Carrying a reusable water bottle is a smart habit. It saves money. It cuts down on single-use plastic. It keeps you hydrated. There’s a catch, though. 



Many of us don’t clean our bottles nearly as well or as often as we think we do, and the germs that hitch a ride on our hands, rims, and lids can stick around.



In 2024, the global market for reusable water bottles was valued at about $10 billion, with surveys of university students reporting usage rates ranging from 50% to 81%.



A study on the campus of <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Purdue University</a> put everyday bottles under the microscope to see how clean they really are and which habits help or hurt. The takeaway is a reality check with simple fixes that anyone can put into practice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-reusable-water-bottles">Studying reusable water bottles</h2>



The research team kept the question simple: "How clean are the bottles that students actually use all day?" 



To get real-world answers, they collected 90 bottles directly from students. They asked owners how they used and cleaned their bottles, then tested the bottles in two ways.



First, they swabbed the outer surfaces using a rapid hygiene test called ATP that lights up when organic residue remains. This signal is widely used in food safety as a quick screen for whether a surface is truly clean after washing. 



Second, they rinsed the insides and counted bacteria clinging to water-contact surfaces. They measured common water-loving bacteria and checked for coliforms, an indicator group that can signal when conditions could support more concerning contamination.



The study was led by Carl Behnke from <a href="https://www.purdue.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Purdue University</a> with a cohort of academics and scientists. Later in the process, Dr. Yuriko Fukuta, an assistant professor of medicine (infectious diseases) at <a href="https://www.bcm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baylor College of Medicine</a>, added clinical context.



Their goal wasn’t to name and shame anyone’s bottle. It was to map daily habits to measurable cleanliness, so people could tweak what they do and keep their bottles safer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-on-the-outside">What's on the outside</h2>



The outsides of bottles were dirtier than they looked. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATP_test" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ATP readings</a> indicated that the exterior surfaces of all the water bottles collected (including two new bottles that were purchased from a local retailer as controls) were considered "dirty" and failed the ATP test.



That’s not surprising in daily life, where hands move from phones to doorknobs to laptop keyboards to bottle caps. Residue left behind gives microbes places to hang on to.



More frequent refills were associated with dirtier outer surfaces. Each refill adds touchpoints: your hands, the cap, counter edges, and faucet areas. The rim matters here because it is where hands and mouths meet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-on-the-inside">What's on the inside</h2>



Scientists tested the inside of people’s reusable bottles to see how many live bacteria were inside. Think of the number they report - CFU per milliliter - as how many tiny bacterial “colonies” can grow from a small sip of liquid rinsed off the bottle’s inner walls. 



Many places set the bar for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nearly-100-million-americans-exposed-to-contaminated-drinking-water/">drinking water</a> at below 100–500 CFU/mL. In this study, about 7 out of 10 bottles cleared 100, about 2 out of 3 topped 200, and 3 out of 5 exceeded 500. In plain English: most bottles carried more bacteria than you’d want in clean drinking water.



Researchers also checked for “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/coliform-bacteria">coliforms</a>,” the bacteria we use as a red flag for sanitation. For bottled water, the rule of thumb is basically “none detected” (no more than 1 per 100 mL). Here, roughly 1 in 4 bottles broke that limit, and a few were sky-high.



Bacteria need three things: moisture, nutrients, and time. A bottle provides moisture by design. Nutrients show up when anything other than water goes in, and time accumulates when a bottle sits in a warm car, on a desk, or by the bed overnight.



One clear pattern stood out. Bottles used strictly for water tended to have lower bacterial counts. Bottles that also held sports drinks, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bvo-highly-toxic-soda-ingredient-banned-by-the-fda-in-2024-still-being-used-today/">soda</a>, or sweetened tea or coffee with cream often had much higher counts. 



Sugars feed bacteria. Proteins and fats can leave a film that helps cells attach and form biofilms, which are much harder to remove than free-floating cells.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cleaning-reusable-water-bottles">Cleaning reusable water bottles</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-from-plastic-bottles-raises-your-blood-pressure/">Material</a> played a limited role. Glass tended to look cleaner on the quick outside test, likely because its surface is smoother and nonporous. But no material gets a free pass. 



Design features - narrow necks, flip tops, straws, bite valves, and silicone gaskets - create nooks where residue and biofilms hide. Those tucked-away spots are often the last to be disassembled and scrubbed.



People who cleaned more often generally had better results, but intentions didn’t always match outcomes. 



A quick rinse can leave sticky films intact. Dishwashers vary in heat and spray coverage; water may not reach beneath threads, seals, and straw assemblies.



Washing without separating the different parts of the bottle lets biofilms survive in hidden crevices.



“Do you wash your dishes after dinner?” Behnke asked. “Yes. But with water bottles, we often take them all over the place and don’t properly clean them.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-health-concerns">Human health concerns</h2>



Fukuta suggested that bacteria might include <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/staph-infections/symptoms-causes/syc-20356221" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">staphylococcus bacteria</a> or <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/group-a-strep/about/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strep</a>. And there’s this, from the cohort study: “More than 20% of our samples had coliform bacteria, which is fecal matter,” says Behnke.



A bottle can act as a fomite - a surface that helps move microbes from place to place - when it isn’t kept clean. Hands touch the cap and rim. 



Mouths contact the same areas. If the outside is grimy, it can become the pathway for microbes to reach the drinking surfaces.



Dr. Yuriko Fukuta agrees. “We’re constantly touching our water bottles with our mouths and hands, so it’s easy to transmit bacteria to them, and then it just grows,” she says. “In some cases this can make you sick, especially if you have a weaker immune system.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reusable-water-bottle-tips">Reusable water bottle tips</h2>



Treat a reusable bottle like a food-contact surface. Use hot water and dish soap. Scrub the walls with a bottle brush. 



Use a small brush, skewer, or toothpick for threads and tiny crevices. Take lids, straws, bite valves, and silicone rings apart and scrub them individually. 



Let everything dry completely with the cap off. Drying breaks the moisture part of the bacteria formula and prevents the musty smell that appears when water lingers.



If you use sweet or creamy drinks, wash the bottle the same day. If your current bottle has many small parts and you often skip steps, a simpler design with a wide mouth can help you stick with the routine. 



Avoid sharing bottles. Saliva adds new microbes that can seed later growth, even if nothing seems wrong at the time. 



If you often set your bottle on public surfaces, wipe the outside periodically, paying special attention to the rim and cap.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-it-all-means">What it all means</h2>



Reusable bottles are still a smart, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-thousands-of-nanoplastics-found-in-bottled-water/">sustainable choice</a>. They just need real cleaning. 



The inside isn’t sterile, and the outside picks up residue fast. Pair frequent refilling with a consistent cleaning routine. 



That set of small steps turns your bottle back into what you intended it to be: a safe hydration tool, not a traveling microbiology project.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.foodprotection.org/files/food-protection-trends/nov-dec-17-sun.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Food Protection</a>.



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Reusable water bottles are a breeding ground for strep and fecal bacteria, study warns

Carrying a reusable water bottle is a smart habit. It saves money. It cuts down on single-use plastic. It keeps you hydrated. There’s a catch, though. Many of us don’t clean our bottles nearly as well or as often as we think we do, and the germs that hitch a ride on our hands, rims, and lids can stick around. In 2024, the global market for reusable water bottles was valued at about $10 billion, with surveys of university students reporting usage rates ranging from 50% to...

Shoppers often walk right past the freezer aisle, worried that frozen foods lack nutrition and that packaged meals might taste stale. These hesitations can push them toward pricier fresh items and lead to misconceptions about convenient options.



Health skepticism has become a powerful force in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frozen-food-new-thawing-methods-will-improve-safety-and-quality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food</a> choices. Many consumers fear that the nutritional value of frozen meals is questionable and that the freshness they crave might be lost in cold storage.



Dr. Muhmmad Waqas, Senior Lecturer, Portsmouth Business School, <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Portsmouth</a>, recently led a study that investigated these concerns. 



His research uncovered important links between health anxiety and the rejection of frozen products, revealing that negative word-of-mouth can arise when worries go unaddressed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-people-believe-frozen-foods-are-unhealthy">Why people believe frozen foods are unhealthy</h2>



Modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-freezer-can-play-a-key-role-in-reducing-food-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diets</a> come with plenty of labels, from organic to GMO-free. The term freshness signals that a product is in its purest state, so items in freezers sometimes feel like they fall short.



Many families focus on the idea that freezing ruins taste and texture. They might think nutrient content is drained by the freezing process, even though vegetables are often flash-frozen to <a href="https://affi.org/why-frozen-foods-should-be-included-in-dietary-guidelines-for-americans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preserve</a> vitamins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-facts-help-restore-trust-in-frozen-meals">Facts help restore trust in frozen meals</h2>



A lack of information about how frozen <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-waste-has-a-surprising-impact-on-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">options</a> are handled can spark mistrust. Concerns become especially pronounced when health-conscious shoppers see conflicting messages.



“While frozen foods can be just as nutritious as fresh options, many consumers simply don't believe it,” said Dr. Waqas. His statement is backed by <a href="https://foodinsight.org/2020-food-and-health-survey" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> showing similar vitamin and mineral content between frozen and fresh produce.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-young-shoppers-choose-fresh-food-over-frozen">Young shoppers choose fresh food over frozen</h2>



There is a trend among younger shoppers to buy fresh ingredients more frequently. Some <a href="https://store.mintel.com/industries/food" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a> suggest that nearly half of 16–24-year-olds in the UK lean toward fresh foods over frozen.



Their buying habits are fueled by health concerns and the idea that fresh might be superior. In many cases, social media plays a role, highlighting farm-to-table ideals that overshadow legitimate benefits of frozen produce.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clear-information-changes-minds">Clear information changes minds</h2>



Once shoppers hear credible facts, their negativity about frozen foods often decreases. They see how convenience and affordability can work together to provide balanced meals.



“Frozen food has a crucial role to play in creating a more sustainable and affordable global food system,” said <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/yuksel-ekinci" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Yuksel Ekinci</a>, Faculty of Business and Law, University of Portsmouth. 



His view fits with an evolving <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vicious-cycle-food-systems-both-suffer-from-and-cause-emissions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">market</a> that points to wider acceptance when facts replace rumors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-global-food-sector-and-frozen-sales">The global food sector and frozen sales</h2>



The food industry reached a <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/food/worldwide" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">worth</a> of about $9.36 trillion in 2023. Yet a sizable share of consumers remains wary of commercial products, with only <a href="https://foodinsight.org/2020-food-and-health-survey" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">43 percent</a> stating confidence in their health benefits.



Frozen offerings make up a meaningful segment of that total. <a href="https://www.reportlinker.com/market-report/Frozen-Food/5387/Frozen-Food?iso=my" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Estimates</a> show frozen foods may generate $366.3 billion in economic activity by 2026.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-perceptions-through-conversation">Shifting perceptions through conversation</h2>



Research indicates that people who harbor doubts about frozen foods may discourage others from buying them. This negativity spreads across social media platforms where one bad story can travel fast.



Researchers note that providing clear, factual data about nutritional integrity can turn the conversation around. Positive information may also highlight cost-effectiveness and how freezing can help keep meals fresh for extended periods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-habits-make-people-avoid-frozen-foods">Health habits make people avoid frozen foods</h2>



Food choices often tie in with deeper beliefs about health and habit. Innovation resistance theory explains why certain concepts - like embracing frozen produce - can clash with ingrained views about healthy eating.



When worries about freshness morph into bigger health fears, rejection becomes more likely. Shoppers might decide to steer clear of the freezer section, missing out on quick, nutrient-rich options.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-affordability">The role of affordability</h2>



Affordability can influence attitudes toward frozen meals. Many households find value in stocking up on products that last longer, reducing grocery trips and potential waste.



If brands demonstrate that freezing technology helps preserve nutrition, they may reduce hesitation. People often feel better when they learn that quick-freeze methods maintain important vitamins and minerals without harmful additives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-choose-healthier-frozen-foods">How to choose healthier frozen foods</h2>



Shoppers who worry about additives can look for ingredient lists containing only the food itself. The notion that all frozen meals must be filled with preservatives is frequently incorrect.



Individuals can also compare nutritional labels. They may be surprised to see that certain frozen products align with dietary recommendations for essential nutrients.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-resolving-trust-issues">Resolving trust issues</h2>



When trust in food producers is already shaky, products that seem processed face extra skepticism. Frozen items sometimes get lumped into the same category as ready-to-eat meals with high sodium.



Counteracting these doubts may call for clear messaging that emphasizes beneficial qualities. This step can relieve the worry that accompanies packaging, labels, or confusing health claims.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-frozen-food-keeps-its-nutrition">How frozen food keeps its nutrition</h2>



Some brands have begun to showcase how they freeze items at peak freshness. Marketing campaigns are starting to focus on transparency, revealing exactly how produce goes from farm to freezer.



Consumers who educate themselves on the process are finding fewer reasons to distrust what’s cold. They discover that technology and safe handling practices can retain flavor and quality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-word-of-mouth-can-reshape-frozen-food-s-reputation">Word-of-mouth can reshape frozen food’s reputation</h2>



Shoppers often rely on friends and family for advice, which makes word-of-mouth crucial. When negative stories circulate, it reinforces longstanding doubts.



“This isn't just about frozen peas or pizzas. It's about changing the conversation around what we eat, what we trust, and how we can create a food system that works for people and the planet,” said Dr. Waqas. 



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/bfj-11-2024-1123/full/html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">British Food Journal</a>.



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Frozen foods face consumer skepticism despite offering nutrition

Shoppers often walk right past the freezer aisle, worried that frozen...

Many of us think we know our bodies inside out. Yet few suspect that our heart might be living by its own timeline. New research indicates that everyday habits could quietly add years to our cardiac clock. The usual culprits like stress, high-fat meals, and lack of exercise might be speeding up the aging <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-old-are-you-really-new-tool-measures-aging-from-the-inside-out/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">process</a>.



According to newly published findings in a peer-reviewed, observational study, these discoveries could reshape cardiac care. 



Dr. Pankaj Garg, a cardiologist at the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of East Anglia</a>’s Norwich Medical School and the Norfolk and <a href="https://www.nnuh.nhs.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Norwich University Hospital</a>, is one of the researchers behind this unique approach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-aging-in-the-heart">Hidden aging in the heart</h2>



Doctors traditionally look at risk factors like cholesterol and blood pressure to gauge heart health. Now they can turn to MRI for a closer look at how old the heart appears on a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organ-aging-can-predict-diseases-decades-in-advance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">functional level</a>.



“Telling a 55-year-old that their heart looks 65 can be a powerful nudge to tighten blood-pressure control, lose weight, or exercise more,” said Dr. Garg. 



Researchers suggest that telling a person their “functional heart age” might trigger healthier choices.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-wake-up-call-for-younger-adults">A wake-up call for younger adults</h2>



Many people in their 30s and 40s assume heart disease is a problem for the elderly. But poor diet, stress, and sedentary habits can quietly age the heart long before gray hairs appear.



Doctors say that spotting early warning signs with cardiac MRI could be especially helpful for young adults with demanding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/defying-time-three-ways-to-slow-biological-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lifestyles</a>. 



Knowing your heart is aging faster than expected might be the push needed to break bad habits and start taking cardiovascular health seriously.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-functional-heart-age">What is functional heart age?</h2>



Scientists <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart-tests" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">measure</a> heart function by checking how well the organ pumps blood and how its structure holds up under stress. If these measures line up with a younger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-begin-breaking-down-two-very-precise-ages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">profile</a>, it suggests the heart is in better shape than one might think.



However, if indicators skew toward an older profile, it may hint that the heart is struggling. That mismatch can point to hidden problems like <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/about-cholesterol/atherosclerosis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atherosclerosis</a>, which involves plaque buildup in the arteries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detection-may-prevent-severe-issues">Detection may prevent severe issues</h2>



According to experts, early detection can give people a chance to address risk factors before severe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-a-protein-that-reverses-cellular-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">symptoms</a> appear. Spotting subtle changes might prompt more aggressive steps to improve lifestyle or consider medication.



This focus on prevention is gaining traction among cardiologists. Catching issues at an early stage can spare patients from <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11263144/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advanced procedures</a> down the line. 



Research teams in Europe and Asia have tested these MRI methods on people with and without common health issues. Their work hints at a new benchmark for cardiology that moves beyond age alone.



“This is a game-changer for keeping hearts healthier, longer,” said Dr. Garg. Some experts hope this shift in thinking will sharpen diagnostic options worldwide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-clear-view-of-heart-age">A clear view of heart age</h2>



PhD student <a href="https://research-portal.uea.ac.uk/en/persons/hosamadin-s-assadi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hosamadin Assadi</a> calls this technique a major step for long-term wellness. “It’s thrilling to see how this MRI technique could change lives,” said Assadi.



As imaging tools advance, some doctors hope to integrate these scans into routine check-ups for at-risk individuals. Others see it as a pathway to personalized treatment, where each patient’s heart gets a custom plan.



Families with a history of coronary problems might benefit from these scans. A clearer view of heart age can encourage relatives to band together for healthier routines.



Small group efforts like cooking wholesome meals or planning weekend walks can make a difference. Those collective changes might keep everyone’s heart age closer to their actual years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-could-benefit-the-most">Who could benefit the most</h2>



People with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity may benefit most from knowing their heart’s functional age. These conditions silently put extra strain on the heart long before obvious symptoms show up.



Older adults and those with a family history of <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16765-atrial-fibrillation-afib" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atrial fibrillation</a> or heart attacks could also use this information to guide their treatment choices. 



Doctors might adjust medications, recommend more frequent checkups, or suggest lifestyle changes based on how the heart is holding up under pressure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-frontier-in-cardiology">A new frontier in cardiology</h2>



Though still evolving, this technique could add a fresh layer of precision to cardiac care. Researchers believe it will complement existing tools rather than replace them.



Doctors may soon have a better way to track trends in heart function over time. That could mean earlier interventions and more targeted therapies.



Researchers hope this approach will refine how hospitals assess heart function. By identifying discrepancies between chronological and functional age, doctors can intervene before life-threatening events occur.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://fortune.com/2025/05/01/heart-age-cardio-health-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Open European Heart Journal</a>.



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Unhealthy habits can make your heart age faster

Many of us think we know our bodies inside out....

Marijuana has intrigued people for decades, especially as more places allow it for medical or recreational use. Many see it as a natural product with relaxing properties, yet scientists have been eager to uncover how it might alter the body in subtle ways.



Researchers tracked the cannabis habits of more than 1,000 U.S. adults over roughly two decades. The team included epidemiologist Lifang Hou from <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northwestern University</a>, who analyzed blood samples at two points to search for signs that cannabis use may shift genetic markers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-marijuana-alters-dna">How marijuana alters DNA</h2>



The epigenome includes chemical modifications on DNA that can affect how genes work. These modifications, such as <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/npp2012112" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DNA methylation</a>, do not alter the underlying genetic code but can change how active certain sections of DNA are.



Studies have suggested that environmental factors like diet or toxins can impact these epigenetic markers. New findings now propose that cannabis use may leave an imprint, too.



“We observed associations between cumulative marijuana use and multiple epigenetic markers across time,” explained Hou. The markers appeared in people who reported using cannabis in the short term as well as across many years.



While these associations are intriguing, the study does not confirm that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-use-during-pregnancy-rewires-the-fetal-brain/">cannabis</a> is the direct cause. The researchers emphasize that other behaviors or factors could be partly responsible for the patterns seen in those genetic switches.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-response-to-cannabis-and-tobacco">Genetic response to cannabis and tobacco</h2>



One of the most striking findings was a consistent methylation marker that has already been linked to tobacco use. The same signal appeared in cannabis users, hinting that the body may respond to both substances in a similar way at the genetic level.



This overlap raises questions about whether cannabis and tobacco trigger the same biological pathways or if the presence of smoke itself is responsible for the epigenetic shift. 



More studies could help clarify whether these changes stem from the substances themselves or the act of inhalation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-could-these-markers-predict-health-risks">Could these markers predict health risks?</h2>



Some of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-plant-can-cause-severe-burns-and-dna-damage/">DNA</a> changes tied to cannabis use were previously linked to conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders. While this doesn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship, it shows a pattern worth paying attention to.



If future research confirms these links, doctors might someday use these markers as early warning signs. They could help flag individuals who may be more vulnerable to certain mental health issues based on their cannabis use history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-marijuana-and-dna-methylation">Marijuana and DNA methylation</h2>



DNA methylation patterns have been linked to a variety of health conditions. Shifting these patterns might change how the body manages cell growth, hormones, and even how it responds to infections.



Scientists have hinted that these modifications could affect neurological processes, too. 



Cannabis has long been studied for its possible connections to mental health, so these DNA changes may be relevant to conditions that involve the brain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cautious-interpretation">Cautious interpretation</h2>



“This research has provided novel insights into the association between marijuana use and epigenetic factors,” said epidemiologist Drew Nannini from Northwestern University. 



Future research may pinpoint which specific traits or disorders, if any, are most influenced by cannabis-linked epigenetic shifts.



Experts also note that the study relied on self-reported cannabis use. Some participants might have been reluctant to share full details, although confidentiality was maintained to encourage honest responses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-marijuana-use-and-dna-changes">Marijuana use and DNA changes</h2>



A substantial segment of U.S. adults, <a href="https://library.samhsa.gov/product/results-2019-national-survey-drug-use-and-health-nsduh-key-substance-use-and-mental-health" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">around 49 percent</a>, try marijuana at least once. For frequent or daily users, scientists are interested in whether these epigenetic signs might grow more pronounced over time.



Observing blood samples taken years apart gave the team a way to compare recent users and those who had used cannabis longer. By tracking the same people, they could see how DNA methylation changed along with reported usage levels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-effects-over-time">Different effects over time</h2>



The number of methylation markers linked to cannabis changed between the two sample points. At year 15, the team found 53 associated markers, while at year 20, that number jumped to 148.



This suggests that some of the epigenetic effects may accumulate with continued use or become more detectable with age. It also opens the possibility that long-term cannabis exposure may affect the body differently than short-term use.



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



Some experts suggest that more research in different groups is needed to see if these associations appear consistently. 



Larger investigations could help determine whether these epigenetic changes are reversible if someone reduces or stops using marijuana.



Many scientists want to see if these markers correlate with specific outcomes, such as mental health shifts or immune function. It may take time to unravel whether the observed epigenetic changes translate into noticeable health effects.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-023-02106-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molecular Psychiatry</a>.



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20-year study of 1,000 adults reveals how marijuana alters DNA

Marijuana has intrigued people for decades, especially as more places...

Music has always been a profound part of human life, shaping emotions, memories, and even physical movements. It transcends language and culture, creating connections that can be universally felt. But how does music exert such a powerful effect on our brains? 



According to a new study published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, the answer may lie in a deeper, physical resonance between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-people-are-born-to-enjoy-music-more-than-others/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">music</a> and neural oscillations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-music-resonates-with-the-brain">How music resonates with the brain </h2>



The study, co-authored by McGill psychologist Caroline Palmer, suggests that our brains and bodies do not merely understand music - they resonate with it. 



This resonance is not simply about hearing sounds; it involves our entire neurodynamic system. The findings draw upon insights from neuroscience, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-has-the-power-to-change-the-mood-of-our-memories/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">music</a>, and psychology - all converging to support the Neural Resonance Theory (NRT).



The theory maintains that musical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/live-music-connects-people-emotionally-and-physically/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experiences</a> arise not from learned expectations or cognitive predictions but from the brain’s natural oscillatory rhythms. These rhythms align with external musical elements such as rhythm, melody, and harmony.



Rather than passively perceiving music, the brain physically embodies it, synchronizing with musical patterns to produce sensations of timing, musical pleasure, and even the impulse to move.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-brain-syncs-with-musical-rhythms">The brain syncs with musical rhythms</h2>



A considerable amount of research on the neuroscience of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-reveal-how-music-can-heal-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">music</a> indicates that neural oscillations synchronize with musical stimuli.



This synchronization is more than a mere response to sound; it reflects a deeper resonance that connects the brain’s oscillatory patterns with external rhythmic structures. 



“This theory suggests that music is powerful not just because we hear it, but because our brains and bodies become it,” noted Palmer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-brain-feels-music">How the brain feels music</h2>



Traditional theories suggest that the brain predicts musical events based on prior experiences. 



However, NRT proposes a different view. It suggests that people anticipate musical events not through predictive neural models but because brain-body dynamics physically embody musical structures.



This perspective highlights resonance as a fundamental principle, allowing us to feel music in our bodies as well as hear it.



The resonance described by NRT is not limited to auditory processing. It extends throughout the body, from the ear to the spinal cord and even to limb movements. 



This comprehensive resonance process involves the entire nervous system, suggesting that music perception is not confined to the brain but is a full-body <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/live-music-evokes-stronger-emotions-than-streamed-music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experience</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neuroscience-of-harmony-and-pulse">Neuroscience of harmony and pulse</h2>



The study also explores how structures like pulse and harmony mirror stable resonant patterns within the brain. These patterns are shared across individuals, regardless of musical training or cultural background. 



By resonating with these musical elements, the brain creates predictable patterns of movement and timing, reinforcing the sensation of rhythm.



Beyond rhythm and timing, music also evokes powerful emotional responses. The study examines how resonance and stability influence the brain’s emotional circuits, linking specific musical structures to corresponding emotional states. 



By synchronizing with certain musical rhythms, the brain can evoke feelings of calm, excitement, or even nostalgia.



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



One of the most promising aspects of NRT is its potential for therapeutic applications. 



Researchers believe that by harnessing the resonance principles of music, therapists could design interventions for neurological conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and depression. 



Targeted rhythmic and melodic stimuli could stimulate specific neural circuits, potentially aiding recovery and improving motor coordination.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-and-emotional-intelligence">AI and emotional intelligence</h2>



The implications of NRT extend beyond therapy and into the realm of artificial intelligence. 



The study suggests that emotionally intelligent AI systems could be developed to generate or respond to music in ways that resonate more naturally with human emotions.



By aligning AI-generated music with neural oscillatory patterns, researchers could create systems that respond more accurately to human emotional states.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enhancing-learning-through-music">Enhancing learning through music</h2>



NRT could also revolutionize music education by leveraging the brain’s natural resonant patterns to enhance learning. 



By aligning educational tools with rhythmic and melodic structures, educators could improve auditory processing, motor coordination, and memory retention.



This approach could be particularly effective for children and individuals with learning difficulties.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music-as-a-universal-language">Music as a universal language</h2>



Another significant aspect of NRT is its potential to explain why music resonates universally across cultures. 



The theory suggests that certain musical structures, such as specific rhythms and harmonies, correspond to stable states within complex neural systems.



These states evoke similar responses across diverse populations, enabling music to connect people from different cultural backgrounds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-rhythms-sync-with-music">Brain rhythms sync with music</h2>



The study delves into how fundamental dynamical principles such as resonance, stability, attunement, and strong anticipation shape musical perception. 



These principles not only govern how people respond to music but also explain why certain musical structures feel more stable and predictable. 



According to NRT, these principles stem from the brain’s inherent tendency to synchronize with rhythmic patterns.



Led by Edward Large from the University of Connecticut and co-authored by Caroline Palmer, the study represents the first comprehensive presentation of the Neural Resonance Theory in a single publication. 



The researchers emphasize the practical applications of their findings, from developing therapeutic tools to creating emotionally attuned AI systems and advancing music education.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-era-in-music-neuroscience">New era in music neuroscience</h2>



The concept of resonance reframes music as more than an auditory experience; it becomes a physical phenomenon that engages the entire body. 



This perspective not only deepens our understanding of how music affects the brain but also opens new avenues for exploring its potential as a therapeutic and educational tool.



The study highlights the profound impact of music on the human brain and body, highlighting its potential as a tool for therapy, education, and AI development. 



By framing music as a resonance phenomenon, scientists can explore how oscillatory patterns shape our sensory experiences, offering new insights into the universal power of music.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41583-025-00915-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Reviews Neuroscience</a>.



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Our brain doesn't just hear music - it becomes the rhythm

Music has always been a profound part of human life,...

A new health-assessment method, called the Health Octo Tool, uses eight measures drawn from physical exams and routine lab tests to calculate a person’s biological age. 



The tool may predict an individual’s risk of disability and death more accurately than existing health predictors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-tool-to-measure-aging">New tool to measure aging </h2>



The research team, led by Shabnam Salimi from the <a href="https://www.uwmedicine.org/school-of-medicine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Washington School of Medicine</a>, believes the tool could uncover new factors that shape the aging <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/defying-time-three-ways-to-slow-biological-aging/">process</a> and help design interventions to extend lifespan. Salimi is a physician-scientist and acting instructor in the Department of Anesthesiology &amp; Pain Medicine. 



According to Salimi, existing health-assessment methods focus on the effects of individual diseases. However, they fail to take into consideration the interactions among diseases and how minor disorders affect overall health.



“An aging-based framework offers a new path to discover <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-disease-earliest-biomarker-protein-psd-95-identified/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biomarkers</a> and therapeutics that target organ-specific or whole-body aging, rather than individual diseases,” she explained.



The tool is built around the concept of “health entropy,” which refers to the accumulation of molecular and cellular damage over time and its impact on how well the body’s organs and systems function. 



In short, health entropy can be viewed as an indicator of a person’s general physical condition and can be translated into a measure of how quickly or slowly someone is aging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-data-from-major-aging-studies"><a></a>Data from major aging studies</h2>



To develop and test the Health Octo Tool, the researchers analyzed data from the <a href="https://www.blsa.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging</a>, one of the world’s longest-running aging studies. They used participants’ medical histories, physical exam results, and lab test outcomes. 



To confirm their findings, they then tested the method on two additional large datasets covering over 45,000 adults. The team first created what they called a Body Organ Disease Number. 



This score reflects how many organ systems - such as the cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous systems - are affected by disease and whether a person has had <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-is-the-next-frontier-in-cancer-treatment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer</a> or a stroke. The score ranges from 1 to 14, depending on the extent of organ system involvement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-detailed-picture-of-biological-age">A detailed picture of biological age </h2>



“Our findings demonstrated that organ systems age at different rates, prompting us to develop a Bodily System-Specific Age metric to reflect the aging rate of each organ system and the Bodily-Specific Clock to represent each organ system’s intrinsic biological age,” Salimi said.



“Extending this concept to the whole body, we define the Body Clock as a composite measure of overall intrinsic age and Body Age as the corresponding rate of aging.”



Since not all people of the same biological age experience the same level of physical decline, the team also created additional metrics. These include the Speed-Body Clock and Speed-Body Age, which describe how biological age affects walking speed - often used as a simple test of older adults’ <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biological-age-or-chronological-age-which-is-more-important/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">functional capacity</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-disability-risks">Measuring disability risks</h2>



The team also introduced the Disability-Body Clock and Disability-Body Age, designed to estimate how aging influences the risk of developing cognitive or physical disabilities.



“Collectively, these eight metrics - Body Clock, Body Age, system-specific clocks and rates, Speed- and Disability-based clocks - offer a way to view an individual’s aging process with information gathered from their medical history, physical exam, and test results alone,” Salimi said.



One key takeaway from the study is that even relatively minor health conditions, if left untreated early in life, can significantly influence biological aging later on. 



For example, untreated high blood pressure during youth may greatly accelerate aging down the line. This suggests that early treatment of such conditions could have a meaningful impact on lifelong health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-ahead-a-digital-aging-tracker"><a></a>Looking ahead: A digital aging tracker</h2>



The research team is now working on a digital app that will allow individuals and their healthcare providers to calculate their body’s and organs’ biological ages. The tool will let people track how quickly they are aging and measure the effects of lifestyle changes or treatments.



“Whether someone is adopting a new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dietary-restriction-slows-brain-aging-and-increases-lifespan/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diet</a>, exercise routine or taking longevity-targeting drugs, they will be able to visualize how their body - and each organ system - is responding,” Salimi explained.



By combining clinical data with detailed biological models, the Health Octo Tool offers a promising new way to track aging, tailor treatments, and potentially improve long-term health outcomes.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58819-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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How old are you, really? New tool measures aging from the inside out

A new health-assessment method, called the Health Octo Tool, uses...

Healthy smiles often require more than simply brushing and flossing. People can develop stubborn buildup on their teeth that leads to discoloration and unpleasant odors.



One approach involves using a citrus drink that some believe can help remove this buildup. This method is supported by <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Sealomita-Rizka-Apritama-2295981427" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Sealomita Rizka Apritama</a>, who is affiliated with the Department of Public Health at the Institute for Advanced Health Science and Technology in Indonesia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-tartar">Understanding tartar</h2>



Tartar is a hardened layer that forms when plaque stays on tooth surfaces for too long. It can appear yellowish or brownish and might lead to serious problems if ignored.



This buildup can cause <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557422/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gingivitis</a>, a form of gum inflammation, and it can also pave the way for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554590/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">periodontitis</a>, which may damage deeper tissues. It often contributes to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534859/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">halitosis</a> by creating a cozy environment for odor-causing bacteria.



Some people notice that tartar makes their teeth look dull. Others experience gum bleeding or sensitivity if they neglect proper cleaning.



Professional cleanings are the most reliable way to remove large amounts of buildup. Regular checkups help address early signs and reduce the need for complicated procedures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-lemon-stands-out">Why lemon stands out</h2>



Researchers have observed that lemon contains citric acid, which seems to discourage bacterial growth on teeth. They note that even moderate amounts may help reduce plaque deposits on tooth surfaces.



Lemon’s acidity can assist in removing surface stains, and making enamel brighter. It also leaves a refreshing scent that helps with bad breath.



Some people find this home remedy appealing because it is easy to prepare. Others like that it may address multiple concerns with minimal effort.



Dentists suggest being careful about using any highly acidic substance on teeth. Overuse can lead to enamel erosion and sensitivity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-easy-steps-to-get-started">Easy steps to get started</h2>



A basic citrus drink involves mixing half a squeezed lemon with about eight ounces (240 milliliters) of water. People often swish it around their mouths for around half a minute, though a few prefer gentle brushing with the solution.



Experts recommend rinsing with plain water right after to reduce <a href="https://www.ada.org/resources/ada-library/oral-health-topics/dental-erosion" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">acidity</a>. This practice helps protect the enamel from weakening.



Most individuals limit this step to once or twice a week. Excessive repetition might strain tooth surfaces, so moderation is key.



Combining this approach with daily brushing and flossing preserves a healthy foundation. Nobody wants to trade tartar problems for enamel issues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extra-details-to-remember">Extra details to remember</h2>



Healthcare providers discourage replacing standard oral hygiene with lemon alone. They view this drink as a small addition rather than a full substitute.



It is wise to talk with a dentist if you have sensitive teeth before trying acidic gargles. For some, mild enamel flaws can worsen under frequent contact with strong acids.



Special caution is also advised when combining lemon with other products like baking soda. That mixture can make your teeth feel gritty or lead to further irritation.



Anyone who notices continued discoloration or sore gums should seek professional guidance. Timely dental advice can prevent bigger issues down the road.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keeping-a-balanced-routine">Keeping a balanced routine</h2>



The researchers noted that oral health is often considered to be on par with physical wellness. This perspective motivates many to brush and floss carefully, aiming to mitigate the effects of harmful bacteria.



Sugary snacks can speed up plaque formation because they feed those bacteria. Rinsing with water after sweet treats may help decrease leftover residues in the mouth.



High water intake helps keep the mouth moist and washes away stray particles. Dryness can lead to faster bacterial buildup, making it crucial to stay hydrated.



Tobacco use also worsens oral problems by discoloring teeth and increasing gum-related risks. Many smokers end up with more frequent tartar and unwanted stains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smart-additions-for-better-results">Smart additions for better results</h2>



People might consider drinking water throughout the day to keep debris from clinging to teeth. Fruit and vegetable snacks can also stimulate saliva flow, which contributes to cleaning.



Some find that using fluoride toothpaste guards against decay and boosts enamel strength. Others benefit from mouthwash with antibacterial agents that can target hidden spots.



Routine cleanings by an oral hygienist can spot early warning signs that home methods cannot address. Dentists can detect whether a particular lemon rinse or other technique is suitable.



Balanced diets and regular checkups remain fundamental steps toward a strong smile. Lemon water might enhance results, but it works best alongside proven strategies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-final-thoughts">Final thoughts</h2>



A lemon-based rinse may help remove light stains and reduce certain odor-causing bacteria. It fits into a broader plan of brushing, flossing, and paying attention to diet.



This approach should not replace professional care. Dentists remain the best resource when stubborn tartar calls for a deeper cleaning.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.ijahst.org/index.php/ijahst/article/view/402" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Journal of Advanced Health Science and Technology</a>.



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Say goodbye to stains and bad breath: the citrus drink that helps remove tartar and whitens teeth

Healthy smiles often require more than simply brushing and flossing....

Young,Amazed,Male,Kid,School,Boy,5-6,Years,Old,In

New research reveals that children as young as five already have the brain systems in place to support map-based navigation. For years, it’s been assumed that children don’t develop the brain systems for navigating large spaces - like towns or neighborhoods - until they’re around 12 years old.



But that idea may need some serious rethinking after this surprising discover from <a href="https://www.emory.edu/home/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Emory University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-mental-maps-in-children">Studying mental maps in children</h2>



Using brain scans and a fun, virtual environment called “Tiny Town,” the scientists designed experiments to see whether young kids could mentally map a town and navigate its streets. 



The results showed that even five-year-olds were able to use the retrosplenial complex (RSC), a brain region involved in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-our-brains-build-mental-maps-of-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spatial navigation</a>, to get around a virtual world.



“While large-scale navigation abilities certainly continue to develop throughout childhood, our findings show that the underlying neural system is established remarkably early,” said Yaelan Jung, first author and postdoctoral fellow in Emory’s Department of Psychology.



“Rather than taking a decade or more, map-based navigation is underway in half that time,” noted Daniel Dilks, associate professor of psychology and senior author of the study.



“Five-year-olds have the brain system enabling them to find their way around a tiny, virtual town. They not only know that the ice cream store in the mountain region is different than the ice cream store in the lake region, they know how to navigate the streets to get to each of them.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-maps-in-the-brain">Building maps in the brain</h2>



Understanding how the brain helps us recognize places and navigate the world is a key focus for researchers. One major tool for exploring these questions is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-imaging-method-will-unravel-mysteries-of-neural-processes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">functional magnetic resonance imaging</a> (fMRI). This noninvasive technique tracks changes in blood flow in the brain to identify which regions are active during different tasks.



Previous research had shown that three areas in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-human-brain-processes-visual-information/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">visual cortex</a> specialize in handling scenes and navigation. The parahippocampal place area, or PPA, helps us recognize and categorize places. 



The retrosplenial complex, or RSC, allows us to map places within a larger space and figure out how to travel from one location to another. Meanwhile, the occipital place area, or OPA, helps us move through spaces without bumping into obstacles.



“Two fundamental questions in neuroscience are how knowledge is organized in the brain and the origins of that knowledge,” said Dilks. “In other words, what knowledge are you born with and how does knowledge develop as you grow?”



“We can’t fix most neurological problems right now. But by continuing to learn more about how the brain develops and functions normally, we keep moving closer to being able to repair it when something goes wrong.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-walking-is-harder-than-mapping">When walking is harder than mapping</h2>



Interestingly, the same research team previously found that the brain system responsible for helping kids walk around and avoid obstacles doesn’t mature until age 8.



“It seems counterintuitive,” says Dilks. “Most children can walk before the age of two. And yet the brain system helping you walk around your immediate surroundings doesn’t start appearing adultlike until relatively late.”



That puzzling timeline led the researchers to wonder if the brain might support more advanced map-like navigation skills in children earlier than previously thought. 



After all, children often experience the world through strollers, car rides, or being carried, helping them form <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mental-maps-help-the-brain-remember-places-and-paths/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mental maps</a> even before they’re mobile themselves. To test this idea, the team designed a special experiment for five-year-olds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-welcome-to-tiny-town">Welcome to Tiny Town</h2>



The experiment began with a virtual environment called Neuralville, which featured eight buildings and a town square. However, the team soon realized it was too complex for young children. 



So, they simplified it, creating a triangular map called Tiny Town for the children to explore. Each corner of Tiny Town had a unique setting - a mountain, a tree, or a lake - to help kids orient themselves. 



The town had six buildings in total, including two each of fire stations, playgrounds, and ice cream stores. The goal was to make science approachable and fun for the kids.



“We want to get at the scientific questions that we’re trying to answer,” explained Jung, “but it’s also important that a child who participates in a study has a good time. We want them to leave with a good impression of science.”



The kids first explored Tiny Town on a computer, using arrow keys to “walk” through the streets. Then came the tests. Researchers showed them still images of buildings and asked if they had seen them before, or whether they were located in specific areas of the town.



Most of the children passed with ease. They then advanced to the next stage: learning how to stay still inside a brain scanner.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-brain-scans-into-a-game">Turning brain scans into a game</h2>



To prepare the kids for the scanner, the research team turned the training into a playful challenge. An adult would yell “Freeze!” and the child had to stay perfectly still - just like in the real scanner.



“The kids loved it! They especially liked to freeze the adults in the room,” said Jung. “They’d point at one of us and say, ‘It’s your turn now!’”



The children were told that the scanner was like a camera, and that staying still was necessary to get a clear photo while they performed tasks inside. To make it cozy, they were given a pillow and blanket and told they’d be watching a movie in their own private theater.



Inside the scanner, kids were shown images from Tiny Town and asked to push a button if certain combinations were accurate - for example, matching a fire station with the correct landscape setting. They practiced this task beforehand in a mock scanner to feel comfortable.



The brain scans revealed something remarkable: the five-year-olds were using their RSC to navigate, just like adults do. The children were building maps in their minds and using them to figure out where things were located.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moving-forward-children-building-maps">Moving forward: Children building maps</h2>



Beyond the scientific insight, the experiment was a joy for everyone involved. “It was really fun to work with the children,” noted Jung. “I learned that the age of five is a magical time to scan a child. They don’t tend to be afraid of new things.”



The research team is now planning a new project involving toddlers. That’s proven to be a bit trickier.



“Between the ages of two and three, children basically don’t listen to you,” said Jung, who is also the mother of a three-year-old.



To help the toddlers feel comfortable, the researchers are experimenting with cardboard scanners, cartoons, and Cheerios. The ultimate goal is to understand how the brain’s navigation system grows from infancy to adulthood - and how it might differ in children with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/virtual-reality-will-unlock-mysteries-of-developmental-disorders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">developmental conditions</a>.



“It’s fascinating to explore how humans use different parts of the brain for complex behaviors and how that changes with age and experiences,” said Jung. “We’re laying the groundwork for clinical applications, including getting a better understanding of typical versus atypical neural development.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2503569122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Children have the brainpower to navigate maps at a very young age

New research reveals that children as young as five already...

The rise of AI writing tools like ChatGPT has stirred up a mix of curiosity and concern in classrooms around the world. With a few clicks, anyone can generate an essay that sounds polished, coherent, and academically on-point. 



But as students, teachers, and institutions grapple with the implications, a key question emerges: can machines truly replicate the nuance of human thought on the page?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-ai-write-better-than-a-student">Can AI write better than a student?</h2>



A new study from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of East Anglia</a>, with a collaborator from <a href="https://www.jlu.edu.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jilin University</a>, dives into that very question, comparing hundreds of essays written by students with ones produced by AI. 



They judged 145 student essays and the same number created by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chatgpts-carbon-footprint-is-astronomical-and-not-sustainable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ChatGPT</a>, scanning each for cues that invite a reader to engage.



The scientists hope the results will aid teachers and exam boards worldwide in flagging suspicious assignments. Software detectors still generate false positives, so human judgment remains vital.



By learning the discourse habits most students use, markers can notice when a script drops the personal edge that usually colors undergraduate prose. 



This knowledge supports fair grading and helps preserve academic integrity in classrooms already flooded with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gen-ai-and-social-media-divert-peoples-attention-from-climate-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">generative AI tools</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-generative-ai-the-basics">Understanding generative AI - the basics</h2>



Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that creates new content - like text, images, music, or even video based on the data it’s trained on. 



Instead of just analyzing existing information, it actually produces fresh, and often unique, content by spotting patterns and mimicking how humans communicate or create. 



Tools like ChatGPT, <a href="https://www.claude.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Claude</a>, and <a href="https://www.midjourney.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Midjourney</a> are popular examples. They take your input (like a prompt or question) and whip up something new in response, almost like collaborating with a super-speedy creative partner.



People use generative AI for all sorts of things - writing articles, generating code, designing logos, or brainstorming ideas. 



It’s shaking up academics and industries because it helps kids and adults alike work faster and explore more possibilities without starting from scratch every time. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-students-and-the-rise-of-ai">Students and the rise of AI</h2>



Professor Ken Hyland of UEA’s School of Education and Lifelong Learning voiced the worry driving the project. 



“Since its public release, ChatGPT has created considerable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-microbes-have-an-unexpected-link-to-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anxiety</a> among teachers worried that students will use it to write their assignments,” said Hyland, who warned of wider harm. 



“The fear is that ChatGPT and other AI writing tools potentially facilitate cheating and may weaken core <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/handwriting-practice-leads-to-better-literacy-development/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">literacy</a> and critical thinking skills. This is especially the case as we don't yet have tools to reliably detect AI-created texts.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-writing-is-less-engaging">AI writing is less engaging </h2>



The researchers searched for questions, personal asides, direct appeals, and other “engagement markers.” 



“We were particularly interested in looking at what we called 'engagement markers' like questions and personal commentary,” Hyland said.



“We found that the essays written by real students consistently featured a rich array of engagement strategies, making them more interactive and persuasive.” 



Human writers sprinkled their work with moments that addressed the reader, building a sense of dialogue.



“They were full of rhetorical questions, personal asides, and direct appeals to the reader - all techniques that enhance clarity, connection, and produce a strong argument.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-lacks-the-personal-touch">AI lacks the personal touch</h2>



“The ChatGPT essays, on the other hand, while linguistically fluent, were more impersonal. The AI essays mimicked academic writing conventions but they were unable to inject text with a personal touch or to demonstrate a clear stance,” Hayland explained. 



Without questions or vivid commentary, the machine output felt flat. “They tended to avoid questions and limited personal commentary. Overall, they were less engaging, less persuasive, and there was no strong perspective on a topic.”



“This reflects the nature of its training data and statistical learning methods, which prioritize coherence over conversational nuance,” noted Hyland.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-classroom-uses-not-shortcuts">Classroom uses, not shortcuts</h2>



Even so, the authors do not reject AI tools. They see them as potential tutors when used openly. 



“When students come to school, college or university, we're not just teaching them how to write, we're teaching them how to think - and that's something no <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-algorithms-can-increase-ocean-plastic-cleanup-efficiency/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">algorithm</a> can replicate,” said Hyland.



The researchers urge teachers to design process‑based tasks that require drafts and reflection - steps no chatbot can provide. Training students to spot engagement markers, they add, will sharpen both writing and detection skills.



The study lands as detection software races to catch up with generative models. Commercial tools still stumble on hybrid texts that mix human and machine sentences. 



For now, stylistic clues give teachers a slim but useful edge, though the target may shift as AI absorbs more conversational cues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preserving-honest-student-voices">Preserving honest student voices</h2>



Coursework must remain proof of independent thought. If essays lose that role to AI, qualification systems wobble. 



By showing where AI still falters, the study offers data to shape new safeguards while keeping space for honest, imaginative student voices.



The authors place the project within a wider push for digital literacy. Students meet machine text in news feeds, search results, and chat apps long before they step into lecture halls. 



Teaching them to ask who wrote a sentence and why it was written is now central to education. Writing with a visible stance trains that habit. It also makes learners less willing to accept anonymous prose at face value.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/97952/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Written Communication</a>.



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Man vs. machine: Students competed against AI in a writing competition, the results may surprise you

The rise of AI writing tools like ChatGPT has stirred...

Close-up,Of,A,Young,Woman,Blowing,Nose,With,Tissue,Paper

A new artificial intelligence (AI) system can now separately identify fir, spruce, and pine pollen in seconds. The achievement promises cleaner city design, sharper allergy alerts, and deeper insight into ecological change.



The project was led by experts at the <a href="https://www.uta.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Texas at Arlington</a>, the University of Nevada, and Virginia Tech. Working together, the scientists trained nine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/machine-learning-could-revolutionize-drug-discovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">machine learning</a> models on microscope images held at the University of Nevada’s <a href="https://www.unr.edu/natural-history" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Museum of Natural History</a>. 



The best algorithm outpaced human specialists in both speed and precision. It did so while still relying on expert‑prepared slides and careful ecological context.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-provides-sharp-data-on-pollen">AI provides sharp data on pollen</h2>



“With more detailed data on which tree species are most allergenic and when they release <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollen-alters-cloud-formation-and-changes-weather-patterns/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollen</a>, urban planners can make smarter decisions about what to plant and where,” said study co‑author Behnaz Balmaki, an assistant professor of research in biology at UTA.



Better planting choices can lower the pollen burden near schoolyards, hospital entrances, playgrounds, and high‑density housing. The same data can feed real‑time dashboards that warn residents ahead of high‑pollen days.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-offers-timely-pollen-health-alerts">AI offers timely pollen health alerts</h2>



“This is especially important in high‑traffic areas like schools, hospitals, parks and neighborhoods. Health services could also use this information to better time <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-allergy-season-worse-and-longer-lasting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">allergy</a> alerts, public health messaging, and treatment recommendations during peak pollen seasons,” Balmaki said.



Many current forecasts lump all tree pollen together. The new model can flag which species spike on which day. That detail lets doctors adjust advice and lets patients fine‑tune medication schedules.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-windows-into-past-climates"><a></a>Windows into past climates</h2>



Pollen grains preserved in lake mud and peat bogs provide a time‑stamped record of earlier landscapes. By identifying each grain, researchers track how forests moved as rainfall and temperature shifted. Until now, the work was often slow and limited to broad plant families. AI can cut that bottleneck and it begins with pollen.



“Even with high‑resolution microscopes, the differences between pollens are very subtle,” Balmaki noted. That subtlety forced specialists to spend hours at the eyepiece. In large sediment cores, millions of grains wait for classification.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-learning-speeds-the-count"><a></a>Deep learning speeds the count</h2>



“Our study shows deep‑learning tools can significantly enhance the speed and accuracy of pollen classification,” Balmaki said.



“That opens the door to large‑scale environmental monitoring and more detailed reconstructions of ecological change. It also holds promise for improving allergen tracking by identifying exactly which species are releasing pollen and when.”



Automated pipelines could soon scan thousands of slides and upload results to open databases. That will give climatologists a sharper map of past <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/droughts-and-extreme-weather-events-are-escalating/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">droughts</a>, heat waves, and recovery phases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-for-farm-and-field"><a></a>Benefits for farm and field</h2>



“Pollen is a strong indicator of ecosystem health,” Balmaki said. Plants that drop less pollen than normal may signal water stress or soil decline. Farmers who watch those shifts gain an early warning about crop risk years before yields drop.



“Shifts in pollen composition can signal changes in vegetation, moisture levels, and even past fire activity. Farmers could use this information to track long‑term environmental trends that affect crop viability, soil conditions, or regional climate patterns.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-pollinators-with-technology">Protecting pollinators with technology </h2>



Healthy meadows rely on bees, butterflies, and other insects that depend on exact bloom times. As Balmaki put it, “many animals, including insects like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bees-do-not-learn-to-be-cooperative-it-is-in-their-genes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a> and butterflies, rely on specific plants for food and habitat.” 



If certain pollen types disappear, conservation teams know which wildflower patches need rescue due to the latest AI technology.



“By identifying which plant species are present or declining in an area, we can better understand how these changes impact the entire food web and take steps to protect critical relationships between plants and pollinators.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-pollen-with-ai-models">Testing pollen with AI models</h2>



The researchers scanned vintage fir, spruce, and pine grains dating back decades. Each algorithm learned minute ridge patterns and pore counts that mark one conifer from another. The top model flagged correct IDs at rates that rival seasoned palynologists.



“This shows that deep learning can successfully support and even exceed traditional identification methods in both speed and accuracy,” Balmaki said.



Still, glass slides must be spotless, and labels must remain clear. The team stresses that people and machines work best together.



“But it also confirms how essential human expertise still is. You need well‑prepared samples and a strong understanding of ecological context. This isn’t just about machines - it’s a collaboration between technology and science,” he added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-resilient-cities-and-landscapes">More resilient cities and landscapes</h2>



The group will now feed images from oaks, maples, grasses, and weeds into the network. With AI, a national atlas of species‑specific pollen bursts could emerge within a few years. Scientists could chart vegetation shifts after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-hurricanes-help-oceans-fight-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hurricanes</a>, track drought damage, or study warming trends that push southern trees northward.



The fusion of AI and classical botany offers more than scientific speed. It equips city planners with plant lists that cut respiratory distress. It hands growers a living gauge of soil and climate change. It gives ecologists a microscope that never tires.



As pollen seasons lengthen in a warming world, such precision tools will matter. The research marks a step toward a future where every grain of pollen tells its story quickly and clearly, helping people breathe easier and guiding smarter stewardship of plants and the land.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/big-data/articles/10.3389/fdata.2025.1507036/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Big Data</a>.



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AI is transforming pollen science and health planning

A new artificial intelligence (AI) system can now separately identify...

Modern life keeps most of us moving fast but exercising less. While we hustle between screens, meetings, and chores, our bodies slow down - and our brains might be doing the same. 



In recent years, researchers have explored how small changes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-in-a-pill-is-now-closer-to-reality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">daily movement</a> could produce large shifts in overall health. And now, evidence is building that even modest physical activity might shield our most important organ: the brain.



The idea that fitness and cognitive well-being are deeply connected is not new. But how little effort it takes to unlock those benefits might surprise you.



In Norway, this concept has sparked national interest thanks to a team of researchers who made headlines with a fresh approach to exercise - and now, a powerful case for its brain-boosting potential.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-workouts-boost-body-and-brain">Tiny workouts boost body and brain</h2>



Earlier this year, Ulrik Wisløff and Atefe R. Tari of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (<a href="https://www.ntnu.edu">NTNU</a>) published a book titled Microtraining – 7 weeks to boost fitness and strength. 



Its release drew attention to a simple, research-backed idea: even small bursts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-reduces-the-risk-of-brain-diseases-by-up-to-54-percent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">physical activity</a> can create substantial gains in strength and endurance.



The same researchers, collaborating with the <a href="https://qbi.uq.edu.au">Queensland Brain Institute</a> in Australia, have now expanded their scope. Their new study, published in The Lancet, focuses on brain health. It asks a compelling question - how does being physically active affect the aging brain?



The answer is promising: it doesn’t take much movement to help your brain age more gracefully.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-intense-exercises-improve-brain-health">Intense exercises improve brain health</h2>



The study reveals that even short bouts of high-intensity exercise can influence brain health positively. These findings support growing calls for public health policies that place more emphasis on movement, regardless of duration.



“Exercise is not only important for the heart, but also for the brain. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-significantly-lowers-heart-disease-risk-by-reducing-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical activity</a> appears to be one of the most promising measures we have to prevent cognitive decline and dementia,” Tari said.



The review highlights how fitness, especially endurance training, may delay or reduce the risk of dementia. For an aging population with rising rates of cognitive disease, this insight is not just useful - it’s urgent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-exercise-affects-the-brain">How exercise affects the brain</h2>



The team reviewed data from both animal and human studies to uncover how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-doses-of-exercise-can-greatly-reduce-dementia-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">physical activity</a> influences biological processes in the brain. 



As we age, inflammation increases, blood flow slows, immune functions weaken, and brain plasticity declines. These changes make the brain more vulnerable to neurodegenerative conditions like dementia.



“These are mechanisms that play an important role in the development of dementia and cognitive decline,” Tari explained.



The good news? Exercise seems to slow or even reverse many of these age-related changes. 



The body releases protective molecules during physical activity that enhance brain repair and communication. This is particularly important as aging cells lose their natural ability to maintain cognitive function.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microtraining-as-a-health-strategy">Microtraining as a health strategy</h2>



Wisløff and Tari belong to the Cardiac Exercise Research Group (<a href="https://www.ntnu.edu/cerg">CERG</a>) at NTNU. They have long advocated for microtraining, a practice that involves brief but intense periods of movement. 



Instead of long sessions at the gym, microtraining weaves exercise into daily life. For example, walking briskly up stairs or doing short sprints at home.



This approach could make fitness more accessible. Current public <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fitness-focused-medicine-physical-activity-reduces-chronic-disease-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health</a> guidelines suggest at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity effort each week. But many people struggle to meet those targets.



“Fully 50 to 70 percent of the population does not manage today’s activity recommendations,” Wisløff said.



The researchers argue that it’s time to rethink these benchmarks. The real barrier may not be ability or awareness - it’s how the message is framed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-less-time-more-intensity">Less time, more intensity</h2>



The review makes it clear: the key lies not in how long you move, but how hard. Even small doses of high-intensity movement offer measurable brain benefits.



“We believe it’s time for health authorities to provide clearer advice on how important exercise is for the brain. Our review shows that even small doses of high-intensity activity - equivalent to brisk walking where you can’t sing - can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 40 percent,” Wisløff said.



This redefinition of what counts as exercise could transform the way individuals and policymakers think about fitness. It doesn’t require a gym membership or hours of free time. Just commitment - and perhaps a bit of breathlessness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exercise-and-brain-health">Exercise and brain health</h2>



The Norwegian findings are not alone. In a January commentary in Nature Medicine, American researchers echoed the call for updated guidelines. 



They, too, emphasized the value of even brief, intense activities. Together, these voices challenge the idea that fitness must be time-consuming to be worthwhile.



“Today’s recommendations emphasize total activity, but we show that even small amounts of high intensity exercise have an effect on the brain. This should be communicated more clearly - it may be what motivates people to get started. A little is better than nothing - and it’s never too late to start,” said Tari.



Public messaging around health often focuses on long-term, high-effort goals. But this research suggests that the road to better brain health might begin with much smaller steps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-the-brain-with-exercise">Protecting the brain with exercise </h2>



As populations live longer, dementia and cognitive decline are becoming some of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. With no effective cure yet available, prevention stands as the strongest defense. That’s where movement comes in.



“Exercise is cheap, accessible and has no side effects. It should be considered a first-line measure to preserve brain health,” Tari said.



The simplicity of this solution makes it powerful. By replacing inactivity with brief but regular bursts of movement, individuals can protect not just their bodies - but their minds.



And in doing so, they embrace a form of healthcare that begins with the smallest of steps.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00184-9/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lancet</a>.



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Small bursts of intense exercise can slow brain aging

Modern life keeps most of us moving fast but exercising...

Mental health issues like insomnia, depression, and anxiety affect millions, yet their causes remain unclear. These conditions deeply impact sleep, mood, and thinking - and they often occur together.



Someone may face insomnia in youth, anxiety later, and depression afterward. Others experience all three at once. Treatments often offer only temporary relief. Symptoms return, and responses to medication vary. This shows a deeper problem in how we approach <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/put-the-phone-down-screen-use-in-bed-linked-to-insomnia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mental health</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-overlapping-mental-health-disorders">Overlapping mental health disorders </h2>



Scientists now believe that brain function, not just behavior, holds the key. A new study by experts at the <a href="https://nin.nl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience</a> explores this idea. The analysis was focused on the brain’s role in these overlapping mental health disorders.



"Insomnia disorder, major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions, often co-occurring and sharing genetic risk factors, suggesting possible common brain mechanisms," noted the researchers.



Siemon de Lange, Elleke Tissink, and Eus van Someren worked with experts at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.



The team analyzed brain scans from over 40,000 people in the UK Biobank. Instead of studying genes, they used imaging to find both shared and unique brain patterns.



“In our lab, we explore the similarities and differences between insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Everyone looks at this from a different perspective: some mainly look at genetics and in this study, we look at brain scans,” explained Tissink.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insomnia-depression-and-anxiety">Insomnia, depression, and anxiety </h2>



The research team examined several <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strength-training-may-be-the-best-exercise-for-insomnia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain</a> features, such as tissue structure and connectivity. 



Their findings show that people with any of these three disorders commonly exhibit reduced surface area in the cerebral cortex, smaller thalamic volumes, and weaker connections between different brain regions.



This is significant because these brain characteristics could reflect how symptoms develop and persist. 



The shared features support the idea that these disorders might stem from related underlying problems in brain function and development. Recognizing these links is crucial for future treatments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-each-disorder-shows-distinct-brain-patterns">Each disorder shows distinct brain patterns</h2>



Despite the overlap, each disorder shows distinct brain patterns. In insomnia, reduced volume in brain regions tied to reward <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-quality-could-be-the-key-to-better-metabolic-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">processing</a> is more evident. This might explain why people with insomnia often lose interest or motivation.



For depression, a thinner cerebral cortex - especially in areas linked to language and emotion - plays a stronger role. This may contribute to the emotional numbness or difficulty in expression often experienced by those with depression.



Anxiety stands out through reduced reactivity in the amygdala and weakened functional connectivity in regions rich in dopamine, glutamate, and histamine. These chemical messengers help regulate mood, attention, and stress response, making their disruption crucial in understanding anxiety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mental-health-disorders-share-a-circuit">Mental health disorders share a circuit</h2>



“The regions seem separate from each other, but when you map them out together, they all turn out to be part of the same circuit (amygdala–hippocampus–medial prefrontal cortex circuit). So, even though they are distinct areas, they all appear to represent different pieces of vulnerability within the same puzzle,” said Tissink.



This insight points to a shared vulnerability <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-sleep-patterns-affect-your-health-over-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">circuit</a>. Understanding this interconnected network could change how treatment is approached. 



Instead of addressing each disorder in isolation, therapies could target this broader brain circuit, potentially easing multiple symptoms at once.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-underestimated-role-of-insomnia">Underestimated role of insomnia</h2>



Tissink noted that insomnia is often left out of discussions around mental health overlap.



“A lot of research has been done on the overlap between anxiety and depression, but insomnia is often forgotten. This is the first time that we have investigated all three disorders at the same time, on such a big scale," explained Tissink.



The study emphasizes how often people experience these disorders together - sometimes one after another, sometimes all at once. 



Understanding how they connect and interact might explain why treatment for one often helps with another. For example, treating insomnia can also lessen depressive symptoms, but the reason behind this is still unclear.



By focusing on the brain’s structure and function, this research opens new paths. It may lead to better, more holistic treatments and prompt more studies that look at mental health from a whole-brain perspective, rather than dividing it by symptoms.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-025-00412-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Mental Health</a>.



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Three common mental health disorders share a single brain circuit

Mental health issues like insomnia, depression, and anxiety affect millions,...

In a world filled with advice about how to stay sharp, a large-scale study has highlighted ways to protect your brain health, reducing the likelihood of suffering a stroke, dementia, and depression. 



This new research identified 17 factors, ranging from social connections to blood pressure, that can make a meaningful difference.



<a href="https://researchers.mgh.harvard.edu/profile/17341069/Sanjula-Singh" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Sanjula Singh</a>, a principal investigator at the <a href="https://www.cerebrovascularhealth.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brain Care Labs</a> at Massachusetts General Hospital, and the lead author of the study, said the conditions are often linked by changes in small blood vessels. 



Addressing the right elements helps to prevent multiple problems from arising at once, or at least slow their course.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-these-three-conditions-overlap">Why these three conditions overlap</h2>



Researchers note that at least 60 percent of strokes, 40 percent of dementia cases, and 35 percent of late-life depression could be prevented or slowed by controlling certain factors. 



These include high blood pressure, high body mass index, high blood sugar, high total cholesterol, and several lifestyle patterns. Experts suggest that being proactive may keep the mind and body on steadier ground.



“Those are striking numbers. If you can really optimize the lifestyle pieces or the modifiable pieces, then you’re at such a higher likelihood of living life without disability,” said <a href="https://www.mcleanhospital.org/profile/stephanie-collier" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Stephanie Collier</a>, director of education in the division of geriatric psychiatry at <a href="https://www.mcleanhospital.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McLean Hospital</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seventeen-protective-and-harmful-factors">Seventeen protective and harmful factors</h2>



<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01391-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The study outlined protective elements</a>, including cognitive activity, moderate or high physical activity, a sense of purpose, low to moderate alcohol intake, a large social network, and a diet with more vegetables and fish. 



It also identified harmful factors, such as pain that disrupts daily life, kidney disease, hearing loss, loneliness, stress, long or poor sleep, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quitting-smoking-at-any-age-brings-big-and-immediate-health-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">smoking history</a>. Additional concerns are dietary choices like excess sugar and red meat.



“If you’re starting to work on one of them, very often you’re actually improving multiple at the same time,” Dr. Singh said. 



Researchers emphasize that this list is more like a set of options rather than a rigid plan. Focusing on just one or two aspects is a good strategy when you need to gain momentum.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-about-sleep-and-pain">What about sleep and pain?</h2>



Two factors that often get overlooked are chronic pain and sleep disturbances. Both have strong links to brain health and can quietly chip away at resilience over time.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sleep issues</a> like insomnia or sleeping <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/oversleeping-bad-for-your-health" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more than eight hours</a> a night were tied to a higher risk for all three brain conditions. 



Persistent pain, especially when it limits daily activity, can have a compounding effect on mental and emotional well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-steps-with-big-returns">Small steps with big returns</h2>



Among the group of risk factors, high blood pressure stands out. One <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7005583/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> found that bringing blood pressure down significantly lowered dementia risk. 



Specialists suggest trimming salt, fitting in activity like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/walk-20-minutes-daily-to-boost-your-brain-power/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brisk walks</a>, and managing weight to improve readings. Medications can also be helpful when aging arteries make lifestyle shifts less effective.



Physical activity carries strong benefits, and reduces both stroke and dementia risks. Mental challenges such as doing puzzles or learning new skills also help. 



A bustling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-activity-may-delay-the-onset-of-dementia-by-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">social life</a> is beneficial for similar reasons, and combining these actions can give you more advantages in a shorter time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advice-from-experts">Advice from experts</h2>



Dr. Collier recommends building habits early. She said the right moment to begin changes is generally not during older age - it’s while a person is still middle aged. 



Clinicians also stress that it’s never too late to take action if you missed that window. Even simple efforts, like lowering intake of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-average-american-consumes-80-pounds-of-sugar-per-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sugar-sweetened</a> drinks or getting consistent bedtime routines, might head off trouble down the road.



Some people with a genetic predisposition to health issues assume there’s not much they can do. Researchers caution against that view. 



Keeping track of blood pressure, nurturing friendships, and limiting stress show promise at any point in life, even for those with a family history of brain concerns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-final-thoughts">Final thoughts</h2>



This study underlines a crucial message: many aspects of everyday life can influence the future of our minds. By tackling one or two changes at a time, you might reduce the threat of serious conditions and maintain a healthier outlook.



The study is published in the <a href="https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/early/2025/03/21/jnnp-2024-334925" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery &amp; Psychiatry</a>.



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The 17 best strategies to protect your brain from stroke, dementia, and depression, according to science

In a world filled with advice about how to stay...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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