Ask yourself this: when was the last time you felt truly at peace, not just amused or entertained, but deeply rooted in who you are? A new study suggests that spending more time in nature may play a bigger role in that feeling than we assume.



That deeper layer has a name in psychology - <a href="https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_929" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eudaimonic well-being</a>. It is about purpose, self-acceptance, growth, and relationships. It sticks.



Does nature help with that? The short answer is a resounding "yes." Not only can nature boost your mood for an hour; it can also give you a clearer sense of self that lasts. 



This study examined that question and returned with an answer that feels both refreshing and practical.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-time-and-eudaimonic-well-being">Nature time and eudaimonic well-being</h2>



Researchers invited people in Turku, Finland, to share how the outdoors shows up in their real lives. 



First, 158 residents answered questions about time in nature and how their lives felt in terms of purpose, self-acceptance, growth, relationships, autonomy, and life management. 



Then, 20 people joined creative writing workshops to describe, in their own words, how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-forest-bathing-fresh-breath-for-teen-mental-health/">natural world shapes them</a>. The team paired numbers with stories to capture both patterns and personal depth.



“We wanted to explore how nature supports people's self-acceptance, purpose of life, positive relationships, autonomy, personal growth and agency, as well as life management," explains Joha Järekari, Doctoral Researcher at the <a href="https://www.utu.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Turku</a>.



"This is called eudaimonic well-being and it can be considered in contrast to <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hedonism/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hedonism</a>: whereas hedonism focuses on short-term pleasures, eudaimonia delves into longer and deeper well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-time-evokes-deep-feelings">Nature time evokes deep feelings</h2>



The study focused on two groups: ages 15 to 24 and adults over 60. Different life stages bring different needs. 



Yet a clear theme showed up in both: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/virtual-forest-bathing-can-reduce-stress-and-improve-mood/">nature felt nonjudgmental</a>. Trees do not judge. Water does not grade them. That sense of relief made room for honesty.



“Although there were some differences between the different age groups in how they spent time in nature and in what kinds of places, they also had many shared experiences," Järekari noted.



"What both age groups had in common was, among other things, a feeling that nature does not judge or criticize, which had a positive effect on the participants' self-acceptance."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choices-and-belonging">Choices and belonging</h2>



Participants described two kinds of connection. One was inward. Time outside - on a trail, beside water, in a garden - made it easier to hear their own values and act on them. 



The other was outward. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natures-scents-linked-to-improved-health-and-well-being/">Being outdoors</a> helped people feel closer to friends and family, and also widened their sense of community to include birds, trees, and other living things. 



That broader bond pointed toward meaning, not just good moods.



“Spending time and being active in nature brought to the surface what was really important to the participants in their lives," Järekari describes.



"This increased people's agency and autonomy and had a positive impact on personal growth. The participants reported that it was easier to get in touch with oneself, with other people, and with other species."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-factoring-in-age-and-experience">Factoring in age and experience</h2>



Older adults often talked about shared moments with grandchildren and unhurried walks, the kind that leave room for quiet. 



Some mentioned <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/religious-leaders-tried-psilocybin-and-it-changed-their-lives/">moments of spirituality</a>, a quiet awareness of being part of something larger than themselves. 



Younger people leaned on the outdoors for healthy solitude. They could be alone without feeling lonely, or with friends without filling every second with conversation. Different routes, same endpoint: a more authentic self.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-worry-creeps-in">When worry creeps in</h2>



The picture was not perfect. Many participants, especially younger ones, felt the weight of environmental damage. 



Worry about climate change often chipped away at that comfort. Shame showed up too, a feeling of being part of the problem just by being human.



“However, this feeling grew stronger when participants noticed the visible effects of the ecological crisis on their surroundings," Järekari continued.



"Many young people also described a sense of shame about being part of the problem, so to speak, by being part of humanity, which challenged their self-acceptance."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-time-goes-deep">Nature time goes deep</h2>



Plenty of research shows that green space can lower stress and help attention bounce back. This work points to something deeper: <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0329411" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">identity-level effects</a> that unfold over time. 



It suggests that nature is not just a reset button. It is a steady setting where people practice being who they want to be.



“Our research unlocks the impact of nature on people's well-being on a deeper level than stress relief or positive emotions," Järekari emphasizes.



"Connection to nature is important to us on an identity level and often shapes our lives in ways that aren’t immediately obvious, but become clearer over time."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eudaimonic-well-being-in-society">Eudaimonic well-being in society</h2>



Design choices of public spaces matter. If we judge parks only by how many joggers they attract, we miss a big part of their value. 



People need quiet corners, meandering paths, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-environment-day-the-critical-role-of-nature-in-human-well-being/">benches under trees</a>. Those places support reflection, relationships, and responsibility - features, not extras.



“It is important to encourage a deeper public discussion about the meaning of nature in people’s lives," adds Salla Eilola, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Turku. 



"Consequently, these issues could also be taken into account in decision-making and, for example, in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn3028" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urban planning</a>, where nature still often unfortunately has to give way to built environment," 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-steps-lasting-benefits">Small steps, lasting benefits</h2>



You do not need a dramatic plan to make this real. Pick a nearby spot and go there on a regular day, not just on the best day. Let your mind settle and see what values bubble up. 



If you spend time with kids or elders, choose slow routes that welcome pauses. Put phones aside. Short, steady moments count.



None of this turns a park into a productivity tool. It simply gives you space to notice what matters and act on it. 



That's the heart of eudaimonic well-being, and nature offers a simple doorway - whether it is a patch of grass, a line of trees, or a stretch of water.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pan3.70104" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">People and Nature</a>.



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Walking through a forest can reshape who you are and bring inner peace, according to science

Ask yourself this: when was the last time you felt truly at peace, not just amused or entertained, but deeply rooted in who you are? A new study suggests that spending more time in nature may play a bigger role in that feeling than we assume. That deeper layer has a name in psychology - eudaimonic well-being. It is about purpose, self-acceptance, growth, and relationships. It sticks. Does nature help with that? The short answer is a resounding "yes." Not only can nature boost your mood for...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Sensitive people are more likely to develop mental health issues

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Mood boost: How coffee makes us happier in the morning

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

Tooth decay is the most common health condition in permanent teeth worldwide, and many adults feel it each time a sip of cold water stings.



A new <a href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adhm.202502465" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> suggests toothpaste made from keratin could help protect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natures-toughest-teeth-inspire-next-generation-materials/">teeth</a> by guiding an enamel-like shield to form on worn surfaces, moving beyond patchwork fixes.



Lead author <a href="https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/sara-gamea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sara Gamea</a> and senior author <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/sherif-elsharkawy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Sherif Elsharkawy</a> are based at King’s College London (<a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/sherif-elsharkawy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">KCL</a>), in the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hair-protein-for-tooth-repair">Hair protein for tooth repair</h2>



<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8052392/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Keratin</a> is a structural protein that is abundant in hair and wool, and it can be extracted and processed into films, hydrogels, and scaffolds for biomedical use.



The new work leans on <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4226000/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biomineralization</a>, the natural process by which tissues organize minerals such as hydroxyapatite crystals to gain hardness and resilience, a long-standing challenge for true <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-successfully-grow-human-teeth-in-a-laboratory-for-the-first-time/">enamel</a> repair.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-keratin-toothpaste">Testing keratin toothpaste</h2>



The team made water-based keratin films that self-assemble, then tested whether these templates could organize calcium and phosphate from saliva-like solutions into ordered, enamel-like minerals.



In lab models of early <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10775501/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">white spot lesions</a>, the keratin infiltrated porous enamel and supported the growth of tightly integrated crystals that restored appearance and improved mechanical properties without drilling.



The authors describe two practical delivery forms, a daily toothpaste for broad use and a professional gel for targeted spots, and note that first consumer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/4000-year-old-teeth-reveal-the-oldest-evidence-of-betel-nut-chewing/">products</a> could be feasible within two to three years if development proceeds smoothly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comparing-keratin-to-current-options">Comparing keratin to current options</h2>



Fluoride toothpastes reduce the risk of cavities compared with non-fluoride formulas, and higher concentrations show a dose-response in children and adolescents.



But fluoride alone cannot rebuild missing minerals where the surface has already opened up.



This is why dentists sometimes turn to <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9100225/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resin infiltration</a>, a plastic-based approach that can seal pores yet releases trace monomers and by-products with measurable cytotoxic potential in laboratory systems.



Composite <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25048250/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">restorations</a> also carry failure risks over time, with secondary caries and fracture among the main reasons that drive replacement in long-term studies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-could-affect-its-use">What could affect its use</h2>



Even with promising lab results, market adoption will depend on whether keratin-based toothpaste can match the price and convenience of standard products. 



Large-scale production from hair or wool waste will require streamlined collection, processing, and quality control systems to make it cost-effective for daily consumer use.



Public perception may also influence uptake. While some may welcome a natural, sustainable ingredient, others could hesitate at the idea of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-happens-to-our-teeth-as-we-age-new-details-have-emerged/">dental</a> product derived from hair. 



Clear education campaigns and transparent sourcing will be important to build trust and encourage widespread acceptance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-waste-to-wearables-for-teeth">From waste to wearables for teeth</h2>



Hair and wool are plentiful waste streams, and keratin extracted from them has been moving into wound dressings, tissue scaffolds, and drug delivery, a good match for circular, low-impact materials in healthcare.



“Keratin offers a transformative alternative to current dental treatments," Gamea explained. 



"Not only is it sustainably sourced from biological waste materials like hair and skin, it also eliminates the need for traditional plastic resins, commonly used in restorative dentistry, which are toxic and less durable."



If the keratin platform can be manufactured consistently, it could reduce reliance on petroleum-derived resins for some indications, while better matching tooth color and light scatter for a subtler look.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-safety-of-keratin-toothpaste">Safety of keratin toothpaste</h2>



Before keratin-based toothpaste can reach consumers, it must pass through regulatory review to ensure both safety and efficacy. 



In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R42594/R42594.5.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FDA</a>) would likely require it to be evaluated as an over-the-counter drug or medical device, depending on claims and formulation, which involves rigorous preclinical data, human trials, and manufacturing quality checks. 



Similar processes apply in the European Union, where approval would require conformity to Medical Device Regulation <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/device-advice-comprehensive-regulatory-assistance/overview-device-regulation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">standards</a>. 



Toxicology assessments will need to confirm that keratin derived from hair or wool is free of harmful contaminants and does not trigger allergic reactions. 



Long-term wear studies will also be important to ensure that mineral layers formed on the enamel remain stable and do not flake or stain. 



These steps will help confirm that the product is not only innovative but also safe and reliable for daily use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-to-buy-keratin-toothpaste">When to buy keratin toothpaste</h2>



Keratin biomaterials already <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32322760/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">show</a> encouraging biocompatibility in areas like wound healing and tissue engineering, which helps the case for oral use, though dental products will still need rigorous safety, wear, and flavor testing before approval.



If trials confirm durable protection and relief from sensitivity in real mouths, the first wave may target early lesions and post-whitening sensitivity, with daily toothpaste following as manufacturing scales.



The study is published in <a href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adhm.202502465" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advanced Healthcare Materials</a>.



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Toothpaste made from hair helps rebuild damaged tooth enamel

Tooth decay is the most common health condition in permanent...

The constant hum of city life often fades into the background, unnoticed by those who live in it. Yet, behind the sound of passing cars, rumbling trains, and the distant whir of traffic lights, an invisible health risk may be growing. 



Scientists are now uncovering how this steady noise <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stuck-in-traffic-youre-more-likely-to-grab-fast-food/">pollution</a> can do more than disturb sleep - it can shape mental well-being over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-traffic-noise-and-mental-health">Traffic noise and mental health</h2>



A new LongITools study, published in the journal Environmental Research, shows a clear link between traffic noise and diagnosed depression or anxiety. It is the first study to investigate long-term exposure in children, adolescents, and young adults.



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.oulu.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oulu</a> found a sharp rise in mental health risks when traffic noise exceeds 53 decibels (dB) at home. This crosses the safe limit set by the <a href="https://www.who.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a>. 



The findings support urban planning measures, like designing bedrooms on quieter building sides and lowering speed limits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-noise-pollution-as-a-health-threat">Noise pollution as a health threat</h2>



Environmental noise from roads, railways, airports, and construction is Europe’s second-largest environmental health concern. It can damage hearing, disrupt sleep, and trigger emotional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-traffic-cameras-are-preventing-thousands-of-crashes-each-year/">stress</a>. 



Over time, these effects can contribute to cardiovascular issues and neurological diseases.



Noise also activates the body's stress response through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This can impair emotional regulation, cognition, and behavior - especially in children whose systems are still developing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-noise-exposure-and-mental-health">Noise exposure and mental health</h2>



The study was focused on 114,353 people born in Finland between 1987 and 1998 who lived in the Helsinki metropolitan area in 2007. Participants were tracked for up to ten years, from ages 8 to 21.



Noise exposure was calculated for the most and least exposed sides of each home. Annual averages included road and railway <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stroke-risk-is-elevated-by-air-pollution-and-traffic-noise/">traffic</a> noise, with extra weighting for evening and nighttime hours. 



The researchers examined participants’ medical records to determine whether they had diagnoses of depression or anxiety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clear-patterns-emerged">Clear patterns emerged</h2>



The World Health Organization advises keeping traffic noise below 53 dB over 24 hours. This study found that risks increase at or above this level. Each 10 dB rise in noise at the most exposed side was linked to a 5% higher risk of depression and 4% higher risk of anxiety.



“Our analysis showed that anxiety risk is lowest when traffic noise is around 45 to 50 dB at the quieter side of dwellings but increases significantly after 53 to 55 dB," noted Dr. Anna Pulakka, senior author of the study.



"Above 53 dB, noise becomes a significant psychological stressor for young people regardless of whether an individual sleeps on the quieter or noisier side of a dwelling."



Anxiety links were stronger for males and for those whose parents had no mental health disorders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-noise-environment-and-health-effects">Noise, environment, and health effects</h2>



The researchers investigated whether air pollution or access to green space could account for the connection between noise and mental health. They found that noise independently impacted mental health, even after accounting for these other factors.



Nighttime noise was strongly associated with depression, supporting the idea that sleep disturbances from noise may be one way it affects mental health.



For anxiety, the biggest impact was seen in places with 60–65 dB noise levels. These places also tended to have more social and environmental challenges, such as poorer living conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study">Broader implications of the study</h2>



"Our findings support further actions towards reducing traffic noise exposure," explained Yiyan He, lead author of the study.



"For policymakers and urban planners, this should include measures such as ensuring bedrooms are on the quieter side of the dwelling and ensuring there is green space nearby. For transport, quieter tyres or reduced speed limits should also be considered."



Roughly 10% of young people in the study were diagnosed with depression or anxiety by the time they turned 30.



Since traffic noise is something cities can change, it becomes a possible focus for prevention efforts. Lowering noise levels in living areas could help protect mental health, especially during the years when the brain and emotions are still developing.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935125016950?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Research</a>.



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Traffic noise exposure increases mental health risks

The constant hum of city life often fades into the...

Gut-brain,Connection,Or,Gut,Brain,Axis.,Concept,Art,Showing,A

Scientists have long known that the stomach, gut, and brain are in constant conversation, but new research suggests that this dialogue may not always be beneficial.



A large human study finds that when the stomach’s natural rhythm locks too tightly with brain activity, it tracks higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress - and lower overall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neurobiotic-sixth-sense-gut-brain-connection-flagellin-plays-vital-role-behavior-appetite/">wellbeing</a>.



The findings, drawn from brain and stomach recordings in more than 200 adults, point to specific control networks in the brain where this coupling is strongest. Instead of signaling resilience, the pattern appears to reflect a system under psychological strain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-stomach-brain-sync-goes-wrong">When stomach-brain sync goes wrong</h2>



Lead author <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Leah-Banellis-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leah Banellis</a> and senior author <a href="https://www.au.dk/en/show/person/micah@cfin.au.dk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Micah Allen</a>, both at Aarhus University’s Department of Clinical Medicine, led the work. Their team focused on the stomach’s own rhythm instead of gut microbes.



“The stomach’s connection to the brain may actually be too strong in people under <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-link-between-obesity-anxiety-and-gut-microbiome-changes/">psychological</a> strain,” said Banellis. The remark points to a body signal that may index distress.



“Intuitively, we assume stronger body-brain communication is a sign of health. But here, unusually strong stomach-brain coupling seems linked to greater psychological burden, perhaps a system under strain,” said Allen. 



The pattern suggests a measurable signature rather than a broad, non-specific gut effect.



The paper reports that coupling in frontoparietal regions, not primary sensory cortex, indexed worse mental health across multiple symptoms. That specificity distinguishes the signal from general noise in the data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stomach-rhythm-affects-the-brain">Stomach rhythm affects the brain</h2>



The stomach houses the enteric nervous system, a large neural network that can orchestrate digestion independently while communicating bidirectionally with the central nervous system. 



Researchers sometimes call it the body’s "second brain" for its scale and autonomy.



Its intrinsic electrical rhythm runs about three cycles per minute in healthy adults, which works out to roughly one wave every 20 seconds. That slow beat sets an upper limit on how often the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moderate-belly-fat-may-actually-boost-brain-health/">stomach</a> can contract.



Specialized pacemaker cells, the interstitial cells of Cajal, generate and propagate these slow waves through the stomach wall. Disruption of this system can derail motility and timing.



Earlier human brain mapping found that sensory and motor cortices align with the stomach’s rhythm when people rest quietly, establishing a baseline of brain-stomach coherence. 



The new Aarhus study extends that baseline into mental health and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-life-of-voluntary-simplicity-linked-to-greater-happiness-wellbeing-than-materialism/">overall wellbeing</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stomach-signals-can-change-mood">Stomach signals can change mood</h2>



The stomach communicates with the brain through multiple channels, but the vagus nerve is the most direct. 



It carries sensory information about stomach stretching, the chemical environment, and muscle activity to brainstem regions, where it can influence <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-gut-bacteria-morganella-morganii-could-cause-depression-not-a-brain-disorder/">mood-regulating</a> networks.



Signals also travel via hormonal and immune pathways, with gut hormones and inflammatory molecules influencing brain function over minutes to hours. 



Together, these routes create a feedback loop where the brain can modulate stomach activity and the stomach can shape brain states.



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



The team combined functional MRI with surface electrogastrography, a noninvasive method that records stomach electrical activity using cutaneous electrodes on the abdomen. 



Aligning these signals lets scientists quantify stomach-brain coherence within individuals.



They then related regional coupling values to symptom dimensions spanning <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/practicing-mindfulness-can-quiet-the-noise-of-anxiety/">anxiety</a>, depression, stress, and well-being. Cross-validated models helped reduce overfitting and boosted generalizability.



Coupling strength varied across the cortex, with control regions carrying most of the mental health signal. That pattern argues against a diffuse, gut-wide effect.



This approach builds on prior work that uncovered a “gastric network” at rest, defined by delayed connectivity between the stomach’s slow wave and cortical activity. It provided the physiological footing for the present analysis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stomach-waves-as-mental-health-clues">Stomach waves as mental health clues</h2>



Clinical tools often lean on self-report, so an objective <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/built-in-memory-janitor-helps-your-brain-forget-some-things-on-purpose/">physiological marker</a> could help track risk or monitor response. Pairing symptoms with a body-based index might sharpen assessments.



“We know certain medications - and even the foods we eat - can influence gastric rhythms," said Allen. "One day, this research might help us tailor treatments based on how a patient’s body and brain interact, not just what they report feeling.” 



Evidence already shows that noninvasive stimulation of the vagus nerve can boost stomach-brain coupling within minutes in healthy adults. That tool could help test whether changing coupling shifts symptoms.



Conceptual work also frames vagal pathways as mechanisms for switching between survival modes and shaping goal-directed behavior - highly relevant to mood and motivation. 



Translational studies can build on these ideas to develop interventions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-signatures-to-interventions">From signatures to interventions</h2>



The present study is cross-sectional and correlational, so it cannot show that stomach waves drive anxiety or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-teen-girls-struggle-more-with-depression/">depression</a>. It does, however, map an objective signature that merits follow-up.



Trials can now test whether modulating stomach rhythms, adjusting activity in frontoparietal nodes, or tuning vagal signaling alters symptoms in clinical populations. 



Predictive use cases, like early warning of relapse, are within reach.



Open materials listed in the paper should support independent checks and faster progress. Shared data and code encourage cumulative science.



Clear next steps include replication in older adults, richer sampling across diagnoses, and longitudinal designs that track coupling alongside treatment. 



Precision targets will depend on which levels of the axis prove most malleable.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-025-00468-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Mental Health</a>.



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Your stomach's natural 'rhythm' is directly connected to mental stress and wellbeing

Scientists have long known that the stomach, gut, and brain...

We like to think we are good listeners. Yet when choices get complicated, most of us quietly look inward and make the call ourselves. That is the striking pattern in a new cross-cultural study



Researchers compared four decision routes and found self-reliant strategies were preferred and judged wisest across 12 countries and 3,517 adults.



The <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.1355" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">finding</a> matters because teams, families, and communities often assume that cultures differ mainly by how much they lean on others. 



The data point in a different direction, showing a shared human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-the-future-affect-the-past-unsettling-new-physics-of-time-research-says-maybe/">tendency</a> that societies tune rather than flip.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-people-prefer-deciding-alone">People prefer deciding alone</h2>



The project was led by <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/psychology/profiles/igor-grossmann" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Igor Grossmann</a> in the Department of Psychology at the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Waterloo</a>, working with collaborators worldwide. 



His team set out to see which route people actually favor when multiple avenues are offered side by side.



“Realizing that most of us instinctively ‘go it alone’ helps explain why we often ignore good <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brains-learn-new-skills-much-faster-than-expected/">counsel</a>, be it for health tips or financial planning, despite mounting evidence that such counsel may help us make wiser decisions,” said Dr. Grossmann, first author on the paper.



In decision science, the advice-discounting bias describes this habit of underweighting input from others, even when that input could improve accuracy. 



Laboratory <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749597800929091" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> has shown again and again that people give their own view more weight than an adviser’s estimate, a pattern documented in classic judge-advisor experiments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-people-use-advice">How people use advice</h2>



Participants confronted everyday dilemmas and chose among four strategies: intuition, private deliberation, friends’ advice, or the wisdom of crowds, which relies on aggregating independent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/couples-who-gossip-feel-closer-and-happier/">judgments</a>. 



The design let researchers test preferences directly rather than infer them from one method alone.



Importantly, the wisdom-of-crowds route is most effective when individual estimates remain independent, a condition that weakens once people see one another’s answers. 



<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1008636108" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Experiments</a> show that even mild social influence can erode crowd accuracy by narrowing opinion diversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture-changes-self-reliance-slightly">Culture changes self-reliance slightly</h2>



Researchers also measured self-construal, the way people think about the self as independent or interdependent, a foundational idea in cultural psychology. This <a href="https://web.stanford.edu/~hazelm/cgi-bin/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/2010-Markus-Kitayama_Culture-and-Self-A-cycle-of-mutual-constitution.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lens</a> helps explain why the same default can surface for different reasons in different places.



The paper reports that people and places scoring higher on independent self-views leaned more strongly toward self-reliance, while interdependent contexts softened the tilt without reversing it. 



That refinements like this matter is no surprise given how much behavioral science has long relied on <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/behavioral-and-brain-sciences/article/weirdest-people-in-the-world/BF84F7517D56AFF7B7EB58411A554C17" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WEIRD</a> samples that are not representative of the world at large.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-people-avoid-advice">Why people avoid advice</h2>



There are practical reasons people may hesitate to ask for guidance, beyond ego. 



In settings with lower relational mobility, where relationships are stable and networks tight, seeking advice can signal neediness, impose obligations, or reveal private information. 



<a href="https://willmaddux.web.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/15846/2018/04/Psych-Science-Relational-Mobility.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Studies</a> of relational mobility help explain how such social costs vary by context.



On the flip side, those who enjoy thinking for its own sake often prefer to puzzle things out. Psychologists describe this trait as “need for cognition,” the tendency to engage in and enjoy effortful thought, which shapes how people approach complex choices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-history-shaped-self-reliance">History shaped self-reliance</h2>



Human preference for self-reliance may also have deep roots in our evolutionary past. Anthropologists note that in small, pre-agricultural societies, quick individual judgments were often essential for survival, whether deciding when to flee from danger or seize a fleeting opportunity. 



Over time, these tendencies could have become ingrained, favoring those able to make confident calls without waiting for group consensus.



Historical records also show that many cultures celebrated figures who embodied independent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-does-happiness-come-from-it-depends-on-who-you-are/">judgment</a>, from ancient Greek philosophers to Indigenous leaders navigating unfamiliar colonial pressures. 



This long-standing social value placed on autonomy likely reinforces modern instincts to trust one’s own reasoning before seeking outside input.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-people-work-better-with-private-advice">People work better with private advice</h2>



The pattern is clear: people want a beat to think before they trade notes. That suggests a simple, humane design choice for meetings and project sprints, namely, give individuals a window for private reasoning, then gather the best of that work.



“This knowledge can help us design teamwork better by working with this self-reliant tendency and letting employees reason privately before sharing advice that they might reject,” said Dr. Grossmann.



Teams can also preserve the benefits of crowd input by keeping early rounds independent and anonymous. Independence protects diversity of thought, which is the raw material crowds need to perform well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limits-on-how-people-use-advice">Limits on how people use advice</h2>



Every survey has boundaries. The authors emphasize that their scenarios were standardized and the samples, while diverse, were not nationally representative, so field studies will be essential to test how these preferences play out when real stakes are on the table.



Still, the central result reframes a common assumption without taking anything away from the value of good counsel. 



Knowing that most people start alone helps explain why advice so often bounces off, and it points to a kinder fix that meets people where they are.



The study is published in <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.1355" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.



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Study shows most people make tough decisions alone, refusing advice from others

We like to think we are good listeners. Yet when...

A billionaire’s wedding trends for days, and another mega-yacht launches. Then along comes a careful study with a simple punchline: people who choose to live with less report feeling happier and better about their lives.



New peer-reviewed research finds that people who practice voluntary simplicity tend to report higher hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing.



That result cuts against the everyday marketing script that equates <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/couples-who-gossip-feel-closer-and-happier/">happiness</a> with income and accumulation. 



It also echoes a decade of psychology showing that heavy materialism often travels with lower wellbeing. The study was led by <a href="https://www.otago.ac.nz/marketing/staff/professor-robert-aitken" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Rob Aitken</a> at the <a href="https://www.otago.ac.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Otago</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simple-living-and-happiness">Simple living and happiness</h2>



The team examined how a commitment to voluntary simplicity relates to two <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-does-happiness-come-from-it-depends-on-who-you-are/">flavors of wellbeing</a>. 



<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/hedonic-well-being" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hedonic wellbeing</a> covers pleasant feelings and life satisfaction, while <a href="https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2023/09/subjective-well-being-measurement_a9950ae3/4e180f51-en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eudaimonic wellbeing</a> tracks purpose, growth, and living in line with one’s values.



Participants represented the national consumer base and answered validated measures that capture simplicity attitudes and behaviors. 



The authors also tested whether age, income, and gender change the strength of those links, which they did in nuanced ways reported in the paper.



The mechanics of simplicity here are practical, not mystical. Think buying less, repairing more, sharing gear, and choosing local when it makes sense. 



In the dataset, simplicity bundled with frugality, self-sufficiency, and local procurement, but the feel-good effect did not stop at thrift.



The statistical story pointed to how people meet psychological needs. Living simply often steers people into routines that increase interaction, mutual help, and civic participation, and those experiences align closely with the eudaimonic side of wellbeing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simplicity-relationships-and-wellbeing">Simplicity, relationships, and wellbeing</h2>



“It’s not directly the commitment to material simplicity that leads to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-chasing-happiness-makes-you-feel-worse/">wellbeing</a>, but the psychological and emotional need fulfilment that derives from relationships, social connection, community involvement and a sense of living a purposeful and meaningful life,” said Professor Aitken.



Those comments match the evidence base rather than just opinion. The authors validated a recent simplicity scale and showed its links to both types of wellbeing remained after accounting for demographics. 



The pathway ran through social connection and achievement fulfilment, not through austere deprivation.



That distinction matters. People do not feel better simply because they sold a closet of stuff. They feel better because the change frees time, attention, and money for relationships, skills, and contributions that matter to them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-studies-show-similar-results">Other studies show similar results</h2>



Independent psychology research backs the caution on high materialism. 



A large <a href="https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2014_DittmarBondHurstKasser_PPID.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meta-analysis</a> of 259 samples found that stronger materialistic values are reliably associated with lower personal wellbeing across measures like life satisfaction and vitality.



The same review and follow-on work also suggest that dialing down materialistic priorities can help. 



When people shift focus toward relationships and competence, they tend to report improvements in wellbeing. That maps neatly onto the social and values-based routes highlighted in the Otago study.



It also helps clarify a common confusion. Money can relieve stress up to a point, especially when basics are not covered, but endlessly chasing upgrades does not run the same play for wellbeing. 



The difference between security and status seeking is not academic when the outcomes diverge.



Marketing scholarship has been tracking this tension for years. At the level of macromarketing policy and culture, the question is how to support prosperity without pushing consumption that undercuts health and community.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wellbeing-found-in-daily-simplicity">Wellbeing found in daily simplicity</h2>



Simplicity is not a single script, and the study did not prescribe one. People took diverse routes that overlapped on lower overall consumption and stronger ties.



Common examples in the research context include community gardens, resource sharing, peer-to-peer lending, and local procurement. Those activities reduce acquisition while increasing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-identify-the-simple-emotion-that-gives-life-meaning-and-its-not-happiness/">interaction</a> and mutual help.



Small choices can rewire a week. Sharing tools or swapping clothes creates contact, which often leads to new skills and a wider sense of contribution.



The key is alignment. People reported larger gains when the routines reflected their values and gave them ways to practice those values in daily life.



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



There is also a planetary angle that goes beyond personal happiness. Between 2000 and 2019, <a href="https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/Goal-12/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global domestic material consumption</a> rose 66 percent to 95.1 billion metric tons, continuing a long upward trend that strains ecosystems and supply chains.



Those are not abstract curves. Extracting, moving, and disposing of materials drives emissions, biodiversity loss, and pollution, and those costs show up in local health and budgets. 



A lifestyle that demands fewer inputs removes some of that pressure at the margin.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-wellbeing-is-a-more-effective-focus-area-when-discussing-energy-solutions/">Policy and business</a> do not get a free pass here. Product design, repair access, and service models all shape the menu of realistic choices consumers can make. People cannot choose options they cannot reach.



Framing simplicity as deprivation misses the point. The results here suggest the upside sits where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/simply-looking-at-art-can-improve-your-well-being/">less consumption</a> unlocks more connection and a clearer sense of purpose.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-acting-on-the-simplicity-wellbeing-link">Acting on the simplicity-wellbeing link</h2>



No single study settles big questions, including who benefits most and under what conditions. The authors report that age, income, and gender modulate the simplicity-wellbeing link, which invites follow-up work in more countries and with longitudinal designs.



Measures also matter. Hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing capture different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-environment-day-the-critical-role-of-nature-in-human-well-being/">aspects of a good life</a>, and national surveys still harmonize the latter slowly, which can blur comparisons across studies and time.



Even so, the direction of travel is clear enough to act on now. If the goal is to feel better and tread lighter, the most promising moves are social, not flashy.



People are happier and more satisfied when consumption takes a back seat to community, competence, and meaning. That is the study’s core message, and it lands with uncommon clarity.



The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02761467251339399" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Macromarketing</a>.



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People who choose to live a simple life are much happier than those who chase materialism

A billionaire’s wedding trends for days, and another mega-yacht launches....

Mountains have always affected how people live. At high altitudes, the body changes to adapt, such as developing stronger lungs or showing slower growth in babies. Now, scientists think living higher up might also help prevent obesity in children.



As obesity <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-childhood-obesity-rate-is-expected-to-soar-by-2050/">rates</a> keep increasing around the world, especially in young kids, researchers are studying more closely how the environment and the human body work together.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-altitude-and-childhood-obesity">High altitude and childhood obesity</h2>



Living high up in the mountains may help protect children from becoming obese. A study looking at more than 4 million Colombian children found that those living at higher altitudes were less likely to have obesity compared to children living closer to sea level. 



Scientists think this could be because the air at high altitudes has less oxygen. With less oxygen, the body works harder and uses more energy, which may help keep weight lower.



Most earlier studies on altitude and obesity focused only on adults, like mountaineers or people living in highland areas. This new research is important because it shows the same link in children. 



Since childhood is a key time for health and growth, the findings suggest that where a child lives - whether in the mountains or lowlands - can influence their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childhood-obesity-rates-are-surging-worldwide/">risk of obesity</a> in the future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



Fernando Lizcano Losada from the <a href="https://www.unisabana.edu.co" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of La Sabana</a> and colleagues analyzed data from 4.16 million children under five years old. 



The data, collected by the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare, covered 1,123 municipalities. 



The researchers categorized children into four groups based on altitude: up to 1,000 meters, 1,001-2,000 meters, 2,001-3,000 meters, and above 3,000 meters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-obesity-drops-at-altitude">Obesity drops at altitude</h2>



At the lowest altitudes, about 80 in every 10,000 children had obesity. Between 2, 001 and 3,000 meters, prevalence dropped sharply to 40 in 10,000. 



Interestingly, rates rose again above 3,000 meters, reaching 86 in 10,000. The researchers caution that this may reflect limited data from only seven municipalities, with just over 11,000 participants.



“That’s a fair comment,” said David Stensel at <a href="https://www.lboro.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Loughborough University</a> in the UK. He noted the absence of a clear dose-response pattern, which would have strengthened the findings. 



Stensel emphasized that the study is observational, meaning it cannot prove altitude directly prevents obesity.



“They have tried to make sure that they have adjusted for the potential confounding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mothers-genes-may-hold-the-key-to-childhood-obesity/">factors</a>,” such as poverty and deprivation. Still, “you can’t account for everything."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-evidence-from-latin-america">Broader evidence from Latin America</h2>



According to the researchers, similar results have appeared in other high-altitude regions. In Peru, living above 2500 meters was linked with far lower obesity prevalence compared to lowlands.



Studies in Bolivia and Argentina showed children at higher elevations tended to be thinner, though growth restriction was sometimes observed. 



In Ecuador, children in highland regions displayed lower weight but also higher stunting rates compared to coastal children.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-altitude-obesity-and-metabolism">Altitude, obesity, and metabolism</h2>



Lizcano Losada suggests faster metabolism at high altitudes could explain the lower rates. Stensel agrees this is possible. 



“There’s a few studies that have shown resting metabolic rate, or basal metabolic rate, increases when you’re at high altitude,” he noted. 



An earlier 1984 study found mountaineers lost weight at high elevations, partly because fat was burned or excreted rather than stored.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hormones-and-hypoxia">Hormones and hypoxia</h2>



The researchers explained that high-altitude hypoxia can influence hormones like leptin and ghrelin, which regulate appetite. 



Low oxygen activates hypoxia-inducible factors that enhance leptin sensitivity, supporting appetite suppression.



Cold temperatures common in mountainous regions may also increase energy expenditure through thermogenesis. Together, these mechanisms may reduce obesity <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-can-be-passed-down-from-parents-to-kids/">risk</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-poverty-shapes-outcomes">Poverty shapes outcomes</h2>



Not all outcomes are purely biological. The research emphasizes how poverty interacts with altitude. 



Municipalities with moderate poverty often saw higher obesity rates, possibly due to reliance on cheap, ultra-processed food.



In contrast, extreme poverty sometimes correlated with undernutrition rather than obesity. This pattern reflects the “double burden of malnutrition” seen in many low- and middle-income countries.



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



Even if altitude helps reduce obesity risk, practical uses remain unclear. “They show us a relationship, and you then need to really design a bespoke study to investigate that hypothesis on its own,” said Stensel.



Lizcano Losada argues that environmental influences vary by region, suggesting that tailored public health advice may prove more effective in addressing childhood obesity. 



The research also supports geographically specific strategies that integrate both biological and social factors for better outcomes.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.14.25329127v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">medRxiv</a>.



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Obesity is less common in children living at high altitudes

Mountains have always affected how people live. At high altitudes,...

ADHD is often seen through the lens of restless behavior in children or difficulty focusing at school. But the condition carries consequences that extend far beyond the classroom. 



Without treatment, people with ADHD face higher <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-plastics-chemical-bpa-linked-to-autism-adhd-in-children/">risks</a> of substance misuse, accidents, and even criminal convictions. These outcomes can ripple through lives, affecting families, communities, and broader society.



A new Swedish study now provides strong evidence that medication does more than ease classroom struggles - it protects against some of the most serious risks linked to ADHD.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protective-benefits-of-adhd-medication">Protective benefits of ADHD medication</h2>



A large Swedish study has shown that people with ADHD who take prescribed medication face fewer serious risks in their lives. 



Among 150,000 individuals, researchers found lower rates of suicidal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/autism-and-adhd-disorders-directly-linked-amount-of-time-kids-spend-on-screens/">behaviors</a>, substance misuse, criminal convictions, accidental injuries, and road accidents. 



While earlier studies hinted at such outcomes, this work provides stronger evidence based on rigorous trial emulation methods.



“This is the best approach, the closest to a randomized trial,” said Zheng Chang at the <a href="https://ki.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Karolinska Institute</a> in Sweden.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-immediate-symptoms">Beyond immediate symptoms</h2>



When doctors and families consider ADHD medication, they often focus only on classroom or work performance. Yet untreated ADHD can carry consequences far beyond school challenges.



“When drugs are considered for managing ADHD, the wider consequences of not taking them can be overlooked,” said Samuele Cortese at the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a>. 



Parents may see day-to-day academic issues but overlook how treatment may prevent more severe problems later in life.



“If you don’t treat ADHD, there are risks,” he says. “Now we have evidence that treatment reduces these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/acetaminophen-use-during-pregnancy-linked-to-adhd-risk/">risks</a>.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evidence-from-real-world-data">Evidence from real-world data</h2>



ADHD is linked not just to inattention and impulsivity, but also to higher risks of injury, substance misuse, and even criminal behaviour. Randomized controlled trials confirm drugs reduce core symptoms but rarely examine these broader impacts.



To address this, researchers used a method called target trial emulation. By analyzing Sweden’s national health, legal, and population registers, they replicated the design principles of a trial within real-world data.



This approach improves reliability by comparing those who began ADHD medication within three months of diagnosis to those who did not. It reflects routine clinical settings, making the results more relevant for everyday patients and families.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adhd-medications-lower-suicide-nbsp">ADHD medications lower suicide&nbsp;</h2>



Medication was linked with a 17 percent reduction in suicidal behaviors and a 15 percent drop in road accidents. Substance misuse fell by about 25 percent, while criminal convictions declined by a similar proportion. 



The reduction in accidental injuries was modest for first events but more noticeable when looking at repeated incidents.



For people with a history of such <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toddler-screen-time-linked-to-atypical-sensory-behaviors/">issues</a>, the benefits were even stronger. Those previously involved in substance misuse or crime saw greater risk reductions when on medication. Stimulant drugs, such as methylphenidate, produced larger effects than non-stimulants.



“It’s always helpful to know if medications can impact daily life beyond reducing symptoms,” said Adam Guastella at the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a>. 



“This information is also important for governments to help policy-makers understand the potential benefits of treatment for broader society, such as mental health or criminal outcomes.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-medication-makes-a-difference">Why medication makes a difference</h2>



The BMJ study suggests ADHD drugs may reduce impulsivity and improve attention, which in turn lowers risky behaviors. 



For instance, better focus can help drivers avoid accidents, while reduced impulsivity may lower aggressive actions that lead to criminality.



The researchers noted that while randomized trials often exclude half of ADHD patients typically seen in clinics, this emulation study included a wide population across ages 6 to 64. This makes the findings more representative of real-world cases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adhd-medication-and-safer-futures">ADHD medication and safer futures</h2>



These results show that ADHD medication is not just about managing symptoms in the classroom. Treatment may help shape safer and healthier futures, reducing risks that affect both individuals and society. 



The evidence also highlights the importance of stimulants as first-line options, a recommendation supported by current clinical guidelines.



If you or someone you know struggles with suicidal thoughts, support is available. In the UK, call Samaritans at 116123. In the US, dial 988 for the Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline. For international resources, visit <a href="http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj-2024-083658" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The BMJ</a>.



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ADHD medication lowers risks of suicide, accidents, and crime

ADHD is often seen through the lens of restless behavior...

Seeing the same picture more than once makes us more likely to believe it reflects reality. That holds for both photographs and AI-generated fakes. Repetition alone boosts perceived authenticity, even when nothing else changes.



A new international study led by <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tel Aviv University</a> along with collaborators from Germany, Belgium, and Spain tested this effect in controlled experiments with real and synthetic images. 



The study shows how a basic feature of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-simple-solutions-appeal-to-the-human-brain/">human psychology</a> can shape what we accept as true online. In feeds and stories, the same image may surface across multiple accounts and over several days. Each exposure nudges belief upward, showing that our eyes tend to trust what they recognize.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-familiarity-fools-us">Familiarity fools us</h2>



“The study is based on a well-known psychological phenomenon called the ‘mere exposure effect,’ which suggests that information that we encounter repeatedly is perceived as more credible," said lead author Guy Grinfeld, a psychologist at Tel Aviv University.



"In our research, we examined whether this effect also applies in the visual domain - specifically with images created using artificial intelligence algorithms.” 



This is the first study to demonstrate the mere exposure effect for images; until now, it had only been demonstrated for text. The findings raise concerns about the spread of false visual information on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-likes-have-a-strong-emotional-effect-on-young-people/">social media</a> and its influence on public perception. 



"As we like to summarize it, if until now the proverb went, ‘A lie told often enough becomes the truth,’ our study shows that ‘An image seen often enough becomes reality,” said Grinfeld.



Past research tied repetition to credibility for written claims. This study moves that logic to pictures. It asks a tight question with huge stakes in an AI era: Does mere exposure make visual content feel truer, even when it is fabricated?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-real-and-fake-images">Testing real and fake images</h2>



Participants viewed a series of images - some authentic photographs, others created by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/">artificial intelligence.</a> Later, they saw a mix of repeated and new images and judged whether each depicted a real object, person, place, or event.



The results were clear: images seen before were rated as more credible than those viewed for the first time. This pattern held whether the image was a genuine photograph or a synthetic fake. Familiarity, not accuracy, drove belief.



One twist stood out - the repetition effect was stronger among the most skeptical participants, those who, on average, rated images as less credible overall.



Even they relied on repetition as a cue; when they had seen an image before, their guard dropped more than expected.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-algorithms-amplify-fake-images">Algorithms amplify fake images</h2>



The finding aligns closely with how platforms operate: algorithms prioritize engagement, popular posts recirculate, and communities echo the same visuals across channels.



People may encounter the same image repeatedly, often without context or attribution. With each pass, certainty hardens.



That’s a serious problem in the age of generative tools. It was once easier to “lie” with words than with pictures, but today a convincing image can be created in seconds.



The study shows that once such an image enters circulation, repetition alone can elevate its perceived truth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fakes-gain-power-by-repetition">Fakes gain power by repetition</h2>



The psychology involved in this study shows how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-sizes-are-growing-possibly-lowering-dementia-risk/">brains</a> process risk and noise and how recognition lowers cognitive load. 



The mind treats familiar cues as safer and more likely to be true, so in cluttered environments that shortcut helps us cope.



The authors note that the effect does not depend on technical realism. A well-made fake may deceive with detail, but even a mediocre fake can gain plausibility through repetition. This dynamic blurs the line between evidence and mere exposure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-repetition-reshapes-reality">Repetition reshapes reality</h2>



Repeated fake image <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/digital-misinformation-rumors-spread-like-nuclear-reactions/">misinformation</a> can shape memory, attitudes, and decisions. It can sway opinions about people and events, seeding false “proof” that resurfaces during crises. Moreover, it can do all that without any single, definitive lie.



Post fewer duplicate images, clearly label synthetic or recycled ones, and strengthen media literacy so repetition is treated as a warning.



“In the era of social networks and digital media, we are constantly and involuntarily exposed to visual information,” Grinfeld said. “Whereas in the past it was easy to lie with words, today AI tools make it just as easy to ‘lie’ with images.”



“Our study reveals a troubling mechanism: people attribute higher credibility to visual information that is repeated, regardless of its veracity. This creates a dangerous combination - repeated exposure to false information can make it seem credible, simply through repetition.”



“The findings raise profound questions about how we process information, especially in an age of visual overload in social and news media.”



The takeaway is simple and unsettling: what we see again and again starts to feel real. That makes repetition a powerful force in public life. And it makes resisting it one of the hardest, most urgent tasks in the information age.



The findings are published in the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fxlm0001505" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition</a>.



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Repeated fake images trick your brain into thinking they’re real

Seeing the same picture more than once makes us more...

Regularly helping others - whether through formal volunteering or informal assistance - can slow age-related cognitive decline by as much as 15 to 20 percent, according to a new study of more than 30,000 U.S. adults. 



The effect was strongest for those who spent about two to four hours each week helping outside the home.



The research, led by the <a href="https://www.umb.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Texas at Austin</a> (UT), tracked participants for over two decades using data from the national Health and Retirement Study.



The results show that helping produces cumulative and long-lasting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet-can-be-boosted-with-more-greens/">brain benefits</a>, whether through structured volunteering or casual support for neighbors, friends, or relatives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cognitive-benefits-of-helping-others">Cognitive benefits of helping others</h2>



“Everyday acts of support - whether organized or personal - can have lasting cognitive impact,” said lead author Sae Hwang Han, an assistant professor of human development and family sciences at UT.



“What stood out was that the cognitive benefits of helping others weren’t just short-term boosts but cumulative over time," he said. "In addition to that, moderate engagement of just two to four hours was consistently linked to robust benefits.”



The study examined two main types of helping. Formal volunteering includes scheduled activities with organizations. Informal helping covers tasks like giving someone a ride to a medical appointment, caring for children, doing yard work, or helping with taxes.



While only about one-third of older Americans take part in formal volunteering, more than half provide informal help on a regular basis.



“Informal helping is sometimes assumed to offer fewer health benefits due to its lack of social recognition,” Han said. “It was a pleasant surprise to find that it provides cognitive benefits comparable to formal volunteering.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-helping-slows-decline-for-years">Helping slows decline for years</h2>



Using records dating back to 1998, the team controlled for variables such as wealth, education, and physical and mental health. The analysis found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/doctors-say-this-lifestyle-factor-smoking-is-biggest-contributor-to-cognitive-decline/">cognitive decline</a> slowed once participants began helping others and continued to slow with sustained engagement year after year.



The data also revealed a clear risk from stopping entirely. “Conversely, our data show that completely withdrawing from helping is associated with worse cognitive function,” Han said.



“This suggests the importance of keeping older adults engaged in some form of helping for as long as possible, with appropriate support and accommodations in place.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-helping-as-brain-medicine">Helping as brain medicine</h2>



The authors argue that the findings strengthen the case for viewing volunteerism and helping through a public health lens. The prevalence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-drug-shows-potential-to-treat-alzheimers/">Alzheimer’s</a> and other forms of dementia in later life makes this especially important.



Encouraging older adults to remain engaged in acts of support could be a low-cost, widely accessible way to help preserve cognitive function.



Another recent study led by Han found that volunteering can also protect brain health by buffering the negative effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chronic-stress-disrupts-gut-bacteria-and-fuels-cancer-progression/">chronic stress</a> on systemic inflammation - a biological process linked to dementia. People with higher inflammation levels showed this protective effect most strongly.



Together, the results from both studies suggest multiple pathways by which helping others may preserve brain function. These include reducing the physiological wear and tear caused by stress and strengthening the psychological, emotional, and cognitive benefits of meaningful social connections.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-for-all-involved">Benefits for all involved</h2>



The findings come at a time when aging populations and rising rates of loneliness are pressing concerns worldwide. They also challenge the assumption that people in poor health have little to contribute to others - or that they cannot benefit from doing so.



“Many older adults in suboptimal health often continue to make valuable contributions to those around them, and they also may be the ones to especially benefit from being provided with opportunities to help,” Han explained.



Even for those already experiencing cognitive decline, the study suggests that maintaining some form of regular helping - with the right accommodations - may still yield benefits. 



That could mean light <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/personality-traits-linked-to-willingness-to-volunteer-or-donate/">volunteer</a> tasks with flexible hours, or simply continuing to offer support to family and friends. Building helping behaviors into weekly routines can sharpen minds, strengthen communities, and foster deeper connections.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953625007968?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Social Science &amp; Medicine</a>.



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Helping others can slow age-related cognitive decline

Regularly helping others - whether through formal volunteering or informal...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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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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