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>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

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...

All living tissues give off photons as excited molecules shed excess energy. The phenomenon is so subtle - roughly a million times dimmer than the threshold of human vision - that researchers call it ultra-weak photon emission (UPE).



Because the brain consumes an exceptionally high metabolic budget and is packed with photoactive compounds such as flavins and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-dopamine-and-serotonin-shape-behavior/">serotonin</a>, scientists have long suspected it might glow more brightly than other organs. 



What they did not know was whether that ghostly glow fluctuates in ways that reveal real-time neural activity. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-darkness-into-a-laboratory"><a></a>Turning darkness into a laboratory</h2>



To find out, a collaborative team from <a href="https://algomau.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Algoma University</a>, Tufts University, and Wilfrid Laurier University recruited 20 healthy adults and seated them in a light-sealed chamber.



Two photomultiplier tubes - devices capable of counting single photons - were aimed at the back (occipital) and side (temporal) regions of each participant’s head, while a third tube monitored background darkness.



Simultaneously, the researchers fitted the volunteers with a standard electroencephalography (EEG) cap to compare electrical rhythms with any optical rhythms.



The experiment lasted ten minutes and cycled through five simple conditions: eyes open, eyes closed, listening to a repetitive tone, eyes closed again, and finally, eyes open again. 



Each condition lasted two minutes - enough time for the researchers to watch the brain light settle into a steady signal before switching tasks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-glow-follows-a-rhythm">Brain glow follows a rhythm</h2>



Despite the photons’ extreme faintness, the team, led by Hayley Casey and Nirosha Murugan, successfully separated brain-derived light from background counts by examining complexity and variability.



In brief, the cranial signal showed higher entropy - richer fluctuation - than the near-constant dark noise inside the optics.



Spectral analysis revealed that these emissions waxed and waned at very slow frequencies below one hertz. This means a rise-and-fall cycle occurred every one to ten seconds. 



This low-frequency “heartbeat” was strongest over the occipital cortex, the very region that processes visual input.



Just as important, the photon stream reached a reproducible equilibrium within each two-minute block, then shifted when the task changed. That pattern strongly suggests the glow is not random metabolic chatter but reflects the brain’s moment-to-moment state.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eyes-shut-photons-rise"><a></a>Eyes shut, photons rise</h2>



Closing one’s eyes is known to boost alpha-band electrical rhythms (8–12 hertz) in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-human-brain-processes-visual-information/">visual cortex</a>. This is a signature of relaxed wakefulness first reported in the 1920s.



The new study revealed that occipital photon counts modulated in tandem. Some participants’ emissions rose during eyes-closed periods, while others fell. However, each individual showed a consistent direction across the two eyes-closed blocks.



Occipital UPE also showed modest correlations with alpha power measured by EEG - evidence that the optical signal does tap into neural dynamics. However, the relationship is complex and needs further investigation.



Auditory stimulation, delivered through a simple repeating tone, produced subtler effects. The temporal sensor picked up changes in photon variability that tracked certain EEG rhythms recorded over the same region.



This hints that metabolic shifts linked to processing sound also leave a photonic fingerprint.



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



Standard brain-monitoring tools, whether MRI, PET, or infrared spectroscopy, rely on sending energy into the skull and measuring what bounces back.



UPE recording, in contrast, is wholly passive: the detectors simply wait in the dark. That makes the technique conceptually similar to EEG or magnetoencephalography (MEG), but tuned to oxidative chemistry rather than electricity or magnetism.



The authors propose “photoencephalography” for a future technology that could use natural brain light as a clinical signal.



“We view the current results as a proof-of-concept demonstration that patterns of human-brain-derived UPE signals can be discriminated from background light signals despite very low relative signal intensity,” explained the researchers.



They speculate that refined detectors - equipped with wavelength-specific filters to isolate, say, green-emitting flavins from red-shifted lipofuscin - might one day diagnose metabolic stress. 



Such tools could also monitor aging or even flag <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-grounds-could-help-prevent-neurodegenerative-diseases/">neurodegenerative disease</a> before symptoms emerge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



The pilot study sampled only 20 people and monitored just two scalp sites. Photomultiplier tubes counted all visible and near-infrared photons, drowning out any subtle color coding of brain chemistry in the noise.



Future setups will deploy arrays of narrow-band detectors to capture spatial and spectral detail, and will compare cranial readings with simultaneous measurements from non-neural tissues to confirm specificity.



The researchers also plan to test broader age ranges and clinical populations. They aim to see whether disorders that alter oxidative metabolism - such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-blood-test-can-track-the-progression-of-alzheimers/">Alzheimer’s disease</a>, traumatic brain injury, or chronic stress - produce distinctive optical signatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-brain-glows-at-all"><a></a>Why the brain glows at all</h2>



Though focused on measurement, the study builds on work linking UPE spikes to bursts of reactive oxygen in mitochondria. Those by-products can excite biomolecules; when the molecules relax, they release photons.



If so, the faint light may function as a built-in reporter of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-reveals-the-secret-to-keeping-your-brain-young/">brain</a>’s redox balance - a chemical ledger of energy production, stress, and recovery.



Electrical rhythms revolutionized neuroscience a century ago; functional MRI did the same in the 1990s. 



Photoencephalography, though still in its infancy, offers a tantalizing third window. It peers directly at the cell’s metabolic engine without injecting energy or contrast agents.



The current study lights the first path forward: prove the signal exists, show that it changes with mental state, and establish that it differs from background noise. 



The next challenge is to turn those wisps of light into a practical tool for medicine and cognitive science.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(25)00279-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iScience</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Human brains emit light and glow in the dark, revealing our mental state

All living tissues give off photons as excited molecules shed...

For decades, the world’s forests, grasslands, and wetlands have quietly pulled roughly one-third of the carbon dioxide that people pour into the sky. That safety net is fraying, and the latest numbers suggest it could be tearing faster than most climate models imagined.



Preliminary satellite and atmospheric data show that in 2024 the terrestrial carbon sink offset almost zero of humanity’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-is-just-three-years-away-from-dangerous-carbon-milestone/">emissions</a>, while atmospheric CO₂ leaped by a record 3.73 parts per million, eclipsing the 2015-16 El Niño spike. 



The finding shocked researchers who expected a rebound after the fire-scorched year of 2023.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-land-carbon-sink-weakens-faster">Land carbon sink weakens faster</h2>



“Everybody I’ve talked with who is working on this subject is very surprised,” remarked Guido van der Werf of Wageningen University (<a href="https://www.wur.nl/en.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WUR</a>) in the Netherlands. His surprise reflects how quickly a system long seen as resilient has moved into the danger zone.



Under typical conditions terrestrial photosynthesis, measured as <a href="https://www.un-redd.org/glossary/gross-primary-productivity-gpp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gross primary production</a>, outweighs the carbon returned by decay and fire, locking away billions of tons of CO₂ each year. 



The balance varies, but even during strong drought years the land sink has historically removed about <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nsr/article/11/12/nwae367/7831648" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">30 percent</a> of fossil fuel emissions.



Plants absorb faster when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/">CO₂</a> is abundant, a phenomenon sometimes called fertilization, and global restoration projects have added new leaf area across entire continents. Those gains lulled planners into assuming the sink would remain at least modestly helpful well past mid-century.



Climate models do predict a gradual slowdown, yet most place an abrupt collapse several decades away. The back-to-back weak years of 2023 and 2024 hint that tipping points may lurk closer than advertised.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-wet-conditions-weaken-carbon-sink">Hot-wet conditions weaken carbon sink</h2>



The 2024 pattern differs from the fire-driven slump of the previous year. Grasslands and shrublands across the tropics turned extraordinarily green, but microbes and plant tissues respired even faster, releasing roughly 2.6 billion extra tons of CO₂, a deficit equal to the annual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-burps-from-earths-past-warn-of-ocean-trouble-ahead/">emissions</a> of India.



“The large decline in land sink is caused by the respiration. It’s two quite different underlying mechanisms,” explained Guanyu Dong of <a href="https://www.nju.edu.cn/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nanjing University</a>, who led the new analysis. 



Heat speeds biochemical reactions, and moisture provides the dissolved oxygen microbes need to break down leaf litter. When both arrive together, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/ecosystem-respiration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystem respiration</a> roars, overpowering photosynthetic gains.



Such compound hot-pluvial extremes are becoming more frequent as global mean temperature now sits about 2.7°F above the late nineteenth-century level. Models that include these extremes project stronger positive feedbacks between the biosphere and climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-and-microbes-exhale-carbon">Plants and microbes exhale carbon</h2>



Autotrophic respiration, the oxygen-using metabolism of living plant cells, rises naturally with bigger harvests of solar energy. 



In 2024 satellite instruments recorded record greenness for several months, meaning plants were working overtime and burning more carbohydrates even before microbes joined the party.



Heterotrophic respiration, run by bacteria and fungi, jumped when swollen rivers spread organic debris across floodplains and when nighttime lows stayed unusually high, preventing cool-season recovery. 



The combined effect raised total ecosystem respiration to its highest level since global monitoring began in the late 1990s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbial-respiration-is-invisible">Microbial respiration is invisible </h2>



Unlike forest fires, which release carbon in dramatic plumes, microbial respiration operates invisibly, so its influence often hides in the background noise of year-to-year variability. 



The new study isolates the signature by comparing satellite estimates of productivity with atmospheric inversions of CO₂ fluxes.



Van der Werf noted that even small errors in decomposition rates can swing the balance sheet by billions of tons. That uncertainty highlights the need for more field-based measurements of soil carbon dynamics in warm, wet regions that have historically been understudied.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-past-el-nino-hit-carbon-sink-differently">Past El Niño hit carbon sink differently</h2>



The infamous 1997-98 and 2015-16 El Niño events also slashed the land sink, but their main culprit was drought-induced fire in Southeast Asian peatlands. 



Those episodes added visible smoke to the sky and left charred scars that satellites tracked for months.



By contrast, 2024 featured a relatively modest burned area, down about 35 percent from 2023’s Canadian-dominated fire season. That difference matters because a policy focused purely on fire prevention would have missed this year’s stealthy respiration surge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-sink-with-two-switches">Carbon sink with two switches </h2>



Scientists sometimes speak of the land sink as having two switches, one controlled by precipitation and another by temperature. 



El Niño often flips one, but climate-change warming is now pushing the temperature switch toward the red zone even in neutral-Pacific years.



Low-latency carbon budget <a href="https://futureearth.org/2024/10/24/droughts-fires-dramatically-weakened-land-carbon-sinks-last-year-new-paper-reports/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyses</a> suggest the tropics are becoming the swing region, modulating global CO₂ growth more than high-latitude forests once thought to dominate. 



That insight shifts attention to grasslands, which cover almost 40 percent of Earth’s land and have received far less research funding than rainforests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preventing-carbon-sink-collapse">Preventing carbon sink collapse</h2>



A weakened land sink implies the carbon budget for keeping <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet/">warming</a> below 2°C is thinner than official tallies suggest. If ecosystems cease to remove that traditional 30 percent slice, governments must cut emissions roughly one-third faster to stay on track.



The <a href="https://globalcarbonbudget.org/fossil-fuel-co2-emissions-increase-again-in-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2024</a> global carbon budget estimated fossil-fuel emissions at 37.4 billion tons, up 0.8 percent from 2023. Subtract a missing sink and the atmospheric load rises as though humanity had burnt several extra countries’ worth of coal.



Ocean uptake once cushioned the blow, absorbing about 90 percent of excess heat, but recent <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-ocean-heat-content">work</a> shows that buffer is eroding as surface layers warm and stratify. Longer marine heat waves also threaten to reduce the oceanic carbon sink by stressing kelp forests and phytoplankton.



Carbon-dioxide removal technologies, from afforestation to direct air capture, look more like necessities than insurance. Yet their deployment timelines are tight, and none can replace the vast free service that natural ecosystems once provided.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-research-gaps-and-cautious-optimism">Research gaps and cautious optimism</h2>



“You need to be cautious interpreting even two years of growth as a persistent collapse,” said Scott Denning of <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a>. He urged patience before declaring the land sink permanently broken. 



Statistically, back-to-back anomalies can occur by chance, and some Pacific forecasts hint at a mild La Niña that could cool and dry parts of the tropics next year. If that happens, microbial respiration would likely slow, offering a natural experiment to test the new hypothesis.



Still, the episode highlights blind spots in Earth-system monitoring: scant flux towers in Africa, limited soil moisture sensors, and patchy airborne sampling. Closing those gaps will help scientists distinguish a wobble from a genuine tipping point.



Whether the 2024 surprise becomes a new normal depends on choices made during the remainder of this crucial decade. The next few annual updates will reveal whether the biosphere stages a comeback or leaves humanity to shoulder the full weight of its carbon bill.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6956425/v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research Square</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Earths natural carbon sink nearly collapsed in 2024

For decades, the world’s forests, grasslands, and wetlands have quietly...

More people in the United States now smoke cannabis every day than drink alcohol, with about 17.7 million daily or near daily users recorded in the 2022 <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38775461/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Survey on Drug Use and Health</a>. 



That shift adds urgency to questions about what long term, high frequency use might be doing to the body.



Researchers from the University of California San Diego (<a href="https://ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCSD</a>) followed more than 45,000 patients. They found that people diagnosed with cannabis use disorder (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538131/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CUD</a>) were 3.25 times more likely to develop oral cancer within five years than those without the disorder. 



The elevated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-use-in-any-form-directly-linked-to-significant-risk-of-heart-damage/">risk</a> held even after accounting for age, sex, body mass index, and tobacco smoking.



<a href="https://profiles.ucsd.edu/raphael.cuomo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Raphael E. Cuomo, Ph.D.</a>, an associate professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and member of the <a href="https://moorescancercenter.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moores Cancer Center</a>, led the analysis. 



He points out that the findings dovetail with toxicology data showing cannabis smoke carries many of the same chemicals blamed for tobacco related malignancies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-use-linked-to-oral-cancer">Cannabis use linked to oral cancer</h2>



Legalization has widened access to cannabis, yet roughly <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16854249/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">three-in-ten</a> regular users meet criteria for the disorder, a clinical diagnosis that signals problematic use. 



Unlike casual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/legal-access-to-cannabis-is-proving-to-be-good-for-both-people-and-society/">consumption</a>, CUD typically involves near daily smoking, deeper inhalation, and higher potency products that bathe oral tissues in combustion by products.



At the same time, the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/oral-cavity-and-oropharyngeal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Cancer Society</a> estimates about 59,660 Americans will be told they have cancers of the mouth or throat in 2025. 



Smoking remains a leading risk factor, but human papillomavirus (<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HPV</a>), heavy drinking, and now cannabis may add new layers to that risk profile.



Oral tumors often begin as painless spots on the lip or tongue, making early detection tricky. By linking CUD and tumor incidence in electronic health records, the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC San Diego</a> team offers clinicians a fresh flag for vigilance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-raises-cancer-risk">Cannabis raises cancer risk</h2>



The study drew data from six academic medical centers between 2012 and 2019, then tracked each participant for five years. 



Only 2.1 percent developed CUD, yet that small group accounted for nearly a third of the oral cancer diagnoses observed.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smoking-related-deaths-will-surge-by-2030/">Tobacco smokers</a> in the cohort already faced extra danger, but those who both smoked cigarettes and had CUD were six times more likely to be diagnosed than smokers without CUD. 



Because the cannabis signal persisted inside the smoking subgroup, Cuomo’s team suspects mechanisms beyond simple smoke exposure.



The researchers also noted that women, older age, and higher body mass index appeared to slightly temper risk, echoing patterns seen with tobacco related oral cancers. However, those demographic buffers did not erase the impact of CUD.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-harms-mouth-tissue">Smoke harms mouth tissue</h2>



Laboratory <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18062674/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyses</a> show that marijuana smoke contains hundreds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (<a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-03/documents/pahs_factsheet_cdc_2013.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PAHs</a>), benzene, and ammonia, many at concentrations equal to or higher than tobacco sidestream smoke. Several of these compounds directly damage DNA in epithelial cells lining the mouth.



A detailed chemical fingerprint published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-63120-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2020</a> cataloged 2,575 distinct compounds in mainstream cannabis smoke, 110 of which are known human toxicants. 



Such particle rich aerosols stick to mucosal surfaces, extending contact time between carcinogens and target cells.



Histology from habitual marijuana smokers has revealed <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9719080/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dysplasia</a> and other precancerous changes in bronchial tissue even when tobacco is absent. Those cellular alterations mirror the earliest steps seen on the path to malignancy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-affects-cancer-defense">Cannabis affects cancer defense</h2>



Tetrahydrocannabinol (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/tetrahydrocannabinol" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">THC</a>), the main psychoactive molecule in cannabis, can impair <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18040791/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">immune suppression</a> pathways that normally patrol for rogue cells. Less immune surveillance could give mutated oral cells a head start toward tumor formation.



Edible or vaporized products bypass the oral cavity, yet frequent users often combine delivery methods, so risk patterns for noncombustible forms remain unclear. 



Future studies that separate smoke exposure from total THC dose may untangle these variables.



Another unknown is whether the rising average potency of commercial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-potency-why-you-shouldnt-trust-the-label/">cannabis</a> accelerates carcinogen uptake or immune effects. 



Public laboratories have only begun to simulate how today’s 25 percent THC flower compares with the 4 percent material studied decades ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-daily-users-face-big-risk">Daily users face big risk</h2>



People with CUD commonly face co-occurring mental health challenges, alcohol misuse, and lower participation in preventive dental care. These overlapping factors could compound cancer risk and delay diagnosis.



Socioeconomic gaps may also play a role, because uninsured adults are less likely to receive routine oral examinations. Community clinics that integrate substance use counseling with oral screenings could bridge that divide.



For clinicians, the takeaway is straightforward. When a patient meets criteria for CUD, adding a quick inspection of the mouth and a referral to dentistry costs little but may spot trouble early.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heavy-cannabis-harms-oral-health">Heavy cannabis harms oral health</h2>



Cannabis is not just a milder cousin of tobacco, its smoke delivers a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-extract-cbd-proven-highly-effective-at-killing-mosquitoes/">complex chemical load</a> with measurable impacts on human tissue. 



The UC San Diego study reminds us that heavy, prolonged use carries consequences that legalization debates often overlook.



Policy makers weighing retail expansion should ensure that cancer prevention messaging keeps pace with marketing. Clear warnings, similar to those on cigarette packs, could help users make informed choices.



For now, anyone lighting up daily can lower potential harm by switching to noncombustible products, spacing out sessions, and keeping regular dental check ups. 



Researchers will continue probing dose, delivery, and biology, but prudence starts with individual habits.



“Cannabis smoke contains many of the same carcinogenic compounds found in tobacco smoke, which have known damaging effects on the epithelial tissue that lines the mouth,” noted Cuomo. 



Staying aware of that simple fact may be the first step toward safer choices.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525002244" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Preventive Medicine Reports</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Cannabis users face a significantly higher oral cancer risk, similar to cigarette smokers

More people in the United States now smoke cannabis every...

Phoenix summers no longer just feel unbearable. They may age your body faster too. In 2023 alone, the city recorded over 140 days with temperatures surpassing 100°F. 



Now, new research suggests that these extreme heat conditions do more than cause short-term harm.



A recent study published in the journal Science Advances&nbsp;has revealed that long-term exposure to high heat can speed up biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monthly-exercise-before-the-age-of-50-results-slows-brain-aging-dramatically/">aging</a>. 



The researchers found that people in places like Phoenix show signs of accelerated aging at the molecular level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-ages-you-like-smoking">Heat ages you like smoking</h2>



"The impact is similar to the effect of smoking and drinking," said Eunyoung Choi, lead author and gerontologist at the <a href="https://usc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southern California</a>. 



Choi's team compared older adults from across the U.S., including heat-struck Phoenix and cooler cities like Seattle.



People living in hotter areas appeared around 14 months older biologically than their cooler-region counterparts. These results reflect how consistent heat exposure may silently wear down the body's internal systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aging-affects-health-and-work">Aging affects health and work</h2>



<a href="https://www.bu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boston University</a> gerontologist Deborah Carr noted that even small differences in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-aging-how-some-people-live-past-100-years/">aging</a> matter. "It's just a tremendous strain not only on their own lives and the lives of their families and caregivers, but also has a larger societal impact."



Faster aging may lead to earlier onset of conditions like diabetes, dementia, and cardiovascular disease. 



If those health issues appear sooner, they may push people out of the workforce or into expensive, long-term care. "It really can have tremendous impacts," said Carr.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-changes-how-your-genes-work">Heat changes how your genes work</h2>



The researchers focused on biological age, not just chronological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-experimenting-with-new-approach-to-fight-and-stop-human-aging-necrosis/">age</a>. They used DNA samples to track changes linked to a process called methylation. This chemical process affects how genes behave. It acts like switches that can turn genes on or off.



Methylation doesn't alter the DNA sequence but changes how genes are expressed. These shifts can occur in response to environmental stress, poor diet, inactivity, pollution, and heat.



The team used several epigenetic clocks to measure aging. These clocks rely on different sets of DNA methylation markers and offer insight into both pace and risk of biological decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-makes-aging-speed-up">Heat makes aging speed up</h2>



Increased heat exposure was linked to faster aging in several clocks. Short-term exposure, such as a few days or weeks, raised PCPhenoAge, a measure tied to general physiological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organ-aging-can-predict-diseases-decades-in-advance/">aging</a>. 



Longer-term exposure, such as one to six years, also accelerated PCGrimAge and DunedinPACE, which reflect mortality risk and pace of decline.



Animal studies support this. Heat stress can leave a lasting “epigenetic memory” that alters how immune cells and heart cells function. These changes persist long after the initial heat exposure.



In humans, heat has been linked with reduced methylation of genes like TLR-2. This gene affects inflammation and immunity. Such changes may explain how heat accelerates disease onset.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-heat-makes-things-worse">Rising heat makes things worse</h2>



Emergency visits and deaths spike during heat waves. With climate change, those risks only grow. The U.S. may see 20 to 30 more extreme heat days each year by mid-century, according to the National Climate Assessment.



Choi warned that this rising heat comes as the population ages. Older people cannot cool themselves as efficiently. Medications and declining circulation increase their vulnerability.



But heat affects everyone. "It's basically like if you're trying to tread water and someone hands you a brick," said Robert Meade, a heat physiology expert from <a href="https://www.harvard.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard</a>. "It's just an extra weight."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-levels-at-home-matter">Heat levels at home matter</h2>



What matters isn’t just the outdoor temperature. Conditions inside homes vary widely. Some people live in overheated trailers or apartments without cooling. Others have access to reliable air conditioning.



Future research aims to explore these differences. Personalized data could reveal how daily exposure shapes long-term health. That could guide public health policies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-heat-exposure-and-aging">Long heat exposure and aging</h2>



The researchers note that not all gene changes are harmful. Some may reflect adaptation that helps bodies handle heat better. But current evidence leans toward damage, not resilience.



Prolonged exposure may reduce physical activity, disturb sleep, and increase stress. These effects accumulate over time, pushing bodies into faster aging even without visible symptoms.



By capturing these changes with precision tools like epigenetic clocks, scientists now offer a clearer view into how heat transforms health at its core.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr0616" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Living in extreme heat can age your body just like smoking does

Phoenix summers no longer just feel unbearable. They may age...

Every year, thousands of tourists head to Africa in search of wildlife encounters. For many, the chance to see lions and hyenas ranks high on their bucket list. 



National parks like Etosha in Namibia offer one of the best opportunities to witness these carnivores in their natural environment. Tourists gather near man-made waterholes and along main roads, hoping for a close look at the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lion-numbers-have-reached-a-critical-low-in-uganda/">animals</a> they’ve only seen in documentaries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-large-predators-and-tourism">Large predators and tourism</h2>



But how do these predators feel about the attention? New research suggests their movements might tell a different story. 



A study led by the <a href="https://www.uga.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Georgia</a> reveals how lions and hyenas adjust their habits in response to tourist activity. It uncovers a complex relationship between predator behavior, water access, road networks, and human presence.



“The message here is not that tourism is bad. These large predators need large areas to roam and access prey, and tourism is a huge driver of many economies,” said Jim Beasley, co-author of the study and a professor in UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environment-shapes-animal-movements">Environment shapes animal movements</h2>



The research team tracked 14 lions and 9 hyenas using GPS collars over eight years. They analyzed movement patterns across seasons and times of day. The findings show that vegetation and water availability influenced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-change-their-daily-schedules-when-tourists-are-watching/">predator</a> behavior more than tourist traffic.



Lions chose areas with less shrubbery and tree cover. Though these cats are ambush predators, dense vegetation may also deter prey. This could force lions to hunt in open landscapes. 



Hyenas, by contrast, gravitated toward grassy and tree-rich zones. This behavior might help them avoid heat and stay hidden.



These habitat choices weren’t random. They reflected a balance between predator needs and landscape features shaped by both nature and tourism infrastructure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-species-evolve-their-own-strategies">Species evolve their own strategies </h2>



Lions showed a consistent preference for waterholes during dry and wet seasons. Their presence near these resources likely serves two purposes - hydration and better chances of encountering prey.



Hyenas showed less interest in water sources. They can survive on water from their prey and seem more flexible in their range. 



The researchers believe hyenas avoid waterholes to reduce competition with lions. This difference in behavior highlights how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-lions-and-farmers-coexist-experts-are-cautiously-optimistic/">species</a> evolve separate strategies in the same landscape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lions-and-hyenas-dodge-tourist-traffic">Lions and hyenas dodge tourist traffic </h2>



The study also examined how animals interact with roads. Both lions and hyenas use roads to move efficiently. But during the dry season - when tourist traffic peaks - they avoid the busiest ones.



Lions tended to stay near secondary roads that have lower traffic but still provide access to waterholes. Hyenas, known for their wariness around humans, also kept away from primary roads in the dry season. 



However, during the wetter months, when tourism drops, they used primary and secondary roads more freely.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animals-develop-tolerance-for-tourists">Animals develop tolerance for tourists</h2>



Etosha sees over 200,000 visitors each year. Over time, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-lions-and-farmers-coexist-experts-are-cautiously-optimistic/">animals</a> may become used to vehicles and people. 



Prior studies in the park have shown habituation in impalas, elephants, and even hyenas. Some lions, too, seem unbothered by tourists. But this tolerance may come with risks.



Animals that grow too used to humans may venture closer to park edges, where interactions with people can turn dangerous. Understanding these patterns helps park managers improve road layouts and visitor guidelines to ensure predator safety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-tourism-and-conservation">Balancing tourism and conservation </h2>



“National parks where these large carnivores occur are really important areas for conservation but also tourism,” Beasley said. “Tourism brings in a huge amount of revenue to a lot of countries, and many people want to go see large carnivores in the wild.”



But while people enjoy watching wildlife, it’s important to consider the hidden effects of these encounters. 



The research shows that animals don’t just wander randomly. Their choices reflect subtle calculations about safety, prey availability, and human disturbance.



"Large carnivores are especially vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures, which are increasing in areas of Sub-Saharan Africa," wrote the researchers.



"As wildlife-based tourism increases human-wildlife interactions, it is crucial to better understand predator habitat selection to inform conservation strategies."



The study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425002823?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Ecology and Conservation</a>, was led by Jessica R. Patterson.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Lions and hyenas change behavior when tourists are nearby

Every year, thousands of tourists head to Africa in search...

The Pacific Ocean is running a fever, and the symptoms are showing on every shore. Between 2014 and 2016 surface waters along North America’s west coast warmed by as much as 7°F above normal, forming a heat patch sailors nicknamed “<a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/looking-back-blob-chapter-2-marine-heat-wave-intensifies-completely-chart" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Blob</a>.”



“The marine heatwave resulted in unprecedented ecological disturbance across thousands of miles of coastline,” says Samuel Starko, <a href="https://www.uvic.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Victoria</a>. 



Researchers sifted through 331 field reports to trace everything that changed during that long marine heatwave in a recent study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pacific-heatwaves-move-sea-creatures">Pacific heatwaves move sea creatures</h2>



Hundreds of animals and plants abandoned their usual haunts as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-heatwaves-are-accelerating-for-a-surprising-reason/">warm water</a> crept northward, with many spotted more than 600 miles beyond their normal range. 



Northern right whale dolphins leapt off Vancouver Island, while tiny sea slugs followed the tide into Alaskan coves.



Such shifts scramble local food webs because predators arrive without familiar prey and newcomers compete for space and shelter. 



In some tide pools south of Seattle, tropical fish briefly replaced cold water sculpins before winter currents pushed them back.



Range changes also matter for managers because existing fishing quotas and protected areas rarely anticipate sudden guest appearances. 



Biologists now log these sightings in real time to update risk maps for shipping, aquaculture, and endangered species patrols.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-marine-heatwaves-and-kelp-forests">Marine heatwaves and kelp forests</h2>



Giant kelp and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-51114-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bull kelp</a> forest canopies shrank by more than 90 percent along 220 mi of northern California coast, a collapse traced to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/">heat stress</a> and urchin grazing. With the shade gone, ultraviolet light and grazing sea urchins finished off many stumps.



Kelp loss is a double blow because the fronds feed herbivores and the holdfasts shelter juvenile fish. In bare zones, purple urchins exploded in number, chewing through any young kelp shoots that tried to rebound.



Abalone fisheries closed for safety and stock protection in 2018 and still have not reopened fully. Local divers who once harvested a prized dinner now organize volunteer culls of urchins to give kelp a chance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animal-deaths-during-marine-heatwaves">Animal deaths during marine heatwaves</h2>



Warm water favored pathogens, and sea star wasting disease nearly wiped out the sunflower sea star, a top invertebrate predator. Without that curb, urchins and mussels multiplied, changing reef chemistry and clarity.



Higher up the ladder, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/386988554_Catastrophic_and_persistent_loss_of_common_murres_after_a_marine_heatwave" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">common murres</a> suffered the largest seabird die off ever recorded in Alaska, losing an estimated four million birds. Many carcasses held empty stomachs, pointing to starvation rather than toxins.



Humpback whales, sea lions, and harbor seals recorded simultaneous unusual mortality <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-made-heatwaves-more-deadly/">events</a>, hinting at the same shortage of calorie rich forage fish. Each loss rippled outward, affecting tourism, tribal harvests, and nutrient cycling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-food-sources-dropped">Tiny food sources dropped</h2>



At the microscopic scale, the heatwave reshuffled <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-023-04645-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plankton communities</a> across the Gulf of Alaska. Those replacements carry less fat, reducing the energy budget for everything that eats them.



Satellite data showed chlorophyll plunging in winter 2014, a sign that primary production faltered when it was most needed to seed spring food chains. 



Zooplankton surveys later found warm water copepods dominating nets normally filled with lipid rich northern species.



Less nutritious prey forces predators to spend more time foraging, burning the very calories they are chasing. Such inefficiency likely tipped already stressed birds and mammals past survival thresholds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-damage-to-the-fishing-industry">Damage to the fishing industry</h2>



Economic pain soon matched ecological pain. A coast wide harmful <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/science-data/hitting-us-where-it-hurts-untold-story-harmful-algal-blooms" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">algal bloom</a> linked to the heatwave shut the Dungeness crab fishery and erased $97.5 million in landings in 2015 alone.



Tour operators cancelled whale watching trips when sightings dwindled, and coastal towns lost an estimated $40 million in visitor spending that year. Some crews switched to far off fisheries, raising fuel costs and safety risks.



Disaster aid arrived years late, highlighting how climate shocks outpace existing relief channels. 



Policy advisers now call for insurance pools and flexible permits that track environmental triggers rather than calendar dates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-these-events-keep-coming">Why these events keep coming</h2>



Marine heatwaves are no longer rare outliers, their global frequency has jumped <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44358-025-00058-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">six fold</a> since the 1980s. Longer events give ecosystems less time to heal before the next hit arrives.



Atmospheric blocking patterns, <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">El Niño cycles</a>, and steadily rising greenhouse gases can overlap, stacking the odds toward hotter, more persistent surface layers. When oxygen and nutrients decline in those layers, even hardy species struggle.



Scientists argue for proactive steps such as mobile <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-equation-predicts-a-rapid-rise-in-extreme-heatwaves/">marine</a> reserves that shift boundaries when key habitats move. 



Early warning temperature dashboards already guide some fishery openings, and similar thresholds could trigger kelp restoration teams.



Cutting emissions remains the only lasting cure, yet local actions, reducing pollution, restoring wetlands, and diversifying coastal economies, buy crucial breathing room. As Starko’s team concludes, the Blob was a preview, not a one off warning.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.1201/9781003589600-2/ecological-responses-extreme-climatic-events-systematic-review-2014%E2%80%932016-northeast-pacific-marine-heatwave-samuel-starko-graham-epstein-lia-chalifour-kevin-bruce-daisy-buzzoni-matthew-csordas-sean-dimoff-rebecca-hansen-dominique-maucieri-jennifer-mchenry-kristina-tietjen-brian-timmer-julia-baum" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oceanography and Marine Biology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Marine heatwaves offer a disturbing preview of how warmer waters impact ocean life

The Pacific Ocean is running a fever, and the symptoms...

Sunlight powers life on Earth’s surface - but in the lightless depths beneath rock and ice, a different energy source may prevail. New research suggests that cosmic rays, high-speed particles from space, could fuel life far from any star.



A team at New York University Abu Dhabi (<a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-journal-of-astrobiology/article/estimating-the-potential-of-ionizing-radiationinduced-radiolysis-for-microbial-metabolism-on-terrestrial-planets-and-satellites-with-rarefied-atmospheres/187F317A3974A2008227C707538785E9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NYUAD</a>) has shown that when cosmic rays strike underground water, they can break it apart and liberate electrons. These tiny bursts of energy, though brief, could serve as chemical nourishment for hardy microbes in buried worlds.



The study, led by physicist Dimitra Atri at NYUAD’s <a href="https://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/research/faculty-labs-and-projects/center-for-astrophysics-and-space-science.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Center for Astrophysics and Space Science</a>, opens the door to a new class of habitable environments - powered not by sunshine, but by starlight's violent cousins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-particles-power-deep-microbes">Particles power deep microbes</h2>



Cosmic rays are atomic nuclei and electrons traveling near light speed. When they smash into rock or ice, they spray secondary particles that penetrate yards below the surface.



The particle shower triggers radiolysis, the breaking of water molecules into reactive fragments that include solvated electrons. These electrons, though fleeting, carry energy that cells can capture.



On Earth, radiolysis in deep basalt aquifers releases hydrogen that sustains entire microbial communities. Two miles underground, chemistry replaces sunlight.



The NYUAD models label any depth where radiolysis can meet basic metabolic costs as a radiolytic habitable zone. Unlike the narrow ring around a star called the Goldilocks zone, this band depends on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-particle-acceleration-new-source-of-cosmic-rays-discovered/">particle energy</a> and local ice thickness instead of stellar distance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-models-predict-icy-energy">Models predict icy energy</h2>



The team ran GEANT4 simulations for Mars, Europa, and Enceladus, matching cosmic ray spectra with realistic crust densities. 



Enceladus emerged as the richest target, with energy budgets that could, in principle, drive about ten million ATP molecules per gram each second in ice roughly six feet down.



“This discovery changes the way we think about where life might exist,” said Dimitra Atri, principal investigator at NYUAD CASS.



Mars placed second because its thin atmosphere lets many particles in, but rocky crust absorbs them quickly. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alien-life-on-europa-co2-discovery-by-webb-increases-the-odds/">Europa’s</a> dense ice spreads the energy deepest, yet dilutes it the most.



Together, the three bodies demonstrate that radiation chemistry can top up life’s battery even where the Sun never reaches.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-earth-s-hidden-microbes">Clues from Earth's hidden microbes</h2>



Earth offers proof of concept. In a South African gold mine, the bacterium Desulforudis audaxviator thrives 1.7 miles down on radiolytic hydrogen and sulfate alone. 



Genomic studies show the microbe carries every gene it needs to fix carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur without help.



Near the Juan de Fuca Ridge, in underwater rock layers, radiation helps produce hydrogen that certain microbes use for energy. 



These natural laboratories prove that electrons set loose by radiation can sustain entire ecosystems, refining the search image for alien life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-radiation-sparked-early-life">Radiation sparked early life</h2>



Radiation doesn't just keep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-found-alive-sealed-inside-rock-after-2-billion-years/">microbes</a> alive - it may have helped spark life in the first place. When high-energy particles hit water and minerals, they can create reactive molecules that build the foundations of biology.



On early Earth, these reactions might have helped form key compounds like amino acids and sugars. 



Some scientists think similar chemistry could be happening right now beneath the surfaces of Mars, Europa, or Enceladus.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forget-the-goldilocks-zone">Forget the Goldilocks zone</h2>



Astronomers traditionally judge a planet by its surface water potential, naming the swath of orbital space where that water stays liquid the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-expands-the-habitable-zone-where-we-may-find-alien-life/">Goldilocks zone</a>. The radiolytic habitable zone shifts the focus underground, counting how far cosmic rays can travel before losing steam.



Atri’s 2015 theoretical <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1506.01274">work</a> estimated that even thin atmospheres cannot block all cosmic rays, letting them bury energy tens of yards deep. This recalibration multiplies the number of places we might need to check.



Regions once dismissed as frozen deserts now look like chemical oases, provided they hold even modest pockets of water or ice below the surface. The concept reframes planetary protection, mission design, and expectations for biosignatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rovers-hunt-buried-energy">Rovers hunt buried energy</h2>



Europe’s Rosalind Franklin rover, scheduled for launch in 2028, carries a drill able to pull core samples from 6.6 feet beneath the Martian surface, a depth chosen to dodge harmful radiation.



NASA’s Europa Clipper will scan the Jovian moon’s crust with the REASON radar, mapping pockets of water up to 18 miles deep for future landers.



A flagship Orbilander mission to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shock-discovery-saturns-moon-enceladus-has-all-of-the-ingredients-necessary-for-life/">Enceladus</a> aims to sniff plume particles in orbit, land near active fissures, and test them for biosignatures with a two-year surface campaign.



Each project treats radiation not only as a hazard but as a potential signpost to energy, chemistry, and life below.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-journal-of-astrobiology/article/estimating-the-potential-of-ionizing-radiationinduced-radiolysis-for-microbial-metabolism-on-terrestrial-planets-and-satellites-with-rarefied-atmospheres/187F317A3974A2008227C707538785E9">International Journal of Astrobiology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Cosmic rays may sustain life underground, where life can't reach

Sunlight powers life on Earth’s surface - but in the...

People have been told for decades to get eight solid hours, yet a huge data set now suggests that when you sleep can overshadow how long you sleep. 



More than one in three American adults routinely get less than seven <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-may-have-just-solved-the-mystery-of-sleep/">hours of nightly rest</a>.



In a new analysis of 88,461 volunteers wearing wrist actigraphy sensors, Professor Shengfeng Wang of <a href="https://sph.pku.edu.cn/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peking University</a> and colleagues linked irregular bedtimes and other sleep rhythm problems to a startling range of 172 diseases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-irregular-sleep-harms-your-health">Irregular sleep harms your health</h2>



The researchers found that over nearly seven years, irregular sleep patterns accounted for about 23 percent of the risk for these health problems. 



Trouble staying asleep and getting quality rest played a role - but the biggest factor was having an unstable sleep schedule.



The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-26019-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sleep Regularity Index</a>, a metric that tracks how closely each day’s pattern matches the next, has also predicted death more accurately than sleep duration.



Researchers from <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6265819/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vanderbilt University</a> reported that participants in the most irregular quartile faced a 53 percent higher risk of dying over eight years, even after adjusting for age, BMI, and existing illness.



Sleeping after 12:30 a.m. was linked to a 2.57-fold higher risk of liver cirrhosis. Inconsistent sleep-wake cycles more than doubled the risk of gangrene. 



"Our findings underscore the overlooked importance of sleep regularity,” said Wang.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-disease-risks">Hidden disease risks</h2>



Sleep traits explained over 20 percent of cases in 92 out of 172 illnesses. That includes 37 percent of Parkinson’s cases and 36 percent of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-identify-a-cellular-switch-mitochondria-that-could-reverse-type-2-diabetes/">type 2 diabetes</a> cases.



The team used the population attributable fraction, a metric that asks how much disease would vanish if everyone adopted the healthiest sleep profile.



For context, about 30 percent of U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-disease-kills-differently-now-than-five-decades-ago/">coronary heart disease</a> deaths are blamed on cigarette smoking.



The analysis also showed how seldom multiple sleep dimensions overlapped; 58 percent of affected disorders linked to only one aspect of sleep. 



That pattern hints that a single prescription such as “just sleep more” misses important biological pathways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-myth-of-too-much-sleep">The myth of too much sleep</h2>



Surveys suggested nine-hour sleepers risk heart and stroke issues, but objective data linked them to only one disease.



One out of five so-called “long sleepers” actually spent nine hours in bed but slept under six hours.



Removing misclassified participants erased the link between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-gene-explains-why-some-people-can-thrive-on-less-sleep/">long sleep</a> and heart disease, easing concerns for healthy long sleepers. 



Objective trackers, in other words, can clear away the noise that plagues self reports.



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



Your body runs on a biological clock called the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geologist-who-accidentally-discovered-humans-have-an-internal-clock-by-spending-63-days-underground/">circadian rhythm</a>, which follows a roughly 24-hour cycle. It’s not just about sleep - it regulates everything from hormone release and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-body-clock-distorts-time-to-stay-on-schedule-in-the-heat/">body temperature</a> to digestion and alertness. 



At its core, it’s controlled by a part of the brain called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suprachiasmatic_nucleus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">suprachiasmatic nucleus</a>, which responds mostly to light. 



When the sun comes up, light enters your eyes and signals your brain to wake up, boosting alertness and suppressing <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-melatonin/art-20363071" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">melatonin</a>. 



As night falls, the opposite happens - your brain ramps up melatonin to help you wind down and prepare for sleep.



As darkness falls, melatonin production ramps back up, nudging you toward sleep. Jet lag, shift work, and screen time before bed can all mess with this rhythm, making you feel tired, foggy, or just out of sync.



When your circadian rhythm is in sync - meaning you go to bed and wake up consistently, and you get enough exposure to natural light - you tend to feel better mentally and physically. 



But when it’s out of whack, like after pulling an all-nighter or flying across time zones, your body feels it. You might feel groggy, irritable, or even a little foggy. That’s your internal clock trying to reset itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-your-body-clock-controls">What your body clock controls</h2>



Regularity outperformed duration partly because the body’s internal circadian rhythm coordinates hormones, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-metabolism-has-evolved-to-become-energetically-unique/">metabolism</a>, and immunity on a 24-hour loop.



Two wrist-derived measures capture that rhythm: relative amplitude - the contrast between daytime activity and nighttime rest - and interdaily stability.



Low relative amplitude predicted COPD and kidney failure in the UK, with similar results in U.S. NHANES data. Inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) mediated up to 10 percent of the effect, hinting at one biological conduit.



Scientists are studying whether evening light, late <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-caffeine-slow-down-aging-yeast-may-hold-the-answer/">caffeine</a>, and social media habits weaken relative amplitude. Small behavior changes might lower major medical costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-regular-sleep-boosts-your-health">Regular sleep boosts your health</h2>



“Regularity is probably best for the continuity of your sleep,” said neuroscientist <a href="https://www.swellai.com/transcripts/huberman-lab-podcast-transcript/guest-series-dr-matt-walker-improve-sleep-to-boost-mood-emotional-regulation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matt Walker</a>. Simple habits help: anchor wake up time, dim lights an hour before bed, and reserve the bedroom for sleep to nudge your body clock into a steady groove.



Early evidence shows that forward rotating shift schedules better align with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colors-of-sunset-and-sunrise-reset-our-circadian-rhythms/">circadian rhythms</a>. This change reduces fatigue and improves blood pressure within weeks.



Sleep trackers can't measure brain activity yet, and the people in this study were mostly older adults. Future research will need to include a wider range of people and more in-depth sleep tests. 



Still, the size of the data makes a strong case that sticking to a regular bedtime should be part of basic health advice, right alongside eating well and staying active.



Trials are testing if phone nudges, light filters, or noise rules can reduce disease linked to irregular sleep. If the results hold, the cheapest medicine may be a reliable alarm clock.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/hds.0161" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Health Data Science</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

One critical detail about your sleeping habits is linked to 172 diseases

People have been told for decades to get eight solid...

Public health professionals have long promoted the benefits of walking. Yet the evidence base has mostly come from predominantly white, middle- and high-income groups. 



Two companion studies now extend that knowledge to the very populations that bear a disproportionate burden of chronic disease: low-income and Black adults across the southeastern United States.



Together, the analyses paint a compelling picture of how a single, inexpensive habit - walking briskly for as little as 15 minutes a day - can reduce mortality by nearly one-fifth. It may also help shrink persistent health inequities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-walking-in-real-life">Tracking walking in real life</h2>



The data comes from the <a href="https://www.southerncommunitystudy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Community Cohort Study</a> (SCCS), one of the nation’s largest investigations of health in underserved groups.



Between 2002 and 2009, the SCCS enrolled about 85,000 adults aged 40 to 79. Community health centers that serve low-income patients in 12 southeastern states recruited about 86 percent of participants.



For the present analyses, researchers led by <a href="https://www.vanderbilt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vanderbilt</a> epidemiologist Wei Zheng and doctoral investigator Lili Liu focused on 79,856 participants who had provided detailed baseline information about their daily walking habits.



Participants reported the number of minutes they typically spent each day walking slowly (e.g. moving around, walking to work, walking their dogs or engaging in light <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-feels-better-when-its-matched-to-your-personality/">exercise</a>) and walking fast (e.g. climbing stairs, brisk walking, or heavier exercising).



The researchers linked self-reports to death records, enabling them to track 26,862 deaths over 16.7 years through 2022.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fast-walking-big-payoff"><a></a>Fast walking, big payoff</h2>



Crunching the numbers yielded a striking headline: fast walking for just 15 minutes a day was associated with a 19 percent reduction in risk of death from any cause. Slow walking, even when performed for more than three hours daily, produced a far smaller benefit.



“This is one of the few studies to quantify the effect of daily walking on mortality in a low‑income and predominantly Black U.S. population,” Zheng said.



“By demonstrating the benefits of fast walking - which is a low‑cost and largely accessible activity - we provide direct evidence to inform targeted public health interventions and policies to improve health outcomes.”



Critically, the protective effect of a brisk pace held up after adjusting for smoking, diet, body mass index, education and leisure‑time physical activity (LTPA).



Even among participants who already engaged in some form of LTPA, tacking on more fast walking further reduced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/every-year-of-education-reduces-mortality-risk/">mortality risk</a>. In other words, intensity mattered over and above total activity volume.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-health-powers-survival">Heart health powers survival</h2>



The mortality benefit was most pronounced for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-worsens-cardiovascular-health-risks/">cardiovascular disease</a>, the leading cause of death in the United States. That aligns with physiological data showing that brisk walking boosts cardiac output, improves oxygen delivery, and helps manage weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol.



According to Zheng, brisk walking offers a convenient, accessible, and low-impact activity that individuals of all ages and fitness levels can use to improve overall health and cardiovascular health specifically.



“While the health benefits of daily walking are well established, limited research has investigated how factors such as walking pace affect mortality, particularly in low-income and Black/African American populations,” noted Liu.



“Our research has shown that fast walking as little as 15 minutes a day is associated with a nearly 20 percent reduction in total mortality, while a smaller reduction in mortality is seen with more than three hours of daily slow walking.”



Liu said that this benefit remained strong even after accounting for other lifestyle factors and was consistent across various sensitivity analyses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-walking-isn-t-easy">Why walking isn't easy</h2>



Of course, telling people to walk faster is easier than ensuring they can do so safely. Low‑income communities often lack sidewalks, greenways, and street lighting; crime or heavy traffic may further discourage outdoor exercise.



They are also more likely to be situated in polluted areas where air quality can offset some cardiovascular gains. Economic constraints, shift work, and limited access to healthcare compound the challenge.



Nevertheless, the simplicity of brisk walking renders it uniquely scalable. “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-alone-in-america-an-escalating-public-health-crisis/">Public health</a> campaigns and community‑based programs can emphasize the importance and availability of fast walking to improve health outcomes,” Liu said. 



"Individuals should strive to incorporate more intense physical activity into their routines, such as brisk walking or other forms of aerobic exercise.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-doctors-and-cities-can-do">What doctors and cities can do</h2>



For clinicians, the message is straightforward: prescribe pace, not just steps. A recommendation as modest as 15 brisk minutes per day is tangible, trackable, and unlikely to intimidate sedentary patients.



From a policy standpoint, the findings bolster the case for investing in walkable infrastructure. Well-lit paths, traffic-calming measures, and park renovations are especially needed in neighborhoods where health disparities are most acute.



Public health agencies might also consider workplace interventions. Many of the SCCS participants hold hourly jobs with limited flexibility. 



Safe walking routes and short, brisk breaks could significantly boost employee health and productivity.



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



The authors acknowledge that participants self-reported their walking habits only at enrollment, leaving later changes unmeasured. 



The survey questions could not capture stride length, incline, or terrain, each of which influences exertion.



Even so, the study’s sheer scale, long follow‑up and racial diversity make its conclusions unusually persuasive. Because vital status came from the National Death Index, outcome misclassification is minimal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-walking-toward-health-equity">Walking toward health equity</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-can-improve-cardiometabolic-health/">Cardiometabolic</a> disease will not be solved by walking alone. But in regions where healthcare dollars are scarce and gym memberships out of reach, the humble act of upping one’s pace may be the most democratic medicine available.



These twin studies make the evidence compelling, especially for populations often overlooked in earlier research.



In short, fifteen brisk minutes a day is not merely “better than nothing.” For tens of thousands of low‑income Black Americans - and likely millions more nationwide - it could be the difference between an early grave and years of life reclaimed.



When public health officials craft their next round of guidelines, that simple prescription deserves top billing. 



One of the studies was published in the <a href="https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(25)00230-2/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Journal of Preventive Medicine</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Fifteen minutes of brisk walking per day could prolong our lives

Public health professionals have long promoted the benefits of walking....

In the natural world, social bonds often determine the success and survival of species. Animals form partnerships, friendships, and alliances that can influence every aspect of their lives, from reproduction to foraging success. 



Among monogamous birds, these social bonds are particularly significant because a single partner is chosen at a time. Selecting and maintaining the right mate can directly affect reproductive outcomes.



A new study by the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a> and <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leeds</a> has revealed that wild great tits display behavioral signs of "divorce" well before birds breeding season. The research shows that social behaviors during winter can predict whether pairs will remain together or split up in the spring.



Great tits form monogamous bonds, and their choice of partner plays a crucial role in reproductive success. Previous research examined why some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-bird-species-could-vanish-in-the-next-century/">pairs</a> remain together while others separate, but it was unclear whether winter social behavior could predict future splits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-study-was-done">How the study was done</h2>



The team analyzed data from the Wytham Woods great tit project, one of the longest-running wild bird studies. 



The researchers monitored breeding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-may-be-using-quantum-physics-for-migration/">pairs</a> and used advanced radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology at feeding stations during the winter months. This allowed them to gather detailed data on social associations between individuals.



Out of 1,169 breeding pairs observed over three years, 287 met the criteria for analysis. This smaller number was expected due to natural mortality and the possibility of immigration in the wild population.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-which-bird-pairs-divorced">Which bird pairs divorced</h2>



Pairs were classified as faithful, divorcing, new, or juvenile based on their breeding history. The data revealed that divorcing pairs spent much less time together in winter than faithful pairs. 



Faithful pairs increasingly associated with each other as the season progressed, while divorcing pairs grew more distant.



“Our results show that bird relationships are far from static. We found a clear behavioral signature in the winter months that can forecast a pair’s likelihood of divorcing by spring. Divorce appears to be a socially driven process, unfolding over time,” noted lead researcher Adelaide Daisy Abraham.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-winter-signs-of-future-bird-divorces">Winter signs of future bird divorces</h2>



Faithful pairs consistently had the highest winter association scores, while divorcing pairs had the lowest. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/all-birds-one-tree-complete-evolutionary-map-reveals-hidden-links/">Birds</a> in new or juvenile pairs showed patterns that shifted over time. 



New pairs started with low association scores but became more similar to faithful pairs as the season continued. Juvenile pairs, meanwhile, increased their association scores but followed different patterns, reflecting their inexperience.



Preferred partner analysis highlighted another divide: divorcing birds almost never considered their breeding partner as their closest social associate during winter. 



Faithful birds, by contrast, strengthened bonds with their partner, often making them their preferred social companion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feeder-visits-showed-bond-strength">Feeder visits showed bond strength</h2>



The study also examined how closely birds followed each other to feeders. Faithful, new, and juvenile pairs frequently visited feeders immediately after their partner, suggesting closer bonds. 



Divorcing bird pairs displayed far less of this behavior, with their visit adjacency declining as winter progressed.



“This work is an important step towards uncovering the social mechanics behind pair bonding and fidelity in the wild. Our study has revealed that it is possible to use behavioral dynamics in wild animal pairs to predict future social states, such as divorce,” noted Professor Ben Sheldon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-findings-matter">Why the findings matter</h2>



The findings suggest that information gained during the breeding season influences winter social associations almost immediately. This continuity across seasons could help explain how social decisions and reproductive success are linked.



“Following these individual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-birds-migrate-without-riding-the-wind/">birds</a> across seasons and over many years allows us to see how relationships form and break down in nature in a way that short-term studies wouldn't," said study senior author Dr Josh Firth.



"Going forward, carrying out new experiments in the wild will provide even more opportunities to really understand the fine-scale dynamics of bonding and separation in natural settings."



The analysis not only clarifies the dynamics of birds divorce but also opens doors for research into how social networks and relationship choices affect survival and reproduction across animal species.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.13.628365v2.full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Birds show signs of divorce before the breeding season

In the natural world, social bonds often determine the success...

Climate change is rapidly joining overexploitation and habitat destruction as a third major driver of global biodiversity loss, forcing thousands of animals onto the endangered species list.



A sweeping analysis recently identified at least 3,500 animal species already deemed directly threatened by rising temperatures, intensifying storms, droughts, and other climate-related stresses.



The research, led by <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a> ecologist William Ripple, draws on international databases to show that risk is especially acute for invertebrates. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alarming-climate-impacts-threaten-key-marine-species/">Marine species,</a> in particular, face heightened danger because they cannot easily move away from warmer waters.



The study also warns that true vulnerability is likely far greater because scientists have not formally assessed most animal groups for climate danger.



“We’re at the start of an existential crisis for the Earth’s wild animals,” Ripple said. “Up till now, the primary cause of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-and-biodiversity-striking-the-right-balance/">biodiversity</a> loss has been overexploitation and habitat alteration. As climate change intensifies, we expect it to become a third major threat to the Earth’s animals.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-threats-to-animal-species">Climate threats to animal species</h2>



Ripple and colleagues analyzed records for 70,814 species across 35 taxonomic classes, relying on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (<a href="https://iucn.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IUCN</a>) threat categories.



The team discovered that in six whole classes - arachnids, centipedes, anthozoans, hydrozoans, and two other invertebrate groups - climate change threatens at least one-quarter of species.



Other classes, including mammals, birds, and reptiles, contain smaller but still significant proportions of climate-imperiled members. 



The oceans stand out as a danger zone because seawater absorbs most excess heat from greenhouse forcing.



“We are particularly concerned about invertebrate animals in the ocean,” Ripple said. “Those animals are increasingly vulnerable because of their limited ability to move and promptly evade adverse conditions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-iucn-red-list">Understanding the IUCN Red List</h2>



The IUCN <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red List of Threatened Species</a> is like the world’s pulse check for wildlife. It tracks the health of thousands of species - plants, animals, fungi - and tells us who’s thriving, who’s struggling, and who’s on the brink of extinction. 



Scientists use a detailed set of criteria to evaluate risk, ranging from population trends and habitat range to actual threats like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dehorning-rhinos-significantly-cuts-down-on-poaching/">poaching</a> or climate change. 



When a species lands in categories like “Endangered” or “Critically Endangered,” it’s not just a label - it’s a cry for help backed by data.



Governments, conservationists, and communities use the Red List to make decisions about land use, funding, and protection strategies. It influences environmental policies and helps prioritize where to focus resources. 



When we protect what’s on that list, we’re safeguarding ecosystems, cultures, and future generations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-disasters-kill-millions-of-animals">Climate disasters kill millions of animals</h2>



In recent years extreme climate events have delivered dramatic proof of these vulnerabilities. Off Israel’s coast, a 90 percent crash in mollusk abundance followed a jump in sea-surface temperature.



During the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome, billions of intertidal mussels, clams, and snails died in a matter of days. A severe marine heatwave in 2016 bleached nearly 30 percent of Australia’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-barrier-reef-is-on-the-brink-of-extinction/">Great Barrier Reef</a>.



Terrestrial and pelagic vertebrates have suffered too. An extreme warm spell in 2015-2016 altered the marine food web in the North Pacific, starving four million common murres, slashing Pacific cod numbers by 71 percent, and contributing to the loss of roughly 7,000 humpback whales.



Ripple noted that such <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-was-the-cause-of-earths-largest-mass-extinction/">mass mortality</a> events reverberate through ecosystems. “The cascading effects of more and more mass mortality events will likely affect carbon-cycle feedbacks and nutrient cycling.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-missing-data-on-a-massive-scale"><a></a>Missing data on a massive scale</h2>



Although the headline figures are sobering, the authors emphasize that they represent only a fraction of the problem. 



Sixty-six of the planet’s 101 recognized animal classes have not had any species evaluated for climate risk by the IUCN. The 70,814 species examined in the study account for just 5.5 percent of all described animals.



“Our analysis is meant to be a preliminary effort toward assessing climate risk to wildlife species,” Ripple said. “Understanding the risk is crucial for making informed policy decisions."



"We need a global database on mass mortality events due to climate change for animal species in all ecosystems, and an acceleration in assessing currently ignored species.”



The <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/">Red List</a> itself is heavily skewed toward vertebrates, which make up fewer than six percent of named animal species, leaving the vast majority of invertebrates - essential to pollination, soil health, and marine food webs - largely unexamined.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-merging-climate-and-conservation">Merging climate and conservation</h2>



Ripple argued that policymakers must couple improved risk assessments with policies that synchronize biodiversity conservation and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-mitigation-strategies-may-be-endangering-biodiversity/">climate mitigation</a>.



“There is also a need for more frequent climate risk assessments of all species and better consideration of adaptive capacity,” he added. “We need the integration of biodiversity and climate change policy planning on a global scale.”



Ripple and his co-authors call for real-time monitoring of die-off events and expansion of citizen science initiatives to cover overlooked taxa. 



They also advocate incorporating species’ dispersal abilities and genetic diversity into risk models.



Only with such knowledge can policymakers design interventions that help vulnerable species stand a fighting chance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-animals-with-climate-action">Saving animals with climate action</h2>



With global temperatures already flirting with the 1.5°C threshold that scientists warn will unleash accelerating hazards, the time for closing data gaps is rapidly shrinking.



The new study shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-the-largest-threat-to-u-s-endangered-species/">climate change</a> is no longer a distant or incremental danger for wildlife; it is a present crisis that compounds longstanding threats.



Whether governments heed the warning will decide how many species remain confined to the 3,500-strong endangered column - and how many more quietly slide into it as the planet continues to warm.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biaf059/8127685?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BioScience</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Thousands of animal species face an imminent threat of extinction from climate change

Climate change is rapidly joining overexploitation and habitat destruction as...

Coffee perks us up and helps us perform better at many different types of activities. Unfortunately, the caffeine in your coffee could also be energizing bacteria that live inside of you, making them more resistant to antibiotics. 



This is the unexpected finding from a team of researchers led by Professor Ana Rita Brochado at the <a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Würzburg</a>.



The study shows that certain food ingredients, including caffeine, make some antibiotics work less effectively. This doesn’t mean caffeine kills antibiotics directly. But it does cause subtle changes inside bacteria like&nbsp;E. coli.



These changes can block antibiotic entry, helping the bacteria survive. You won’t feel anything after that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-tea-every-day-proven-studies-to-delay-biological-aging-in-humans/">cup of tea</a>, but the microbes in your gut might get more stubborn.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bacteria-respond-to-chemicals">Bacteria respond to chemicals</h2>



Bacteria notice what’s around them. They don’t just sit there waiting to die. 



<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/about/index.html#:~:text=E.%20coli%20are%20germs%20called,of%20a%20healthy%20intestinal%20tract." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">E. coli</a>, for example, reacts to chemical signals in its environment by flipping certain genes on or off. This gives it more control over what gets in and out of the cell.



Professor Brochado’s team tested 94 substances: antibiotics, human drugs, and common food <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-you-pour-coffee-changes-its-strength-and-flavor/">ingredients</a>. 



The researchers focused on seven genes that affect transport proteins - tiny pores and pumps that regulate flow in and out of bacteria. Change these proteins, and you change how much antibiotic reaches the inside.



Some changes were big. Others were tiny. But one thing was clear: bacteria don’t treat caffeine like background noise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rob-the-gene-that-blocks-antibiotics">Rob: The gene that blocks antibiotics</h2>



The researchers found that caffeine activates a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/948916" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gene called Rob</a>. Once Rob switches on, it sets off a chain reaction. Several transport proteins shift behavior, and the bacteria start blocking out antibiotics like ciprofloxacin.



“Caffeine triggers a cascade of events starting with the gene regulator Rob and culminating in the change of several transport proteins in&nbsp;E. coli, which in turn leads to a reduced uptake of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin,” explained Professor Brochado.



So <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-this-amount-of-coffee-helps-prevent-heart-disease-and-diabetes/">caffeine</a> doesn’t kill antibiotics. It just makes it harder for them to get inside the cell. The bacteria do not become fully resistant - they just become harder to kill.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-caffeine-bacteria-and-antibiotics">Caffeine, bacteria, and antibiotics</h2>



The research suggests that bacteria can adapt based on diet and environment, even without new mutations or resistance genes.



“Our data show that several substances can subtly but systematically influence gene regulation in bacteria,” noted study lead author Christoph Binsfeld, a PhD student in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Würzburg.



The scary part? These effects don’t show up on standard resistance tests. You might think an antibiotic will work fine. But in your gut, after your morning coffee, bacteria might disagree.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-caffeine-doesn-t-faze-salmonella">Caffeine doesn't faze Salmonella</h2>



You might expect this caffeine effect to happen across similar bacteria. But it doesn’t. The team also looked at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmonella_enterica" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Salmonella enterica</a>, a close cousin of E. coli. Same antibiotic, same <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-flavor-can-be-improved-with-a-simple-trick/">caffeine</a>.



In&nbsp;Salmonella, caffeine didn’t reduce drug uptake. The difference likely comes down to how each species controls transport proteins. One tweaks the gates and the other doesn’t.



This shows that resistance isn’t just about which genes bacteria have. It’s also about how they use them - and when.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-caffeine-in-coffee-weakens-antibiotics">Caffeine in coffee weakens antibiotics</h2>



What Brochado’s team found isn’t classic resistance. There are no resistant genes being passed around and no permanent mutations. It’s something more flexible that bacteria can turn on or off.



Scientists call this “low-level” resistance. It’s temporary and subtle, but that doesn’t make it safe. It could help bacteria survive just long enough to cause a stubborn infection or evolve further resistance.



So, even though caffeine won’t make E. coli immortal, it might give it a fighting chance. And in medicine, even a small advantage can matter.



Bacteria like&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;use regulators - proteins like MarA, SoxS, and Rob - to control responses. These proteins flip switches that change how transport proteins behave. In the study, Rob showed up more than expected.



Around one-third of all transcriptional changes involved Rob. That’s more than scientists thought. In many cases, Rob worked alongside MarA or SoxS. But in response to caffeine, Rob handled things on its own.



The researchers looked deeper and found something else. After caffeine exposure, over 200 bacterial proteins changed in abundance. 



That included proteins involved in building outer membrane pores. Less pore protein means fewer ways for antibiotics to get in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-antibiotics-with-caffeine-in-mind">Making antibiotics with caffeine in mind</h2>



“Such fundamental research into the effect of substances consumed on a daily basis underscores the vital role of science in understanding and resolving real-world problems,” said Dr. Karla Pollmann, President of the <a href="https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tübingen</a>.



If caffeine can influence antibiotic uptake, what about other compounds? What about patients drinking energy drinks or taking herbal supplements while on medication? These combinations might not be harmless.



Doctors might need to consider diet - including coffee - as part of treatment using antibiotics. Guidelines could eventually include not just dosage, but also what not to eat or drink during therapy.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003260" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Biology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Even microbes thrive on caffeine: Coffee helps bacteria resist antibiotics

Coffee perks us up and helps us perform better at...

<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.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

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.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

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>



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

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.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



-----

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>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

News coming your way