological Society reported that humid heat days over land rose by 35.6 compared to the 1991-2020 average. That broke the previous record from 2023 by nearly 10 days.



This is not just about hotter summers. Humidity is climbing to levels that make normal cooling impossible. 



When air holds too much moisture, sweat doesn’t evaporate. The body keeps the heat inside, which quickly becomes dangerous.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-our-body-struggles-in-humid-heat">Our body struggles in humid heat</h2>



Kate Willett from the UK <a href="https://www.metoffice.gov.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Met Office</a> explained the risk clearly. “Your body starts to really struggle to offload heat, and so it can be really dangerous."



Meteorologists track this with a “wet bulb temperature.” They cover a thermometer with a wet cloth. 



Normally, evaporation cools the reading. In muggy conditions, that effect fades, and the wet bulb temperature rises close to the dry one. It represents how oppressive the air feels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humid-heat-around-the-world">Humid heat around the world</h2>



A warmer atmosphere holds more water. That means heavier rains, stronger storms, and more humid days. Willett said 2024 was “exceptionally” humid, second only to 2023.



The numbers tell the story. In the Middle East, South-East Asia, and eastern China, wet bulb temperatures often surpassed 29°C (84°F). 



Some places even touched 31°C (88°F). At that point, being outside for long periods is unsafe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-much-heat-can-humans-take">How much heat can humans take?</h2>



For years, scientists believed survival ended at 35°C (95°F) wet bulb temperature. But research in 2022 lowered the limit. The real danger may begin around 31°C (88°F). 



“30°C and above is where your body is really struggling,” Willett said. That means the danger line is much closer than many assumed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-america-s-muggiest-summer">America’s muggiest summer</h2>



The United States faced its own climate crisis as the summer of 2025 began. More than 70 million people endured what scientists have called the muggiest start to a summer in recorded history. 



Across much of the eastern half of the country, the air felt thick and heavy for weeks, with heat combining with record-breaking humidity.



Data showed that parts of 27 states, along with Washington, D.C., experienced an unusual number of days with dew points above 65°F. 



Meteorologists often use this mark as the point when the air shifts from merely noticeable humidity to levels that feel uncomfortable and oppressive for most people. In simple terms, the air felt more like a tropical zone than a typical American summer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humidity-rises-in-u-s-cities">Humidity rises in U.S. cities</h2>



Some cities felt it worse than others. Philadelphia reported 29 separate days when dew points soared beyond 75°F, creating air that many residents described as suffocating. Washington, D.C., had 27 days at this extreme level, while Baltimore experienced 24. 



To put that in perspective, even the National Weather Service office in Tampa, a city used to sticky summers, classifies dew points of 75°F and above as “oppressive.” 



“This has been a very muggy summer. The humid heat has been way up,” said Bernadette Woods Placky from Climate Central.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dew-points-rising-fast">Dew points rising fast</h2>



Dew point measures moisture in the air. It’s the most accurate way to explain humidity. In cities like Washington, Baltimore, and St. Louis, dew points this summer were about six degrees higher than the 1951–2020 average.



Cameron Lee, a climate scientist at <a href="https://www.kent.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kent State University</a>, measured dew points of 82°F at his home in Ohio. 



“There are parts of the United States that are experiencing not only greater average humidity, especially in the spring and summer, but also more extreme humid days,” Lee said. 



The data shows that what used to happen once a year is now happening several times a summer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nights-stay-hotter-with-humid-heat">Nights stay hotter with humid heat</h2>



High humidity keeps heat trapped at night. Normally, the body cools off while we sleep. But this summer, cities from the Ohio Valley to the Atlantic broke records for the hottest overnight lows. 



“What really impacts the body is that nighttime temperature,” said Zack Taylor from the <a href="https://www.weather.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Weather Service</a>. Without cooling, the body doesn’t recover from the day. The strain builds day after day.



Meteorologists link these conditions to both climate change and shifting weather patterns. Persistent high-pressure systems trapped heat, while heavy rains added more moisture. Missing were the cooler air fronts that once offered relief.



“Summers now are not your grandparents’ summers,” noted Marshall Shepherd, a professor at the <a href="https://www.uga.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Georgia</a>.



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Humid heat days are a growing threat to public health

In 2024, the planet faced more hot, sticky days than...

A new study watching whales and dolphins together suggests play is not rare and not always one-sided. The team sifted through videos and images from around the world to classify exactly what each animal did during these encounters 



The research lands at a moment when millions of people are capturing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humpback-whales-now-migrate-weeks-early-signaling-big-ocean-changes/">wildlife</a> on their phones, and scientists are turning that stream into data. The project was led by Dr. Olaf Meynecke of <a href="https://www.griffith.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Griffith University</a>’s Whales &amp; Climate Program .



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-study-tracked">What the study tracked</h2>



The dataset covered 199 independent events involving 19 species and documented 425 baleen whales and an estimated 1,570 dolphins. 



Humpback whales accounted for most whale <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-whale-with-razor-sharp-teeth-discovered-in-australia/">observations</a>, while bottlenose dolphins were the most frequently recorded dolphins.



The researchers coded where dolphins positioned themselves relative to the whales, how both sides moved, and which age classes were present. 



The analysis treated each shift in position or behavior as a datapoint rather than only counting a whole event.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-footage-of-whales-and-dolphins">Footage of whales and dolphins</h2>



The team combined publicly shared footage, tourism operator videos, and research clips, and then applied verification checks to confirm identities and avoid duplicates. 



Two whale-mounted camera tags added a view from the whales themselves and showed dolphins staying engaged below the surface as well.



Baleen whales belong to the group Mysticeti - the massive filter feeders that include <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-orca-day-2025-saving-the-oceans-top-predators/">humpbacks</a>, fin whales, and blue whales. Dolphins, on the other hand, are members of the Delphinidae family - known for their complex social lives and swift, agile movements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whale-and-dolphin-interactions">Whale and dolphin interactions</h2>



In most events, dolphins favored the whale’s head region, the rostrum, where pressure waves can help them move with less effort. This positioning lined up with widespread reports of bow riding, when dolphins surf the wave in front of a moving body.



Humpbacks often responded with slow, oriented <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humpback-whales-are-giving-birth-where-we-least-expected/">movements</a>, pectoral fin gestures, rolling, and belly presentations. The researchers said that tail slaps and signs of aggression were rare and made up only 5% of the whale-dolphin interactions.



“And in particular for humpback whales, we found that for one third of the events the behavioral responses towards the dolphins appear positive," said Meynecke.



"The humpback whales were rolling from side to side, undertaking belly presentation and other behaviors that are associated with courtship or friendly socializing."



The experts suggested that not only do whales and dolphins coexist - but also seem to seek each other out. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-play-matters-in-marine-life">Why play matters in marine life</h2>



Animal play is more than a-feel-good idea. A leading framework describes play as voluntary, rewarding, and different in form from serious behavior, often occurring when an animal is not stressed.



Scientists also split play into categories, including locomotor play, object play, and social play. 



When two species interact, researchers refer to it as interspecific social play - mutual, cooperative behavior that displays typical play signals, though sometimes the interaction may be one-sided.



Energetics add another layer to the story of dolphins near whale heads. A 2024 study found bow riding dusky dolphins had significantly lower respiration rates at the same travel speeds than free-swimming dolphins, supporting the idea that this position can save energy while the animals move.



That does not mean every close pass is playful or efficient. Context matters, and the same behaviors can carry different meanings during feeding, traveling, or social bouts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-for-patterns-in-the-data">Looking for patterns in the data</h2>



Reports of whales and dolphins in close contact go back decades, but systematic counts across many species and places have been rare. 



One well documented case described humpback whales lifting bottlenose dolphins out of the water, a striking interaction debated as play, caregiving, or a response to harassment.



Those events were unusual, yet they helped shape today’s questions about intent and reciprocity. The new analysis builds on that history by treating many everyday encounters as data rather than curiosities.



Social media and drone clips now extend the reach of field observations without replacing traditional surveys. With consistent verification, these sources can reveal patterns that were hard to see when studies were limited to a few sites and seasons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-dolphin-whale-interactions">Future of dolphin-whale interactions</h2>



Play and tolerance across species hint at flexible social rules in the open ocean. If whales and dolphins often meet without conflict, those interactions could influence how they share space, find food, or learn about each other over time.



Future work can test whether specific whale behaviors invite or discourage close approaches and whether local conditions change the odds that play turns mutual. 



Tag videos, UAV footage, and standardized ethograms will help sort those possibilities with fewer gaps and fewer assumptions.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44338-025-00099-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Discover Animals</a>.



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Whales and dolphins seek each other out to play

A new study watching whales and dolphins together suggests play...

When we talk about mental health, traits like resilience or neuroticism usually dominate the discussion. Yet, another trait quietly shapes how people experience the world: sensitivity. 



For some, it brings creativity, empathy, and awareness. For others, sensitivity comes with challenges such as overstimulation and vulnerability to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traffic-noise-exposure-increases-mental-health-risks/">stress</a>.



A new study shows sensitivity strongly affects mental health. After reviewing 33 studies, researchers found links to depression and anxiety. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sensitivity-and-its-nature">Sensitivity and its nature</h2>



Sensitivity, sometimes described as environmental sensitivity, reflects how people perceive and respond to their surroundings. About 31% of the population fall into the highly sensitive category. These individuals notice subtle details, feel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-near-nature-and-greenspaces-shown-to-reduce-mental-health-issues-by-60-percent/">emotions</a> deeply, and process experiences more intensely than most.



Scientists view sensitivity as biologically rooted, influenced by genetics and brain activity in regions tied to empathy and reflection. 



The Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) is the main tool used to measure it, with three core subdimensions: Ease of Excitation, Low Sensory Threshold, and Aesthetic Sensitivity. Each reveals how differently sensitivity can influence mental well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sensitivity-and-mental-health">Sensitivity and mental health</h2>



The systematic review found clear links between sensitivity and a wide range of conditions. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia, and avoidant personality disorder all showed associations with higher sensitivity.



Mechanisms behind this include a tendency toward overstimulation, emotional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-worms-could-change-how-we-test-mental-health-drugs/">reactivity</a>, and deeper cognitive processing. 



For example, highly sensitive individuals may dwell on negative experiences longer, which can lead to rumination. They may also become quickly overwhelmed, creating feelings of helplessness and reinforcing anxiety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strong-links-confirmed">Strong links confirmed</h2>



“This is the most extensive systematic review on sensitivity and mental health in adolescents and adults to date, and is the first ever meta-analysis on the topic to estimate the impact of this relationship,” noted Tom Falkenstein, a psychotherapist and PhD student at Queen Mary University of London. 



“We found positive and moderate correlations between sensitivity and various mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia and avoidant personality disorder." 



According to Falkenstein, the team's findings suggest that sensitivity should be considered more in clinical practice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-treatment-for-sensitive-people">Better treatment for sensitive people</h2>



“In addition, our findings could help improve treatment for these individuals. Around 31% of the general population are considered highly sensitive, and, as our findings show, are more likely to respond better to some psychological interventions than less sensitive individuals,” said Falkenstein.



“Therefore, sensitivity should be considered when thinking about treatment plans for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-mental-disorder-called-solastalgia-linked-to-environmental-climate-distress/">mental health</a> conditions." 



"Our work shows it is crucial that the awareness of sensitivity is improved among mental health care professionals, so clinicians and practitioners can recognize the trait in their patients, and tailor treatment to their sensitivity.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vulnerability-to-anxiety-and-depression">Vulnerability to anxiety and depression </h2>



The review’s meta-analysis revealed a medium correlation between sensitivity and both depression (r = .36) and anxiety (r = .39). 



This suggests sensitivity significantly shapes vulnerability to these conditions. While results varied across studies, the overall evidence was consistent.



Importantly, not all aspects of sensitivity contribute equally. Ease of Excitation and Low Sensory Threshold showed stronger links to distress, while Aesthetic Sensitivity often had weaker or inconsistent effects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mental-health-of-highly-sensitive-people">Mental health of highly sensitive people </h2>



Study co-author Michael Pluess is a professor of developmental psychology at University of Surrey and visiting professor at <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>.



“This is the first meta-analysis providing robust evidence that highly sensitive people are more prone to common mental health problems,” said Pluess.



“However, it is important to remember that highly sensitive people are also more responsive to positive experiences, including psychological treatment." 



Professor Pluess noted that the results provide further evidence that sensitive people are more affected by both negative and positive experiences and that the quality of their environment is particularly important for their well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-perspective-and-future-work">Broader perspective and future work</h2>



The researchers argue that sensitivity could serve as a transdiagnostic factor. Because it influences multiple conditions, treatment should prioritize emotional regulation, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques. 



Early education about sensitivity could also help young patients see it not as a weakness, but as part of their unique makeup.



Future studies will explore how sensitivity interacts with gender, age, and upbringing. Evidence already suggests supportive environments reduce risks, while negative ones amplify them. This highlights the importance of tailoring therapy to the individual.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21677026251348428" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clinical Psychological Science</a>.



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Sensitive people are more likely to develop mental health issues

When we talk about mental health, traits like resilience or...

In a new analysis from the Dog Aging Project, researchers have built the first large-scale comorbidity map for companion dogs using owner-reported health histories from 26,614 pets across the United States.



The result is a network that highlights which illnesses tend to cluster and, when timing is available, which ones usually come first.



The goal is practical. If certain conditions line up in a common sequence, veterinarians can screen earlier, counsel dog owners more clearly, and manage risks with fewer blind spots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-dogs-and-diseases">Studying dogs and diseases</h2>



Pet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-suffer-from-the-january-blues-just-like-humans/">dogs</a> share our homes, daily environments, and many age-related illnesses, which makes them strong models for understanding how multiple diseases stack up over time in real-life settings. 



Dogs often receive consistent veterinary care, so their medical records can reveal surprisingly insightful patterns.



The comorbidity study was led by Antoinette Fang of the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Chicago</a>, with colleagues from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Texas A&amp;M University</a>, and Tufts University.



“Because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-dogs-binge-watch-television-everyday/">pet</a> dogs share our homes, environments and many of our age-related diseases, mapping how their illnesses cluster and cascade offers a powerful window into the same multimorbidity processes that erode human health and points to earlier detection and prevention strategies for people too,” said Fang.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-dog-disease-map-reveals">What the dog disease map reveals</h2>



The team constructed an undirected comorbidity network that flags statistically significant condition pairings after adjusting for age, sex and reproductive status, weight, and mixed-breed versus purebred status.



Connections involving otitis externa - a condition marked by inflammation of the outer ear canal - reflect a familiar reality: allergies are a frequent underlying cause of ear problems and infections in dogs.



The network also linked proteinuria - an excess of protein in the urine - to anemia in the setting of chronic kidney disease. This connection is consistent with the biology of kidney-driven anemia in dogs.



The analysis highlights associations such as protein in the urine alongside low red blood cell counts, which may signal more advanced kidney disease. This connection demonstrates the importance of monitoring red blood cell production early.



A parasite cluster pattern was also found in the data, which aligns with clinical experience that many parasitic infections co-occur in the same animal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-timing-matters">Why timing matters</h2>



To examine the sequence in which conditions arise, the team incorporated reported onset dates and built a directed network to estimate which condition is more likely to precede another within a 12-month period.



This guide becomes useful when a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-head-shape-influences-dog-behavior/">dog</a> shows an early sign and a clinician needs to decide what to check next.



One example stands out from everyday ophthalmology. In dogs, diabetes is strongly associated with cataracts, and about 75 percent of diabetic dogs develop blinding cataracts within two years of diagnosis. This pattern aligns with the network’s diabetes-before-cataracts signal. 



The network also places keratoconjunctivitis sicca - commonly known as dry eye, where inadequate tear production leaves the eye unprotected - before corneal ulceration, a painful condition in which the cornea develops open sores. 



This sequence aligns with the way insufficient tears can leave the cornea vulnerable to injury and infection.



A cardiovascular example points the same direction. The ordered map shows hypertension preceding chronic kidney disease in older dogs, which matches consensus guidance that sustained high blood pressure damages target organs, including the kidneys. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-diseases-change-with-age">Dog diseases change with age</h2>



As dogs age, disease webs change shape, with more connections concentrating around a smaller set of hubs in senior dogs according to the authors’ age-stratified analyses. 



The shift lines up with what many owners see, a long stretch of minor problems, then a steeper cascade later in life.



Body size complicates this picture in useful ways. In Dog Aging Project <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38232117/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a>, larger dogs carry higher lifetime prevalence for several categories like orthopedic, endocrine, and cancer, while smaller dogs show higher prevalence in some eye and cardiac categories, patterns that can shape size-aware screening choices. 



A veterinarian who knows a patient’s size risks can use this network as a clinical overlay rather than a one size fits all checklist.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-vets-can-use-the-map">How vets can use the map</h2>



For primary care, the value is anticipatory. If a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-followed-the-first-farmers-through-the-americas/">dog</a> presents with a new diagnosis that sits at the center of a cluster, a vet can plan targeted tests, schedule follow-up at tighter intervals, and talk with owners about what to watch for. 



The lesson for owners is to share detailed histories. Reporting onset dates, even approximately, helps transform a static problem list into a timeline that can guide critical decisions. 



“Mining owner-reported data from the Dog Aging Project, we built the first large-scale canine comorbidity network, confirming that diabetes often occurs before cataracts and revealing that health problems tend to cluster around a few key diseases as dogs age,” said Fang. 



Such a map can guide practical clinical trials, refine breed- and size-specific screening guidelines, and improve how veterinarians and owners discuss health risks well before they escalate into a crisis.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012728" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Computational Biology</a>.



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Mapping disease patterns in dogs can reveal what's ahead

In a new analysis from the Dog Aging Project, researchers...

Men who lose the Y chromosome in many immune cells face higher risks of narrow blood vessels. Narrowed vessels are a key driver of heart disease. This conclusion comes from a study analyzing more than 30,000 people.



“Loss of Y is killing a lot of men,” said Kenneth Walsh at the <a href="https://www.virginia.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Virginia</a>, who wasn’t involved in the study. “Men live six years shorter than females, and an enormous amount of that mortality is due to their sex chromosome instability.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-y-chromosome-loss-occurs">How Y chromosome loss occurs</h2>



As men grow older, some of their cells start losing the Y chromosome. This usually happens in white blood cells, which protect the body from infections. 



When new blood cells are made, small mistakes can occur, and more cells lose the Y chromosome over time. By age 70, about 4 out of 10 men have this loss.



In 2014, researcher Lars Forsberg found that men with Y loss lived about five years less than those without it. Later, Kenneth Walsh linked this loss to a higher risk of heart <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tool-that-determines-your-heart-age-as-compared-to-your-actual-age/">disease</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-y-chromosome-loss-and-heart-disease">Y chromosome loss and heart disease</h2>



The Swedish CArdioPulmonary Bioimage Study (SCAPIS) offers one of the largest datasets for exploring cardiovascular risk. 



The researchers studied over 30,000 participants aged 50 to 64, including detailed imaging of their coronary and carotid arteries.



Men with substantial Y loss in blood cells showed stronger links to coronary atherosclerosis than men without it. 



This included more severe narrowing of arteries, greater numbers of affected vessel segments, and higher levels of calcified plaque.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-y-chromosome-loss-and-heart-arteries">Y chromosome loss and heart arteries</h2>



The researchers found that when men lose the Y chromosome in their blood cells, it links strongly to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-disease-kills-differently-now-than-five-decades-ago/">heart problems</a>, especially in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. 



But this same loss does not seem to affect the carotid arteries in the neck in the same way. The reason may be that these two types of arteries develop disease for different reasons.



Coronary artery disease is mainly caused by fat and cholesterol building up inside the blood vessels. This buildup, combined with inflammation, leads to plaque that blocks blood flow to the heart. 



Losing the Y chromosome seems to make these processes worse, increasing the chances of clogged or narrowed heart arteries.



Carotid artery disease, on the other hand, is more often linked to high blood pressure and the stress of blood flow against artery walls. Because of this, the Y chromosome loss may not play as large a role in the carotids.



This difference shows that Y chromosome loss may affect some parts of the body more than others. It also helps explain why men, who are more likely to lose the Y chromosome, often have higher risks of heart disease compared with women.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-y-loss-harms-cells">How Y loss harms cells</h2>



Researchers have observed that immune cells lacking Y often show disrupted gene regulation and impaired function. 



In animal models, Y loss triggered fibrosis in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cycling-daily-reduces-cancer-risk-by-50-percent-and-boosts-heart-health/">heart</a> and lung tissue, driven by heightened TGF-β signaling. Blocking this pathway reversed damage, suggesting a direct mechanistic role.



In humans, men with Y loss display fibrotic disease patterns and an increased risk of both pulmonary and cardiac complications. 



Together, these findings imply that Y loss contributes to plaque formation, fibrous cap buildup, and calcification - features linked with coronary disease severity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-y-loss-raises-heart-risk">Y loss raises heart risk</h2>



Losing the Y chromosome is more than just a sign of aging. It directly raises men’s risk of heart disease, leading to earlier and more severe artery problems. 



This risk stays even when factors like smoking, weight, diabetes, or cholesterol are considered.



Kenneth Walsh notes that more proof is needed, but evidence from scans, genetics, and lab studies strongly suggests Y loss makes men more vulnerable to heart disease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-y-loss-for-treatment">Testing Y loss for treatment</h2>



Researchers envision a simple blood test to identify men with significant Y loss. This could help guide preventative strategies, such as closer monitoring, targeted therapies, or lifestyle interventions.



“It might identify patients who will particularly benefit from specific treatments,” said Thimoteus Speer.



The emerging view is that Y chromosome loss reshapes immune cell behavior, driving both fibrotic and atherosclerotic pathways. This dual effect could explain men’s shorter lifespans and higher rates of heart disease. 



As understanding deepens, detecting and managing Y loss may become central in men’s cardiovascular care.



Scientists believe this finding could change how doctors treat men’s heart health. If doctors test for Y loss early, they could spot which men are at higher risk. 



With that knowledge, doctors could watch these patients more closely, suggest healthier habits, or create treatments to lower the danger.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.10.25331326v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">medRxiv</a>.



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Men’s heart health tied to Y chromosome loss with age

Men who lose the Y chromosome in many immune cells...

On the remote Rēkohu Chatham Islands, an ancestral duck that arrived hundreds of thousands of years ago evolved into a sturdier, more terrestrial bird with shortened wings and elongated legs. 



Within a few hundred millennia, it was already on the road toward giving up flight. The now-extinct species adds a vivid chapter to the story of how islands reshape animals.



The new research, led by the <a href="https://www.otago.ac.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka</a>, combines <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-dna-reveals-37000-years-of-hidden-human-infections/">ancient DNA</a> with detailed bone measurements to describe a previously unknown shelduck. 



The species carries the scientific name Tadorna rekohu and the common name Rēkohu shelduck, both given by the <a href="https://www.moriori.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hokotehi Moriori Trust</a>, guardians of the islands’ plants and animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-island-life-favors-walkers">Island life favors walkers</h2>



“In that time, the Rēkohu shelduck evolved shorter, more robust <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bats-once-had-hands-but-evolution-turned-them-into-wings/">wings</a> and longer leg bones, indicating it was going down the pathway towards flightlessness,” said co-lead author Nic Rawlence, an associate professor and director of the Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory.



Those changes make ecological sense on Rēkohu. Food was plentiful. Ground <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/well-built-fences-keep-predators-from-harming-livestock/">predators</a> were scarce. Winds were strong, and flying wasn’t the safest or most efficient choice.



“Flight is energetically expensive, so if you don’t have to fly, why bother?” said co-lead author Pascale Lubbe, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Otago. 



“The longer leg bones are more robust to support more muscle and create increased force for takeoff  - necessary when you have smaller wings.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bird-dna-and-bones-tell-the-story">Bird DNA and bones tell the story</h2>



Researchers pieced together the bird’s story from two lines of evidence. First, they sequenced ancient mitochondrial DNA from Chatham Islands fossils and compared it with living relatives. 



Second, they analyzed the shapes and proportions of skull, wing, and leg bones, looking for consistent differences.



Together, the genetic tree and the measurements confirm that the Rēkohu shelduck was most closely related to the pūtangitangi paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata) of mainland Aotearoa New Zealand, yet distinct in form.



The family tree also helps time the split. The best estimate is that the ancestor of the Rēkohu shelduck colonized the islands about 390,000 years ago during the Late Pleistocene.



That is enough time, on an isolated archipelago, for natural selection and island living to reshape a bird’s body - shorter wing bones with chunkier ends and longer, more robust legs - without making it fully flightless.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-on-a-windy-archipelago"><a></a>Life on a windy archipelago</h2>



The Chathams sit roughly 785 kilometers (488 miles) east of mainland New Zealand and have long been a crucible of endemic bird life. Before people arrived, at least eight species of waterfowl bred there, from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-nesting-ducks-are-at-risk-from-climate-and-land-use-changes/">ducks</a> to swans and mergansers.



Island isolation and a different predator scene often push birds toward a classic “island syndrome:” reduced flight, stronger legs, and more time on the ground. 



The Rēkohu shelduck fits that rulebook. It had a longer, narrower cranium, proportionally shorter forelimbs, and longer hindlimbs than its mainland cousin - signatures of a bird that spent more time walking and foraging on foot.



Genetically, Tadorna rekohu is the sister taxon to T. variegata. Morphologically, it diverged in ways that matter for survival on Rēkohu. Ratios of limb bones show a slight tilt toward leg power over wing power.



 Analyses that compare <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-flight-feathers-may-reveal-which-dinosaurs-could-fly/">flight</a> capability across ducks suggest the Rēkohu shelduck was flight-reduced rather than fully flightless - a sensible compromise when winds are fierce and terrestrial food is reliable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-overhunting-sealed-the-bird-s-fate">Overhunting sealed the bird's fate</h2>



Archaeological clues indicate the Rēkohu shelduck did not survive into the 19th century. Its bones appear in early Moriori middens, pointing to overhunting as the likeliest cause of extinction, later compounded by habitat change and introduced predators. 



That fate mirrors many island birds that evolved with few enemies on the ground. Yet discovery still carries meaning. 



“This discovery is great for Rēkohu as a whole and helps connect imi Moriori with miheke (treasure) of the past,” said Levi Lanauze, Hokotehi Moriori Trust CEO.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-window-into-rapid-evolution">A window into rapid evolution</h2>



Describing Tadorna rekohu does more than add a name to a list. It shows how quickly island environments can nudge anatomy and behavior. 



It clarifies that the Chathams hosted a richer waterfowl community than survives today. And it underscores the value of pairing ancient DNA with careful measurements to resolve long-standing taxonomic puzzles.



Each new species described from Rēkohu helps sharpen the timeline of colonization, adaptation, and loss on an archipelago where evolution works fast.



The Rēkohu shelduck also illustrates how science and community can work together. The bird’s names acknowledge guardianship and genealogy that bind people, place, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-disturbing-details-about-the-state-of-earths-wildlife/">wildlife</a>.



As researchers continue to study bones, genomes, and sediments from the islands, more stories like this are likely to surface - reminding us how landscapes shape species, and how quickly those species can vanish without careful stewardship.



The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/204/3/zlaf069/8212055" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society</a>.



Image credit: Sasha Votyakova, Te Papa CC BY 4.0



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Extinct duck reveals how island life reshapes birds

On the remote Rēkohu Chatham Islands, an ancestral duck that...

For many people, mornings don’t really begin until the first sip of coffee. That drink doesn’t just wake the body - it flips a switch in the mind. Researchers at Bielefeld University and the University of Warwick wanted to know why coffee feels so uplifting in the morning compared with the afternoon.



The team followed young adults in Germany for several weeks. Each person tracked their mood and reported whether they had consumed caffeine in the last 90 minutes. 



The results were clear. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-coffee-may-reduce-frailty-in-aging-adults/">Coffee</a> and other caffeinated drinks boosted happiness and enthusiasm. The effect was strongest within two and a half hours of waking. Later in the day, the effect weakened.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-morning-coffee-resets-our-mood">Morning coffee resets our mood</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-helps-bacteria-resist-antibiotics-in-your-gut/">Caffeine</a> didn’t only improve positive feelings. It also reduced negative ones like sadness and being upset. But that change was smaller and less reliable. Unlike the morning lift in happiness, this effect didn’t depend on the time of day.



The difference may lie in how caffeine works. It blocks adenosine receptors in the brain. This lifts energy and increases dopamine activity. 



Dopamine is tied to alertness and mood. Together, these changes explain why the morning cup feels like such a mental reset.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-people-react-differently">Do people react differently?</h2>



The team expected to see differences based on mental health, anxiety, or caffeine habits. But they didn’t. 



"We were somewhat surprised to find no differences between individuals with varying levels of caffeine consumption or differing degrees of depressive symptoms, anxiety, or sleep problems," noted Justin Hachenberger from <a href="https://www.uni-bielefeld.de" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bielefeld University</a>.



"The links between caffeine intake and positive or negative emotions were fairly consistent across all groups."



This result suggests that caffeine’s emotional effects are widely shared. People who react badly to caffeine may avoid it, so they were not strongly represented in the study. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-withdrawal-question">The withdrawal question</h2>



Scientists also debated whether the morning boost is real or simply relief from overnight withdrawal. 



"<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-may-help-you-live-longer-if-you-drink-it-this-way/">Caffeine</a> works by blocking adenosine receptors, which can increase dopamine activity in key brain regions - an effect that studies have linked to improved mood and greater alertness," explained Professor Anu Realo from the <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Warwick</a>.



"Even people with moderate caffeine consumption can experience mild withdrawal symptoms that disappear with the first cup of coffee or tea in the morning." 



In other words, coffee may feel good not only because of brain chemistry but also because it takes away the drag of going without caffeine during sleep.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mood-changes-depend-on-coffee-use">Mood changes depend on coffee use</h2>



The research showed that tiredness and social setting also change how caffeine feels. When people were more tired than usual, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-caffeine-slow-down-aging-yeast-may-hold-the-answer/">caffeine</a> gave them a bigger mood boost. 



When people were around others, the effect weakened. Social interactions may have already shaped mood, leaving caffeine less noticeable.



Negative feelings like worry didn’t shift much. Researchers think these emotions are tied to long-term stress or life events. That makes them harder to change with one drink. Positive emotions, on the other hand, respond more quickly to stimulation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-link-between-coffee-and-mood">Global link between coffee and mood </h2>



"Around 80 percent of adults worldwide consume caffeinated beverages, and the use of such stimulating substances dates far back in human history," said Professor Sakari Lemola from Bielefeld University, the study’s senior author. 



"Even wild animals consume caffeine; bees and bumblebees prefer nectar from plants that contain caffeine."



Coffee is more than a drink. It is part of daily routines across cultures. Yet researchers warn against drinking too much. High doses can disturb sleep and increase dependence. Over time, stopping suddenly can trigger headaches, irritability, and fatigue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mood-boost-from-morning-coffee">Mood boost from morning coffee</h2>



The study shows caffeine works best early in the day. It makes people feel happier, more awake, and more enthusiastic. But the effect doesn’t grow stronger with each cup. It fades as the day goes on.



For most people, moderation is the key. That first cup can brighten the morning, but too much can backfire. 



Coffee may not solve deeper worries or stress, but it can lift the mood enough to start the day with energy.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-14317-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Mood boost: How coffee makes us happier in the morning

For many people, mornings don’t really begin until the first...

In 2024, the world’s climate continued to break records, with greenhouse gas concentrations and global temperatures reaching unprecedented highs.



The oceans absorbed more heat than ever before. Sea levels climbed to their highest point on record, and glaciers shed more ice than in any prior year.



This year’s State of the Climate report, published by the <a href="https://www.ametsoc.org/ams/">American Meteorological Society</a>, brought together 589 scientists from 58 countries. 



The experts used data from satellites, weather stations, ocean buoys, and ice-core records. For decades, this report has been the go-to snapshot of Earth’s climate - tracking key changes and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2024-confirmed-as-earths-hottest-year-in-recorded-history/">extreme events</a> across the globe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greenhouse-gases-hit-highest-levels">Greenhouse gases hit highest levels</h2>



Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide all set new records in 2024. Average CO2 levels reached 422.8 parts per million, up 52% from pre-industrial times. The jump from 2023 matched the fastest increase seen in the past 60 years.



Fossil fuel burning and agriculture remain the biggest sources. Rising greenhouse gases are locking in more heat, driving stronger feedback loops like higher water vapor in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-extremes-in-2024-what-have-we-learned/">atmosphere</a> and changes in how land stores carbon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-breaks-climate-records-again">Heat breaks climate records again</h2>



For the second year in a row, the planet broke its surface temperature record. Readings were up to 0.72°C (1.30°F) above the 1991-2020 average. 



A strong El Niño that began in mid-2023 and ended in spring 2024 helped push temperatures higher.



Heat extremes weren’t limited to the tropics. Europe, Asia, and South America saw their hottest years yet. Heatwaves lasted longer and struck at times of year when they used to be rare.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-rain-and-drought">Extreme rain and drought</h2>



Warmer air holds more moisture, and in 2024 it showed. The atmosphere carried record levels of water vapor. One in five areas on Earth hit all-time highs, double the share from 2023.



Heavy rain events set records too. Dubai saw 250 mm in one day - three times its yearly average. While some places were drowning, others faced persistent droughts and extreme heat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-heating-breaks-climate-records">Ocean heating breaks climate records</h2>



From January through June, sea surface temperatures refused to budge from record-breaking highs. 



The global average edged past the 2023 mark by 0.06°C (0.11°F) - a small number on paper, but significant in climate terms. A potent El Niño, layered on top of decades of steady warming, drove the surge.



Vast stretches of ocean endured marine heatwaves - bleaching coral reefs, pushing fish into new territories, and unsettling entire food webs. On average, the seas sweltered through 100 heatwave days in 2024, while cold spells were rare - just nine days across the year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-levels-keep-rising">Sea levels keep rising</h2>



Oceans absorb over 90% of excess heat from greenhouse gases. In 2024, heat content down to 2,000 meters (6,562 feet) reached its highest ever. 



Global sea level hit a new high for the 13th year straight - over 10 centimeters (3.94 inches) above 1993 levels.



Warmer water expands, and melting ice from Greenland, Antarctica, and glaciers adds more volume. The result is higher flood risks and saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-record-heat-at-the-poles">Record heat at the poles</h2>



The Arctic experienced its second-warmest year on record, with autumn setting an all-time high for temperatures.



In August, parts of the North American Arctic endured record high temperatures, and Norway topped 30°C (86°F) in September for the first time that late in the year.



Antarctica’s sea ice stayed far below average. Minimum and maximum extents were the second lowest ever recorded, continuing a run of poor ice years since 2016.



For the second consecutive year, all 58 reference glaciers lost ice in 2024. It was the worst year for glacier loss in the 55-year record. Venezuela lost its last glacier. In Colombia, the Conejeras Glacier vanished completely.



These losses threaten water supplies for farming, hydropower, and drinking water in many mountain regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-storms-bring-destruction">Storms bring destruction</h2>



There were 82 named tropical cyclones in 2024, fewer than average but still deadly. Hurricane Helene flooded parts of the U.S., killing more than 200 people. 



Hurricane Milton hit Florida less than two weeks later - setting a state record for the shortest gap between two major hurricanes.



In Asia, Super Typhoon Yagi tore through China and Vietnam, leaving more than 800 dead. Many storms intensified unusually quickly, fueled by warmer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/">ocean</a> waters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-our-changing-climate-reality">Our changing climate reality</h2>



“The State of the Climate report is an annual scientific landmark,” said American Meteorological Society President David J. Stensrud. 



"It is a truly global effort, in which hundreds of researchers from universities, government agencies, and more come together to provide a careful, rigorously peer-reviewed report on our planet’s climate."



"High-quality observations and findings from all over the world are incorporated, underscoring the vital importance of observations to monitor, and climate science to understand, our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-is-just-three-years-away-from-dangerous-carbon-milestone/">environment</a>." 



According to Stensrud, the results affirm the reality of our changing climate, as global temperatures continue to reach record highs.



The research is published in the <a href="https://www.ametsoc.org/ams/publications/bulletin-of-the-american-meteorological-society-bams/state-of-the-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society</a>.



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State of the Climate 2024: Record heat and rising seas

In 2024, the world’s climate continued to break records, with...

If you live around Naples, you know the ground breathes. Streets crack, the harbor silts up, steam curls from the earth, and swarms of small quakes rattle windows. All that action comes from Campi Flegrei, a wide “supervolcano” caldera that last erupted in 1538.



For years, many scientists have read these signals as classic signs of magma on the move. But two recent studies - one in March 2023 and another in May 2025 - have reshaped the picture.



Together, they tell a story that is both sobering and surprisingly hopeful: Campi Flegrei is still dangerous, but some of its most disruptive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcano-eruptions-alerts-shear-wave-signals-discovered-that-could-transform-early-warning-systems/">behavior may be managed</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-campi-flegrei-in-2023">Studying Campi Flegrei in 2023</h2>



The <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/51/4/397/620796/Discriminating-carbon-dioxide-sources-during" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2023 paper</a> focused on carbon dioxide (CO₂), a gas that volcanoes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-cooling-not-warming-caused-a-major-mass-extinction/">release in large amounts</a>. CO₂ matters because it often increases when magma rises and starts to degas, which can precede eruptions. 



At the Campi Flegrei caldera, CO₂ measurements at the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/a-Geologic-map-of-the-Solfatara-Pisciarelli-area-from-this-study-UTM-projection_fig2_351100327" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Solfatara-Pisciarelli zone</a> rose during the current unrest (which began in 2005), reaching roughly 4,000-5,000 tons per day - among the highest volcanic CO₂ fluxes on Earth. 



If one looked only at that trend, one might conclude that magma was moving upward and a countdown to an eruption had begun.



The authors investigated further. They examined gases such as nitrogen and helium alongside CO₂ and compared the real data to what their models predicted if magma degassing were the only driver. 



The numbers did not line up. 



Beginning in 2005, the gas ratios drifted away from the “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-sun-affects-magma-formation-deep-within-the-earth/">pure magma</a>” pattern, matching two surface indicators: hydrothermal temperatures and the steady ground uplift known locally as bradyseism.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-was-the-gas-coming-from">Where was the gas coming from?</h2>



What was adding CO₂ if not just magma? The 2023 study pointed to a second source: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-and-trees-predict-volcano-eruptions-when-viewed-from-space-satellites/">the hydrothermal system</a> heating the rocks themselves. 



In plain language, hot, reactive fluids were <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/decarbonation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decarbonating calcite</a> (a carbonate-rich mineral) in the shallow reservoir rocks and releasing additional CO₂. The team estimated that this non-magmatic source contributed about 20-40% of total CO₂. 



That finding did not make the volcano harmless - far from it - but it did change how scientists interpret gas alarms.



A spike in CO₂ at Campi Flegrei does not automatically mean magma is surging. Sometimes it means the hydrothermal system is getting hotter and more pressurized, which can still be hazardous but in a different way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-campi-flegrei-in-2025">Studying Campi Flegrei in 2025</h2>



Fast forward 14 months to May 2025. A second group of scientists <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adt2067" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published a study</a> that asked a bigger question: what, exactly, is driving the recent bursts of earthquakes and the dramatic rise and fall of the ground? 



They pulled together two major episodes of unrest - 1982-1984 and 2011-2024 - then compared the patterns of uplift, seismicity, and subsurface imaging. 



In the lab, they simulated the rocks above the caldera using a setup like a moka pot, the stovetop espresso maker. 



A heated lower chamber (representing a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geothermal-energy-is-cheap-and-clean-and-having-its-moment/">geothermal reservoir</a>) pushed fluid into a cracked “lid” made of Campi Flegrei-like materials. The result of all that detective work was a new model with a crucial twist.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/supervolcano_campi-flegrei_location-satellite-view_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/supervolcano_campi-flegrei_location-satellite-view_1s.webp" alt="Satellite view Phlegraean Fields and Solfatara crater showing a massive caldera supervolcano named Campi Flegrei west of Naples, Italy. It is part of the Campanian volcanic arc, which includes Mount Vesuvius. Credit: Geology" class="wp-image-1982065"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Satellite view Phlegraean Fields and Solfatara crater showing a massive caldera supervolcano named Campi Flegrei west of Naples, Italy. It is part of the Campanian volcanic arc, which includes Mount Vesuvius. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Geology</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-supervolcano-pressure-builds">How supervolcano pressure builds</h2>



The central actor behind the building pressure inside Campi Flegrei is not a blob of rising magma in the upper crust; it is a capped geothermal reservoir sitting beneath the town of Pozzuoli. The caprock above it is fibrous and “self-healing,” which means cracks can seal up quickly. 



When the lid seals, water and steam trapped below it build pressure. Pressure builds until the rocks fracture, the water flashes to steam, producing a burst of shaking and noise - a pattern residents report. 



Interestingly, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-tremors-can-now-be-detected-to-forecast-eruptions/">earthquakes in these sequences</a> tend to start shallow and then deepen over time, which is the opposite of what you would expect if magma or its gases were pushing upward from depth. 



After big episodes, the land actually sinks a bit, consistent with fluids discharging and pressure dropping.



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



Here is the hopeful part. If the main driver of unrest is pressure in a closed, fluid-filled reservoir, then you can manage the fuel. 



You cannot turn off the “burner” heating the system - the deep magmatic heat source - but you can reduce the amount of water available to pressurize the reservoir. 



The researchers propose practical steps: restore and maintain surface-water channels so heavy rains do not funnel into the system; monitor and control <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-has-a-vital-role-in-ecosystem-survival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">groundwater levels</a>; and, where appropriate, relieve pressure by withdrawing fluids through wells. 



Think of it like tending a radiator: keep the system from clogging or overfilling, and bleed off pressure before it blows a gasket.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-campi-flegrei-eruption-risk">Campi Flegrei eruption risk</h2>



What does that mean for eruption risk? It does not mean Campi Flegrei is safe. A <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-a-supervolcano.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supervolcano caldera</a> with Campi Flegrei’s eruptive history still sits atop a large population. Magma is still present at depth. 



The 2023 work showed that the hydrothermal system has been heating and releasing CO₂ in ways that track with ground uplift, while the 2025 work argues that pressure in the sealed geothermal reservoir can trigger swarms of shallow quakes and potentially steam-driven explosions (phreatic blasts). 



Both of those issues can be destructive, even without lava.



The new approach does not “turn off” a magmatic eruption if deep melt intrudes; it aims to prevent or reduce the kind of fluid-pressure crises that have damaged buildings and frightened residents for decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-focus-and-mindset">Shifting focus and mindset</h2>



The key takeaway is a shift in mindset. For decades, <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/cvo/science/volcano-monitoring" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">volcano monitoring</a> focused on watching and warning: measure gases, track quakes, map ground motion, and be ready to evacuate. That is still essential. 



But if groundwater and surface runoff are a big part of the problem, civil engineers and geoscientists can work together on prevention.



They can unclog centuries-old drainage canals, divert stormwater, measure groundwater levels like a cardiologist tracking blood pressure, and - where science and policy align - use wells as pressure valves. 



None of this is a silver bullet for Campi Flegrei, or anywhere else. It requires careful design, community buy-in, and constant monitoring. 



But this appears to be a rare case in which a supervolcano’s most pressing threat is not an unstoppable magma surge; it is a pressure system that we might learn to regulate.



The full 2023 study was published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/51/4/397/620796/Discriminating-carbon-dioxide-sources-during" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a>.



The full 2025 study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adt2067" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Supervolcano shows signs of waking up, which is not a good thing, but scientists have a plan

If you live around Naples, you know the ground breathes....

Extreme heat pushes the heart to work harder. On humid days, that strain can quickly shift from tolerable to dangerous - and a new analysis shows just how steeply the risk of weather-related heart problems rises.



Researchers in Dhaka, Bangladesh report that the chance of a cardiovascular emergency visit rises sixfold on days that are both extremely <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/">hot</a> and very humid, compared with hot days when the air is much drier.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-humidity-makes-heat-worse">How humidity makes heat worse</h2>



First author Mostafijur Rahman, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health (<a href="https://sph.tulane.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SPH</a>) and Tropical Medicine at <a href="https://sph.tulane.edu/trmd/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tulane</a> University, led the research with collaborators in Bangladesh and the United States.



Humidity matters because sweat must evaporate to cool the body, and water-laden air stalls evaporation. The resulting strain raises body <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-heat-cleaner-air-the-surprising-ozone-connection/">temperature</a>, increases skin blood flow, and can load the heart with extra work that some people cannot sustain.



As humidity climbs, the same thermometer reading feels much hotter to the body. That mismatch helps explain why ordinary heat advisories sometimes fail to capture the real risk for people with heart disease.



“These findings show we need to consider heat and humidity together when we discuss any kind of climate change policy,” said Rahman, who noted that the size of the effect surprised the team.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-risks-intensified-by-high-humidity">Heart risks intensified by high humidity</h2>



The researchers counted 340,758 emergency department visits for heart conditions during the hot months from 2014 to 2019 and matched those days to weather records. 



Heat alone raised risk on low humidity days, but risk jumped far higher on the muggiest days when relative humidity exceeded roughly 82 percent.



High heat in the analysis was defined as above 84 degrees Fahrenheit, which raised heart related emergency visits even without intense humidity. There was no separate link between humidity alone and heart emergencies, yet humidity amplified heat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-temperatures-are-killing-thousands-across-india/">effects</a> across age and sex groups.



“Hopefully governments will be spurred to develop systems to warn cities of dangerous heat and humidity. We know extreme heat can have a negative health impact, but I never expected such a dramatic increase in risk when high humidity is also factored in,” said Rahman.



The pattern is consistent with clinical experience. When sweat fails to evaporate, the heart must move more blood toward the skin for cooling, while dehydration and electrolyte loss further stress the system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humidity-and-public-health-warnings">Humidity and public health warnings</h2>



Hot extremes are becoming more frequent and more intense as the planet warms, and that trend is evident with every additional 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit of global warming, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_SPM.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IPCC</a>).



Independent research also links moist summer air to higher rates of heart, coronary, and stroke hospitalizations in older adults in the United States, even after accounting for temperature. 



A long-term analysis of about 63 million Medicare beneficiaries found higher cardiovascular hospitalization risks with higher summer-specific humidity.



Laboratory and field <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10231239/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> add biological context. They show that humid heat undermines sweat evaporation and raises the physiologic load on the heart, validating the Dhaka pattern.



These threads point to one conclusion. Health systems and public warnings need to treat humidity as a co-equal driver of heat danger, not just a background variable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-access-to-cooling-matters">Access to cooling matters</h2>



Dhaka’s results are particularly relevant in places where home air conditioning is rare. Recent national survey <a href="https://www.seforall.org/taxonomy/term/38" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reporting</a> in Bangladesh shows that only about 2.28 percent of households owned an air conditioner in 2023, a small rise from 1.6 percent in 2021.



Global analyses identify Bangladesh among countries with large populations at high risk due to a lack of access to affordable, sustainable cooling. Those gaps create exposure that individuals cannot easily avoid during multi day hot spells.



“There are billions around the world, from Southeast Asia to Africa, who are directly impacted by rising temperatures but have little access to air conditioning,” said Rahman. 



Equity is central here. The people least able to afford cooling often live and work in buildings and neighborhoods that trap heat, and they may have the most to lose from heart strain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adapting-to-heat-and-humidity">Adapting to heat and humidity</h2>



Clinicians already flag combined heat and humidity as a risk for people with heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, prior stroke, and older age. 



Public guidance now acknowledges that humid heat can drive blood pressure swings and raise hospitalizations for those with cardiovascular conditions.



City agencies should tune heat warnings to humidity, not just temperature thresholds. Emergency managers could extend hours for cooling centers, stagger outdoor work schedules, and coordinate hydration and medication checks with community groups.



Individuals should plan around the weather forecast on humid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-is-just-three-years-away-from-dangerous-carbon-milestone/">hot</a> days. Small steps such as shortening exertion, spacing outdoor tasks, and favoring shaded or air conditioned spaces can spare the heart avoidable stress.



Health systems can prepare for surges. Hospitals and ambulance services can adjust staffing based on heat and humidity forecasts, which now provide advance warning of the most extreme events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-risks-of-humidity-are-clear">Heart risks of humidity are clear</h2>



The Dhaka study is observational, and it uses outdoor weather to represent exposure, which cannot capture every indoor environment or personal behavior. 



Even so, the same day link between humid heat and heart emergencies aligns with physiology and persisted across sensitivity tests in the analysis.



Public agencies should incorporate humidity explicitly in heat alert systems. Common composites such as the <a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/apme/61/10/JAMC-D-22-0021.1.xml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heat index</a> were not designed for extreme combinations of temperature and humidity, and updated methods could improve their performance.



The Dhaka data highlight a simple truth: on hot, muggy days, the heart works overtime, and treating humidity as a key hazard in planning can save lives.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969725018601?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science of The Total Environment</a>.



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Extreme heat and humidity sharply raise heart risks

Extreme heat pushes the heart to work harder. On humid...

River otters have roamed the shores and inlets of Chesapeake Bay for a long time. But there’s still a lot we don’t know about how they interact with their environment. What do they eat? Where do they hang out? And oddly enough - where do they go to the bathroom?



To answer these questions, researchers in Maryland spent nearly a year observing river otters and collecting data on their habits. 



The team, based at the <a href="https://serc.si.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smithsonian Environmental Research Center</a> (SERC), analyzed scat samples and habitat use to better understand the otters’ diet, behavior, and exposure to parasites.



Study senior author Dr. Katrina Lohan is a parasite ecologist and head of the Coastal Disease Ecology Laboratory at SERC.



“River otters in the Chesapeake Bay eat a wide range of animals, including those that live in the water and on land. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parasites-help-worker-ants-live-much-longer-lives/">Parasites</a>, too, are crucial parts of their diet,” said Dr. Lohan. "We also found that river otters use manmade structures for latrines or choose areas with specific characteristics.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-otter-poop-on-the-dock">Otter poop on the dock</h2>



It all started with an email. A colleague spotted some odd, watery scat on a dock and sent a message to Dr. Lohan. Inside the scat was a bright red worm. 



Cameras later confirmed that the dock had become a favorite toilet spot for a local river otter. This was the beginning of a full-scale study.



Graduate researcher Calli Wise took the lead on collecting samples. Over 11 months, she gathered scat from 18 active otter latrines. On average, each latrine held about 28 scat piles.



“Scats usually smelled strongly of fish and were full of scales or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-invasive-crustacean-species-discovered-in-the-mediterranean/">crustacean</a> shells,” Wise said. “We wore gloves and used sterile tools and tubes to collect scat samples, to avoid contamination with other DNA.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-otter-toilets-are-social-hotspots">Otter toilets are social hotspots</h2>



The latrines aren’t just toilets. Otters use them to mark territory with urine and feces, but they’re also social spaces. 



Otters gather there to eat, play, and rest. The latrines often show signs of repeated use: flattened grass, worn vegetation, and nearby cover.



Most were located near the shoreline. The researchers found that otters liked areas with woody debris and easy access to the water. 



Some latrines stood out. Five were found directly on man-made features like docks, boardwalks, or stairs leading to the water.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-otter-poop-reveals">What the otter poop reveals</h2>



The team used two main methods to analyze the samples: metabarcoding, which identifies DNA fragments, and traditional microscopy. Both approaches helped piece together what the otters had been eating - and what else they might be spreading.



“We collected most scats in the summer, when river otter diet is likely diverse,” Wise said. “We found evidence of invasive species like common carp and white river <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bright-coloration-in-crayfish-does-not-serve-an-evolutionary-purpose/">crayfish</a> in river otters’ diet.”



The otters also ate American blue crabs, other fish, and crustaceans. Occasionally, they even consumed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-ducks-balance-water-pressure-while-diving/">ducks</a> or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-40-of-amphibians-face-extinction-due-to-escalating-climate-threats/">amphibians</a>.



But diet was just one layer. The scat also showed which parasites the otters were exposed to - either through their prey or directly. Most parasites infected teleost fish, the primary type of fish eaten by otters. A few may have infected the otters themselves.



“It is possible that river otters, like other top predators, wouldn’t be able to find enough food to eat without parasites,” noted Dr. Lohan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-parasites-might-be-a-good-thing">Why parasites might be a good thing</h2>



The researchers couldn’t identify every parasite. Gaps in DNA databases made some sequences impossible to match. They also couldn’t link poop to specific otters, so individual diets remain a mystery.



Still, the findings suggest otters might be playing an even bigger role in the ecosystem than we thought.



“Since so many of the parasites are actually infecting otters’ prey, it could mean that river otters are culling sick individuals from the populations they are preying upon,” explained Dr. Lohan.



Removing infected animals could reduce the spread of disease and even affect the gene pool of prey species. Sick animals don’t get to reproduce if they’re eaten. There’s also a potential connection to human health.



“Some of the parasites that infect river otters could potentially also infect humans, who also are mammals,” said Dr. Lohan. “Thus, we could use river otters as ‘disease sentinels,’ and study them to learn about what public health threats occur in certain areas.”



This study opens new questions about how river otters influence, and are influenced by, their environment. Their poop tells stories about what they eat, where they go, what parasites they host, and what role they might play in managing disease in coastal ecosystems.



And in Chesapeake Bay, it turns out those stories often start at a latrine - sometimes even on a dock.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/mammal-science/articles/10.3389/fmamm.2025.1620318/full">Frontiers in Mammal Science</a>.



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What river otter poop reveals about life in Chesapeake Bay

River otters have roamed the shores and inlets of Chesapeake...

Sometimes, a white dwarf isn’t just a white dwarf. What seems ordinary at first glance can have a much more dramatic origin. That’s what astronomers discovered when they took a closer look at a star called WD 0525+526.



This compact, Earth-sized star appeared to be typical - but it wasn’t. Scientists found that it’s actually the aftermath of a stellar collision: two stars that crashed together and merged into one.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-white-dwarf-with-a-violent-history">White dwarf with a violent history </h2>



White dwarfs mark the final stage of life for stars like our Sun. These stellar remnants are incredibly compact. One can pack more mass than the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/team-creates-video-showing-the-sun-in-gamma-rays-over-a-14-year-period/">Sun</a> into a body no bigger than our planet. Most white dwarfs are born when a single star burns through its fuel and collapses.



But there’s another, rarer path. Sometimes two stars - often in a close <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-binary-star-system-d9-found-near-supermassive-black-hole-sagittarius-a-milky-way/">binary system</a> - collide and merge. The result is an ultra-massive white dwarf. That’s what happened with WD 0525+526, and this is the first time scientists have confirmed a merger origin based on ultraviolet evidence.



“It's a discovery that underlines things may be different from what they appear to us at first glance,” said Boris Gaensicke, principal investigator of the Hubble program at the <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Warwick</a>. 



“Until now, this appeared as a normal white dwarf, but Hubble's ultraviolet vision revealed that it had a very different history from what we would have guessed.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-white-dwarf-transformed-by-a-merger">White dwarf transformed by a merger </h2>



Located 128 light-years from Earth, WD 0525+526 is 20% more massive than the Sun. Visually, it looks like any other white dwarf. But scientists used NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and its ultraviolet capabilities to peer deeper into the star’s composition.



<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/nyWuLSIoosk?si=LgE0ox4Vv6Ojgx-Q
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have found a rare ultra massive white dwarf formed from a stellar merger.</figcaption></figure>



The ultraviolet spectrum revealed something unexpected: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-finds-largest-amount-of-carbon-ever-seen-in-a-planet-forming-disk/">carbon</a> in the star’s atmosphere. Normally, white dwarfs formed from a single star have atmospheres made up of hydrogen and helium. Their carbon and oxygen are buried in the core, hidden under thick atmospheric layers.



Mergers, however, change the outcome. When two white dwarfs - or one and another type of star - crash into each other, the resulting explosion can strip away much of that outer hydrogen and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-helium-supply-running-low-race-is-on-to-prevent-the-next-shortage/">helium</a>. What’s left is a thinner atmosphere, where carbon can leak up from the core and become visible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-carbon-in-the-star-s-atmosphere">Detecting carbon in the star's atmosphere</h2>



WD 0525+526 is hotter and more massive than the handful of other known merger-born white dwarfs. At nearly 21,000 kelvins (around 37,000 degrees Fahrenheit), it’s too hot for convection - the usual process that stirs carbon up into a white dwarf’s outer layers.



So how did the carbon get there? The researchers think a more subtle mechanism called semi-convection is at play. It’s a gentler process, but still powerful enough to pull a small trace of carbon to the surface.



What’s truly remarkable is how little carbon is in this star’s atmosphere - about 100,000 times less than what’s been observed in other merger remnants. This made it nearly impossible to spot without the right tools.



“Hubble's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph is the only instrument that can obtain the superb quality ultraviolet spectroscopy that was required to detect the carbon in the atmosphere of this white dwarf,” said study lead author Snehalata Sahu from the University of Warwick.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-white-dwarf-mergers">Hidden white dwarf mergers </h2>



The discovery builds on a 2019 study using ESA’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gaia-reveals-moons-around-hundreds-of-asteroids/">Gaia mission</a>, which identified a group of unusually blue white dwarfs. Some of those were later confirmed as the products of mergers. WD 0525+526 is now the hottest and most massive member of that group.



Because carbon in ultra-hot white dwarfs is easier to detect in ultraviolet than visible light, it’s possible many more of these cosmic collision survivors are out there - hiding in the data, waiting to be found.



“We would like to extend our research on this topic by exploring how common carbon white dwarfs are among similar white dwarfs, and how many stellar mergers are hiding among the normal white dwarf family,” said study co-author Antoine Bedrad.



“That will be an important contribution to our understanding of white dwarf binaries, and the pathways to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-true-nature-of-dark-matter-may-be-revealed-in-a-supernova/">supernova</a> explosions.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02590-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Astronomy</a>.



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, Ralf Crawford (STScI)



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Hubble spots a white dwarf created in a violent star collision

Sometimes, a white dwarf isn’t just a white dwarf. What...

<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...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

<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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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