Healthy eating often feels like a moving target. Advice flips, trends flare up, and people are left unsure about what actually supports the heart.



A careful look at spicy food offers a clear signal worth your attention. A new population analysis from Sichuan Province, China, tracked adults and linked frequent chili intake to lower rates of major heart and brain events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spicy-food-and-heart-health">Spicy food and heart health</h2>



<a href="https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/706473/bio" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marialaura Bonaccio</a> of <a href="https://www.reteneuroscienze.it/en/Istituto/irccs-istituto-neurologico-mediterraneo-neuromed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IRCCS</a> Neuromed has spent years studying chili peppers and heart outcomes in Europe, and her work helps frame this topic globally. 



Her perspective complements findings from China while reminding us to keep lifestyle and culture in the mix.



The Chinese team analyzed 54,859 adults and found that compared with people who rarely ate spicy food, those who ate it 6 to 7 days per week were less likely to develop ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases. 



They also saw a reduced risk of ischemic stroke, a blockage in brain blood flow, with the likelihood of these problems dropping further as spicy food consumption became more frequent.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spicy-foods-can-slow-down-eating-and-cut-calorie-intake/">Moderate spice</a> intensity tracked with a lower overall risk of cardio and cerebrovascular disease in the cohort. 



Starting regular spicy intake earlier in life also lined up with lower risk, although the effect did not extend to hemorrhagic stroke.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-food-gets-spicy">How food gets spicy</h2>



The main bioactive in chilies is <a href="https://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/capgen.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">capsaicin</a>, which is responsible for the burning sensation people feel when eating spicy foods. 



Beyond taste, capsaicin works on a special sensor in the body, found in nerves and in the lining of blood vessels. 



When this sensor is stimulated regularly, research in animals shows that it can increase the natural production of nitric oxide, a chemical that relaxes blood vessels and helps blood flow more smoothly. 



This process has also been linked to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trying-to-lower-your-blood-pressure-this-common-nutrient-can-help/">lower blood pressure</a>, especially in animals with hypertension, which is long term high blood pressure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-capsaicin-and-arteries">Capsaicin and arteries</h2>



These changes are important because they improve the overall health of the inner walls of arteries. 



Strong, flexible arteries are better able to expand and contract, which reduces the workload on the heart and lowers the chance of damage over time. 



Better vessel relaxation means the circulatory system can adjust more easily when the body needs more blood flow, such as during exercise or stress.



Capsaicin’s impact is not just about the immediate burning feeling on the tongue. Inside the body, it sets off chemical signals that affect how cells behave. 



Over time, researchers have measured changes in proteins connected to nitric oxide pathways, and these shifts line up with long term improvements in how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-blood-vessels-may-fuel-the-spread-of-cancer-cells/">blood vessels function</a>. 



This suggests that eating spicy foods regularly may provide benefits for cardiovascular health that go well beyond flavor or temporary sensation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-this-fits-with-past-evidence">How this fits with past evidence</h2>



Large-scale work in China from 2004 to 2013 linked frequent spicy eating to lower all cause mortality. 



In that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26242395/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study,</a> participants who ate spicy food 6 or 7 days per week had a 14 percent lower risk of death than those who ate it less than once a week, with inverse associations also seen for ischemic heart disease and respiratory diseases.



A separate Italian <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31856971/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cohort</a> found that people who ate chili peppers more than four times per week had lower total and cardiovascular mortality. The association persisted even when researchers accounted for adherence to the Mediterranean diet.



Findings from the Italian study showed that chili pepper consumption appeared to offer protection for the heart even when overall eating habits differed. 



The benefit was seen both in people who followed a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-boosts-brain-power-by-altering-the-gut/">Mediterranean diet</a> and in those whose diets were less healthy, suggesting that the positive effect of chili peppers was consistent across different dietary patterns. 



Marialaura Bonaccio, who also led this study, underscored this point when presenting the results.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-spicy-food-means-in-real-life">What spicy food means in real life</h2>



None of these studies say <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mild-chili-peppers-may-be-the-anti-spice-weve-been-looking-for/">chili peppers</a> cure heart disease. They do say that in large groups of people, more frequent spicy intake is linked to fewer heart and brain problems across time.



This is observational research, so cause and effect remain open questions. Still, the consistency across settings argues that spicy eating patterns often travel with other helpful choices or may deliver direct biological benefits.



Spice strength matters too. The Chinese work reported signals at weak to moderate levels, which gels with the simple idea that daily habits beat extremes.



Whole chilies, simple sauces, and meals that use chili to season real food are sensible places to start. People with reflux, ulcers, or other conditions should adjust to tolerance and talk to a clinician if symptoms flare.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limits-and-what-comes-next">Limits and what comes next</h2>



A much larger China Kadoorie Biobank incidence <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12273639/">paper</a> followed 486,335 adults for a median of 12.1 years. 



They found lower risks of vascular disease in people who ate spicy foods one to seven days per week, with trends that held for ischemic heart disease and major coronary events. 



The association was particularly clear in younger adults and those living in rural regions.



It is also possible that people who enjoy spicy foods eat differently in other ways, or live in places where chili use reflects cultural patterns that bring other benefits or risks. 



Careful sensitivity checks, such as excluding early events, help probe these points but do not close the book on causality.



Future studies could test how foods high in capsaicin or standardized chili products influence blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood vessel health over time. 



Researchers could also examine how chili affects nitric oxide activity in people by using amounts similar to those found in everyday cooking.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cutting-through-the-noise">Cutting through the noise</h2>



Nutrition debates can feel noisy, yet some messages are steady. Frequent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-chili-during-pregnancy-may-actually-be-a-good-idea/">chili</a> use, inside a balanced pattern of eating, shows a consistent association with better heart and brain outcomes across very different populations.



People do not need to chase extreme heat or complicated protocols. A modest, regular habit built around meals you enjoy is easier to keep, and the data suggest that rhythm matters more than bragging rights.



Taste and tolerance vary, so personal comfort should lead the way. If spicy foods agree with you, using chilies to season home cooked meals looks like a choice with upside and little downside for most healthy adults.



The study is published in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40677177/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi</a>.



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Eating spicy food protects heart and brain health, according to a new study

Healthy eating often feels like a moving target. Advice flips, trends flare up, and people are left unsure about what actually supports the heart. A careful look at spicy food offers a clear signal worth your attention. A new population analysis from Sichuan Province, China, tracked adults and linked frequent chili intake to lower rates of major heart and brain events. Spicy food and heart health Marialaura Bonaccio of IRCCS Neuromed has spent years studying chili peppers and heart outcomes in Europe, and her work helps frame...

Ocean acidification is threatening the stability of the world's tropical <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sharks-have-vanished-from-20-percent-of-coral-reefs/">reefs</a>. Experts at the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> report that the "glue" that holds the Great Barrier Reef together is being weakened by rising levels of carbon dioxide.

Calcified deposits known as microbialites are formed by microbes that live within reef formations. The deposits bind and stabilize the reef framework, creating a strong scaffold that is used by corals and other reef builders to colonize and grow

The researchers analyzed historical samples from the Great Barrier Reef and found that these calcified scaffolds become thinner and lose their strength as acidity rises and pH levels fall. 

While previous studies have produced some evidence of this phenomenon the past, the current study is the first to show that the destabilizing effects of ocean acidification are impacting reefs worldwide.

"For the first time we have comprehensively shown that the thickness of this geologic 'reef glue' correlates with changes in ocean pH and dissolved carbon dioxide," said study lead author Zsanett Szilagyi.

Looking at the fossil record, the researchers determined that the thickness of reef crusts are a reliable indicator of ocean acidification going back at least tens of thousands of years.

"We haven't had such a complete and high-resolution record before. And this geologic study shows that as oceans became more acidic, this is reflected in the thickness of these reef crusts," said study co-author Professor Jody Webster.

In the past, the reef scaffolding was more abundant than the corals and algae that grow on and around them. These crusts display variations in thickness over time, yet continue to serve as the structural support for reefs.

"This means they are really good indicators of changes in environmental conditions of our oceans," said Professor Webster.

The scientists identified a variation in thickness from 11.5 centimeters 22,500 years ago to about 3 centimeters 12,000 years ago along younger parts of the Great Barrier Reef.

The results of testing from 17 reefs across the globe show that the thinning of reef crusts coincides with pH dropping below 8.2 right up to modern times.

"Previous studies have given us glimpses as to how these microbial crusts respond to changes in their environment. What is new in our study is that we measured more than 700 well-dated microbialite samples from the International Ocean Discovery Program on the Great Barrier Reef and combined this with a meta-analysis of 17 other reef records from around the world," said Professor Webster.

"This allowed us to assess global-scale changes in microbialite development over the past 30,000 years. And, frankly, the findings are a stark warning sign for the dangers of rapid acidification of oceans."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14390485">Marine Ecology </a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Ocean acidification could cause coral reefs to fall apart

Ocean acidification is threatening the stability of the world's tropical...

Crops could be made more resistant to flooding by manipulating the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/enzyme-plant-waste-products/">enzymes</a> that control their response to lower oxygen levels, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a>.

"Climate change is a major global issue, not least for its impact on food security. We hope these findings can help produce flood-tolerant crops to help mitigate the devastating social and economic impact of extreme weather events on food production," said study co-author Dr. Mark White.

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of flooding events worldwide. As a result of rising sea levels and stronger tropical storms, floods in the United States that used to occur only once every 100 years could soon occur annually. 

Flooding can cause devastating crop losses and reduce food security. Staple crops such as rice, wheat, and barley have a built-in defense to survive temporary flooding, but prolonged periods of water inundation can fatally damage these plants.

In response to the low oxygen conditions in water, some plants can activate energy pathways that do not rely on air. These responses are controlled by oxygen-sensing enzymes -  plant cysteine oxidases (PCOs) - that use oxygen to regulate the stability of proteins that control gene activity.

The study authors explained that PCOs are a vital component of the plant oxygen signaling system, connecting environmental stimulus with cellular and physiological response.

The research, which was largely conducted at the University of Oxford, describes the molecular structures of PCOs for the first time. The experts have identified key structural features that are required for PCO activity.

"The results provide a platform for future efforts to manipulate the enzyme function in an attempt to create flood-resistant crops that can mitigate the impact of extreme weather events," said Dr. White.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Scientists are one step closer to engineering flood-resistant crops

Crops could be made more resistant to flooding by manipulating...

For the first time, experts have estimated the economic value of nature-based solutions for agricultural <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/notorious-grape-vine-pest-may-soon-be-a-problem-of-the-past/">pest</a> control. The <a href="https://www.cabi.org/">CABI</a> study has revealed that pesticide-free crop protection would deliver up to $20 billion in annual benefits across 23 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

The research suggests that the economic gains of pesticide-free crop protection would exceed those attained through improved "Green Revolution" rice germplasm, which are estimated at $4.3 billion.

"The Green Revolution is credited with alleviating famine, mitigating poverty and driving aggregate economic growth since the 1960s - enabled through a tripling of rice output. Cornerstone of the Green Revolution were the 'packaged' seed x agro-chemical technologies and biological innovations such as high-yielding, disease-resistant cereal varieties," said study lead author Dr. Kris Wyckhuys.

"Our research is the first to gauge the financial benefit of using biological control to fight crop pests in the Asia-Pacific region and demonstrates how these ecologically-based approaches promoted rural growth and prosperity in marginal, poorly-endowed, non-rice environments."

"By thus placing agro-ecological innovations on equal footing with input-intensive measures, our work provides lessons for future efforts to mitigate invasive species, restore ecological resilience and sustainably raise output of global agri-food systems."

Biological control is a pesticide-free method of protecting crops from pests such as insects, weeds, and plant diseases using other organisms. The scientists demonstrated how 75 different biological control agents mitigated 43 pests over a 100-year range.

"Biological control delivered durable pest control in myriad Asia-Pacific agriculture sectors, permitting yield-loss recoveries up to 73%, 81% and 100% in cassava, banana and coconut crops respectively," said study co-author Dr. Michael Furlong.

"The ensuing economic dividends are substantial, as pest-induced losses up to US $6.8, $4.3 and $8.2 billion annually for the above crops were offset (at respective values of $5.4-6.8 billion, $1.4-2.2 billion and $3.8-5.5 billion/year, for a conservative to high impact scenario range). As many of the underlying programs were run on a shoestring, the rate of return on biological control science is extraordinary."

"Our work constitutes an empirical demonstration of how insect biological control helped solidify the agrarian foundation of several Asia-Pacific economies and - in doing so - places biological control on an equal footing with other biological innovations such as Green Revolution germplasm."

"Not only does it spotlight its transformative impacts - especially in light of increasing global reliance on chemical pesticides - but it also celebrates the century-long achievements of dedicated, yet often, unacclaimed insect explorers and biological control pioneers."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pesticide-free crop protection could deliver billions in benefits

For the first time, experts have estimated the economic value...

A study from <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University</a> is providing new details on how <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-how-plants-protect-themselves-from-pathogens/">pathogens</a> can make plants more susceptible to future infections. The researchers found that exposure to powdery mildew makes plants much more likely to develop a secondary infection.

"We found that early infection facilitated later infection," said study co-first author Professor Rachel Penczykowski. "And the order in which pathogen strains infect a plant matters. Some pathogen strains are especially likely to facilitate infection by later-arriving strains."

Professor Penczykowski teamed up with study senior author Anna-Liisa Laine to conduct a series of field experiments, which demonstrated how pathogen strains naturally accumulate on plants over a growing season. 

Powdery mildew is one of the most widespread plant fungal diseases, and the infection is caused by the pathogen Podosphaera plantaginis.

In their natural habitats, plants are exposed to and infected by multiple powdery mildew strains over the course of their lifetime. The researchers set out to investigate how prior exposure to one strain of powdery mildew may affect the plant's susceptibility to a second strain.

The experiments showed that out of four strains of powdery mildew, none protected the plants from a secondary infection. The researchers found that prior exposure to mildew actually made the plants more susceptible to a second powdery mildew infection.

"If you look at each strain individually, some of the strains were better than others at promoting later infection," explained Professor Penczykowski.

"Because crop plants may also be exposed to a diversity of pathogen strains during a given growing season, understanding the ways in which different pathogen strains impact each other is important for developing sustainable disease control strategies in agricultural systems."

The scientists placed healthy "sentinel plants" from greenhouses into field populations to measure the risk of pathogen infection. They moved potted sentinel plants into wild populations and waited for mildew spores to arrive.

The researchers found that sentinel plants that had been previously introduced to powdery mildew developed secondary infections more often than control plants that had never been exposed. 

"What we saw in both our common garden and our sentinel plant experiments was that previously inoculated plants were more susceptible to later infection," said study co-first author Fletcher Halliday.

"But could we detect the signature of pathogen strain facilitation in naturally infected wild plant populations? That would require an intensive survey of wild plant-pathogen dynamics."

Some strains of powdery mildew arrive earlier in the growing season, which means they were able to survive the winter and reproduce. 

Halliday analyzed genetic data from field surveys and found that strains detected early in the season facilitated subsequent infections, and strains that arrived later in the season reaped the benefits.

"The early-arriving strains are the ones that are driving the course of epidemics and also affecting the diversity of pathogen strains that assemble in plant populations," said Halliday.

"In other words, the strains that are ready to hit the ground running in spring may impact both the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of plant-pathogen interactions," said Professor Penczykowski.

The findings highlight the importance of understanding interactions among pathogens when developing strategies for maintaining healthy crop populations.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Early infection makes plants more vulnerable to later infection

A study from Washington University is providing new details on...

Secrets of past warming help protect future ecosystems. In a new study from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a>, an international team of scientists has identified past global warming events similar to those anticipated in the coming decades. By analyzing the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-loss-in-smaller-habitats-is-underestimated/">biodiversity</a> impacts of climate warming in the past, experts can get a better understanding of what will happen in the future.

"Conservation biologists are taking full advantage of the long-term history of the planet as recorded in paleo-archives, such as those gathered by the team, to understand biological responses to abrupt climate changes of the past, quantify trends, and develop scenarios of future biodiversity loss from climate change," said study lead author Damien Fordham.

"Studying locations in regions such as the Arctic, Eurasia, the Amazon and New Zealand can yield knowledge of how climate has changed and how this has impacted plants and animals," said study co-author Professor Dorthe Dahl-Jensen.

"Using advanced new methods, including the use of DNA to map biodiversity and precise methods for dating climate change, we have taken advantage of opportunities to find precise causalities. The past climate changes are similar to those that we expect in coming decades."

The researchers mapped the prevalence of species based on fossil data archives. This analysis showed how individual plant and animal species, as well as entire ecosystems, responded to historical temperature increases.

"During large climate shifts of the past, such as the warming from the last ice age to our current interglacial period 11-18,000 years ago, Arctic temperatures have increased by more than 10 degrees Celsius. This is a warming of the same magnitude as the UN predicts can occur in the future, as is described in IPCC reports and forecasts," explained Professor Dahl-Jensen.

The study revealed that some species, such as antelope, were able to migrate northward in response to global warming. Species like the Arctic fox, however, were not able to reach suitable habitat and were wiped out.

The findings can be used to predict how plants and animals will respond to future climate warming, and which species will become most threatened with extinction.

The research also indicates that many ecosystems are able to adapt to sudden climate change, even when migration is not an option. It is important to acquire more knowledge and better promote healthy ecosystems in the future.

"We have gained access to completely new knowledge about how ecosystems, plants and animals have responded to temperature increases similar to those that we are confronted with today and will be in the future," said study co-author Professor Anders Svensson. 

"We can use this knowledge to be at the forefront of protecting and conserving biodiversity. It provides knowledge for us to protect the species that remain."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Secrets of past warming help protect future ecosystems

Secrets of past warming help protect future ecosystems. In a...

Plants have the remarkable ability to protect themselves against pathogens, and a new study reveals previously unknown details of this phenomenon. An international team of researchers led by Professor Cyril Zipfel of the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a> has identified the calcium channel that initiates stomatal closure when <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-altering-the-life-cycles-of-bees-and-plants/">plants</a> encounter microbes.

While it was known that calcium floods the cells surrounding the pores and triggers them to close, the underlying mechanism was not clear. "The identity of the channels that mediate this rapid calcium movement was still unknown and has vexed researchers for a long time," said Professor Zipfel.

Using the model plant Arabidopsis, the scientists discovered that a protein called OSCA1.3 forms a channel which leaks calcium into the cells surrounding a plant's pores. The team also identified a known immune system protein that triggers the process.

The findings represent a major step toward understanding the defense mechanisms plants use to resist infection, which may ultimately lead to the development of crops that are resistant to pathogens. 

Study co-author José Feijó is a professor of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics at the <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">University of Maryland</a>.

"This is a major advance, because a substantial part of the world's food generated by agriculture is lost to pathogens, and we now know the molecular mechanism behind one of the first and most relevant signals for plant immune response to pathogens--the calcium burst after infection," said Professor Feijó.

"Finding the mechanism associated with this calcium channel allows further research into its regulation, which will improve our understanding of the way in which the channel activity modulates and, eventually, boosts the immune reaction of plants to pathogens."

Previous studies had shown that a protein called BIK1 was a necessary component of the immune calcium response in plants. Professor Zipfel's team searched for proteins that may be modified by exposure to BIK1, and noticed that a protein called OSCA1.3 transformed in a very specific way that suggested it could be a calcium channel for plants. OSCA1.3 is a part of a family of proteins that are known to exist as ion channels in many organisms, including humans, and it seems to be specifically activated upon detection of pathogens.

To confirm this theory, the Professor  team reached out to Feijó, who is well known for identifying and characterizing ion channels and signaling mechanisms in plants. Study co-author Erwan Michard, a visiting assistant research scientist in Professor Feijó's lab, conducted experiments which showed that BIK1 triggers OSCA1.3 to open up a calcium channel into a cell.

According to the study authors, BIK1 only activates when a plant gets infected with a pathogen, suggesting that OSCA1.3 opens a calcium channel to close stomata as a defensive response to pathogens.

"This is a perfect example of how a collaborative effort between labs with different expertise can bring about important conclusions that would be difficult on solo efforts," said Professor Feijó. "This fundamental knowledge is badly needed to inform ecology and agriculture on how the biome will react to the climatic changes that our planet is going through."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Scientists discover how plants protect themselves from pathogens

Plants have the remarkable ability to protect themselves against pathogens,...

In Southeast Asia, bizarre plants grow along the walls of tropical caves that have only a single leaf. Scientists at the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/">University of Tokyo</a> believe that a better understanding of this unique species could help lead to the development of genetic tools to control the size of common crop <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-altering-the-life-cycles-of-bees-and-plants/">plants</a>.

Monophyllaea glabra, which means "hairless species of one-leaf plant," sprouts from a seed that contains two embryonic leaves called cotyledons. However, only one of these cotyledons becomes a leaf. 

From what has been observed, it appears that this leaf can continue growing larger as long as the plant lives. By contrast, most plants have unlimited leaves with a limited size. 

Study lead author Professor Hirokazu Tsukaya first attempted to analyze Monophyllaea nearly three decades ago after observing the plants in their native habitat in Thailand. At that time, genetic tools were designed to examine more common plant species, which made it challenging to study irregular species like Monophyllaea. 

Recently, when graduate student Ayaka Kinoshita joined the lab, Professor Tsukaya's research finally resumed. To investigate why Monophyllaea has only one leaf, the team needed tools that could identify the location and activity level of genes early in the plant's development. 

A technique known as whole-mount in situ hybridization allows researchers to determine all of the genetic material that cells were using at the time of their death. The technique is primarily used to analyze animal tissue, however, and is complicated to use in plants due to their stiff outer cell wall.

"Luckily, another of our lab members, Assistant Professor Hiroyuki Koga, is a true professional at using the whole-mount system and he persisted to develop a suitable method for plants," said Professor Tsukaya. 

In plants with standard anatomy, the SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) gene is expressed in cells at the growing tips of stems - the shoot meristems. In addition, the ANGUSTIFOLIA3 (AN3) gene is expressed in very young leaves to promote the multiplication of cells that form the leaf.

"With our naked eye, we cannot see any shoot meristem in Monophyllaea. So we want to know, is it lost or is it modified?" said Professor Tsukaya.

The study revealed that Monophyllaea does not separate the location and timing of STM and AN3 gene expression, but rather overlaps the expression of these two genes. 

The researchers explained that what looks like a simple leaf in Monophyllaea is actually a combination or fusing of the shoot meristem and leaf.

"In Monophyllaea, the expression areas overlap, suggesting this plant is a hybrid of a normal leaf and shoot meristem. We suppose this curious gene expression pattern is one reason why the plant has such a curious appearance," said Professor Tsukaya.

According to the experts, understanding how unusual species like M. glabra evolved to use common genes in uncommon ways will help agricultural scientists develop tools for controlling the size of leaves for optimal crop cultivation in the future.

"We study M. glabra because the characteristics of Monophyllaea development are very unique and they cannot be found in any mutants of common laboratory plants. Dealing with the unique phenomenon can definitely provide new insights to plant science," said Professor Tsukaya.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science">Frontiers in Plant Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Tropical plant has a single leaf with unlimited growth potential

In Southeast Asia, bizarre plants grow along the walls of...

Variety,Of,Vegetables,Cabbages,,Broccoli,,Peppers,,Cauliflower,,Avocado,,Zucchini,,Cucumber.

In a new study from <a href="http://www.ecu.edu.au/">Edith Cowan University</a>, researchers have discovered why certain vegetables like broccoli and cabbage are beneficial to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-meats-are-better-for-heart-health/">heart health</a>. The research suggests that some of the least popular vegetables, known as cruciferous vegetables, help to prevent the progression of blood vessel disease.

Study lead author Dr. Lauren Blekkenhorst said there was something intriguing about cruciferous vegetables, and the current study is shedding new light on this idea.

"In our previous studies, we identified those with a higher intake of these vegetables had a reduced risk of having a clinical cardiovascular disease event, such as a heart attack or stroke, but we weren't sure why," said Dr. Blekkenhorst. "Our findings from this new study provides insight into the potential mechanisms involved."

"We have now found that older women consuming higher amounts of cruciferous vegetables every day have lower odds of having extensive calcification on their aorta."

"One particular constituent found abundantly in cruciferous vegetables is vitamin K which may be involved in inhibiting the calcification process that occurs in our blood vessels."

The study showed that higher consumption of broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and other cruciferous vegetables is associated with less extensive blood vessel disease in older women.

The investigation was focused on nearly 700 older women in Western Australia who were recruited for a cohort study in 1998.

The researchers found that women with more cruciferous vegetables in their diet had a lowered risk of accumulating a dangerous amount of calcium on their aorta - a key marker for structural blood vessel disease. 

This build-up of fatty calcium deposits can reduce the flow of blood circulating around the body, which is a leading cause of heart attack or stroke.

Dr. Blekkenhorst said women in this study who consumed more than 45 grams of cruciferous vegetables every day, such as one-fourth cup of steamed broccoli or one-half cup of raw cabbage, were 46 percent less likely to have extensive build-up of calcium on their aorta.

"That's not to say the only vegetables we should be eating are broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. We should be eating a wide variety of vegetables every day for overall good health and well-being."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition">British Journal of Nutrition</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Broccoli and cabbage reduce the risk of heart attack

In a new study from Edith Cowan University, researchers have...

Researchers have found that the life cycles of bees and flowering plants are not always synchronized as a result of climate change. Some <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-is-wiping-out-bees-and-other-wild-pollinators/">pollinators</a> are now emerging later than their sources of nectar and pollen.

The study, conducted by Michael Stemkovski of <a href="https://www.usu.edu/">Utah State University</a> and Professor Rebecca Irwin of North Carolina State University, was focused on 67 bee species in the Colorado Rockies.

The experts say that a  "phenological mismatch," which alters the timing of life cycles between bees and flowers, has the potential to disrupt this mutually beneficial relationship altogether.

The researchers analyzed data collected from sites around Colorado's Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, and found that bee emergence is advancing with the timing of snowmelt. However, the seasonal variation in the life cycles of plants are more sensitive to global warming.

"We analyzed time-series abundance data collected at 18 sites around the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) in the Elk Mountains of western Colorado during a nine-year, National Science Foundation-funded bee monitoring project," said Stemkovski.

"We find bee emergence timing is advancing with snowmelt timing, but bee phenology - timing of emergence, peak abundance and senescence - is less sensitive than flower phenology," said Professor Irwin. "Given global concerns about pollinator declines, the research provides important insight into the potential for reduced synchrony between flowers and their pollinators under climate change."

According to Stemkovski, previous studies were primarily focused on temperature, but this study also accounted for the effects of topography and bee species traits.

"Elevation played a large role in when bees started foraging, as well as the bees' functional traits, such as whether bees nested below or above ground, and the life stage in which they overwintered," said Stemvokvski. "We found all of these factors predicted bee emergence, but the most important factor was snowmelt timing."

If bees begin foraging later than plants reach their flowering peak in the spring, this will reduce the abundance of pollinators as well as plants.

"In the short-term, we expect mutualist species to suffer fitness losses," said Stemkovski. "In the long-term, bees and plants may be able to adapt and reestablish some synchrony, unless climate change outpaces the rate of adaptation."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14610248">Ecology Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Climate change is altering the life cycles of bees and plants

Researchers have found that the life cycles of bees and...

A substance that is found in cashew shells can restore damaged <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/music-medications-calm-nerves/">nerves</a>, according to a study from  <a href="https://www.vumc.org/">Vanderbilt University Medical Center</a>. 

In lab experiments, the researchers identified  a chemical compound in the shell of the cashew nut that promotes the repair of myelin, an insulating layer that forms around nerves for protection.

The myelin sheath is made up of protein and fatty substances that allow electrical signals to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve cells.

Damage to this protective layer, which is known as demyelination, is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis and other diseases of the central nervous system.

"We see this as an exciting finding, suggesting a new avenue in the search for therapies to correct the ravages of MS and other demyelinating diseases," said study senior author Dr. Subramaniam Sriram.

In previous work, Dr. Sriram showed that a protein called interleukin 33 (IL-33) induced myelin formation. IL-33 is, among other things, an immune response regulator.

Dr. Sriram and team turned their attention to a cashew shell compound called anacardic acid because it is known to inhibit an enzyme involved in gene expression called histone acetyltransferase (HAT). The researchers had already discovered that whatever inhibits HAT triggers the production of IL-33.

The study authors describe a range of new findings that implicate the potential for anacardic acid to be used to treat demyelinating diseases.

For example, an experiment with rat cells in vitro showed that the addition of the compound initiated the production of IL-33 and rapidly increased the expression of myelin genes and proteins.

In a separate experiment based on an animal model of demyelination, anacardic acid was also found to enhance myelination and the increases in myelin were dose-dependent. The results of two additional trials indicate that the compound could even reduce paralysis.

"These are striking results that clearly urge further study of anacardic acid for demyelinating diseases," said Dr. Sriram.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Compound in cashew shells repairs nerve damage

A substance that is found in cashew shells can restore...

In new study from <a href="http://med.stanford.edu/">Stanford Medicine</a>, researchers have found evidence that plant-based meat alternatives are better for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/heat-related-cardiovascular-hospitalizations-are-on-the-rise/">cardiovascular</a> health. The experts report that swapping out red meat for plant-based alternatives can improve cardiovascular risk factors. 

While a patty made of plants should obviously be healthier than a hamburger, many of the new meat alternatives are processed foods that contain high levels of saturated fat and added sodium. All of these factors have been shown to contribute to cardiovascular disease risk, noted study senior author Dr. Christopher Gardner.

"There's been this sort of backlash against these new meat alternatives. The question is, if you're adding sodium and coconut oil, which is high in saturated fat, and using processed ingredients, is the product still actually healthy?" 

To investigate, Dr. Gardner and his team assigned 36 participants to two different diets. One diet included at least two daily servings of meat and the other included at least two daily servings of plant-based meat. After eight weeks, the volunteers switched to the other diet.

The researchers measured the levels of the molecule trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the body. This particular molecule has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. 

The study revealed that TMAO levels were lower when study participants were eating plant-based meat.

Red meat contains two precursors to TMAO, carnitine and choline, so it is possible that individuals who regularly eat beef, pork or lamb will simply have higher levels of TMAO.

"At this point we cannot be sure that TMAO is a causal risk factor or just an association,"said Dr. Gardner. However, he said there is good reason to pay attention to TMAO levels. Recent studies have shown that high levels of TMAO are consistent with increased inflammation and blood clotting, among other health concerns.

According to Dr. Gardner, one particular study found that people with elevated TMAO had a 60 percent higher risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular events.

In the current study, participants who ate the red-meat diet during the first eight weeks had an increase in TMAO that was not observed among individuals who ate the plant-based diet first. 

In addition, something unexpected happened when the volunteers switched diets. Those who transitioned from meat to plant had a decrease in TMAO levels, which came as no surprise. However, individuals who switched from plant to meat did not see an increase in TMAO.

"It was pretty shocking; we had hypothesized that it wouldn't matter what order the diets were in," said Dr. Gardner. 

The experts determined that there are bacterial species responsible for triggering the development of TMAO in the gut. These bacterial species are thought to flourish in people who eat a lot of red meat, but may be less abundant or absent in vegetations.

"So for the participants who had the plant-based diet first, during which they ate no meat, we basically made them vegetarians, and in so doing, may have inadvertently blunted their ability to make TMAO," explained Dr. Gardner. This indicates that a similar approach could be used as a strategy to lower cardiovascular disease risk.

Beyond TMAO, plant-based meats were also linked to less weight and lower levels of bad cholesterol, regardless of which diet the participants ate first.

"The modest weight loss observed when participants substituted the plant-based meats in place of the red meats is an unexpected finding, since this was not a weight-loss study," said study lead author Dr. Anthony Crimarco. "I think this indicates the importance of diet quality. Not all highly processed foods are created equal."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Plant-based meats are better for heart health

In new study from Stanford Medicine, researchers have found evidence...

The remarkable diversity of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-can-control-plants-using-nothing-but-light/">plants</a> and trees surrounding the Tibetan Plateau can be traced back 30 million years to the formation of new mountain ranges followed by intense monsoons, according to a new study published by <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a>. The research highlights the major role that climate change plays in shaping life on Earth.

Study co-author Rick Ree is a curator at Chicago's Field Museum.

"This paper addresses the fundamental question of why there are so many species in some parts of the world and not others," said Ree. "The formation of this very species-rich community was fueled by ancient mountain-building and then subsequent effects of the monsoon. The biodiversity that we see today has been profoundly shaped by geology and climate."

The study was on plants growing in the higher elevations of the Hengduan Mountains in southwestern China. 

"It's an incredibly interesting part of the world, it's a relatively small area that harbors one-third of all the plant species in China," said Ree. "In the Hengduan Mountains, you can see coniferous forests, rushing glacial streams, craggy valleys, and meadows just teeming with wildflowers." 

Ree noted that some of the flowers in this region may be familiar to Western gardeners, including rhododendrons and delphiniums.

The team set out to investigate the distribution and evolution of plants in the alpine regions of the Hengduan Mountains, the Himalayan Mountains, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The experts used DNA samples and fossil evidence to assemble the family trees of the plants, going back tens of millions of years.

The researchers compared the DNA of different plant species to  determine how closely related they were to each other and when they evolved. The experts found that many of the plants first appeared in the Hengduan Mountains. 

As the Indian tectonic plate collided with Asia and gradually created mountains, new habitats developed on the slopes and in the valleys below. Mountain formation also led to more intense monsoons.

"The combined effect of mountain-building and monsoons was like pouring jet fuel onto this flame of species origination," said Ree. "The monsoon wasn't simply giving more water for plants to grow, it had this huge role in creating a more rugged topography. It caused erosion, resulting in deeper valleys and more incised mountain ranges."

"The theory is, if you increase the ruggedness of a landscape, you're more likely to have populations restricted in their movement because it's harder to cross a deeper valley than a shallow valley. So any time you start increasing the patchiness and barriers between populations, you expect evolution to accelerate."

This is exactly what the team found in the genetic family tree: as the landscape grew more rugged over time, isolated populations of plants veered off into their own separate species, resulting in the biodiversity we see today.

According to Ree, the research has implications for a better understanding of the climate change that Earth is currently experiencing.

"This study sheds light on the conditions under which we get rich versus poor biodiversity," said Ree. "Mountain ecosystems tend to be very sensitive to things like global warming, because the organisms that live there are dependent on a tight range of elevation and temperature."

"Understanding how historical environmental change affected alpine plants twenty million years ago can help us predict how today's climate change will affect their descendants."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Mountain formation led to an explosion in plant diversity 

The remarkable diversity of plants and trees surrounding the Tibetan...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



-----



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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