Americans hear the same advice again and again - eat better and move more. Yet obesity keeps climbing. Almost 40 percent of adults live with it today. Healthcare costs soar past $170 billion each year.



Related diseases, including certain cancers, are rising too. If the answer were only diet and exercise, the trend would have reversed by now.



Scientists at <a href="https://www.uclahealth.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCLA Health</a> argue that something else is driving the epidemic. They point to stress, inequality, and life circumstances that change how the gut and brain work. 



These forces don’t just influence choices. They shape cravings, motivation, and biology itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-obesity-tied-to-social-pressures">Obesity tied to social pressures</h2>



The new review, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, shows how social conditions affect obesity. Researchers call these conditions social determinants of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-childhood-obesity-rate-is-expected-to-soar-by-2050/">health</a>. 



These includes income, education, neighborhood safety, healthcare access, childhood adversity, discrimination, and isolation.



Think of them as the backdrop of daily life, where cheap food options dominate, streets feel unsafe, health care is hard to reach, and stress never fades. 



Each of these pressures pushes the body toward weight gain, shaping how people eat, how much they move, and how they cope.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gut-microbes-influence-brain-cravings">Gut microbes influence brain cravings</h2>



The body has a messenger system linking the gut to the brain. Microbes in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-is-linked-more-to-food-than-fitness/">gut</a> release signals. The brain responds with hormones and chemical shifts. Together, they steer appetite and cravings.



Dr. Arpana Church, who co-directs the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, describes this loop as central. 



“Our findings reveal that tackling obesity requires more than focusing on individual choices - it demands recognizing the powerful role that social and environmental forces play in shaping gut health, behavior and long-term health outcomes," said Dr. Church.



"Reversing the escalating obesity epidemic in America demands a dual approach - personalized, equitable care for individuals and bold, systemic policy reforms that address the root causes."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-fuels-obesity-patterns">Stress fuels obesity patterns</h2>



Financial stress shapes food choices. Families on tight budgets often buy processed meals because fresh produce costs more. 



Food insecurity makes obesity more common in both adults and children. Stress hormones then reinforce those eating patterns.



Neighborhoods also matter. Poorer areas often lack grocery stores, safe spaces, or healthcare. Violence and crime raise daily stress, pushing people toward food for comfort. Structural racism deepens the problem by concentrating disadvantage in certain communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-loneliness-changes-brain-responses">Loneliness changes brain responses</h2>



Isolation adds another layer. People without strong social ties process <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fat-soaking-microbeads-could-be-the-next-weight-loss-breakthrough/">food</a> cues differently. The brain becomes more sensitive to rewards, and food looks more tempting. 



At the same time, the gut microbiome loses diversity. Inflammation rises and cravings grow stronger.



“Research shows that social determinants of health - such as access to nutritious food, safe spaces for physical activity, access to resources such as education, grocery stores, and quality health care - are powerful drivers of obesity risk, underscoring the need to address the conditions in which people live, work and grow,” said Dr. Church.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-rewires-the-brain-and-body">Stress rewires the brain and body</h2>



Stress, poor diet, and discrimination don’t just change behavior - they rewire systems. Brain scans show less gray matter in areas that control motivation and self-control.



Chronic inflammation lowers dopamine, reducing satisfaction from normal rewards. Harmful bacteria flourish in the gut, weakening metabolism and insulin response.



Racism-related stress leaves its mark too. Repeated exposure alters <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-over-matter-brain-boosting-diet-could-enhance-focus-in-children/">brain</a> networks that handle emotions and decision-making. 



It also shifts gut chemistry, promoting inflammation. These biological changes make food an easy, almost automatic coping tool.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-childhood-stress-sets-obesity-patterns">Childhood stress sets obesity patterns</h2>



The review shows that these effects start young. Stress during pregnancy changes fetal development. Children may inherit altered metabolic responses before they’re born. 



After birth, breastfeeding, antibiotics, and early diet shape the microbiome further. Breastfeeding can lower obesity risk in adolescents, especially in disadvantaged families. 



Still, ongoing stress and poor diet often outweigh those protections. By the time children reach school age, the patterns are set.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community-resources-reduce-risk">Community resources reduce risk</h2>



Dr. Church emphasized that policy shifts are vital. Health care must expand. Schools need <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-foods-can-be-staged-to-look-more-appealing/">healthier meals</a>, and neighborhoods need grocery stores and safe parks. But individuals can still act within limits.



Choosing affordable nutritious food, keeping social connections, and practicing stress relief can all help. Walking outside, journaling, and gratitude exercises are simple tools. 



"At the same time, healthcare providers have a vital role to play, not only by screening for current social determinants of health, but also by recognizing how these factors accumulate and evolve over time, which is rarely accounted for in today’s clinical practice," said Dr. Church.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mindfulness-and-therapy-show-promise">Mindfulness and therapy show promise</h2>



Clinics are trying new strategies. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tai-chi-reduces-inflammatory-risks-in-cancer-survivors/">Cognitive behavioral therapy</a> helps people change eating habits. Mindfulness reduces stress-driven overeating. 



Researchers are also testing probiotics and even fecal microbiota transplants to restore gut health.



“By understanding these influences and tailoring treatment plans to account for biological and psychosocial challenges, providers can offer more personalized plans that improve outcomes, empowers individuals to take control over their health,” noted Dr. Church.



The message is clear: obesity is not only about food or exercise. It reflects stress, inequality, and biology shaped by the world outside. Until those pressures shift, the numbers won’t change.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1542356525007323" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

New study claims obesity is driven by these two factors, not just diet and exercise, upending current beliefs

Americans hear the same advice again and again - eat better and move more. Yet obesity keeps climbing. Almost 40 percent of adults live with it today. Healthcare costs soar past $170 billion each year. Related diseases, including certain cancers, are rising too. If the answer were only diet and exercise, the trend would have reversed by now. Scientists at UCLA Health argue that something else is driving the epidemic. They point to stress, inequality, and life circumstances that change how the gut and brain work. These...

It turns out humans have been on this planet far longer than we had ever known. Today, researchers announced the discovery of the oldest human fossils ever found. The 300,000 year-old remains were found at an excavation site in Morocco, pushing back evidence of human existence by 100,000 years.

The bones were discovered at an archeological site near the city of Marrakech that has frequently yielded human remains. But up until now, they had only dated back about 40,000 years. 

The previous record holder for known fossils were from Ethiopia and were only 195,000 years old. 

The newly discovered bones reveal early humans that possessed a combination of modern and primitive traits. 

"They are not just like us," said researcher Jean-Jacques Hublin of the <a href="http://www.eva.mpg.de/">Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a>. But they did have "basically the face you could meet on the train in New York."

"In the last 300,000 years, the main story is the change of the brain," Hublin said.

Hublin added that the fossils indicate that Homo sapiens evolved into their modern day form at more than one location in Africa. 

“There was no Garden of Eden,” said Jean-Jacques Hublin, also from the <a href="http://www.eva.mpg.de/">Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a>.

This particular excavation site has been active since the 1960s, but it was only recently that researchers discovered a new layer. The site is believed to have been a hunting camp for early humans, where they killed and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossils-reveal-diet-early-humans/">ate</a> gazelles, zebras, and wildebeests. 

-

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a>

Photo Credit: Philipp Gunz / MPI EVA LeipzigReuters

Oldest human bones ever discovered found in Morocco

It turns out humans have been on this planet far...

Climate change is often seen as posing the greatest risk to coastal areas, but the nation's inland cities face perils of their own, including more intense storms and more frequent flooding, the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a> reported.

Inland areas will also have to confront the issue of bridges that were built too low for rising river water levels. A century-old train trestle in Des Moines, Iowa was restored a decade ago, but now has to be raised 4.5 feet with a crane after experts concluded that the river's flooding risk was nearly double earlier estimates. The most likely culprit? Climate change.

"It was like a bomb was dropped off in our lap," city engineer Pam Cooksey said of the revised flood forecasts from the <a href="http://www.usace.army.mil/">Army Corps of Engineers</a>. The findings suggested that the bridge could act as a dam during bad storms, sending waves of backed-up floodwater into the refurbished business district.

Bridges are also being raised even in states such as Texas, where many political leaders are still debating whether <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/calculating-cost-climate-change-2/">climate change</a> is even real.

In Milwaukee, bridges have been raised as part of $400 million in flood-management projects across a metro area with 28 communities. In Reno, Nevada, officials spent about $18 million to replace a bridge over the Truckee River last year and plan to replace three more after flood-danger projections were increased by up to 15 percent.

Because the cities are inland, many residents were not expecting to experience direct effects of climate change.

"A lot of these are not the kind of places that people are used to thinking of being in the forefront of climate change," said Jim Schwab, manager of the Hazards Planning Center at the American Planning Association, which is working with nearly a dozen cities on flood-mitigation options.

Many communities are "still feeling their way through this particular problem," he said.

The <a href="https://www.fema.gov/">Federal Emergency Management Agency</a> (FEMA) says it's now routinely providing money to help cities raise bridges, although no dollar total is available. Typically, more than 1,500 bridges are reconstructed each year for an assortment of reasons.

Hundreds and possibly thousands of bridge-raising projects have been completed recently or are planned, Schwab said. A cursory check by the AP in a handful of states found at least 20 locations where bridges have been raised or construction will begin soon.

In Texas, where politicians including Sen. Ted Cruz have questioned whether the climate is growing warmer and if humans have caused the change, Austin has raised two bridges in the past five years and plans to improve three more stream crossings, said Pam Kearfott, a supervising engineer in the city's watershed protection department.

Officials "try to stick to the technical basis for change" and ignore the politics, she said.

--

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.ap.org/en-us/"> Associated Press</a>

Inland areas face climate change perils, too

Climate change is often seen as posing the greatest risk...

Fossils recovered from a site in Morocco reveal that the Middle Stone Age began just over 300,000 years ago. The findings provide evidence of a significant shift in human physiology and behavior across <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-springs-early-humans-migrate/">Africa</a> in this time period. 

The fossils, dug up at the Jebel Irhoud archaeological site in Morocco, date the Homo sapiens species back approximately 100,000 years earlier than previous studies. This dig site has been world renowned since the 1960s, although the age of the fossils recovered here were largely undetermined. 

The artifacts also produce evidence of what ancient humans were eating. Teresa Steele is a paleoanthropologist at the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California Davis</a> who analyzed the fossils. She discovered a diet of gazelle, wildebeests, zebras, and ostrich eggs. 

Steele was part of an international research team that began excavating at the site in 2004. She is the co-author of "Human origins: Moroccan remains push back date for the emergence of Homo sapiens,” which will be published tomorrow in the journal Nature. 

The excavation project was led by Jean-Jacques Hublin of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and Abdelouahed Ben-Ncer of the National Institute for Archaeology and Heritage. The team uncovered 16 new Homo sapiens fossils that included skulls, teeth, and bones. The dig also produced stone tools and animal bones.

Examination of the animal fossils indicated they were 337,000 to 374,000 years old. Steele was able to identify the species of 472 of the animal bones, and established which animals were food for humans through various marks. Steele determined that small game was not the preferred meal. 

"It really seemed like people were fond of hunting," said Steele.

Marks on the animal bones indicated that humans broke them open and ate the marrow. Large predators such as leopards and hyenas were also present at this time, but there was little evidence to suggest that they left the marks.

"In my view, what it does is to continue to make it more feasible that North Africa had a role to play in the evolution of modern humans,” concluded Steele.

&nbsp;

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.ucdavis.edu/">University of California Davis</a>

Fossils reveal new details about the diet of early humans

Fossils recovered from a site in Morocco reveal that the...

When we have flashes of insight, this is known as creativity. We may discover new solutions to old problems or simply improvise ways to deal with life. A new study explores whether or not brain stimulation can make a person more creative. 

Researchers from <a href="http://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University</a> and Goldsmiths University used a method called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to initiate creativity. This technique incorporates saline solution soaked into sponge electrodes that are placed on the scalp to regulate the response of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, or DLPFC. This is a region of the frontal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-light-drinking-damages-brain/">brain</a> that is involved in our ability to reason. 

"We solve problems by applying rules we learn from experience, and the DLPFC plays a key role in automating this process," explained Dr Caroline Di Bernardi Luft, first author of the study. "It works fine most of the time, but fails spectacularly when we encounter new problems which require a new style of thinking - our past experience can indeed block our creativity. To break this mental fixation, we need to loosen up our learned rules.”

60 individuals were evaluated on their ability to solve problems in a creative way before and after the experiments were conducted. The individuals were asked to solve “matchstick problems,” which required them to think beyond what they know about arithmetic and algebra. During this time, the DLPFC was either activated, suppressed, or not stimulated according to the flow of electrical currents.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, revealed that subjects who had their DLPFC suppressed were able to solve hard problems more easily than the participants who had their DLPFC activated or unstimulated. This indicates that suppressing this region of the brain eliminates learned or assumed notions, and gives individuals a chance to think more creatively.

The researchers also noted that the same participants actually got worse at solving problems that required them to use their memory. They had difficulty keeping track of the mental steps that were necessary in finding the solutions.  

"These results are important because they show the potential of improving mental functions relevant for creativity by non-invasive brain stimulation methods," said Dr Luft. "However, our results also suggest that potential applications of this technique will have to consider the target cognitive effects in more detail rather than just assuming tDCS can improve cognition as claimed by some companies which are starting to sell tDCS machines for home users.”

"I would say that we are not yet in a position to wear an electrical hat and start stimulating our brain hoping for a blanket cognitive gain,” concluded Dr. Luft.

--

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.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University</a>

How electrical brain stimulation can make you more creative

When we have flashes of insight, this is known as...

Eating eggs significantly increases growth in young children, according to a new <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University</a> study.

"Eggs can be affordable and easily accessible," said Lora Iannotti, lead author of the study.

"They are also a good source of nutrients for growth and development in young children. Eggs have the potential to contribute to reduced growth stunting around the world."

For the study, published online in the journal <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/">Pediatrics,</a> researchers conducted a randomized, controlled trial in Ecuador in 2015. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engaging-children-reading-literacy/">Children</a> ages 6-9 months were randomly assigned to be given one egg per day for 6 months, compared to a control group, which did not receive eggs.

The results of eating eggs were much greater than found in previous studies, the university said.

Eating eggs reduced stunted growth by 47 percent and low weight by 74 percent, the study found. Children in the treatment group had higher dietary intakes of eggs and reduced intake of sugar-sweetened foods compared to the control group.

"We were surprised by just how effective this intervention proved to be," Iannotti said

Eggs are a complete food, safely packaged, and arguably more accessible in resource-poor populations than other complementary foods, specifically fortified foods, Iannotti said.

"Our study carefully monitored allergic reactions to eggs, yet no incidents were observed or reported by caregivers during the weekly home visits," she added. "Eggs seem to be a viable and recommended source of nutrition for children in developing countries."

--

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://wustl.edu/">Washington University </a>

How eating eggs significantly increases growth in children

Eating eggs significantly increases growth in young children, according to...

Even moderate alcohol drinking can cause a decline in mental skills, according to a new study.

Heavy alcohol consumption is known to be associated with poor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-brain-processes-love/">brain</a> health, but few studies have examined the effects of moderate drinking on the brain.

A team of researchers based at the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> and <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a>  investigated whether moderate alcohol consumption has a beneficial or harmful association -- or no association at all -- with brain structure and function.

They used data on weekly alcohol intake and cognitive performance measured repeatedly over 30 years. From 1985 through 2015, 550 healthy men and women took part in an evaluation of the long term health of 10,000 British adults.

The researchers found that higher alcohol consumption over the 30 year study period was associated with increased risk of hippocampal atrophy - a form of brain damage that affects memory and spatial navigation.

While heavy drinkers, those who consume more than 30 units a week, were at higher risk of brain damage than abstainers, even those drinking moderately (14 to 21 units per week) were three times more likely to have hippocampal atrophy compared with abstainers.

Higher consumption was also associated with poorer white matter integrity (critical for efficient cognitive functioning) and faster decline in language fluency (how many words beginning with a specific letter can be generated in one minute).

But the study, published in the <a href="http://www.bmj.com/">British Medical Journal</a>, did not find a link between drinking and  semantic fluency (how many words in a specific category can be named in one minute) or word recall, the study said.

The findings have important potential public health implications for a large sector of the population, the authors said.

"Our findings support the recent reduction in UK safe limits and call into question the current US guidelines, which suggest that up to 24.5 units a week is safe for men, as we found increased odds of hippocampal atrophy at just 14-21 units a week, and we found no support for a protective effect of light consumption on brain structure," the authors wrote.

In an editorial linked to the study, Killian Welch, consultant neuropsychiatrist at the <a href="http://www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/GoingToHospital/Locations/REH/Pages/default.aspx">Royal Edinburgh Hospital</a>, said the findings "strengthen the argument that drinking habits many regard as normal have adverse consequences for health."

With publication of the paper, “justification of ‘moderate’ drinking on the grounds of brain health becomes a little harder," Welch wrote.

--

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.bmj.com/">British Medical Journal</a>

Study: Even light drinking damages the brain

Even moderate alcohol drinking can cause a decline in mental skills,...

When choosing between what actions to take, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-blame-lead-pollution/">humans</a> perform a risk analysis. The brain also has a technique to determine how much effort is put into any given action. Researchers from the <a href="http://www.dpz.eu/en/home.html">German Primate Center</a> set out to observe the various aspects of human movement and the amount of effort put into their execution.

A team of scientists led by Dr. Pierre Morel analyzed arm motions to establish what characteristics of the movements produced more effort. 

Participants in the study were asked to choose between arm movements which required varying amounts of amplitude, duration, and power. The individuals exerted more effort when the opposing force was stronger. In fact, effort was found to be directly proportionate to the strength needed to execute the motion. 

Effort was also affected by the limits and capabilities of the muscles utilized. Physical exertion increased when the movements demanded use of weaker muscles - even when little strength was required to complete the movement. 

In addition, the team established that the distance covered by the movements had no correlation with the amount of effort. However, there was a noticeable correspondence between duration and energy exertion, as actions that lasted longer felt more strenuous to the subjects than shorter actions. 

"Our results allow us to estimate action-related costs in decision-making, showing they cannot easily be predicted from energetic expense", explained Morel. "More than that, the results also give weight to the idea that action selection in decision-making and in movement execution have common properties and hence might be based on shared mechanisms." 

Despite the fact that there is more than one way to execute an arm movement, people tend to utilize the same motions when repeatedly pursuing the same target. Further research on this subject may help researchers gain a better understanding of the human decision-making process.

The study, published today in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/">PLOS Biology</a>, was led by Alexander Gail.

"We conclude that previously described optimization principles during movement execution seem to also serve as guiding principles during economically motivated conscious choice before movement execution,” said Gail.

--

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://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/">PLOS Biology</a>

Scientists explain why body movement feels strenuous

When choosing between what actions to take, humans perform a risk...

The human microbiome is a vast collection of microorganisms that reside inside the body. These microbes are responsible for everything from fighting germs to absorbing nutrients from digested food. An emerging study analyzes the health value of white bread versus wheat bread, and the effect these types of bread have on the microbiome. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.weizmann.ac.il/">Weizmann Institute</a> enlisted the help of 20 healthy volunteers for the study. The experts initially saw little change in the participants after processing bread, so they developed a formula to see how different individuals reacted to different bread in their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beak-shape-determined-diet/">diets</a>.

Many aspects of the participants’ health were monitored before and during the study, including fat and cholesterol levels and glucose levels. Kidney and liver enzymes were also measured, as well as the microbiomes of the individuals.

The researchers established that the average amount of bread consumed by the volunteers accounted for 10% of their calorie intake. The individuals were asked to incorporate 15% more bread into their daily diets. Half of the participants were instructed to eat white bread, and the others were to eat whole wheat bread. After one week, the volunteers took a two-week break from bread, and then their roles were reversed. 

Eran Segal is a computational biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and one of the study's senior authors.

"The initial finding, and this was very much contrary to our expectation, was that there were no clinically significant differences between the effects of these two types of bread on any of the parameters that we measured," explained Segal. 


However, a meticulous look into the study revealed that the individuals had different glycemic responses to the same bread. About half the people had a better response to the white bread, and the others had a better glycemic response to the whole wheat sourdough. 

Eran Elinav is a researcher in the Department of Immunology at the Weizmann Institute and a senior author of the study.


"The findings for this study are not only fascinating but potentially very important, because they point toward a new paradigm: different people react differently, even to the same foods," said Elinav. "To date, the nutritional values assigned to food have been based on minimal science, and one-size-fits-all diets have failed miserably. These findings could lead to a more rational approach for telling people which foods are a better fit for them, based on their microbiomes."

The study, published today in Cell Metabolism, will lead to further analysis by the research team on the effects of white and wheat bread on the human microbiome. 
--
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.weizmann.ac.il/">Weizmann Institute</a>

Image Credit: Korem et al./Cell Metabolism 2017

Is white bread as healthy as wheat? It depends who’s eating it

The human microbiome is a vast collection of microorganisms that...

Climate change is causing extreme weather events that are becoming more frequent, and capable of unprecedented destruction and loss of life. The Paris Climate Agreement brought leaders together to create a plan to reduce carbon emissions on a global scale, and to begin the process of healing the Earth's atmosphere. 

It is difficult to place an exact value on the environmental and economic benefits of curbing carbon emissions. However, scientists across the globe have begun estimating how costly it is to continue pumping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at the current rate. 

A <a href="https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/04/climate-change-will-blow-a-25tn-hole-in-global-financial-assets-study-warns">study</a> conducted in 2016 by the London School of Economics revealed that climate change has the potential to reduce the world's financial assets by 2.5 trillion dollars. The worst case scenarios modeled by the team led to losses as great as 24 trillion dollars, which would devastate the global economy. According to the researchers, this massive depletion of the planet's resources would be a direct result of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wmo-list-deadliest-weather-events/">extreme weather</a> events, loss of income, and other complications of global warming. 

A <a href="https://www.epa.gov/cira/climate-action-benefits-key-findings">report</a> released by the EPA in 2015 provided a breakdown of the potential cost of climate change across 20 regions in America. The study projected the economic impact of global warming through the year 2100, and then estimated how those costs would be cut by controlling greenhouse gas emissions. Most significantly, 57,000 lives could be saved by a lack of air pollution, and up to 12,000 less people would die from extreme hot or cold temperatures. 

The EPA’s evaluation also determined the costs associated with storm surge and rising sea levels may be lessened by 3.1 billion dollars by the year 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. There would be 40%-59% less severe drought, with a savings of as much as 3.1 billion dollars. Up to 11 billion dollars would be preserved with less agricultural damages, and between 6.0 - 7.9 million acres could be spared from forest fires.

A <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/24/world/europe/extreme-weather-disasters-united-nations-paris.html">report</a> by the United Nations in 2015 revealed that 600,000 people have lost their lives to natural disasters in the last two decades. Storms killed the most people, including a cyclone that hit Myanmar in 2008 and claimed 138,000 lives. 148,000 people died as a result of heat waves, while floods impacted 2.3 billion people. The report, created in preparation for the climate meeting in Paris, said that weather-related disasters doubled compared to the previous decade, at an estimated expense of 1.9 trillion dollars. 

Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has worked extensively to keep climate change at the forefront of the global agenda. 

“Climate change has happened because of human behavior, therefore it’s only natural it should be us, human beings, to address this issue. It may not be too late if we take decisive actions today,” said Ki-Moon.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Sources: <a href="https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/04/climate-change-will-blow-a-25tn-hole-in-global-financial-assets-study-warns">London School of Economics</a>, <a href="https://www.epa.gov/cira/climate-action-benefits-key-findings">EPA</a>, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/24/world/europe/extreme-weather-disasters-united-nations-paris.html">New York Times</a>

Earth.com Feature: Calculating the cost of climate change

Climate change is causing extreme weather events that are becoming...

Low doses of THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana, can reduce stress, but even slightly higher amounts can increase anxiety, a new study found.

Very few published studies have examined the effects of THC on stress, said Emma Childs, associate Professor of Psychiatry at the <a href="http://www.uic.edu/">University of Illinois Chicago</a> and corresponding author on the study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/drug-and-alcohol-dependence">Drug and Alcohol Dependence</a>.

Childs and her colleagues recruited 42 volunteers, 18 to 40 years old, who had some experience with marijuana use but were not daily users.

They divided participants randomly into three groups: The low-dose group received a capsule containing 7.5 milligrams of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-slow-memory-loss/">THC</a>; the moderate-dose group received a capsule containing 12.5 milligrams of THC; and a placebo group received a capsule containing none. Neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was in each group.

“The doses used in the study produce effects that are equivalent to only a few puffs of a cannabis cigarette,”  Childs said. “We didn’t want to include a much larger dose, because we wanted to avoid potential adverse effects or cardiovascular effects that can result from higher doses of THC.”

Two hours after taking the capsules, participants were asked to perform psychological tasks such as mock job interviews and talking with lab assistants about their favorite books or movies.

Researchers measured blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol, a key stress hormone, at intervals.


The participants who received 7.5 milligrams of THC reported less stress after the psychosocial test than those given a placebo, and their stress levels dissipated faster after the test.

Participants who received 12.5 milligrams of THC before the two tasks reported greater negative mood before and throughout the task, and were more likely to rate the psychosocial task as “challenging” and “threatening” beforehand.

“Our findings provide some support for the common claim that cannabis is used to reduce stress and relieve tension and anxiety,” Childs said. “At the same time, our finding that participants in the higher THC group reported small but significant increases in anxiety and negative mood throughout the test supports the idea that THC can also produce the opposite effect.”

--

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.uic.edu/">University of Illinois Chicago</a>

Marijuana: low doses relieve stress, high doses cause anxiety

Low doses of THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana,...

Everyone knows distracted driving is dangerous. Now, researchers say they’re beginning to figure out why.

Every day, eight people are killed in the United States in a crash related to distracted driving, according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>. Another 1,161 are injured, data from the agency states.

Cellphones are the most obvious modern culprit. According to the <a href="http://www.nsc.org/">National Safety Council</a>, 1.6 million crashes per year are directly linked to cellphone use while driving.

But even a simple conversation can be a dangerous distraction for a driver, according to a new study by researchers from the <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a>. 

Researchers from the college’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences set out to determine just how distracting a conversation can be. Using computer equipment to monitor eye movement, they asked volunteers a series of true-or-false questions. A computer monitor simulated a roadway.

By tracking eye movements, they learned that “drivers” focusing on their questions took about twice as long to focus on new objects on the screen. 

"What this study suggests is the reason you should be cautious (when holding a conversation while driving) is it slows your attention down, and we're just not aware of it because it happens so fast," said Dr. Shaun Vecera, the study’s lead author.

The researchers used three groups of subjects for their study. The “active listeners” were asked to listen and respond to questions. “Passive listeners” were asked to listen, but not try to formulate a response. The last group did not receive any questions.

The active listeners took longer to disengage their attention from an object they were looking at and turn that attention onto a new object, the researchers found. They also found no difference between simple and complex questions. The findings suggest that the brain must be focused on a question to answer it, no matter how simple, the researchers said.

For now, that means ignoring your cellphone while driving. 

"There's no evidence that I know of that says you can eliminate the mental distraction of cell phone use with practice or conditioning," Vecera said in a press release. "But that is an open question that should be studied."

The study was published in <a href="https://link.springer.com/journal/13423">Psychonomic Bulletin and Review</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, Earth.com staff writer

Researchers: distracted driving begins within the mind

Everyone knows distracted driving is dangerous. Now, researchers say they’re...

A good night’s sleep can perk up your sex life, and an active sex life can lead to good sleep, according to a new study.

According to the study, women over the age of 50 who get less than seven hours of sleep per night are less likely to be sexually active than younger, better rested women. The researchers found that a full night of good sleep can raise a person’s chances of having sex the following day by 14 percent.

“Women and healthcare providers need to recognize the link between menopause symptoms and inadequate sleep and their effects on sexual satisfaction,” said Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, executive director of the <a href="http://www.menopause.org/">North American Menopause Society</a>, which conducted the study. 

Researchers studied data from more than 93,000 women aged 50 to 79, all of whom were enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. They found that nearly half of women who got less than 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night reported being unsatisfied with their sex lives. About 48 percent had not had sex with a partner in the past year, NAMS said in a press release.

The amount of satisfying sex women had dropped the less sleep they got, according to the researchers. Those who suffered from sleep disorders like insomnia also showed lower rates of satisfying sexual activity.

“There are effective treatment options to help with sleep disruption and sexual satisfaction, including hormone therapy, which this study confirmed to be effective at menopause for symptomatic women,” Pinkerton said.

The study adds to previous research, which showed that men and women of all ages who suffer from sleep disorders tend to have less active sex lives. Other studies have also shown that rates of sexual dysfunction are higher in both men and women with sleep apnea.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Credit: <a href="http://www.menopause.org/">North American Menopause Society</a>

Good sleep leads to better sex, study finds

A good night’s sleep can perk up your sex life,...

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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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



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



-----

Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



-----



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



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



-----

Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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



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



-----

The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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



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



-----

What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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



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



-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

News coming your way