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Owner Is Proud Of Their Money Making Cat

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Miner Cracks Open An Old Rock And What He Found Was Completely Unexpected

Scientists Release New Footage From Robot Gorilla

Archaeologist Says The Public Has A Duty To Understand Yellowstone’s Covered-Up History

Circus Bear Spends Entire Life In A Cage Before Selfless Heroes Decide They Must Help

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Bizarre Facts About The Moon That May Explain Why We Haven't Gone Back

Massive Tunnels Found In The Jungle Were Actually Created By A Chilling Prehistoric Creature

The,Galapagos,Islands.,Ecuador.,Galapagos,Tortoise,In,Motion.,Island,Of

For centuries, turtles have fascinated people with their remarkably long lifespans.&nbsp;A new study reveals something even more extraordinary. Cancer is extremely rare in turtles, which makes them a promising model for cancer research.



The study, led by Dr. Ylenia Chiari at the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a>, shows that cancer affects only about 1% of turtles. This rate is much lower than in mammals or birds.



The team analyzed decades of health records from zoos across Europe and the United States, including <a href="https://www.chesterzoo.org/">Chester Zoo</a>. 



The findings suggest that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-turtle-day-2025-ancient-creatures-with-modern-challenges/">turtles</a> could help scientists learn new ways to prevent or fight cancer in humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turtles-rarely-get-cancer">Turtles rarely get cancer</h2>



The experts reviewed necropsy records from hundreds of zoo turtles. According to the detailed analysis, only about 0.34% of the turtles examined showed any abnormal growth. 



Cancer cases were even rarer. Most cancers found were isolated cases, and they rarely spread. Turtles show no clear pattern of cancers affecting specific organs.



Compared to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beating-the-heat-how-sea-turtles-cope-with-warming-waters/">mammals</a> and birds, turtles remain outliers. Mammals have average cancer rates of 10 percent, while birds have rates around three percent. By contrast, cancer rates in turtles are consistently under one percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turtles-have-strong-cancer-defense">Turtles have strong cancer defense</h2>



Turtles have slow metabolisms and strong defenses against oxidative stress. These traits reduce cellular damage over time.



Genomic studies revealed that turtles, especially Galapagos and Aldabra giant tortoises, have unique genetic mutations. These mutations enhance tumour suppression and help maintain DNA stability.



Functional tests on Galapagos giant tortoise cells showed an ability to trigger cell death early. This prevents damaged cells from becoming cancerous. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/turtle-heads-reveal-an-ancient-reptilian-secret/">Turtles</a> also exhibit robust antioxidant responses, even under stress.



Turtles’ low metabolic rates also limit the buildup of harmful byproducts. This may explain their strong cancer resistance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turtles-stay-cancer-free-despite-size">Turtles stay cancer-free despite size</h2>



Turtles challenge common biological patterns. Large, long-lived species often have higher cancer risks because of more cells. But turtles defy this rule.



Some species, like Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises, weigh over 660 pounds. Others, such as leatherback sea turtles, can exceed 1,100 pounds. Still, their cancer rates remain extremely low.



“Turtles, especially iconic species like Galapagos and Aldabra giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-sea-turtles-swim-and-choose-their-paths-instead-of-drifting/">tortoises</a>, are famous for living long lives and growing to tremendous sizes," noted Dr. Chiari.



"You’d expect that to mean more cancer, but our study, which combines decades of zoo records with previous research, shows how incredibly rare cancer is in these animals." 



Dr. Chiari said that the study highlights turtles as an untapped model for understanding cancer resistance and healthy aging, and it shows the vital role zoos play in advancing science through collaboration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turtle-secrets-and-medical-insights">Turtle secrets and medical insights</h2>



According to study lead author Dr. Scott Glaberman from the University of Birmingham, biodiversity has a lot to teach us about how the world works. 



"While fascinating in their own right, extreme species like giant tortoises may have already solved many of the problems humans face, including those related to aging and cancer. That makes biodiversity doubly worthy of protection,” said Dr. Glaberman.



Dr Helena Turner, Research Officer at Chester Zoo, said her team has been long been committed to detailed health monitoring and the long-term care of their animals. 



"It’s fantastic to see these efforts not only contribute to advancing scientific knowledge around cancer resistance but also support vital conservation work to protect these remarkable species that may hold keys to medical breakthroughs benefiting both wildlife and humans,” said Dr. Turner.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-turtles-in-the-wild">Studying turtles in the wild</h2>



Much of the current data comes from zoo populations. Zoo turtles often live longer than wild ones. This could increase chances of detecting cancer. However, researchers still lack cancer data from wild turtles.



Tracking turtles across their long lifespans remains difficult. Many species live as long as humans. Without decades of monitoring, it is hard to collect enough data.



Researchers suggest using turtle cell lines for laboratory studies. These experiments could reveal how turtle cells respond to stress, DNA damage, and other cancer-related triggers.



Such studies may unlock hidden mechanisms behind turtles’ resistance to cancer and aging. Insights from turtles could help both human medicine and wildlife conservation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-efforts-remain-critical">Conservation efforts remain critical</h2>



Many turtle species face extinction threats. The <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IUCN Red List</a> categorizes several as Endangered or Critically Endangered.



Threats include habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, and climate change. Many zoos in the study also lead breeding programmes to save these species.



Protecting turtles could also protect vital genetic secrets that benefit human health. Their remarkable resistance to cancer makes their conservation even more urgent.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biaf100/8185759" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BioScience</a>.



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Turtles may hold the secret to cancer prevention in humans

For centuries, turtles have fascinated people with their remarkably long...

Mycorrhizal,Symbiosis,Between,Mushroom,And,Green,Plant.,Digital,Illustration.

Plants do not wave warning flags when a hungry caterpillar shows up. Yet for years scientists wondered if roots guide underground networks that let one plant alert its neighbors before the first bite lands.



A modeling study released in January, 2025 suggests the picture is far less neighborly. Lead author <a href="https://www.biology.ox.ac.uk/people/thomas-w-scott" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr Thomas Scott</a> of the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a> argues that most plants would lose more than they gain by sounding a genuine alarm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-plants-play-tricks">Why plants play tricks</h2>



Natural selection rewards thrift, so every calorie sunk into defense is a calorie that cannot go into growth or seeds. Because neighbors compete for the same sunlight and minerals, helping them makes little evolutionary sense.



The models draw on the idea of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/kin-selection" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kin selection</a>, the notion that genes “care” about relatives who share those genes. When the same genetic relatives also fight for the same patch of soil, the benefit of warning kin evaporates.



Simulations showed that honest signals kept disappearing from the virtual population. False alarms, however, sometimes stuck around long enough to handicap competitors by pushing them into needless chemical warfare.



“Our results indicate that it is more likely that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-roots-defy-gravity-when-water-is-scarce/">plants</a> will behave deceptively toward their neighbours, rather than altruistically, even when no herbivore is present,” said Dr Scott, adding that a plant might fake an attack draining rivals of resources in the process.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fungus-helps-plants-communicate">Fungus helps plants communicate</h2>



Much of the debate centers on the mycorrhizal fungi that lace through the soil, forming what ecologists nickname the “<a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/wood-wide-web-underground-network-microbes-connects-trees-mapped-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wood wide web</a>.” 



These threads trade phosphorus and nitrogen for plant‑made sugars and can physically link roots from different species.



Laboratory work with Solanum lycopersicum showed that when one tomato in a shared fungal network met a caterpillar, connected tomatoes cranked up four defense enzymes within hours. The reaction happened even though the “listener” plants never touched the insect.



Defensive cues may move as <a href="https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/what-are-volatile-organic-compounds-vocs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">volatile organic compounds</a> drifting through the hyphae or leaking from wounded roots. 



Scott’s team argues that such cues are hard to suppress completely, creating an involuntary “tell” rather than an intentional SOS.



Model runs where the victim plant tried to hide the cue found that full suppression was rarely worth the metabolic fee. That fits the tomato result, where receivers benefitted even though senders paid the cost of damage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fungus-as-mediators-between-plants">Fungus as mediators between plants</h2>



If <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-plants-build-their-cell-walls-is-seen-by-scientists-for-the-first-time-ever/">plants</a> are unlikely whistle‑blowers, someone else must be moving the news. The models showed that the fungi themselves could profit by monitoring each host and relaying danger to all partners.



A healthy green plant pumps more sugar into the network than a chewed‑up one. By nudging the rest of the network into pre‑emptive defense, the fungus protects its own carbon income.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/plants_information-transfer_fungal-networks_illustration_credit-PNAS_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/plants_information-transfer_fungal-networks_illustration_credit-PNAS_1s.webp" alt="Hypotheses for information transfer in plant–fungal networks. Two plants are connected via a mycorrhizal network. One plant is under attack (e.g., by aphids), and this information may be transferred via the mycorrhizal network to the other plant, allowing it to up-regulate its defense mechanisms. There are three hypotheses regarding how this information is transferred: (blue) signaling by the attacked plant; (cyan) cues, which are potentially vulnerable to suppression by the attacked plant; and (orange) monitoring and signaling by the mycorrhizal network. Credit: PNAS" class="wp-image-1977443"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hypotheses for information transfer in plant–fungal networks. Two plants are connected via a mycorrhizal network. One plant is under attack (e.g., by aphids), and this information may be transferred via the mycorrhizal network to the other plant, allowing it to up-regulate its defense mechanisms. There are three hypotheses regarding how this information is transferred: (blue) signaling by the attacked plant; (cyan) cues, which are potentially vulnerable to suppression by the attacked plant; and (orange) monitoring and signaling by the mycorrhizal network. Click image to enlarge. Credit: PNAS</figcaption></figure>



“Maybe it is the fungal networks themselves that are sending the warning signals,” Dr Scott suggested. Co-author <a href="https://www.spun.earth/team-members/dr-toby-kiers#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Toby Kiers</a> added that a neighbor may simply be “eavesdropping,” not altruistically sharing information.



Unlike deceptive plants, a cheating fungus would only hurt its paycheck. That steers evolutionary pressure toward honest fungal monitoring, at least until someone proves otherwise in field trials.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-farms-and-forests">What this means for farms and forests</h2>



Agronomists dream of crops that switch on defenses before pests build an army. If fungi, not plants, drive advance warning, inoculating fields with the right spores might someday cut pesticide use.



The new study also tempers popular stories claiming that old trees “care” for their sapling offspring. Mutual benefit can still happen, but the math says it must be weighed against relentless competition for limited light.



Some breeders already select <a href="https://treefruit.wsu.edu/varieties-breeding/rootstocks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rootstocks</a> that recruit efficient fungal partners. Future programs may screen those partners for their talent at early pest detection instead of simple nutrient delivery.



Forest managers experimenting with assisted migration should remember that uprooted seedlings leave their native fungal counselors behind. Re‑establishing key networks could be as vital as matching temperature or rainfall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-plant-behavior-in-evolution">Rethinking plant behavior in evolution</h2>



These findings challenge the common tendency to describe plants using human social terms like friendship, cooperation, or mutual aid. 



Such language can oversimplify complex ecological relationships shaped by evolutionary tradeoffs rather than intentional kindness.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/plants_communication_fungal-network_underground_illustration_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/plants_communication_fungal-network_underground_illustration_1s.webp" alt="Fungal networks help plants communicate and sometimes play &quot;referee&quot; to settle disputes" class="wp-image-1977466"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fungal networks help plants communicate and sometimes play "referee" to settle disputes. Click image to enlarge.</figcaption></figure>



Plants don't choose to help or harm. They respond to selective pressures based on survival and reproduction. 



What might look like generosity from a distance could be a side effect of unavoidable signaling, or an outcome that benefits fungi more than the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-finally-learn-what-makes-plants-roots-grow-faster-and-stronger-autophagy/">plants</a> themselves.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-questions-for-researchers">Next questions for researchers</h2>



The models assume costs and benefits averaged over many generations. Field ecologists now need to tag real roots, real caterpillars, and real fungi to test whether the numbers hold up outside a computer.



One way is to pair isotope tracing with microelectrodes in split‑root systems, watching exactly who sends which molecule where. 



Another is to compare fungal genomes for genes that sense host stress chemicals, a clue that selection favors monitoring hardware.



If dishonest plant signals do occur, greenhouse arenas seeded with mixed genotypes should reveal which seed families bluff the most. 



Researchers may also seek fungal “referees” that penalize plants that persistently cry wolf. The soil is telling a subtler story than simple plant friendship.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2420701122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Scientists change their minds about 'friendship' and cooperation between plants

Plants do not wave warning flags when a hungry caterpillar...

In the arid, fossil-rich landscape of Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park, a team of paleontologists stumbled across something unexpected. The experts found the fossilized jawbone of a pterosaur that may be the oldest ever found in North America.



The discovery came from a remote site that revealed not just one remarkable creature, but a whole ecosystem preserved in stone.



The study was led by scientists from the Smithsonian’s <a href="https://www.si.edu/museums/natural-history-museum">National Museum of Natural History</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Petrified Forest National Park</a>. The research introduces a new pterosaur species alongside more than 1,000 other fossils.



Some of these include one of the world’s oldest turtle specimens. Together, the fossils paint a vivid picture of life just before one of Earth’s biggest mass extinctions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-before-mass-extinction">Life before mass extinction</h2>



The pterosaur fossils come from rock layers that date back to the Late <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-did-not-impact-dinosaur-abundance-in-the-triassic/">Triassic</a> period. During this time, ancient amphibians and crocodile-like reptiles lived side by side with animals that would go on to shape the future of the planet, including early turtles, frogs, and flying reptiles.



“The site captures the transition to more modern terrestrial vertebrate communities, where we start seeing groups that thrive later in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaurs-were-not-the-only-animals-that-grew-fast-during-the-mesozoic/">Mesozoic</a> living alongside these older animals that don’t make it past the Triassic,” said study lead author Ben Kligman.



This glimpse into prehistoric life is especially valuable because it dates to just before the end-Triassic extinction - about 201.5 million years ago - when massive volcanic eruptions dramatically altered Earth’s climate. 



The event wiped out roughly 75% of all species, paving the way for dinosaurs to rise to dominance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossils-hidden-by-ash">Fossils hidden by ash</h2>



Direct fossil evidence from just before this extinction is hard to come by. Few fossil-rich outcrops from this time exist, but Petrified Forest National Park is one of the rare exceptions. 



Known for its colorful layers of petrified wood and Triassic fossils, the park has long been a treasure trove for paleontologists.



One rock layer, called the Owl Rock Member, has proven especially important. It’s full of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fire-and-ice-volcanic-ash-plays-a-surprising-role-in-cloud-formation/">volcanic ash</a>, which helped scientists date it precisely to around 209 million years ago. These are some of the park’s youngest rocks - but also among its least explored.



Study co-author William Parker explained that the Owl Rock exposures are tucked away in extremely remote areas. Few teams have been able to study them in detail.



In 2011, a research group led by Kay Behrensmeyer decided to take on the challenge. Braving the rugged terrain - complete with rattlesnakes and wild horses - they went in search of mammal-like fossils. 



What they found instead was a densely packed bonebed, full of life from a vanished world.



“That’s the fun thing about paleontology: you go looking for one thing, and then you find something else that’s incredible that you weren’t expecting,” said Kligman, who started working at the site during his PhD studies in 2018.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-life-buried-by-floods">Ancient life buried by floods</h2>



Back in the Triassic, this part of Arizona was located near the equator and sat in the center of the supercontinent <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/supercontinents-101-pannotia-gondwana-and-pangea/">Pangaea</a>. 



The land was semi-arid, with winding river channels and a seasonal flood cycle. One of those floods likely buried the animals that are now preserved in the bonebed.



The fossil layer was so dense with tiny remains that collecting them onsite was impossible. Instead, researchers carved out large blocks of sediment, wrapped them in plaster, and brought them back to the lab.



Many of these blocks were sent to the Smithsonian’s FossiLab, where volunteers spent thousands of hours carefully exposing the bones. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-fossils-major-clues">Small fossils, major clues</h2>



The rivers teemed with fish like coelacanths and freshwater sharks. Giant amphibians - some stretching over six feet long - swam through the streams. On land, armored herbivores and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-crocodile-like-beast-was-a-terrifying-predator/">crocodile-like predators</a> ruled.



At the same time, smaller creatures were starting to make their mark. The team identified early frogs, relatives of today’s tuataras, and a turtle with spike-like armor that could fit in a shoebox. 



The remains of a small pterosaur were also hidden among the layers - just one part of a fossil record that shows how quickly new groups were emerging and spreading across Pangaea.



“This suggests that turtles rapidly dispersed across Pangaea, which is surprising for an animal that is not very large and is likely walking at a slow pace,” said Kligman.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pterosaur-that-perched-like-a-bird">Pterosaur that perched like a bird</h2>



One of the most exciting finds was a jawbone with teeth still in place. It belonged to a small pterosaur, one of the first vertebrates capable of powered flight. This early flier could have perched on a person’s shoulder.



The pterosaur fossil was uncovered by Suzanne McIntire, a volunteer who spent 18 years working in the FossiLab.



“What was exciting about uncovering this specimen was that the teeth were still in the bone, so I knew the animal would be much easier to identify,” McIntire said.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pterosaur_Eotephradactylus-mcintireae_Arizona_illustration_credit-Brian-Engh_1big.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pterosaur_Eotephradactylus-mcintireae_Arizona_illustration_credit-Brian-Engh_1s.webp" alt="An artist's reconstruction of the fossilized landscape, plants and animals found preserved in a remote bonebed in Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. The newly described pterosaur Eotephradactylus mcintireae is seen eating an ancient ray-finned fish alongside an early species of turtle and an early frog species, with the skeleton of an armored crocodile relative lying on the ground and a palm-like plant growing in the background. Credit: Brian Engh" class="wp-image-1977432"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">An artist's reconstruction of the fossilized landscape, plants and animals found preserved in a remote bonebed in Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. The newly described pterosaur Eotephradactylus mcintireae is seen eating an ancient ray-finned fish alongside an early species of turtle and an early frog species, with the skeleton of an armored crocodile relative lying on the ground and a palm-like plant growing in the background. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Brian Engh</figcaption></figure>



The wear on the teeth gave scientists a clue about the pterosaur’s diet. It likely fed on armored fish that were common in the area. 



The new species was named Eotephradactylus mcintireae, which translates to “ash-winged dawn goddess." This title honors McIntire, who retired last year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-exactly-is-a-pterosaur">What exactly is a pterosaur?</h2>



Pterosaurs were flying reptiles that existed during the time of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-did-dinosaurs-come-from-missing-fossils-hold-the-secret/">dinosaurs</a>. They were the first animals with backbones to evolve powered flight, well before birds or bats came on the scene.



Powered by skin stretched across an extended fourth finger, they ranged in size and shape from something no larger than a crow to giants with wings up to 30 feet or more.



Pterosaurs were not dinosaurs. They formed their own group of reptiles and possessed special adaptations for flight. Some flew above coastlines, while others preyed on fish or small land animals inland.



The new fossil contributes to what is known about those early birds and how they expanded around the globe.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2505513122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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North America's oldest known pterosaur discovered in a petrified forest

In the arid, fossil-rich landscape of Arizona’s Petrified Forest National...

Diseño sin título - 1

Botanists confirmed recently that a towering tree discovered in Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains is an entirely new species, Tessmannia princeps.



The research team is led by <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrea-Bianchi-10" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andrea Bianchi</a>, a horticulturist and researcher at <a href="https://www.muse.it/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muse Science Museum</a> in Trento, whose group worked with Tanzanian experts to document the species and its remote habitat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discovering-tessmannia-princeps">Discovering Tessmannia princeps</h2>



Bianchi and local plant specialists were mapping plants in the Boma la Mzinga and Uluti Village Land Forest Reserves in 2019 when they nearly walked into a gray‑barked giant they could not name.



“This was already quite a shiver‑down‑your‑back moment because if they didn’t know [the species], it could have been something interesting,” Bianchi recalls. 



Follow‑up surveys in the <a href="https://arts.psu.edu/assets/uploads/documents/studyabroad-a_web_strategy_for_umnp-_2010_student_project.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Udzungwa Mountain</a> region revealed only about one hundred mature individuals scattered across two steep valleys, each <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-trees-decide-between-growing-and-breathing/">tree</a> crowned well above the surrounding canopy.



The specific name princeps, Latin for “most eminent,” nods to crowns that poke above neighboring foliage and to thick, consecutively buttressed trunks that command the landscape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-old-and-how-tall">How old and how tall</h2>



The largest measured <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-are-losing-the-battle-against-climate-change/">trees</a> rise roughly 130 feet and carry trunks close to nine feet across, with extra girding from three‑foot‑deep buttresses. 



Cross‑sections from a naturally fallen trunk revealed 12-15 growth rings in a single centimeter, a pace so slow it suggests an age of 2,000-3,000 years for the biggest survivors.



Bianchi describes counting those rings as “patient work that feels like peering back through the lifetimes of civilizations,” a statement he shared while discussing the discovery with colleagues. 



Such longevity places Tessmannia princeps alongside bristlecone pines and giant sequoias on the shortlist of the planet’s most durable trees, although the new species lives in humid rainforest rather than the drier mountain slopes that old bristlecones prefer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tessmannia-princeps-anatomy">Tessmannia princeps anatomy</h2>



Scientists classify the tree as a canopy emergent species, meaning its crown stands above the general forest roof, harvesting full sunlight while shaping micro‑climates below. 



Immense buttress roots fan from the base, some arching more than 49 feet high and channeling mechanical stress into the shallow rainforest soil.



Glossy leaves carry dozens of leaflet pairs, and the creamy white petals tipped with yellow glands emit a fragrance that local guides notice long before the trunk comes into view. 



Despite its stature, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-have-unique-fungi-partnerships-that-help-them-survive/">tree</a> is unarmed, no thorns or spines, relying instead on sheer size and chemical defenses yet to be cataloged.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-they-stayed-hidden">Why they stayed hidden</h2>



The Udzungwa mountain mass sits within the <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6658/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eastern Arc Mountains</a>, an ancient chain famed for pockets of endemism created by rugged topography and long‑lasting climate stability. 



Many villages in the chain lie at valley floors, while the discovered grove perches between 4,200 and 5,000 feet in elevation, far from cultivated plots and traditional footpaths.



Frequent cloud cover, steep ridges, and legally protected status after 2016 limited timber scouts and poachers, allowing the slow‑growing population to mature undisturbed. 



Until the 2019 trek, even seasoned local botanists believed all large legumes in the region had been recorded, a reminder of how easily towering organisms can evade science in dense rainforest. 



Discovering Tessmannia princeps there was a surprise to everyone, even the locals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keeping-tessmannia-princeps-alive">Keeping Tessmannia princeps alive</h2>



The newly described species meets International Union for Conservation of Nature (<a href="https://iucn.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IUCN</a>) criteria for “Vulnerable” status, owing to its tiny range and fewer than 1,000 estimated individuals. 



Logging is banned inside the reserves, yet nearby farms, bush‑meat hunting trails, and potential road upgrades pose indirect threats through soil compaction and fire risk.



<a href="https://research-nexus.net/author/1002222169/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arafat Mtui</a> of the <a href="http://www.udzungwacentre.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Udzungwa Ecological Monitoring Center</a> notes that each fresh discovery “prioritizes urgent study on ecology, distribution, and threats,” underscoring the tree’s role as a flagship for corridor restoration. 



Community‑based programs that compensate landowners for forest protection now cite T. princeps as evidence that conserving narrow habitat strips can safeguard irreplaceable biodiversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-ancient-trees-teach-us">What ancient trees teach us</h2>



Longevity in wet tropics is rare because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-shows-psilocybin-from-magic-mushrooms-delays-aging-and-significantly-extends-lifespan/">fungi</a>, insects, and storms accelerate decay, so the endurance of these trunks sparks new questions about wood chemistry and dendrochronology in humid settings.



Comparisons with the 4,800‑year‑old bristlecone pine <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/pinlon/all.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pinus longaeva</a> highlight convergent survival strategies: dense wood, slow metabolism, and strategic growth spurts that coincide with favorable decades. 



By storing prodigious amounts of carbon for millennia, each Tessmannia princeps stabilizes soils, seeds understory diversity, and chronicles regional climate swings in its tightly packed rings.



Researchers now plan radiocarbon dating on live cores to refine age estimates and test whether rainfall patterns leave identifiable chemical signatures, data that could sharpen regional climate models.



The study is published in <a href="https://phytotaxa.mapress.com/pt/article/view/phytotaxa.694.2.1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Phytotaxa</a>. Photo credit: Bianchi, Tomasi, et al/Phytotaxa.



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Scientists discover giant 3,000-year-old trees never before seen by humans

Botanists confirmed recently that a towering tree discovered in Tanzania’s...

We hear a lot about how climate change affects food production, especially in terms of crop yields. But a growing body of research points to a quieter, less visible threat: the nutritional quality of our food is changing - and not for the better.



New findings from researchers at <a href="https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/">Liverpool John Moores University</a> suggest that rising levels of CO2 and hotter temperatures are altering the chemistry of common crops. The result? Plants may look healthy and grow fast, but they’re packing fewer essential nutrients.



That has major implications for public health, especially in countries already battling food insecurity and chronic diseases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-vegetables-for-tomorrow">Testing vegetables for tomorrow</h2>



“Our work looks beyond quantity to the quality of what we eat,” said Jiata Ugwah Ekele, a PhD student at Liverpool John Moores University.



Ekele’s research focuses on how environmental stressors - from increased carbon dioxide to rising temperatures - change the nutritional makeup of food crops. 



Her team grows popular leafy vegetables like kale, rocket, and spinach inside climate-controlled chambers at the university. Researchers adjust the CO2 levels and temperatures to reflect the UK’s future climate projections.



“These environmental changes can affect everything from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/key-to-life-on-earth-photosynthesis-begins-on-the-quantum-level-with-a-single-photon/">photosynthesis</a> and growth rates to the synthesis and storage of nutrients in crops,” said Ekele.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-plant-activity">Tracking plant activity</h2>



The research takes a closer look at what’s happening inside the plants. Scientists track photosynthetic activity as the plants grow, using chlorophyll fluorescence and quantum yield measurements



At harvest, the team measures yield and biomass, then runs chemical tests to see what nutrients are present. 



Using high-performance liquid chromatography and X-ray fluorescence, they analyze sugars, proteins, flavonoids, vitamins, and antioxidants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bigger-crops-fewer-nutrients">Bigger crops, fewer nutrients</h2>



The early data shows that crops do grow bigger under <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/">higher CO2 levels</a>. But that doesn’t mean they’re healthier.



“After some time, the crops showed a reduction in key minerals like calcium and certain antioxidant compounds,” Ekele said.



And when heat is added to the mix, things get worse. According to Ekele, the interaction between CO2 and heat stress has complex effects - the crops do not grow as big or fast and the decline in nutritional quality intensifies.



One surprising twist in the results was that not all vegetables responded the same way. Some showed sharp declines in nutrients, while others were more resilient.



“This diversity in response highlights that we can’t generalize across crops. This complexity has been both fascinating and challenging and reminds us why it's important to study multiple stressors together,” Ekele said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crops-may-fuel-disease">Crops may fuel disease</h2>



A key concern is what happens when crops lose essential nutrients. Elevated CO2 can increase the sugar content in fruits and vegetables - but it often lowers levels of protein, vitamins, and minerals.



“This altered balance could contribute to diets that are higher in calories but poorer in nutritional value,” Ekele said. 



“Increased sugar content in crops, especially fruits and vegetables, could lead to greater risks of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-is-obesity-difficult-to-reverse-it-starts-in-the-brain/">obesity</a> and type 2 diabetes - particularly in populations already struggling with non-communicable diseases.”



When people eat food that lacks protein, iron, calcium, or other essential nutrients, it can weaken their immune system and worsen existing health conditions. This hits hardest in low- and middle-income countries where food choices are limited.



“It’s not just about how much food we grow, but also what’s inside that food and how it supports long-term human well-being,” said Ekele.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-systems-face-global-stress">Food systems face global stress</h2>



Even though the study simulates future UK climate conditions, the findings echo far beyond British borders.



“Food systems in the Global North are already being challenged by shifting weather patterns, unpredictable growing seasons, and more frequent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-made-heatwaves-more-deadly/">heatwaves</a>,” noted Ekele.



“In tropical and subtropical regions, these areas also contend with overlapping stressors such as drought, pests, and soil degradation – and are home to millions who depend directly on agriculture for food and income.”



Ekele hopes this work inspires more research and cross-disciplinary collaboration. She said that food is more than just calories - it’s a foundation for human development and climate adaptation.



Connecting plant science to broader issues of human well-being is essential, especially as the climate changes and nations work toward building a food system that supports not just productivity, but also health, equity, and resilience.



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Climate change is making our food less nutritious

We hear a lot about how climate change affects food...

Our desks keep us glued to chairs for hours, yet our bodies keep score. After meals, our blood sugar spikes, particularly if we remain sedentary. Two fresh studies have now analyzed the respective benefits of walking and doing squats, in terms of their ability to lower those <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diabetes-patients-overtreated/">glucose</a> surges. 



One test pitted simple body‑weight squats against walking sessions of different lengths, to see which shrinks after‑meal sugar spikes. The contest delivered a surprise winner.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-squats-and-mini-walks-win-the-day">Squats and mini-walks win the day</h2>



Lead author <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ying-Gao-55" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ying Gao</a> of <a href="https://www.zju.edu.cn/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zhejiang University</a> guided 18 young men through four, single‑day <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ying-Gao-55" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trials</a> that included long sitting, a half‑hour stroll, three‑minute mini‑walks every forty‑five minutes, or ten fast squats on the same clock. 



The squat and frequent mini-walk conditions slashed postprandial sugar spikes by 21 percent, when compared with nonstop <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sitting-for-hours-daily-shrinks-your-brain-even-if-you-exercise/">sitting</a>.



The same sugar‑flattening effect almost doubled the benefit of the lone, 30‑minute walk. This indicates that muscles care more about timing than about total steps. 



Importantly, energy burned was matched across conditions, so extra calorie loss was not the hero.



Deskbound adults spend more than 9 hours per day seated, on average, a pattern that is linked to higher diabetes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sedentary-behavior-sitting-for-hours-health-risk-early-death/">risk</a>, even in habitual exercisers. 



Shifting some of that time toward burst‑style movement gives muscles periodic wake‑up calls without asking for gym clothes.



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



Squatting lights up the quads and glutes far more than an easy stroll. The trial found that higher averaged <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4825-emg-electromyography" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">electromyogram</a> amplitude in those big muscles tracked directly with lower blood sugar swings, while hamstring effort mattered less.



“Only increased aEMG in quadriceps and gluteal muscles was associated with a reduction in postprandial glycemic response,” the authors noted. More muscle fibers squeezing at once appear to pull extra sugar out of circulation.



Those same fibers are among the largest glycogen reservoirs in the body. Emptying them repeatedly during the workday sets the stage for later insulin‑assisted refilling, a cycle that may dampen glucose peaks in subsequent meals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-walking-paradox">The walking paradox</h2>



Three‑minute strolls every 45 minutes came close to the squat effect, even though each break felt relaxed. Small bursts appear to wake up leg muscles repeatedly, keeping sugar disposal lines open throughout the day.



Still, the single, longer walk under‑performed. The data suggest that the body values frequent nudges over one heroic push, which echoes office studies where hourly movement trims cholesterol and insulin peaks.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/to-get-fit-and-stay-healthy-walk-this-exact-distance-every-day/">Walking</a> breaks also counteract stiffness, boost mood, and require no floor space. That makes them a friendly backup plan on days when squats are impractical (such as in narrow airplane aisles or crowded buses).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lactate-and-glut4-link">Lactate and GLUT4 link</h2>



Squats briefly cut off oxygen to working muscle, boosting lactate production. Laboratory work in human myotubes shows that “lactic acid has an important role in energy metabolism of human myotubes” and even raises glucose uptake three‑fold when it replaces sugar in the growth medium.



Higher lactate feeds a cellular message that orders more <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/10/2432" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GLUT4 transporters</a> to the muscle surface, the very gates that shuttle glucose inward. 



Scientists agree that, in response to stimulation by insulin or exercise/muscle contraction, GLUT4 “translocates from intracellular storage vesicles to the muscle cell surface” where it plays an essential role in glucose transport.



The lactate shuttle also lets active muscles share this metabolite with the liver for fresh glucose production - forming a push‑and‑pull cycle that stabilizes blood sugar without sharp highs or lows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lasting-ripple-effects">Lasting ripple effects</h2>



“Enhanced skeletal muscle and whole body insulin sensitivity can persist for between 24 and 48 hours after one exercise session,” noted physiologist <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4816200/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gregory Cartee</a>. 



A single bout of exercise can thus keep muscles extra sensitive to insulin for up to two days, meaning that each squat break may buy prolonged metabolic calm.&nbsp;



Because squats recruit more fibers per second than walking, they may stretch that window even further, though larger trials will be needed to test this idea. 



Even if the extra edge is small, the compounding effect over hundreds of workdays could be substantial.



Employers who are worried about productivity may find that adding a beep on the office clock every 45 minutes is cheaper than funding a corporate gym and easier than policing step counts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-leveraging-squats-in-daily-life">Leveraging squats in daily life</h2>



Ten deep squats take roughly 20 seconds and require zero equipment. Set a 45‑minute timer, stand up, drop and rise ten times, then sit back down, and you will have matched the glucose benefit seen in the lab.



If knee pain rules out squats, a three‑minute hallway march delivers nearly the same payoff. What counts is breaking sitting time often and pushing large muscles hard enough to feel them work.



Pairing these movement snacks with balanced meals can amplify their punch, especially for people watching carbohydrate intake. Consistency beats intensity, so keep the breaks small, frequent, and sustainable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-caveats-and-future-research">Caveats and future research</h2>



The volunteers in Gao’s study were healthy young men, leaving questions about how older adults, women, or people with diabetes will respond. 



Hormonal differences and joint limitations could modify the squat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/studies-learn-the-exact-amount-of-time-you-should-spend-training-to-build-muscle/">advantage</a>, and researchers are already planning follow‑ups that include broader demographic groups.



Laboratory meals were standardized, yet real‑world diets vary wildly in sugar content. Future work will need to track continuous glucose monitors over weeks to see whether movement snacks tame everyday spikes triggered by pizza lunches and birthday cake.



Finally, scientists still debate the precise chain of molecular events between lactate, GLUT4, and long‑term insulin signaling. 



Decoding that pathway could unlock new drug targets that mimic the down‑to‑earth prescription of standing up and moving every 45 minutes.



The study is published in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38629807/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scandinavian Journal of Medicine &amp; Science in Sports</a>.



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Squats vs walking: The definitive winner for reducing blood sugar

Our desks keep us glued to chairs for hours, yet...

Trees are among nature’s most effective tools for capturing carbon dioxide. They absorb this heat-trapping gas as they grow, making forests key allies in the fight against climate change.



But what happens when winters get warmer and snow becomes scarce? That’s the question <a href="https://www.bu.edu/">Boston University</a> scientists set out to answer in a long-term forest experiment. 



The researchers used underground cables to simulate warmer soil and removed snow to mimic shifting winters. The results suggest that future forest growth - and the carbon storage it brings - might not be as strong as we hope.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lack-of-snow-slows-forest-growth">Lack of snow slows forest growth</h2>



In a recent study, BU researchers showed that warmer summers do boost <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/we-still-have-much-to-learn-about-tree-growth/">tree growth</a>. But there's a catch: when snowpack is reduced in winter, that growth slows significantly. Forests may grow faster in heat, but they struggle without a protective blanket of snow.



“We know from past work that there are several negative effects of lessening snowpack, and we know that temperatures are warming and the snowpack is shrinking,” said study co-author Professor Pamela Templer. 



“We wanted to look at the interactions between climate change across the year, and we wanted to be as realistic as possible about the future climate our forests will experience.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-snow-loss-harms-tree-roots">Snow loss harms tree roots</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snow-droughts-could-quadruple-by-2100-harming-water-supplies/">Snow</a> insulates the forest floor. With less snow, the soil freezes more often, damaging roots and disrupting the delicate balance trees rely on.



Instead of a steady cold, the ground experiences freeze-thaw cycles that can be stressful for the plants.



At the same time, warmer summers speed up decomposition in the soil, which can help trees grow faster at least on the surface.



“When we think about climate change, it’s not just warmer temperatures in the summer or warmer temperatures overall," said Emerson Conrad-Rooney, a PhD student in Templer’s lab and lead author of the paper.



"We need to account for these changes throughout the year that can differ from season to season.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-snow-removal-shrinks-forest-gains">Snow removal shrinks forest gains</h2>



The BU team set up six <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-provide-different-health-benefits-based-on-their-structure/">forest</a> plots, each about the size of a small classroom. Four of them had underground cables that warmed the soil by 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit). Two of those were also cleared of snow in the winter. The last two were left alone for comparison.



Year after year, the team returned to measure tree growth using dendrometer bands - spring-loaded metal rings wrapped around trunks that track expansion. These readings allowed them to estimate how much carbon each tree was storing.



Trees in the plots where the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/agricultural-soil-is-now-the-worlds-biggest-plastic-dumping-ground/">soil</a> was artificially warmed and snow was left untouched grew 63 percent more than the trees in the unaltered plots. 



But when snow was removed - triggering repeated freeze-thaw cycles - the growth benefit dropped. Those trees only grew 31 percent more than the controls over the same period. 



In other words, the lack of snow cut the positive effects of warmer temperatures on tree growth by about half.



“Many Earth system models, which predict how much carbon forests can store, aren’t incorporating the complexities of winter climate change that we’re highlighting here,” said Conrad-Rooney. “This means that models might be overestimating the carbon capacity of these temperate forests.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-happening-beneath-the-ground">What’s happening beneath the ground?</h2>



Now, the team is turning its attention underground. Templer suspects that repeated freezing and thawing takes a toll on tree roots, which are adapted to the stable cold of snowy winters. 



In 2023, Conrad-Rooney buried mesh cylinders called root ingrowth cores to track how roots are growing in each plot. The results are expected by the end of this year.



“We’re going to keep this work going as long as we can,” said Templer. “We’re so fortunate to have this long-term study because we learn so much the longer we keep going." 



"Right now, we see a warming-induced response from the trees, but maybe that’s temporary - maybe the trees will acclimate and their growth will slow down. We don’t know. That’s really the value of having long-term data.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-climate-puzzle-with-many-pieces">A climate puzzle with many pieces</h2>



This study is one part of a much larger puzzle. Researchers are also looking at how trees behave in cities, along forest edges, and under threats like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-people-die-from-air-pollution-each-year-yet-theres-still-a-lack-of-monitoring/">air pollution</a>, insect loss, and diseases. 



But pulling all these pieces together into one clear forecast for forests remains a huge challenge.



“There are so many global changes happening at the same time,” said Templer. “It’s impossible to get at everything all at once, so we each do what we can."



"The reason we could do this work at all is because others before us monitored the climate. Getting to contribute to long-term science with this study is just amazing.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2412873122">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Forests will struggle without winter snow

Trees are among nature’s most effective tools for capturing carbon...

A discarded can tab, locked inside a new type of rock on England’s Cumbrian coast, tells a startling story about what happens when industry and nature collide.



Geologists have confirmed that steel slag from old furnaces has fused into solid rock in only 35 years, overturning information from textbooks that marks rock formation in spans of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geologists-found-the-oldest-rock-in-the-us-dating-back-4-billion-years-zircon-crystals/">geologic ages</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-waste-becomes-new-rock">How waste becomes new rock</h2>



<a href="https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/ges/staff/amandaowen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Amanda Owen</a> of the <a href="https://www.gla.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Glasgow</a> led the team that first spotted the glassy, blue‑gray cliffs of waste hardening along the Derwent Howe shoreline. 



The process, called the “anthropoclastic rock cycle,” mimics the natural sedimentary loop but runs at high speed because the slag chemistry is already primed for cement growth.



“For a couple of hundred years, we've understood the rock cycle as a natural process that takes thousands to millions of years,” said Dr. Owen.



She added that seeing a man‑made pile turn to stone within a human lifetime demands a rewrite of Earth‑science curricula. 



<a href="https://www.workingtonnaturepartnership.co.uk/derwenthowe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Derwent Howe</a> once held an estimated 27 million cubic yards of waste that waves now sculpt into a rough, newly cemented platform.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clocking-the-transformation-into-new-rock">Clocking the transformation into new rock</h2>



“This gives us a maximum timeframe of 35 years for this rock formation,” said <a href="https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/ges/staff/johnmacdonald/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. John MacDonald</a>, who is a co‑author and logged dozens of foreshore cores during the survey. 



Dating the new stone came down to some serendipitous small surprises embedded in the matrix. A <a href="https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/52997" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">King George V penny</a>, minted in 1934, and an <a href="https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/ges/staff/johnmacdonald/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aluminum pull‑tab</a> style that was launched in 1989, provided clues to the age of the new rock. 



Natural sandstone needs grains to be buried, compacted, and chemically glued over <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-oldest-known-rocks-formed-over-four-billion-years-ago/">millions of years</a>, yet here the glue arrives pre‑mixed in the waste. 



Laboratory thin sections show rings of calcite, goethite, and brucite radiating from slag fragments. These are the same types of minerals that are found in natural sedimentary rock, but the time frame for slag rock formation is magnitudes faster. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-pattern-seen-worldwide">A pattern seen worldwide</h2>



Steelmaking now tops two billion tons a year, throwing off roughly 400 million tons of slag. Britain alone hosts at least 76 miles of coastal slag <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381431869_Environmental_behaviour_of_iron_and_steel_slags_in_coastal_settings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deposits</a>, and similar piles rim sites from Bilbao to Baltimore, suggests a reconnaissance of 14 British sites.



Elsewhere, beach fires have welded melted plastic to sand and basalt to create “<a href="https://www.geosociety.org/gsatoday/archive/24/6/article/i1052-5173-24-6-4.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastiglomerate</a>.” This was first documented on Kamilo Beach, Hawaii, in 2014. 



Together, these materials widen the portfolio of what counts as rock in the proposed Anthropocene era, a period marked by technogenic strata.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-rock-fits-into-the-anthropocene">New rock fits into the anthropocene</h2>



Scientists have long debated whether we’ve entered the new geologic epoch called the Anthropocene, which is defined by human activity altering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/99-habitat-loss-the-dire-future-of-amphibians-in-the-pantanal/">Earth’s surface</a>. 



Most proposed markers include plastic deposits, concrete fragments, and fossil fuel residues layered into sediment.



This new anthropogenic stone, formed from steelmaking waste, adds to the evidence. It shows that industrial materials don’t just persist, they actively reshape coastlines and begin cycling into geology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-speed-matters-for-coasts">Why speed matters for coasts</h2>



Hardening slag converts loose shingle into a rigid apron, changing wave reflection, sediment drift, and therefore erosion rates along neighboring natural cliffs. 



The sudden appearance of rock can lock toxic trace metals in place, but at the cost of creating an alkaline halo that stresses local mussels and algae.



“We don't have as much time as we thought to find somewhere to put it where it will have minimal impact on the environment,” said Dr. David Brown, the study’s third co‑author. 



Managers already juggle sea‑level‑rise forecasts, yet none of the mainstream shoreline models fold in rapid <a href="https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2020/3204-lithification-and-biodiversity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lithification</a> of human waste.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-risks-to-biodiversity-and-local-ecosystems">Risks to biodiversity and local ecosystems</h2>



The newly formed slag rock alters tidal zones, replacing soft sand with hardened surfaces that disrupt spawning grounds for fish and feeding zones for coastal birds. 



Some studies show that alkaline leachate from slag can increase pH in nearby pools, making survival harder for native invertebrates.



These shifts can reduce biodiversity, especially in intertidal habitats where organisms rely on specific sediment types. Without proper planning, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rock-strength-shapes-the-evolution-of-earths-landscapes/">ecological cost</a> of industrial rock could outpace its benefits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-ahead">Looking ahead</h2>



Because the cementation reactions absorb carbon dioxide, some engineers wonder whether curated slag reefs could double as low‑cost carbon sinks. 



Still, the material can leach chromium and vanadium, which means every new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-white-gold-a-lithium-deposit-valued-at-1-5-trillion-has-been-discovered-in-the-u-s/">deposit</a> needs local geochemical checks before any climate‑friendly scaling.



The Glasgow team plans surveys of European slag shores, pairing drones with ground‑penetrating radar to track growth rates under different wave climates. 



Meanwhile, heavy industry faces pressure to curb emissions and waste, with a report from the U.S.-based Global Energy Monitor think tank noting that planned blast furnaces could add 303 million tons of high‑carbon capacity this decade.



The study is published in <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article-abstract/53/7/581/653591/Evidence-for-a-rapid-anthropoclastic-rock-cycle?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a>.



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New type of Earth rock is created by human industrial waste and forms in just 40 years

A discarded can tab, locked inside a new type of...

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

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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

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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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