A nationally representative, wearables-based study has tracked Americans who said they did not do structured exercise. It found that short energy bursts - a median of just 1.1 minutes per day of brief, vigorous effort - was linked with a lower risk of death over roughly seven years.



The pattern was simple. People who racked up about five or six energy bursts per day, each usually around 10 seconds and all under one minute, tended to fare better than those who did none.



This work was led by Emmanuel Stamatakis at the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a>. The team focused on vigorous activity, meaning effort that makes breathing hard and raises heart rate clearly for short spans.



Researchers looked at death from any cause. The curve of benefit rose quickly at low amounts, then flattened, which means the biggest change showed up when going from zero to a little. 



That is important for people who find it hard to schedule <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-can-slow-aging-right-down-to-your-dna/">workouts</a>.



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



The sample came from <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NHANES</a> (the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), a long-running U.S. program that links health records with device-measured movement. 



Participants wore a wrist accelerometer - a sensor that records motion dozens of times per second - for about a week.



The authors studied what they call Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity (<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2807734" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VILPA</a>). 



That is the short, sharp effort that happens during normal life, like a very fast walk uphill, a quick run to catch a bus, or carrying heavy items up stairs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-short-energy-bursts-mean">What short energy bursts mean</h2>



Two findings stood out. First, daily time VILPA showed a near-linear link with lower risk, and the median of 1.1 minutes per day corresponded to a hazard ratio of about 0.61 in models that accounted for many other factors. 



Second, doing roughly five to six short bursts per day captured most of the observed benefit in this group.



“VILPA is a bit like applying the principles of High <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-feels-better-when-its-matched-to-your-personality/">Intensity</a> Interval Training to your everyday life," Stamatakis explained. 



"We need to further investigate this link through robust trials, but it appears that VILPA may be a promising, cost free recommendation for lowering cancer risk in people who find structured exercise difficult or unappealing."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comparing-with-other-studies">Comparing with other studies</h2>



Earlier U.K. Biobank <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> reported that a sample median of 4.4 minutes per day of VILPA was associated with noticeably lower risks of all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. 



The U.S. study’s median dose is smaller, which may reflect differences in age, fitness, or baseline activity.



Cancer findings from the U.K. Biobank add useful context. 



A 2023 <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2807734" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> of non-exercisers found that about 4.5 minutes per day of VILPA was linked to lower incident cancer risk, with the steepest gains when moving from none to a little.



A hazard ratio compares rates of an outcome between groups over time. Values below 1.0 indicate a lower rate in the more active group, values above 1.0 indicate a higher rate, and the confidence interval shows the range of uncertainty.



These numbers do not prove that short energy bursts caused the lower risk. They show a strong association after adjusting for many measured factors, which is informative for public health while we wait for further trials.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energy-bursts-and-health">Energy bursts and health</h2>



Only about one quarter of U.S. adults meet both aerobic and strength targets, notes a CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db443.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>. 



Finding health linked to very short, vigorous effort embedded in daily life could help reach people who are not hitting those goals.



The signal shows up at low doses. That matters because many people cite time, cost, or access as barriers to regular exercise.



The U.S. cohort’s median VILPA time was just over a minute per day, and the median burst count was about five per day. 



Most bursts lasted around 10 seconds, which aligns with the way people actually move when life gets busy.



The dose-response curve rose quickly at first, then flattened around eight bursts per day in this dataset. That pattern supports the idea that small, repeatable effort may offer a meaningful step up from doing none.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energy-bursts-and-future-health">Energy bursts and future health</h2>



Wearable sensors let scientists capture movement in 10-second windows, which makes it possible to study these micro patterns. That is a big advance over older surveys that missed very short efforts.



Future trials need to test whether nudging VILPA upward changes health markers directly. Those tests could use prompts during chores, commuting, or short work breaks.



This was an observational analysis, so unmeasured differences could still explain part of the link. People who feel better might move more, and some health risks are hard to measure perfectly at baseline.



Device limits matter too. Wrist sensors can misread certain tasks, and any single week of tracking may not reflect a person’s full year of movement.



Public health groups already say that all <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-form-of-exercise-is-shown-to-improve-sleep-the-most-according-to-studies/">movement</a> counts. VILPA adds a sharp, practical edge to that message by focusing on brief, intense efforts that do not require special gear or set times.



If ongoing work shows cause and effect, simple cues could help people add a handful of short energy bursts to tasks they already do. 



That kind of shift would be especially useful for those who do not visit gyms or prefer not to schedule workouts.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.05.25333017v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">medRxiv</a>.



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Just one minute of this exercise every day can literally add years to your life, says a new study

A nationally representative, wearables-based study has tracked Americans who said they did not do structured exercise. It found that short energy bursts - a median of just 1.1 minutes per day of brief, vigorous effort - was linked with a lower risk of death over roughly seven years. The pattern was simple. People who racked up about five or six energy bursts per day, each usually around 10 seconds and all under one minute, tended to fare better than those who did none. This work was led...

Cortisol is a steroid hormone which is released in response to stress. A new study has found that varying patterns of cortisol secretion can reveal the levels of stress that individuals are experiencing. This discovery could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment for people with more extreme cases of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-toxic-chemical-exposure/">stress</a>.

Known as the “stress hormone,” cortisol influences many of the changes that happen within the body as a result of stress. For example, cortisol provides the body with glucose under stressful conditions to help regulate blood sugar. This means that long-term elevated levels of cortisol can put individuals at risk of health issues such as type 2 diabetes.

Previous stress analysis was based on the classification of participants as responders or non-responders after the individuals were exposed to a short period of induced stress. The current study, published in <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/">The Journal of Neuroscience</a>, identified three different types of cortisol response by taking a new approach to stress research.

Roee Admon, Diego Pizzagalli, and colleagues recruited 79 healthy women for the study. The team used modified lab procedures to induce stress in each of the women for over an hour. 

The results of the study showed that participants who released very high or very low amounts of cortisol were more stressed than those who released a moderate amount of cortisol. 

The research team also discovered that the high and low responders had smaller volume of the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a structure near the center of the brain that has a large amount of cortisol receptors. Previous studies have linked smaller hippocampal volume to individuals with stress-related disorders.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/">The Journal of Neuroscience</a>

Cortisol levels indicate how stressed out a person feels

Cortisol is a steroid hormone which is released in response...

Researchers have found a direct correlation between a person's “attachment style” and the way they behave on social media. 

Omri Gillath, a professor of Psychology at the <a href="https://www.ku.edu/">University of Kansas</a>, led a study which was focused on a very specific personality trait referred to as attachment style. 

"Attachment style is basically a relationship style,” explained Gillath. “It's the way we think, feel and behave in our close relationships. It's known to affect relationship processes and emotion regulation.”

People can be secure or insecure, and insecurity leads to anxiety or avoidance in a person's attachment style. 

"If you're high on attachment avoidance, you're trying to avoid intimacy and tend not to trust others - downplaying the importance of emotions and relationships," said Gillath. "Conversely, if you're high on attachment anxiety, you're very concerned with rejection and abandonment and tend to be overwhelmed by emotions.”

According to Gillath, individuals with an insecure attachment style have difficulty relating to trust and friendship. On the other hand, a secure attachment style is associated with stable, satisfying relationships.

Participants in the study were first evaluated for attachment style. Next, the researchers estimated the "tie strength" and "multiplexity" of their social networks. 

Tie strength is how close the person is to members of their network, which can be measured by how frequently there is communication with friend connections. Multiplexity assesses how many roles the network members fill in a person's life - whether they go to church together, play the same sport, or share the same political interests.

"We found people high on attachment anxiety or avoidance had weaker tie strength," he said. "Further, people high on avoidance reported lower multiplexity."

The researchers also considered how the participants initiated, maintained, or dissolved ties in their social networks. People high on attachment avoidance were found to be less likely to initiate and maintain connections, and more likely to dissolve network ties.

High anxiety people, who were expected to cling onto ties out of fear neglect and rejection, were also found to be more likely to see dissolution of ties. Gillath explained their anxiety may cause the issue, explaining that “network members may feel smothered and dissolve the ties.”

The experts also noted that the size of a person's social media network affects the quality of the relationships with other members of the network.

"We found the more friends you have in your network, the lower your tie strength and multiplexity - size dilutes the quality of your networks ties," Gillath said.

In another aspect of the study, the researchers used priming to boost the participants’ attachment security. This made people more likely to initiate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-activity-helps-dementia/">social</a> ties and less likely to dissolve them. The security prime also significantly improved relationship maintenance. This suggests that people with attachment security gain more positive and beneficial experiences from social media. 

"There are many things that can be bad about social networks, if you tend to search for hours on your exes and do Facebook lurking and are not involved in relational process - that can lead to jealousy and all kinds of negative emotions," said Gillath. 

"However, if you're using your social networks for fulfilling or serving your attachment needs -- such as a secure base or safe haven -- that's likely to result in positive outcomes."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="https://www.ku.edu/">University of Kansas</a>

How a person’s attachment style explains social media behavior

Researchers have found a direct correlation between a person's “attachment...

For decades, tai chi practitioners have cited improved balance as one of the benefits of the slow, gentle martial art. Now, science may be backing them up.

A number of studies analyzing tai chi, other forms of exercise, and physical therapy exist. Dr. Rafael Lomas-Vega of the <a href="http://www.ujaen.es/">University of Jaén</a> in Spain set out with a team of colleagues to analyze that existing research and see whether tai chi can improve balance and prevent falls as effectively as other methods.

They found 10 scientific studies that used randomized, controlled trials to study the benefits of the ancient Chinese martial art.

What they found was promising: over a 12-month period, tai chi appeared to reduce the risk of falls by about 43 percent. In the long-term, the rate of falls dropped by about 13 percent. Additionally, in both the short-term and long-term, tai chi practitioners were less likely to be badly injured during a fall.

"Tai chi practice may be recommended to prevent falls in at-risk adults and older adults. The length of the interventions ranged from 12 to 26 weeks. The frequency of the 1-hour sessions ranged from one to three times per week," Lomas-Vega said. 

Tai chi emphasizes slow, gentle movements that can be easily modified to address physical limitations, which makes it an ideal form of exercise for older adults. Older adults are also the group most at-risk for falling and most in danger due to injuries caused by falls. This review of current research is encouraging for older people looking for a safe form of exercise.

However, more research on the positive benefits of the gentle exercise is still needed, the researchers warned.

"Due to the small number of published studies, further research is needed to investigate the effect of tai chi on injurious falls and time to first fall," Lomas-Vega said.

The research review will be published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jgs.15008">Journal of the American Geriatrics Society</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Tai chi may improve balance, prevent falls

For decades, tai chi practitioners have cited improved balance as...

A study published in the latest issue of the journal Scientific Reports reveals that sea level rise is not the only danger to waterfront areas as a result of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-massive-blow-asia/">climate change</a>. As storm patterns shift and change directions, property and structures along the coastline that were once considered to be relatively safe from the impact of storms are now at risk of being severely damaged.

Engineers at <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a> in Sydney analyzed data from a “superstorm” that hit the eastern coast of Australia in June 2016. The storm, one of the strongest in decades, flooded towns and took out buildings. 

Recording tools were deployed a week before the storm and used into the weeks that followed the storm. These devices including drones, floating sensor buoys, fixed cameras, and aircraft fitted with LiDAR laser ranging sensors. This provided experts with the most detailed pre-storm and post-storm record that had ever been assembled.

The team determined that 11.5 million cubic meters of sand was eroded from beaches across a 200-kilometer stretch of Australia's eastern coast in only three days. This amount of sand could fill up a 100,000-person-capacity stadium to the brim with sand more than seven times. This is comparable to the amount of sand diminished on eastern coast of the United States by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The superstorm surveyed in Australia was only average in its force, but hit from a very unusual direction. 

"And that's what's really worrying," said co-author Ian Turner. "The damage we saw from a moderately intense storm last year is a harbinger of what's to come. Climate change is not only raising the oceans and threatening foreshores, but making our coastlines much more vulnerable as the direction of incoming storms change.”

Previous research calculated the cost of infrastructure damage caused by sea level rise could reach $226 billion in Australia alone. Buildings at risk include 258 police and emergency response stations, 75 hospitals and health centers, 41 waste disposal facilities, and five power stations. Data collected from long-term monitoring in areas like Narrabeen Beach in Sydney will help engineers build models to predict storm damage in advance. 

"With this data, we can now construct accurate coastal erosion models, to predict damage days before a storm hits," said senior lecturer Karen Splinter. "It will also be pivotal in understanding the future effect of climate change on coastal variability around the world."

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a>

Photo: Christopher Drummond/UNSW

Formerly calm coastal areas could soon see major storms

A study published in the latest issue of the journal...

Scientists at the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/">University of Waterloo</a> have determined that couples who live together actually share microbes. By testing the microbial profiles of cohabiting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fertility-treatment-likelihood-divorce/">couples</a>, the researchers were able to determine that the skin microbiomes of the partners had been significantly influenced by each other.

Ashley Ross led the study with senior author Josh Neufeld, whose lab focuses on microbial communities and their interactions. Ross had previously determined that microbes on the skin vary from region to region, and wanted to determine if external influences such as cohabitation help shape a person’s microbiome. 

Ross and Neufeld recruited heterosexual couples living in the Waterloo area for the unprecedented study. With the help of Dr. Andrew Doxey, the team analyzed 330 swabs collected by the participants from 17 regions of the skin. These areas included skin on the upper eyelids, torso, and armpits. 

Similarities in the microbial communities of the partners were strong enough that computer algorithms could identify cohabiting couples with 86 percent accuracy based on the data collected from the skin swabs. The strongest microbial similarities were found on the feet.

"In hindsight, it makes sense," said Neufeld. "You shower and walk on the same floor barefoot. This process likely serves as a form of microbial exchange with your partner, and also with your home itself."

The study, published in the journal mSystems, pointed out that aspects of a person such as gender and the specific part of the body being tested are factors which are more likely to affect a person's microbial configuration than cohabitation. For example, microbial communities of the inner thighs more closely resemble those of other people of the same sex than that of the partner. Computer testing was able to differentiate between men and women with 100 percent accuracy using inner thigh microbial samples alone. 

According to the researchers, people usually still resemble their own microbiome much more than their partner’s.

Ross plans to expand upon this study with the assessment of same-sex couples and couples with different ethnic backgrounds. The team expresses a need to continue the research in an effort to understand how skin microbiomes adapt and change with their hosts.

“Ultimately what we're trying to learn is whether skin microorganisms have co-evolved with their hosts over time,” said Neufeld.

 --

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff

Source: <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/">University Of Waterloo</a>

Study: Couples who live together actually share microbes

Scientists at the University of Waterloo have determined that couples...

Dogs have become much more friendly with humans after their genetic divergence with wolves thousands of years ago. Researchers have now identified a genetic marker in domestic dogs that is also found in people who have Williams-Beuren syndrome, a developmental condition that causes extremely sociable and outgoing behavior.

“The genetic basis for the behavioral divergence between dogs and wolves has been poorly understood, especially with regard to dogs’ success in human environments,” said Monique Udell, an animal scientist at Oregon State University.

Researchers from <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> and <a href="http://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> developed problem-solving tasks to evaluate 18 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-developed-wolves-europe/">domesticated</a> dogs and 10 human-socialized wolves. 

For the first experiment, the animals were given boxes containing sausages, and were allowed two minutes to figure out how to open the boxes. A person was placed in the room in order to test the responses of both groups to the presence of a human. The dog most often abandoned the task and focused their attention on the person, while the wolf was not concerned with the individual and attempted to complete their challenge.

In a second evaluation, a person was placed inside of a marked circle. First, the human attempted to make contact with the animals and called out their names. Next, the individual sat inside the circle without attempting any physical contact. Both wolves and dogs immediately approached the person in both phases of the test. However, the wolf lost interest within seconds and wandered away, while the dog stuck around for long periods of time.

The team used molecular tools to analyze blood samples from the animals. The blood tests revealed that dogs have the same genetic markers of people who suffer from Williams-Beuren syndrome, a condition that is characterized by hypersocial behavior.

“It was once thought that during domestication dogs had evolved an advanced form of social cognition that wolves lacked,” explained Udell. “This new evidence would suggest that dogs instead have a genetic condition that can lead to an exaggerated motivation to seek social contact compared to wolves.”

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a>

The real reason why dogs are so friendly and love everybody

Dogs have become much more friendly with humans after their...

Humans arrived in Australia about 65,000 years ago, over than 10,000 years earlier than scientists had previously believed, according to a new study.

The findings call into question the argument that humans caused the extinction of unique animals such as giant kangaroos, wombats, and tortoises more than 45,000 years ago, the authors said.

"Previously it was thought that humans arrived and hunted them out or disturbed their habits, leading to extinction, but these dates confirm that people arrived so far before that they wouldn't be the central cause of the death of megafauna," said Ben Marwick, co-author of the study and <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> Associate Professor of Anthropology. "It shifts the idea of humans charging into the landscape and killing off the megafauna. It moves toward a vision of humans moving in and coexisting, which is quite a different view of human evolution."

Researchers using radiocarbon dating and optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) to evaluate artifacts found in various layers of settlement at Madjedbebe, a rock shelter in Australia's Northern Territory.

Among the artifacts discovered were ochre "crayons" and other pigments, what could be the world's oldest edge-ground hatchets, and evidence that early humans ground seeds and processed plants. The pigments could have been used as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-paint-hydrogen-water-vapor/">paint</a>, while the tools may have been used to cut food.

Scientists determined the age range using OSL, which can tell the last time a grain of sand was exposed to sunlight, even up to 100,000 years prior.

The Madjedbebe findings not only reveal that humans occupied Australia at least 65,000 years ago, but also provide further support to the theory that Homo sapiens evolved in Africa before dispersing to other continents, Marwick said.

The findings also show that Neanderthals and Denisovans overlapped with humans for a long period of time, and suggest a larger role for Australia in the backstory of humankind, Marwick added.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a>

Humans arrived in Australia earlier than previously believed

Humans arrived in Australia about 65,000 years ago, over than...

Scientists, divers, and underwater photographers teamed up to document the disappearance of coral reefs in the Netflix film <a href="https://www.chasingcoral.com/">Chasing Coral</a>. The shocking images captured by the team give viewers an unparalleled look at the rapid decline of corals across the globe.

Richard Vevers, founder and CEO of <a href="http://www.theoceanagency.org/">The Ocean Agency</a>, developed the project in an effort to expose the magnitude of the coral crisis. He assembled a team to capture footage of a massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-bleaching-havoc-hawaiian/">coral bleaching</a> event, enlisting the help of Director Jeff Orlowski after viewing his 2012 documentary Chasing Ice.

In Chasing Coral, coral bleaching is described as a “phenomenon directly attributed to climate change” that has only been seen in recent years. Beginning in the 1980’s, large portions of coral began to turn white. The scientists explain this was not due to disease but to rising ocean temperatures. During the bleaching process, the corals attempt to get rid of algae that are not functioning properly and basically starve themselves by eliminating their main food source.

Dr. Ruth Gates is a coral reef biologist that expresses “the utmost respect for corals.” She describes the fascinating composition of the animals and compares their complexity to that of human beings, saying that corals choose to be “really sophisticated in a quiet way.” Dr. Gates explains that coral bleaching is a stress response much like fever is a stress response in humans.

Corals have many other species that depend on them in a type of “neighborhood” setting. According to the film, corals are essentially the nursery for 25 percent of life in the ocean.

For the project, the team managed to quickly develop cameras that could survive the stressors of being underwater and transmit images wirelessly to the researchers. Two months after the cameras were deployed, however, the experts discovered they were out of focus.

The team then travelled to the Great Barrier Reef, where they resorted to manually capturing underwater time-lapses. They ultimately selected two of the hottest locations where coral bleaching was certain to be taking place. At a site called Lizard Island, most of the reef turned to barren rock face in a matter of two months. 

Underwater camera technician Zack Rago says his infatuation with corals dates back to childhood. While he realized the heat wave they were documenting was going to be “nothing short of catastrophic for the coral,” he was still not prepared for the devastation he witnessed firsthand in his emotionally grueling dives on the Great Barrier Reef.

The footage is an alarming testament to the strain placed on marine ecosystems by rising ocean temperatures. The researchers point out that the majority of the impact of global climate change is occurring within Earth’s oceans. 93 percent of the heat trapped from greenhouse gases is absorbed by the ocean, and this film provides irrefutable evidence of the destruction that results.

50 percent of the world’s corals died in the last 30 years. In 2016, 29 percent of the corals of the Great Barrier Reef were lost in a single year. According to Dr. Gates, global warming at the current rate will result in the “eradication of an entire ecosystem in our lifetime.” 

Despite the fact that over half a billion people rely on coral reefs for their main source of food and income, the experts explain that it is difficult to make people realize the gravity of this issue. Vevers says that one of the biggest problems is that the ocean “is completely out of sight, out of mind.” He reminds us, “Without a healthy ocean, we do not have a healthy planet.”

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.chasingcoral.com/">Chasing Coral</a>

Earth.com film review: Chasing Coral

Scientists, divers, and underwater photographers teamed up to document the...

A new study has found that people who are genetically susceptible to Alzheimer's disease also face a greater risk of lower cognition from sleep-disordered breathing.

According to the study, published in the journal <a href="http://www.atsjournals.org/toc/annalsats/current">Annals of the American Thoracic Society</a>, individuals with the ε4 allele, an alternative form of the APOE gene that supports injury repair in the brain, have a higher chance of Alzheimer's disease. An estimated 20 percent of people carry the ε4 allele.

The new study evaluated whether the APOE-ε4 allele gene also influences the link between sleep-disordered breathing and cognition. The authors defined sleep-disordered breathing based the number of stopped or shallow breaths per hour.

Poorer attention and memory and daytime <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/perfect-meal-sleep-better-night/">sleepiness</a> were more strongly associated with APOE-ε4 carriers, the new study found.

Screening and treating sleep-disordered breathing could help reduce a person's risk of dementia, especially if they carry APOE-ε4, said the study’s senior author, Susan Redline of <a href="https://hms.harvard.edu/">Harvard Medical School</a>.

“Our study provides further evidence that sleep-disordered breathing negatively affects attention, processing speed and memory, which are robust predictors of cognitive decline,” Redline said. “Given the lack of effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease, our results support the potential for sleep-disordered breathing screening and treatment as part of a strategy to reduce dementia risk."

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.thoracic.org/">American Thoracic Society</a>

Sleep disorders could cause cognition problems due to this gene

A new study has found that people who are genetically...

For most people, maintaining a steady supply of energy while also burning fat is an ideal way for their body to function. This generally means eating healthy foods, exercising, and avoiding some of the less-nutritious food and drink pitfalls. Sugary drinks such as soda and many fruit juices are just one of these pitfalls, but recent research points to some additional negative effects of these beverages. 

According to a study published in the open access journal <a href="https://bmcnutr.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Nutrition</a>, indulging in a sugar-sweetened drink while eating a high-protein meal may negatively affect energy balance, alter food preferences, and cause your body to store more fat.

Researchers discovered that sugar-sweetened drinks decrease fat oxidation, which is what initiates the breakdown of fat molecules after a meal. Furthermore, the higher the protein content of the meal, the greater the decrease in fat oxidation – averaging out to a roughly 8% decrease. Even though drinking a sugary beverage increases the amount of energy expended in metabolizing a meal, this does not even out the consumption of additional calories from the drink.

“We found that about a third of the additional calories provided by the sugar-sweetened drinks were not expended, fat metabolism was reduced, and it took less energy to metabolize the meals,” says Shanon Casperson, the lead author of the study from <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/gfnd/gfhnrc/">USDA-Agricultural Research Service Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center</a>. “This decreased metabolic efficiency may ‘prime’ the body to store more fat.”

The consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks also increased the participants’ desire to eat savory and salty foods for as much as four hours after previously eating.

“Our findings suggest that having a sugar-sweetened drink with a meal impacts both sides of the energy balance equation,” explains Casperson. “On the intake side, the additional energy from the drink did not make people feel more sated. On the expenditure side, the additional calories were not expended and fat oxidation was reduced.”

Given that sugary drinks are the largest source of sugar in the average American’s diet, these findings are very telling of the role that these drinks play in the American <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/appetite-human-obesity-drug/">obesity</a> epidemic. Hopefully, furthering the understanding of the impact these dietary choices have on people’s weight and overall health may lead to individuals making better lifestyle choices in the future.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.biomedcentral.com/">Biomed Central</a>

Sugary drinks with a high-protein meal could be ruining your diet

For most people, maintaining a steady supply of energy while...

A new study reveals that do-it-yourself (DIY) toy manufacturing could have a multi-million dollar impact on the overall toy industry. The availability of low-cost 3D printers gives consumers ample opportunity to make toys at home and save a lot of money.

Engineers from<a href="http://www.mtu.edu/"> Michigan Technological University</a> and the London-based company <a href="https://www.myminifactory.com/">MyMiniFactory</a> teamed up to calculate how much desktop 3D printers could save consumers. 

MyMiniFactory is an online stock of free 3D printable designs. The team focused on the 100 most popular designs from the repository, and used three different materials to estimate the costs of creating the designs with a 3D printer. All three filament types were proven to save consumers at least 75 percent. One material, a recyclebot filament, saved more than 90 percent compared to the cost of commercially available <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/parents-addicted-smartphones-kids/">toys</a>. 

With the data collected from just 100 toys, which represents less than one percent of the MyMiniFactory repository, DIY toy projects would offset the costs of commercial toy purchases by $60 million dollars in a single year. 

The research team was led by Joshua Pearce, a professor of Materials Science and Electrical Engineering at Michigan Tech. Pearce pointed out another benefit of owning a 3D printer is the ability to create toys and games that are not commercially available.

"It's one thing to buy a toy from a store or get a commodity toy for your children," said Pearce. "It's perhaps more valuable to get that exact, specific toy that your kid really wants that you can either design yourself or download and customize on your computer and print at home."

The team established that a 3D-printed block using recyclebot filament costs only half a cent, yet the cost of a Lego block is 6 cents.

"Speaking as a parent, Legos are expensive. All parents know you can't find them at garage sales; everyone hoards them like they're gold," said Pearce. "Now you can make custom compatible blocks and have that same kind of fun while playing with something you make yourself."

Pearce's team also discovered significant savings with more complex toys such as board games and action figures. According to the research, DIY manufacturing of these types of toys could save consumers between 40 and 90 percent. 

Pearce said that the use of 3D printing will become more widespread and will have a growing impact on the toy industry.

"One way toy companies might adapt is open-sourcing some of the designs of the toys themselves and focusing on currently unprintable components or openly encouraging the maker community and open-source community to design accessories or add-ons to commercial toys to make their toys more valuable," said Pearce.

The results of the study are published this week in the journal Technologies.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.mtu.edu/">Michigan Technological University</a>

Image: Joshua Pearce

3D printing becoming major competition for the toy industry

A new study reveals that do-it-yourself (DIY) toy manufacturing could...

Simply thinking you don’t exercise enough can harm your health, according to a new study.

The <a href="http://www.apa.org/">American Psychological Association</a> study found that people who felt they weren't as active as their peers turned out to be 71 percent more likely to die during the study's follow-up period than those who believed they had a more active lifestyle. 

The results took into account actual amounts of physical activity, chronic illnesses, and age.

"Most people know that not exercising enough is bad for your health," said Octavia Zahrt, a doctoral candidate at the <a href="http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/">Stanford University Graduate School of Business</a>. "But most people do not know that thinking you are not exercising enough can also harm your health."

Study participants answered questions about their actual level of activity and their perceived level of physical activity compared to others their age. 

Strangely, the perceptions about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-pill-form/">physical activity</a> did not always reflect their actual exercise.

“Our perceptions about how much exercise we are getting and whether or not we think that exercise is adequate are influenced by many factors other than how much exercise we are actually getting," said Zahrt. "For example, if you live in an area where most of your peers are really fit, you might perceive yourself as relatively inactive, even though your exercise may be sufficient. Or if you believe that only running or working out at the gym count as real exercise, you may overlook the exercise you are getting at work or at home cleaning and carrying kids around."

The “placebo effect” could account for the changes in mortality based on perceptions of exercise. For example, different studies have shown that drugs are actually less effective when the patient doesn’t know they’ve taken them.

“Following this logic, someone who does not believe that she is exercising enough may get fewer physiological benefits from activity than someone who believes she is exercising enough," said Alia Crum, assistant professor of psychology at Stanford.

Another explanation is that when people think that they are doing worse than their peers, they become depressed, fearful and less active, which could worsen health, the authors said.

"Our research suggests that perceiving everyday activities as good exercise is almost as important as doing the activities in the first place,” Crum said. “In the pursuit of health and longevity, it is important not only to adopt healthy behaviors but also healthy thoughts."

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/hea/">Health Psychology</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.apa.org/">American Psychological Association</a>

Study: Negative thinking on exercise harmful to health

Simply thinking you don’t exercise enough can harm your health,...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
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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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Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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