In a refreshing attempt to understanding animal consciousness and emotions, a group of researchers from various disciplines have come together to share their thoughts.



The research team was led by Dr. Marcela Benítez, assistant professor of anthropology at Emory University. 



"As far as we know, this is the first assessment of how animal behavior researchers across a range of disciplines think about emotions and consciousness in non-human animals," said Professor Benítez.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quantifying-animal-emotions">Quantifying animal emotions</h2>



The research shows that a majority of the researchers ascribed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-emotions-evoke-different-responses-in-dogs-and-pigs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emotions</a> to non-human primates (98%), mammals (89%), birds (78%), and even to octopus, squids, and cuttlefish (72%), and fish (53%). 



Incredibly, sentiments are even expressed towards invertebrates (71%) and insects (67%).



Anthromorphism - projecting human experiences onto <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-feel-our-emotions-through-our-heart-rate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animals</a> - and anthropodenial - the denial of any human characteristics in animals - were identified as hazards in animal behavioral research.



Surprisingly, 89% of the respondents thought anthropodenial was more problematic compared to only 49% who thought anthromorphism posed a risk. "That seems like a significant shift," said Professor Benítez.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-history-of-animal-emotion-studies">History of animal emotion studies</h2>



The question of whether animals experience emotions has kept thinkers busy since Aristotle and Descartes. 



Charles Darwin also addressed this topic, writing that “the lower animals, like man, manifestly feel pleasure and pain, happiness and misery.” 



However, mid-20th-century behavioral theorists dismissed the study of animal emotions since these feelings were seen as scientifically unquantifiable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-study-of-animal-cognition">The study of animal cognition</h2>



The late primatologist Frans de Waal, an emeritus professor of psychology at Emory, revolutionized the study of animal cognition through his profound studies. 



"Frans de Waal definitely helped kick open the door," said Benítez, crediting him for enabling new scientists to question the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chick-emotions-shed-new-light-on-animal-welfare/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inner lives of animals</a>.



Matthew Zipple, a neurobiologist at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell University</a>’s Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, is the paper's first author. Emory postdoctoral fellow Mackenzie Webster and philosopher Caleb Hazelwood were also part of the team.



Professor Benítez, whose research focuses on cooperation and other social behaviors in capuchin monkeys, recognizes the influence of de Waal's work in her career.



"A key component of cooperation often involves forming <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/recognizing-emotions-in-horses-can-improve-their-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emotional bonds</a> with one another. So, I can’t shy away from considering emotions in my research," she said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-survey-on-animal-emotions">Survey on animal emotions</h2>



To examine researchers' perceptions on animal emotions, Professor Benítez and her team developed a meticulous survey that was distributed to graduate school programs in animal behavior research across various disciplines.



The respondents included several specialities - behavioral ecologists, evolutionary biologists, neuroscientists, cognitive psychologists, biological psychologists, and more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-in-defining-emotion-in-animals">Challenges in defining emotion in animals</h2>



Towards the end of the survey, respondents were asked to define "emotion."



“I don’t have a clear definition either,” said Benítez. “I see emotions as a sort of internal process in responding to external stimuli that has an impact on how a situation is perceived. I go to the most basic definition because that allows us to explore that capacity in non-human primates.”



Animal studies present unique challenges. A key issue in lab experiments is replicating the animal's natural environment. In the wild, it's difficult to design and control the experiment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-innovative-solutions-for-age-old-challenges">Innovative solutions for age-old challenges</h2>



Professor Benítez is pioneering a new approach to bridge this gap. She co-directs the Capuchins de Taboga Costa Rica project, which studies both captive and wild capuchins.



Her team is using AI techniques, facial recognition software, and touch screen computers on presentation platforms in the wild to better understand capuchin monkey behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ethical-implications-of-animal-studies">Ethical implications of animal studies</h2>



The exploration of animal consciousness and emotions extends beyond the realms of science and ethics, challenging the moral considerations and treatment of animals across various settings. 



Researchers must navigate complex ethical terrains, balancing scientific inquiry with the welfare and respectful treatment of the animals involved. 



The understanding that animals might possess emotions akin to humans necessitates humane treatment protocols and raises questions about the ethical implications of using animals in research, entertainment, and agriculture. 



As research in this field progresses, there remains an ongoing dialogue regarding the responsibility of scientists to advocate for policies that protect animal rights while advancing scientific knowledge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-animal-emotion-research">The future of animal emotion research</h2>



Looking ahead, the future of animal emotion research promises to integrate even more advanced methodologies and cross-disciplinary collaborations that push the boundaries of our understanding. 



As AI and machine learning continue to evolve, these technologies offer new ways of analyzing and interpreting animal behaviors at unprecedented scales, providing deeper insights into their emotional lives. 



Additionally, promoting collaborations between behavioral scientists, technologists, ethicists, and policymakers can help develop innovative approaches that are scientifically rigorous and ethically sound. 



Embracing these future directions can drive the field toward more holistic understandings of non-human animals, ultimately transforming how society views and interacts with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-animal-day-2024-building-a-legacy-of-compassion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animal kingdom</a>.



“We’ve only scratched the surface of exploring what animals are capable of experiencing,” said Professor Benítez.



“Understanding the evolution of emotions is integral to understanding our own ancestry. In what ways are we a unique species? It’s an exciting time as new methods may help us better understand how an animal may be feeling and how that links to the decisions they make.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241255" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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Animals, possibly even insects, have emotions

In a refreshing attempt to understanding animal consciousness and emotions, a group of researchers from various disciplines have come together to share their thoughts. The research team was led by Dr. Marcela Benítez, assistant professor of anthropology at Emory University. "As far as we know, this is the first assessment of how animal behavior researchers across a range of disciplines think about emotions and consciousness in non-human animals," said Professor Benítez. Quantifying animal emotions The research shows that a majority of the researchers ascribed emotions to non-human...

A new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109235">Ecological Indicators</a> has investigated how climate change will impact the distribution of great <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-group-of-blue-whales-discovered-with-bomb-detectors/">whales</a> in New Zealand waters. By using a complex modeling approach for projecting the regional range shift of blue and sperm whales by the end of the century, under different climate change scenarios, the experts argue that the suitable habitats for both species will likely shift southward as the oceans warm.&nbsp;



In the most severe climate change scenario, the scientists project a 61 percent and 42 percent loss and decrease of currently suitable habitats for sperm and blue whales, respectively, particularly in New Zealand’s northern waters.



“Regardless of which of the climate change scenarios will be the reality, even the best-case scenario indicates notable changes in the distribution of suitable habitat for sperm and blue whales in New Zealand,” said study lead author Katharina Peters, a postdoctoral researcher in Animal Behavior, Population Ecology, and Evolutionary Biology at the <a href="https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/">University of Canterbury</a>.



Due to their strong connection to the ocean, island nations such as New Zealand are highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems. For instance, sperm whales are crucial for the tourism industry and local economy.&nbsp;



“The whale watch industry off Kaikoura may be at potential risk due to fewer and less reliable sightings of sperm whales off that coastline in the future,” explained study co-author Karen Stockin, an expert in Cetacean Ecology at the <a href="https://www.massey.ac.nz/">Massey University of New Zealand</a>. “Such changes in sperm whale distribution would have socioeconomic impacts due to the direct and indirect reliance on the whale watching activities by the local economy.”



Moreover, blue and sperm whales are also major ecosystem engineers, fulfilling a variety of important tasks, such as facilitating the transfer of nutrients from deep waters to the surface and across different latitudes through migration. Their predicted future southward drift will most likely impact ecosystem functioning and destabilize many ecological processes in northern New Zealand.



Although this study highlights the negative impact of climate change on great whales, it also identifies habitats that may be suitable in the future for both species in the South Island and other offshore islands.&nbsp;



“Such areas have the potential to serve as climate refugia for both species,” said study senior author Frédérik Saltré, a research fellow in Ecology at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a>. “Knowing about these areas early on provides an opportunity for their increased protection in the future, particularly when considering the placement of marine protected areas and the legislation of oil and gas exploration,” he concluded.



Image Credit: Photo courtesy DBL Wildlife



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Great whales will drift southward due to climate change

A new study published in the journal Ecological Indicators has...

A new study from <a href="https://www.hamilton.edu/">Hamilton College</a> has revealed that "brain fog" affects <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/key-ocean-species-on-the-west-coast-face-an-uncertain-future/">species</a> across the animal kingdom. While it is known that infections such as COVID-19 can impair learning, memory, and problem-solving in people, the researchers set out to investigate whether infected animals may suffer from brain fog as well.&nbsp;



Study lead author Professor Andrea K. Townsend was previously interested in learning how infectious disease impacts the problem-solving performance of American crows. She was surprised to discover that very few studies had compared the cognitive effects of disease in other species.&nbsp;



After analyzing the existing evidence, the experts found that a wide range of species - from rats to birds - show signs of cognitive impairment when they are fighting an infection.



The researchers noted many possible causes of brain fog in animals, including damage by the parasite, certain immune responses, lack of motivation, malnutrition, and even alterations to the host microbiome.



“I think one surprising thing for me was how little is known. We're seeing an accelerated emergence of all of these infectious diseases, and yet we know very little about how disease might affect cognition and the implications of this for wild animals as well as for humans,” said Professor Townsend.



Cognitive impairment can potentially affect entire communities. For instance, bees may have difficulty finding food when they are fighting an infection.&nbsp;



“This is really a bad outcome, if you are a bee, because foraging success depends on the ability to efficiently find the most productive flowers,” explained Professor Townsend. In this scenario, bee populations could suffer, as well as the flowers that depend on them for pollination.



The experts warn that climate change will only make matters worse by causing animals to become stressed and more vulnerable to disease and brain fog.



“So, here you might have a snowball effect where animals in stressed environments are more likely to get sick and their cognitive abilities are impaired.&nbsp; Then they are less able to deal with these stressful, changing environments because of their impaired cognitive abilities.&nbsp; It could increase the costs of environmental change for some wild animals,” said Professor Townsend.&nbsp;



“We’re also living in a period of accelerating disease emergence, which is likely to have lots of contributing factors. For example, climate change is altering the range of many insects that carry diseases. In North America, the ranges of mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors are extending northward. This is a problem because these ranges are extending into populations of naive hosts that have never experienced the diseases that they carry before. Therefore, they don’t have immunity to these infections and are likely to be highly susceptible to them."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</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

"Brain fog" affects a wide range of animals

A new study from Hamilton College has revealed that "brain...

According to a study published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376635721000589">Behavioral Processes</a>, humans are able to reliably identify <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/playfulness-is-a-key-personality-trait-of-gifted-dogs/">dogs</a>’ emotions and moods based on their facial expression. The experts found that slight expressive changes, such as wide eyes or a rolling tongue, can help humans detect six different basic emotions in dogs – happiness, sadness, curiosity, fear, disgust, and anger. The easiest emotions to spot appeared to be anger, which was correctly identified by the study participants 78 percent of the time.



The researchers used pictures of three dog breeds – Malinois, Doberman, and Rhodesian Ridgeback – and enrolled 105 undergraduate students who were shown slides presenting four different expressive images of the same breed and asked to identify which image best depicted one of the six emotions. In the case of anger, which was induced in dogs by a person raising a padded stick or using a noisy leaf blower, humans were able to accurately identify it 78 percent of the time.&nbsp;



When it came to other basic emotions that the dogs experienced, participants managed to identify happiness and sadness about three-quarters of the time, and fear, disgust, and surprise in 55 percent, 51 percent, and 49 percent of the cases, respectively.&nbsp;



“Analyses indicated that participants were able to correctly identify all emotions across all&nbsp;dog breeds&nbsp;significantly better than chance,” the study authors reported. “Accuracy of emotion identification was predicted to be lower for the Doberman due to its darker coloration, possibly interfering with recognition of subtle emotional cues, but was found to be highest for the Malinois, followed by the Doberman, and then the Rhodesian Ridgeback.”



“Our findings suggest people can naturally understand their dogs’ emotions from their facial expressions,” said study senior author Harris Friedman, a professor emeritus of Psychology at the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a>. According to lead author Tina Bloom, a researcher at the <a href="http://www.floraglades.org/">Floraglades Foundation</a>, we can understand dogs’ feeling so well because we have lived with them for a very long time and managed to create highly powerful inter-species bonds.



Further research is needed to extend the analysis to different breeds, and clarify how breed and other factors influences our capacity to detect dogs’ emotions.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

People can read dogs’ emotions from their expressions

According to a study published in the journal Behavioral Processes,...

Last year, researchers at <a href="https://www.elte.hu/en/">Eotvos Lorand University</a> (ELTE) demonstrated that some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-adjust-to-new-diets-very-quickly/">dogs</a> have an incredible capacity for learning. The experts found that these exceptional dogs - known as gifted word learners - can learn up to 12 new toy names in one week and can remember the new toy names for at least two months.



“These gifted dogs can learn new names of toys in a remarkable speed,” said Dr. Claudia Fugazza, who led the research. “In our previous study we found that they could learn a new toy name after hearing it only 4 times. But, with such short exposure, they did not form a long-term memory of it."



Now, the ELTE team has made another fascinating discovery - an association between giftedness and playfulness in dogs. The researchers found that playfulness is the one key personality trait makes gifted dogs stand out from the crowd.&nbsp;



'This study shows that there is a relationship between extremely high levels of playfulness and giftedness in learning object verbal labels in dogs," said study co-author Ádám Miklósi.



For the investigation, Dr. Fugazza and her team asked the owners of 165 Border collies to complete a dog personality survey. The study was focused on border collies because they were the most common gifted word learners.



Of the dogs analyzed for the study, 21 were known to be gifted learners and the rest were selected at random.&nbsp;



The questions were designed to assess the personality of the dogs in five categories: fearfulness, aggression toward people, playfulness and excitability, and aggression toward other animals.



When the exports compared the responses from owners of gifted dogs to those from the owners of typical dogs, playfulness was the only personality trait that was consistently different between the two groups.



It’s not clear from the study whether it’s the playfulness that helps the dogs learn more words, or whether the extra playful ones ended up with more opportunities to learn, Dr. Fugazza told <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/signs-dog-intelligence-gifted-dogs-play-study-finds-rcna41534">NBC News</a>.



The results do not necessarily mean that playful dogs are smarter. “Intelligence is the result of diverse cognitive traits that allow individuals to flexibly solve different types of problems,” said Dr. Fugazza. "Giftedness refers to an extremely good capacity in the case of a specific skill.”



A similar connection between playfulness and problem-solving abilities was previously established among humans. The research, led by Cheng-Ping Chang at the National University of Tainan, showed that students who are more creative and playful tend to be gifted in math and science. The study results also suggest that playfulness enhances creativity and exploration.&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

Playfulness is a key personality trait of gifted dogs

Last year, researchers at Eotvos Lorand University (ELTE) demonstrated that...

Agri-environment schemes can effectively boost wildlife populations without affecting food production, according to a long-term study from the <a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk/">UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology</a> (UKCEH).



Since the end of World War II, major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-loss-weakens-ecosystem-functioning/">biodiversity</a> losses in the UK have been caused by the intensification of farming practices. In recent decades, agri-environment schemes have been introduced to help farmers manage their land in a way that enhances the landscape and supports biodiversity.



For the current study, the researchers monitored a commercial farm called Hillesden, located in southeast England, where wildlife habitats were experimentally created more than ten years ago. These habitats include seed-bearing plants for birds and wildflowers for pollinators. 



The results of the UKCEH study showed that the creation of wildlife habitats on the farm significantly increased local bird and butterfly populations without damaging food production. 



The experts found that the majority of species had greater population numbers at Hillesden compared to farmed landscapes without agri-environment measures during the same timeframe. For example, 40 percent of butterfly species at Hillesden increased in population size between 2006 and 2016, compared to 21 percent elsewhere.



According to the study authors, the abundance of the common linnet more than doubled at Hillesden. The yellowhammer and chaffinch also fared better compared to birds at other sites.



"Investigating changes in populations over a significant period of time, and comparing these with other sites, means we can be confident that agri-environment options can bring long-term term benefits for bird and butterfly populations," said study lead author Dr. John Redhead.



"Hillesden is a typical, large arable farm with conventional agricultural practices, in an ordinary landscape with no large patches of natural habitat. Therefore, it is likely that the results of our long-term study indicate what can be achieved on other commercial farms with good planning, implementation and management of agri-environment measures."



A previous study from the UKCEH suggests that crop production does not suffer from agri-environment measures. The research showed that overall crop production at Hillesden was unaffected by the loss of agricultural land for habitat creation. In fact, some crop yields were even boosted.&nbsp;



"The Hillesden study shows that it is possible to balance wildlife conservation with efficient food production," said Marek Nowakowski of the Wildlife Farming Company. "I am confident other farmers could achieve similar results with the right training and advice."



Robin Faccenda, owner of the Hillesden estate, said it has never been more important to balance profitable farming with increased wildlife delivery than it is in these challenging times. "My advice to anyone wishing to improve the wildlife on their farm would be to get good advice and create a range of appropriate quality habitats."



The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652664">Journal of Applied Ecology</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

Agri-environment schemes can bring wildlife back to farms

Agri-environment schemes can effectively boost wildlife populations without affecting food...

Neotropical <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/coastal-wetlands-are-threatened-by-salt-water-intrusion/">wetlands</a> are among the most diverse and beautiful regions on Earth. They are home to exotic birds and rare mammals, including jaguars. A recent study from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a> highlights the urgent need to protect the biodiversity of Neotropical wetlands.&nbsp;



The large-scale study was conducted in Brazil and analyzed 72 wetland lakes in the Amazon, Araguaia, Pantanal, and Paraná regions. The researchers examined humans' impact on biodiversity. They also investigated how biodiversity levels affect multifunctionality, or the various functions an ecosystem provides.



"This is one of a few studies that demonstrate how human pressures compromise the functioning of wetlands through their negative impact on biodiversity," said study co-author Dr. Pavel Kratina. "To our knowledge, this work presents the first empirical evidence of a large-scale positive relationship between aquatic biodiversity across multiple organismal groups and multifunctionality of wetlands."



The team examined seven groups of aquatic species to demonstrate their influence on several ecosystem functions, including aquatic phosphorus and nitrogen availability, standing biomass, microorganism abundance, and underwater habitat complexity.



The experts used the Human Footprint (HFP) index to determine the level of human impact. The HFP index measures impacts from farmland, human density, light pollution, railways, roads, and navigable waterways.&nbsp;



The researchers found that human activities harm biodiversity, which is detrimental to the functioning of ecosystems. The Paraná wetland, located near a grossly populated area, was the most threatened.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"This high-resolution dataset revealed strong and consistent associations between the diversity of multiple groups of aquatic organisms and wetland multifunctionality," said Kratina. "These results underline the important role of species richness and functional diversity in driving functioning of Neotropical wetlands."



The experts also discovered that fish diversity can indicate how well an ecosystem functions. According to Dr. Kratina, the study shows that an increasing human footprint correlates with a decline in species richness and functional diversity.



"Human Footprint index has a large direct negative effect on multifunctionality, but HFP also had indirect negative effects on the multifunctionality, mediated by declining species richness," explained Dr. Kratina.



"Although these indirect negative effects of human pressure were driven by the decline in the diversity of most organismal groups, these effects were strongly mediated by fish diversity, because fish diversity is very important for functioning of wetlands."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Biodiversity loss weakens ecosystem functioning

Neotropical wetlands are among the most diverse and beautiful regions...

Over half of the world’s crocodilians – a group that includes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crocodiles-have-had-great-success-through-rapid-evolution/">crocodiles</a>, alligators, caimans, and gharials – are currently threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, hunting, bycatch in fishing gear, and damming of rivers. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> in collaboration with the <a href="https://www.zsl.org/">Zoological Society of London</a> (ZSL) has found that losing these endangered species entails losing the diverse ecological roles that they provide, with unknown – and potentially devastating – ecological consequences. According to the experts, about 38 percent of the various ecological functions that crocodilian species provide for wider ecosystems are now at risk of being lost.



The scientists investigated the diversity of crocodilian ecological roles by looking at measurable functions associated to how different species function in their environment, including skull shape, body size, or habitat use. For instance, the prolific burrowing activities of the critically endangered Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) provides vital shelter and refuge for other species, while the Philippines crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) controls agricultural pests by feeding upon invasive apple snails, and the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) – the world’s largest crocodile – travels hundreds of kilometers across open oceans, transporting nutrients between terrestrial, freshwater, and marine habitats.



“If we lose these species, we stand to lose the important roles they play, forever,” said study lead author Phoebe Griffith, a doctoral student in Crocodilian Conservation at Oxford. “We are only just beginning to investigate what these roles are, but some species may be lost before we have chance to understand their place in the ecosystems they are found. This is especially worrying as many of the crocs we highlight as ecologically distinctive are also the species at immediate risk of extinction.”&nbsp;



According to Griffith and her colleagues, certain traits can help to decrease a species’ risk of extinction. For example, species which invest heavily in reproduction, are highly adaptive to different habitats, or can tolerate climate extremes have better chances of survival. However, since crocodilians often occupy fragile habitats, such as freshwaters or coastlines that are under high human pressure, they are at increased risk in many regions of the globe, particularly in and around Asia.



“Our study highlights the highly threatened nature of crocodilians and that immediate, stronger conservation action for many of these species is essential if we are to protect their ecological functions in the freshwater habitats they occur in. This is so important as freshwater habitats are amongst the most threatened on Earth, but provide many critical services for our planet,” Griffith concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14140">Functional Ecology</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Loss of crocodilians may have devastating consequences

Over half of the world’s crocodilians – a group that...

A new study led by <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> (MSU) has found that locusts can reliably detect through smell a variety of human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-dogs-are-more-likely-to-develop-transmissible-cancer/">cancers</a>. The insects can not only “smell” the difference between healthy and cancerous cells, but they can also distinguish between different cancer cell lines. These findings could provide a basis for devices which use locust sensory neurons to enable the early detection of cancer by using only biomarkers in a patient’s breath.



“Noses are still state of the art,” said study senior author&nbsp;Debajit Saha, an assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering at MSU. “There’s really nothing like them when it comes to gas sensing. People have been working on ‘electronic noses’ for more than 15 years, but they’re still not close to achieving what biology can do seamlessly.”



Cancer cells function differently from healthy ones, and create different chemical compounds as they grow. If these chemicals reach the lungs or airways – which happens in most types of cancer – they can be detected in exhaled breath. “Theoretically, you could breathe into a device, and it would be able to detect and differentiate multiple cancer types and even which stage the disease is in. However, such a device isn’t yet close to being used in a clinical setting,” Professor Saha explained.



By attaching electrodes to their brain and recording their responses to gas samples produced by both healthy and cancer cells, the researchers investigated how well locusts – model organisms widely used in the scientific community - could differentiate these different types of cells in the case of three distinct oral cancer cell lines. “We expected that the cancer cells would appear different than the normal cells,” said study co-author Christopher Contag, a professor of Biomedical Engineering at MSU. “But when the bugs could distinguish three different cancers from each other, that was amazing.” 



Although the team focused only on mouth cancers, they believe this system could work with any cancer that introduces metabolites into breath, which is likely most cancer types. By using the information recorded from locusts’ neural systems, they aim to develop portable sensors that could analyze volatile cancer biomarkers before other, more invasive techniques can reveal the disease.



“Early detection is so important, and we should use every possible tool to get there, whether it’s engineered or provided to us by millions of years of natural selection. If we’re successful, cancer will be a treatable disease,” Professor Contag concluded.



A preprint of the study can be found on <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.24.493311v1">bioRxiv</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;  &nbsp; &nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Locusts can detect cancer in humans

A new study led by Michigan State University (MSU) has...

Rising temperatures pose major challenges to the dairy industry. For instance, the milk production of Holstein cattle can decline by 30 to 70 percent in hot weather. According to a research team from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a>, heat-stressed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dairy-cows-exposed-to-wildfire-smoke-produce-less-milk/">dairy cows</a> often develop gut permeability (leaky gut), which contributes to a significant reduction in milk production. However, the experts found that milk production can be partially restored by feeding the cows organic acids and pure botanicals.&nbsp;



“This has immediate application,” said&nbsp;study senior author Joseph McFadden, an associate professor of Dairy Cattle Biology at Cornell. “And we hope it serves as a catalyst for the field and ignites further research into dietary approaches.”



Climate change is already causing reduced milk production in Holsteins, the dominant dairy cattle breed in the United States. Even in the New York state, where the climate is generally cooler, these cows’ health and productivity are threatened, since they start experiencing heat stress at about 75 degrees Fahrenheit.



“In New York state,&nbsp;we’re projected to have an increase in heat-stress events in the next decade, but the precipitation is supposed to stay. With major droughts and water demands in other areas of the country, there may be an increased emphasis on maintaining the strength of the Northeast dairy industry, but we’ll still have more heat-stress events, and we have to be proactive and ready,” Professor McFadden urged.



Heat stress is causing the cows to eat less, and this reduced food intake accounts for 30 to 50 percent of the drop in milk production. According to McFadden and his team, the remaining decline develops due to an increase in intestinal permeability, which activates the immune system. “The general working hypothesis was that an activated immune system partitions energy away from milk production to support immune function,” he explained.&nbsp;



“When the gut becomes permeable, it allows bacteria to enter the cow that activate the immune system and cause inflammation. But there had never been a study that directly confirmed that heat-stressed dairy cows developed leaky gut. Prior data only inferred this possibility.”



Fortunately, the scientists discovered that the consumption of organic acids and pure botanicals significantly reduces cows’ gut permeability and increases food intake and milk production, restoring up to three kilograms of milk per day. Moreover, cows kept on this diet showed increased nitrogen efficiency, thus reducing emissions of this harmful substance.



Further research is needed to assess the efficacy of different additives, and recommend changes to the staple diet of cows in the U.S. through optimization of the&nbsp;<a href="https://cals.cornell.edu/animal-science/outreach-extension/publications-resources-software/cornell-net-carbohydrate-and-protein-system#:~:text=The%20Cornell%20Net%20Carbohydrate%20and,supplying%20nutrients%20to%20meet%20requirements.">Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System</a> (a model used to determine what dairy and beef cattle should eat). “That model helps nutritionists formulate diets for cows. If we can improve that model and understand the nutrient requirements that a cow has during a heat-stress event, we can ensure she’s getting what she needs to maintain optimum health and performance,” McFadden concluded.



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-21820">Journal of Dairy Science</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dietary changes improve milk production in heat-stressed cows

Rising temperatures pose major challenges to the dairy industry. For...

Earth,And,Galaxy.,Elements,Of,This,Image,Furnished,By,Nasa.

Major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/habitat-shifts-change-the-brain-structure-of-butterflies/">habitat shifts</a>, such as moving to land from the sea, are key evolutionary events that often spark explosions of diversity. Until recently, it was unclear how frequent such habitat transitions have been across the eukaryotic tree of life, which includes animals, plants, and a vast array of microbes. Now, an international research team led by the <a href="https://www.uu.se/">Uppsala University</a> in Sweden has discovered that eukaryotes have made hundreds of major leaps from sea to land and freshwater habitats, and vice versa, during their evolution over the last two billion years.



“We found that organisms in the eukaryote tree of life are generally grouped by whether they live in the oceans, or in non-marine habitats like freshwater and soils. This finding confirms that adapting to a different salinity - or crossing the salt barrier - is difficult, even for microbes,” said study lead author Mahwash Jamy, an expert in Organismal Biology at Uppsala.



“However, we found that microbial eukaryotes have still managed to successfully establish themselves in new habitats several hundred times during their evolution, and we’re likely to discover more of these transition events as we sequence microbes from more locations. It’s likely that these difficult-to-achieve transitions have allowed colonizing organisms to occupy vacant ecological niches, leading to the vast diversity of eukaryotes we see today.”



By sequencing DNA of microbes from boreal lakes, forest soils, the Indian Ocean, the Mariana Trench, and various other environments, the scientists reconstructed large evolutionary trees that revealed major patterns in the evolution of habitat preference. &nbsp;“It’s likely that two of the largest groups of eukaryotes, called SAR and Obozoa, each of which are much larger than the plant and animal kingdoms, arose in completely different habitats,” explained study senior author Fabien Burki, an associate professor of Organismal Biology at Uppsala.&nbsp;



“The SAR lineage, which includes groups like diatoms, ciliates, dinoflagellates, radiolarians etc., first arose in the Precambrian oceans. On the other hand, the ancestral Obazoan, which has now diversified into fungi, animals, choanoflagellates, and amoebozoans, likely inhabited non-marine habitats.”



These findings suggest that the salinity shift between marine and non-marine habitats played a crucial role in shaping eukaryotic evolution. Further research is needed to investigate what genetic mechanisms are underlying these seminal evolutionary events.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-022-01838-4">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Habitat shifts shaped the evolution of life on Earth

Major habitat shifts, such as moving to land from the...

Birds are described as modern-day dinosaurs, and it seems they will be forced, yet again, to adapt to a rapidly changing world. A team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/homepage/">Durham University</a> has predicted that climate change will force avian communities worldwide to shift their ranges by 2080.



To make their predictions for the future, the researchers looked at the past. They compared previous climate data to past avian ranges to determine where the birds might move. The experts then applied these relationships to a model that considered future climates based on low and high greenhouse emissions.&nbsp;



The team was interested in more than the number of birds and species diversity. They wanted to determine the effect the shift will have on phylogenetic diversity, which factors in how many different types of birds make up a community.&nbsp;



“In our study, we examined the effects of global warming on the regional distribution of terrestrial birds around the world," said Dr. Alke Voskamp of Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre. "The focus was on the effects on species richness as well as on various aspects of phylogenetic diversity, primarily how closely related the species are to each other.”



The researchers analyzed 8,768 bird species to help them determine how many lineages might be lost or added regionally as birds move and adapt to a dynamic climate. They believe most losses will occur in tropical and subtropical areas but that community restructuring will take place worldwide.&nbsp;



The study points out that maintaining regional phylogenetic diversity will be crucial to the resilience of over biological diversity.



“The diversity of lineages is very often related to the diversity of traits that species possess and thus to their roles and functions in ecosystems," said study co-author Professor Stephen Willis of Durham University.



"For example, species from more distant lineages often have different beak types, and hence eat different types of food. Change means that the ecosystem functions that birds perform in an area may also change in the future, with potential consequences for food webs, seed dispersal and plant pollination.”



Readers can access the study in <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2021.2184">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change will severely impact birds by 2080

Birds are described as modern-day dinosaurs, and it seems they...

Until recently, scientists thought that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-may-cause-stingrays-to-move-toward-danger/">stingrays</a>, as well as other elasmobranchs such as sharks and skates, are mostly silent. However, a new study published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.3812">Ecology</a> has provided evidence that two species of stingray – the mangrove whipray (Urogymnus granulatus) and the cowtail stingray (Pastinachus ater) – can produce striking, unmistakable clicks.



Before the current study, the only evidence that stingrays could make sounds came from a <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/sounds-of-western-north-atlantic-fishes-a-reference-file-of-biological-underwater-sounds/oclc/92568">study</a> of captive cownose rays from 1970, which recorded a series of short, sharp clicks produced by these animals after the scientists forcefully prodded them. However, while diving in Indonesia and Australia in 2017 and 2018, the new study’s authors have managed to witness and record sounds produced by stingrays in their natural habitat.&nbsp;



The precise mechanism through which the animals make these sounds remains a mystery though. “They don’t have vocal cords, and there’s no clear mechanism for how they do it,” said study lead author Lachlan Fetterplace, a marine ecologist at the <a href="https://www.slu.se/en/">Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences</a>. As the clicking sounds are heard, the rays’ spiracles – the two holes in their heads used to move water across their gills – seem to contract, suggesting that the animals might be creating friction between the spiracles and the surrounding tissue, in a process similar to when we snap our fingers. However, according to Dr. Fetterplace, it is also possible that the stingrays are forming the sounds by creating a vacuum, such as when we click our tongues.



The scientists are also uncertain about the function of these sounds. By comparing the bandwidth and frequencies of the clicks to the known range of stingray hearing, they confirmed that stingrays can hear them, which could mean they are a form of communication. However, since also reef sharks and sicklefin lemon sharks – which feed upon rays – can hear the sounds, they may be produced as warnings at the approach of these predators, or as a diversion aiming to surprise the predators and allow the rays to escape. Finally, the fact that other stingrays were observed to quickly approach the one making the sounds suggests that the clicks could be a way to call reinforcements.&nbsp;



Further research is needed to clarify the ways in which these sounds are produced, their frequency among stingray populations, and the range of functions they might have, as well as to discover whether other related species are making similar sounds.



“Other similar species may also produce sounds but anecdotal records may have not yet come to light; thus our paper may serve to bring to light further examples from the public and researchers,” the scientists concluded.&nbsp;



A video of the sounds produced by stingrays can be viewed <a href="https://youtu.be/Cj1R1Ilbckk">here</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Stingray sounds recorded for the first time

Until recently, scientists thought that stingrays, as well as other...

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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

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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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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"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[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...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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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.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



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.

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



The map has been created over the last decade using observations of water-rich rocks and mineral deposits. The images were captured by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



"A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet," says ESA. "The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life."



"Specifically, the map shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. These are from rocks that have been chemically altered by the action of water in the past, and have typically been transformed into clays and salts."



According to John Carter of the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), our collective understanding of Mars has been oversimplified. He explained that planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, then as the water gradually dried up, salts were produced across the planet.



The new map shows that the composition of Mars is much more complicated than what we thought. For example, while many salts formed after Martian clays, there are some salts that are presumed to be older than some of the clays.&nbsp;



“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought, the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars. That’s the first result of our study. The second is that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does,” said Carter.



Video 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 history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



The experts found that the muscle metabolism of cavefish has been genetically reprogrammed over time. As a result, the animals have experienced major changes in their morphology and behavior. Despite these changes, however, the cavefish remain healthy and fit.



The research may provide new clues about the evolutionary consequences of prolonged physical inactivity in humans.&nbsp;



“It’s no surprise that people are moving less and less as technology has advanced,” said Rohner. “With cavefish, we have a unique system where we can study what might happen if people remained couch potatoes over very, very long periods of time.”



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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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.

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



"With more than 370,000 miles of coastline on Earth, there are plenty of places where epic waves build up, curl over, and hurtle toward the shore.- much to the thrill of surfers," says NASA. "There are some places where these waves are so magnificent that they can be seen from space."



"With the broad perspective of satellites, we can see how these iconic waves develop into the world’s tallest, longest, fastest, and heaviest."



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&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 capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...