Scientists have recently described a new species of hermit crab that is sure to capture the fascination of both the scientific community and the general public.



Strigopagurus fragarchela, or Strawberry Claws as it is fondly known, is a large hermit crab species that sports a distinctive crimson hue on the tips of its claws and waling legs. Named after its vibrant, red appendages, the crab looks as if it got caught red-handed - or rather red-clawed - in a strawberry patch.



The scientific title of this new hermit crab <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-did-billions-of-crabs-vanish-from-the-bering-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> is a clever blend of the Latin form of "strawberry" (fragaria) and "chela." The name highlights a unique feature of this creature - its bright red claws and walking legs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uncovering-the-hermit-crab">Uncovering the hermit crab</h2>



Peter Davie, an Honorary at <a href="https://www.museum.qld.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queensland Museum</a>, and Dr. Marissa McNamara, the Collection Manager, are the scientists behind the discovery of this unique species of crab.



They found it lurking in relatively deep waters, around 120-260 meters below the surface, off the coast of south-eastern Queensland. And, in recognition of its distinct appearance, it has been given the common name "strawberry-clawed hermit."



According to Dr. McNamara, Strawberry Claws' distinctiveness doesn't end with its vibrant color.



She noted that the strawberry-clawed hermit possesses a unique method of producing underwater sound, something called stridulation, which is akin to the natural music that cicadas play above water.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hermit-crabs-of-australia">Hermit crabs of Australia </h2>



The experts knew instantly, upon discovering the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/billions-of-snow-crabs-vanished-due-to-rising-ocean-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crab</a>, that they were on to something special. The identification of Strigopagurus fragarchela brings an exciting addition to its genus. 



Australia seems to be the stronghold for this family of hermit crabs. The land down under boasts four endemic species, and among these, two species are exclusively found in Queensland.



There is still much to learn about these unique hermit crabs. Most of their ecology remains a mystery, as they have only been collected in trawler catches.



However, the crabs undoubtedly play a crucial role in enriching the biological diversity of the continental shelf communities off south-eastern Queensland.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insight-into-hermit-crab-behavior">Insight into hermit crab behavior</h2>



The behavior of hermit <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mystery-mollusk-glowing-sea-slug-found-in-the-deep-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crabs</a> such as Strawberry Claws provides a rich avenue for scientific inquiry. Hermit crabs do not create their shells but instead repurpose shells discarded by gastropods.



This behavior not only highlights their resourcefulness but also their role in the ecosystem in recycling valuable calcium carbonate material. 



Recent observations indicate that strawberry-clawed hermits are particularly discerning when choosing their homes, often selecting shells that complement and enhance their striking appearance.



This preference suggests a sophisticated level of decision-making that could offer insights into the cognitive abilities of these crustaceans and make them valuable subjects in behavioral studies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-and-future-studies">Conservation and future studies</h2>



With the discovery of Strigopagurus fragarchela, attention turns to its conservation status and what measures might be needed to ensure its survival.



The influence of deep-sea fishing and potential climate change impacts on this species are currently unknown. 



Future studies are essential to develop a deeper understanding of their habitat requirements, ecology and life cycle. Collaboration between marine biologists, ecologists, and conservationists is crucial to formulating strategies that can protect these fascinating creatures. 



By preserving their environment, we not only safeguard Strawberry Claws but also contribute to the health of marine ecosystems as a whole. This new discovery serves as a catalyst for continued exploration and conservation in the vast, largely unexplored underwater worlds of Australia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-untapped-mysteries-of-the-ocean">Untapped mysteries of the ocean</h2>



Queensland Museum CEO, Dr. Jim Thompson, has expressed high praise for the contributions of Peter Davie and Dr. Marissa McNamara. They made use of museum specimens of other Strigopagurus hermit crabs to support the identification of the new species.



"Our natural history collections are more than just preserved specimens - they are vital tools for&nbsp;<a href="https://phys.org/tags/scientific+discovery/">scientific discovery</a>, conservation and public education," Dr. Thompson said.



"The work of the scientists and researchers at Queensland Museum helps in providing a record of our state's biodiversity for future generations."



The discovery of the strawberry-clawed hermit crab is a fascinating reminder of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-life-100-new-sea-creatures-found-in-chile/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">untapped mysteries</a> our oceans hold.



We need to celebrate these curious and vital components of our rich biodiversity as we continue to explore the wonders of our natural world. After all, who knows what else is waiting to be discovered?



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.museum.qld.gov.au/collections-and-research/memoirs/nature-65/mqm-n65-7-davie-mcnamara" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Nature</a>.



Image Credit: Queensland Museum 



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Strawberry Claws: The hermit crab that sings underwater

Scientists have recently described a new species of hermit crab that is sure to capture the fascination of both the scientific community and the general public. Strigopagurus fragarchela, or Strawberry Claws as it is fondly known, is a large hermit crab species that sports a distinctive crimson hue on the tips of its claws and waling legs. Named after its vibrant, red appendages, the crab looks as if it got caught red-handed - or rather red-clawed - in a strawberry patch. The scientific title of this new...

Scientists have discovered a new type of pollination interaction between red seaweed, a kind of algae, and Idotea balthica, a type of isopod <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-crustaceans-have-what-it-takes-to-survive-climate-change/">crustacean</a>. This finding is groundbreaking because it represents a different category of pollination interaction.&nbsp;



Professor Jeff Ollerton of the Kunming Institute of Botany of the <a href="https://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> (CAS) believes that the new research extends the phylogenetic boundaries of animal-mediated pollination and potentially stretches its origins back to the earliest evolution of marine invertebrates.



Compared to other seaweed, red seaweed is unique because its male gametes don't have flagella. Since they are not mobile, they must depend on ocean currents or animals to bring them to a female organ.&nbsp;



However, red seaweed has been around 1.2 billion years, while isopods like Idotea balthica emerged about 300 million years ago. Therefore scientists can't say how red seaweed was pollinated before. Perhaps extinct invertebrates could have gotten the job done, but even they are no more than 600 million years old.&nbsp;



The isopods have something to gain from this relationship as well. The seaweed provides protection from predators, and the isopods can feed on the tiny algae (diatoms) that live on the seaweed's surface. And since the diatoms can damage the seaweed's leaves, the seaweed further benefits from isopod presence.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"Animal pollination, principally by insects, is the dominant strategy for angiosperms but also occurs in the extant gymnosperms, as well as some species of mosses," wrote the researchers. "Outside of these plants, no other group of organisms has been demonstrated to interact with animals in this way, until now."



Although this relationship is fascinating, it's also precarious considering the destruction of ocean ecosystems. The majority of red seaweed reproduction occurs at low tide in coastal rock pools. However, this habitat is imperiled due to pollution, human-caused physical destruction, invasive species, and climate change. Some red seaweed species, such as Gracilaria, are also being threatened by greenwashing campaigns that proclaim they are a sustainable food source.&nbsp;



Moreover, the crustaceans are jeopardized by ocean acidification which ruins their exoskeletons.&nbsp;



Sadly, scientists are not optimistic about this ancient relationship's continuance, believing it may be threatened before we fully comprehend it.



The article is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</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

Rare pollination discovered between red seaweed and crustaceans

Scientists have discovered a new type of pollination interaction between...

When new species of reptiles or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungal-disease-is-decimating-amphibians-in-baja-california/">amphibians</a> invade a region where they are not indigenous, funds are often spent to eradicate them or to cope with the damage they cause. Funding for these operations can run to millions of US dollars, say the authors of a new review study aimed at assessing the global economic costs of amphibian and reptile invasions between the years of 1986 and 2020.



For the study, Ismael Soto and colleagues used data from the InvaCost database, which compiles estimates of the economic costs of species invasions. In addition, information was taken from numerous peer-reviewed articles, documents on governmental, academic and non-governmental organization webpages and documents retrieved from biological invasion experts.



The analysis, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>, estimates that between 1986 and 2020, the total cost incurred globally in coping with invasive amphibian and reptile species exceeded US$&nbsp;17.0 billion. Of this, US$&nbsp;6.3 billion was spent on dealing with amphibian invasions, US$&nbsp;10.4 billion was used to cope with invasions by reptiles, and the remaining US$&nbsp;0.3 billion was used in cases involving invasions by both amphibians and reptiles.&nbsp;



A total of US$&nbsp;6.0 billion (96.3 percent of money spent due to amphibian invasions) has been required to deal with the consequences of one single invasive amphibian species, the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus). This species is native to North America, east of the Rocky Mountains, but has spread in past decades to other regions of the US and Canada, and to numerous countries around the world. It is a voracious predator that eats almost anything it can fit into its mouth.



As far as invasive reptiles go, 99.3 percent of costs (US$&nbsp;10.3 billion) have been incurred dealing with brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis). Native to eastern and northern coastal&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia">Australia</a>, eastern&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia">Indonesia</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guinea">Papua New Guinea</a>, and many islands in northwestern&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesia">Melanesia</a>, this snake preys on vertebrates such as rodents, birds, bats and reptiles. It was accidentally introduced to the island of Guam shortly after the Second World War and was responsible for exterminating most of the indigenous forest vertebrate species on the island. It also caused power outages which affected private, commercial and military activity.&nbsp;



In order to prevent these snakes from being introduced accidentally from Guam to other Pacific islands, trained dogs are used to search, locate, and remove brown tree snakes before outbound military and commercial cargo and transportation vessels leave the island.&nbsp;



The study also found that 99.7 percent of costs due to invasive amphibians (US$&nbsp;6.3 billion) were incurred in managing these invasions, for example by eradicating the invasive species. In a similar finding, 96.6 percent of costs due to invasive reptiles (US$&nbsp;10.0 billion) were associated with managing damages caused by invasions, such as crop yield losses.&nbsp;



European countries incurred 96.3 percent (US$&nbsp;6.0 billion) of the cost relating to the management of amphibian invasions, while Oceania and certain Pacific Island countries incurred 99.6 percent (US$&nbsp;10.4 billion) of the cost relating to the management of invasive reptiles.



The authors suggest that the economic costs of amphibian and reptile invasions could be reduced by investing in measures to limit global transport of invasive species and to enable the early detection of invasions. This could reduce the need for long-term management of species invasions and the scale of damage incurred, they add.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Invasive reptiles have cost the global economy billions

When new species of reptiles or amphibians invade a region...

Recent research completed by Elephants Without Borders (EWB) and <a href="https://www.ru.nl/en">Radboud University</a> demonstrates that human land use directly influences elephant movement through corridors.



The expansion of human-dominated landscapes means huge consequences for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/huge-win-for-wildlife-endangered-species-act-is-restored/">wildlife</a>. Not only can these environments make navigation more difficult for animals, they are also a driving factor for human-wildlife conflict. Habitat loss and fragmentation are some of the leading threats to biodiversity, and well-managed corridors are essential for species survival.&nbsp;



"This is the first study of this type that takes an in-depth look at comparing how varying land-use affects elephant movements and their use of wildlife corridors," said study lead author Tempe Adams of EWB.



The researchers spent seven years observing elephant movements through six wildlife corridors in Botswana and Zambia. They used camera traps to determine whether elephants used agricultural and urban corridors differently.&nbsp;



The experts found that varying land use can affect the times of day elephants move through passageways. Elephants using corridors in landscapes dominated by agriculture opted for nocturnal movement, thereby avoiding human activity. On the other hand, elephants did not alter when they moved through urban corridors, so their movements often coincided with human activity.



"This was a great opportunity to link our work on examining human pressures on biodiversity at Radboud University with the conservation work being done by Elephants Without Borders,' said study co-author Marlee Stevens. "Our results show that elephants alter their behaviour in human-modified landscapes, but their response varies depending on the human disturbance."



Since the study demonstrates wildlife may alter their behavior based on the type of human environment they encounter, corridor management strategies should consider land use.



"What is truly remarkable is that we found elephants do not perceive all human development the same way, but they are adjusting their behaviors to adapt to the variations and human pressure," said Adams. "It also further highlights the need for transparent documentation of human pressure within and around protected wildlife areas, which is critical to assist in the conservation of species."



This study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/conservation-science">Frontiers in Conservation Science</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

Land use changes affect elephant movement

Recent research completed by Elephants Without Borders (EWB) and Radboud...

Perfect,Summer,View,Of,The,Lake,Oeschinensee,In,Sunny,Day.

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uva.nl/en">University of Amsterdam</a> (UvA) argues that rapid increases in the scope and effectiveness of global conservation efforts are crucial for maintaining our planet’s ecological integrity. The experts have found that, in order to safeguard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-biodiversity-affect-species-interactions/">biodiversity</a>, 44 percent of the Earth’s land area - about 64 million square kilometers or 24.7 million square miles - requires conservation.&nbsp;



The scientists used advanced geospatial algorithms to map the optimal areas for conserving terrestrial species and ecosystems around the globe, and employed explicit land-use scenarios to assess how much of this land is at risk from anthropogenic activities by the end of this decade.



“Our study is the current best estimate of how much land we must conserve to stop the biodiversity crisis - it is essentially a conservation plan for the planet,” explained study lead author James Allan, a conservation scientist at UvA. “We must act fast, our models show that over 1.3 million km2&nbsp;of this important land – an area larger than South Africa – is likely to have its habitat cleared for human uses by 2030, which would be devastating for wildlife.”



While over a decade ago, governments set a global target to conserve at least 17 percent of terrestrial ecosystems through protected areas and other site-based approaches to safeguard biodiversity, by 2020 it was obvious that this target was too low to stop biodiversity declines and avert a massive biodiversity crisis. Yet, the new target recently set by governmental organizations (30 percent) appears to be still insufficient.



“While this is a great step in the right direction, our study suggests that more ambitious goals and policies to maintain ecological integrity beyond this 30 percent target are crucial,” said study co-author Kendall Jones, a conservation planning specialist at the <a href="https://www.wcs.org/">Wildlife Conservation Society</a>. “If nations are serious about safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services that underpin life on Earth, then they need immediately to scale-up their conservation efforts, not only in extent and intensity but also in effectiveness.”&nbsp;



According to the scientists, all this identified land should not necessarily be designed as protected areas, but rather managed through a variety of strategies, including other effective area-based conservation measures, or sustainable land-use policies.



“Conservation actions that promote the autonomy and self-determination of people living on this land, whilst also maintaining ecological integrity are crucial,” said Dr. Allan. “We have many effective conservation tools available, from empowering Indigenous Peoples to manage their natural environment, through to policies that limit deforestation or provide sustainable livelihood options, and of course protected areas.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abl9127#con1">Science</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

World Conservation Day: Can we stop the biodiversity crisis?

A new study led by the University of Amsterdam (UvA)...

A new study led by the <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a> has found that, for some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/managing-invasive-species-can-improve-climate-resilience/">invasive species</a> aiming to conquer new territory, their success may lie in living fast and dying young. By examining a type of invasive snail that has become established in a variety of freshwater ecosystems worldwide, the experts discovered that the most successful invaders matured and reproduced much faster than their non-invasive conspecifics.



The freshwater mud snails studied by the scientists are native to New Zealand, and have spread all over the world (most likely through commercial ships at first), coming to dominate numerous lake and river ecosystems in North America, Europe, and Asia. Since the invasive snails reproduce both sexually and asexually, it can be used to better understand the advantages and disadvantages of sexual reproduction.



The scientists found that the asexual snails – with females reproducing without males by making genetic copies of themselves – have been the most successful invaders, although they have lower genetic diversity than those reproducing sexually. Moreover, these highly successful invaders had slower growth rates and were smaller in size than the sexual snails.



“It’s like these snails have this unusual constellation of traits that becomes almost ubiquitous in the invaders. So, that gets to the core question we’re asking, ‘What makes an invasive lineage invasive?’” said study senior author Maurine Neiman, a professor of Biology at Iowa. “I think the data suggest there seems to be a real advantage to this combination of slow growth rate and early reproductive maturity. Their generation times are faster, and they are likely to outcompete other snail lineages that mature more&nbsp;slowly.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



In the laboratory, Professor Neiman and his team grew populations of freshwater snails originally collected in Belgium and in six regions of the United States and examined their “life history traits” - the features related to their fitness and reproductive success that allows them to thrive in new environments.



“They grow up substantially faster than their New Zealand counterparts,” reported study lead author Carina Donne, a doctoral student in Biology at the <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/">Colorado State University</a>. “That just shortens the whole life cycle. If you can make babies at a younger age, then all things being equal, your populations will grow&nbsp;faster.”



Further research is needed to discover the life history traits that make other invasive species successful. “A lot of invasive species research focuses on prevention measures. We have so many invasive species, once they’re there and established, it’s harder to get rid of them. If we can find some way to predict what would be good invasive species, we could implement prevention&nbsp;measures,” Professor Nieman concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00442-022-05222-8">Oecologia</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;

Invasive snails live fast and die young

A new study led by the University of Iowa has...

According to a recent study published in the <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/early/2022/07/06/JNEUROSCI.2355-21.2022">Journal of Neuroscience</a>, powerful nerve connections link dogs’ noses to a wide variety of brain regions, including the occipital lobe, a part of the brain responsible for vision. This is the first time such as connection between smell and vision has been discovered in any animal species.&nbsp;



Dogs are known to have an amazing sense of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-viruses-make-people-smell-more-enticing-to-mosquitos/">smell</a>. Their olfactory bulbs can be up to 30 times larger than those of humans, and their noses hold between 200 million and one billion odor molecule sensors, compared with the meagre five million receptors estimated to dwell in human noses. In order to investigate how olfactory information is transmitted to a variety of brain regions, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> performed MRI scans on 20 mixed-breed dogs and three beagles.&nbsp;



By using a method called “diffusion tensor imaging,” which relies on the movement of water molecules along tissue, the scientists identified tracts of white matter fibers carrying signals between different brain areas. After smells enter the nose, they first reach the olfactory bulb, a brain structure located behind the dogs’ eyes. However, the signals then travel to a wide range of other brain areas, including those associated with emotions and memories. What was most surprising though was that olfactory information also reached the occipital lobe, which is responsible for handling vision.



“There have been lots of people who theorized that this connection existed, based on the behavior of trained dogs and detection dogs,” said Eileen Jenkins, a retired army veterinarian who was not involved in the study. “But nobody has been able to prove it. This is fabulous.”



This newly discovered connection between smell and sight suggests that, in dogs, the two senses are intricately linked. According to study senior author Phillipa Johnson – an expert in Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging at Cornell – this anatomical link could explain why smell can often compensate when dogs lose their sight. “Blind dogs can still play fetch,” she said.



Further research is needed to investigate the structure and functions of these olfactory tracts in different dog breeds, such as scent hounds that are trained for hunting, fishing, finding disaster survivors, or identifying diseases such as cancer or Covid-19.&nbsp;



Moreover, exploring the olfactory tracts of other animals could lead to unexpected surprises too.&nbsp;“I have actually had a play with some cat data,” Johnson confessed. “Cats have the most amazing olfactory system too, and probably more connections than the dog that I can see.”&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;

Dogs can “see” with their noses

According to a recent study published in the Journal of...

Coral reefs are home to a spectacular variety of fish. A new study shows that much of this diversity is driven by a recent innovation among bony fish – feeding by biting prey from surfaces.&nbsp;



Teleosts - a group of bony fish - did not feed, graze or nibble food off rocks and corals until after the dinosaur extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 60 million years ago.&nbsp;



Study lead author Katherine Corn is a graduate student in the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a> Department of Evolution and Ecology and Center for Population Biology.



“There may have been some biting done by teleosts before the end-Cretaceous, but our reconstructions suggest that it was very uncommon,” said Corn.



Modern reef fish feed in a variety of ways. Many suck floating food by rapidly expanding their heads, known as ‘suction feeding’. Suction feeding is thought to be ancestral in teleosts. A smaller number are “ram biters,” which catch food by swimming onto it with their mouths open.&nbsp;



Many reef fish, including parrotfish, butterflyfish and triggerfish, bite their food off hard surfaces. This gives them access to prey such as snails and shellfish, algae and other animals and plants.



The research team classified 1,530 living species of reef fish by feeding method, then mapped them onto an evolutionary tree of the teleosts. They also studied the rate of body shape evolution in all of these fish.&nbsp;



The experts found that at the end of the Cretaceous period, nearly all fish were suction feeders. Today, four in 10 reef species are “benthic biters” and are evolving in body shape at almost twice the rate of suction feeders.



What set off these changes? The end of the Cretaceous saw changes in coral reefs, with more complex and branching structures that made grazing more productive. This occurred at the same time teleosts evolved shorter jaws that were better for biting.&nbsp;



“These two changes together really opened up biting as an effective mode for fishes,” explained Corn. Biting allowed reef fish to access diverse new prey, promoting the evolution of a wide variety of body shapes. This may explain the high rates of body shape evolution and diversity of biter species today.



The work was supported by the National Science Foundation. The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Reef fish diversified quickly from biting their prey

Coral reefs are home to a spectacular variety of fish....

Most species of bats are nocturnal hunters and use high-frequency sounds to locate their prey in the darkness. Many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hawk-moths-in-the-bahamas-are-the-smallest-ever-found/">moths</a> are also nocturnal foragers and are favorite food items for hungry bats. However, recent research shows that moths are far from defenseless targets of successful bat echolocation. Some emit their own ultrasonic signals that may startle a bat into giving up the chase, convince the bat that the moth is toxic, or may even surround the moth in a shroud of sonar-jamming static.



Until now, anti-bat ultrasound production has been considered fairly rare in moths. It was recorded in tiger moths, hawk moths and a single species of geometrid moth. However, the results of a decade-long moth survey that involved collecting and studying thousands of moths in Ecuador, French Guiana, Mozambique and Malaysian Borneo have now revealed that such auditory defense mechanisms are far more common than previously thought. In fact, the night can be filled with so much bat chat and moth back-chat, that it would be quite overwhelming if we could hear any of it.&nbsp;



“It's not just tiger moths and hawk moths that are doing this. There are tons of moths that create ultrasonic sounds, and we hardly know anything about them,” said study senior author Akito Kawahara, a curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History's McGuire Center for Lepidoptera &amp; Biodiversity.



The findings of the study, published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, identified no less than three new types of sound-producing organs in moths, and added eight new subfamilies and potentially thousands of species to the list of moths that use ultrasonic signals. The authors estimate that around 20 percent of moth species use ultrasonic signals to defend themselves against becoming bat fodder.



The ultrasonic emissions are so successful at thwarting bat attacks that they have evolved independently in moths many times over. In each instance, moths have modified a different part of the body to become a finely tuned ultrasonic instrument.



“Tiger moths have structures called tymbals, which buckle inward and outward,” Kawahara said. “Some of them [the moth species] use structures on their wings, some use their abdomens, while others use modified genitals!”



The authors describe several of the newly identified clickers and scrapers that moths use to produce bat-repellant ultrasounds. This includes a species of calpine moth that rubs together overlapping abdominal scales, similar to the way crickets make their characteristic chirping sounds. Another species, in a group called the snout moths, makes noise by using a structure resembling a guitar pick between its wings, which is strummed against when the moth is in flight.



The researchers undertook a final two-week project in Ecuador, where they recorded the alarm calls of every moth they could catch. Afterwards, they analyzed these recordings with the help of a theoretical physicist and a machine learning algorithm that scrutinized each note, looking for similarities.



The results showed that moth species don’t all make up their own ultrasonic melodies; instead, they tend to copy the calls of other species, especially those that are toxic or bad-tasting to bats. Some moths are not good to eat and they warn bats not to waste their time, by making ultrasonic calls when they detect a bat. Bats soon associate these warning calls with noxious-tasting moths and do not bother to catch them. The researchers propose that a surprising number of non-toxic moth species have developed acoustic mimicry and protect themselves by calling just like the toxic species do.&nbsp;



Study lead author Jesse Barber is a biology professor at Boise State University. He said that more work is needed to uncover the exact nature of these sounds, but he suspects the trailblazing moths at the center of these acoustic mimicry rings are likely noxious, while the copycats at the fringes are merely false advertisers.



“Moths and butterflies are collectively one of the most diverse groups on the planet, containing one of every 10 named animals. If these results pan out, it will likely be the largest set of mimicry complexes on Earth,” noted Professor Barber.



Anti-bat signaling isn't just restricted to moths. Some tiger beetles can also create defensive clicks at bats by beating their wings against their protective casings. Other insect groups, such as katydids, crickets and mantids can hear incoming bats, and Barber notes the possibility that some may have the yet-unknown ability to communicate with their pursuers. But with roughly 40 percent of insect species currently at risk of extinction, at a rate that eclipses the ability to researchers to discover and name them, he warns of the very real possibility that this ultrasonic symphony may fall silent before we’ve had a chance to hear it or learn what it means.



“These mimicry complexes are likely not just limited to moths," said Professor Barber. “The whole tapestry of nocturnal insect life is probably involved, but the chance to understand the natural world is going away. So many lineages are going extinct that we're likely in the last golden age of biology. We can still understand how life unfolded, if we do it now.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Moths use ultrasonic back-chat to fend off bat attacks

Most species of bats are nocturnal hunters and use high-frequency...

Most feline species display solitary and territorial behaviors. However, domestic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cats-can-learn-the-names-of-their-companions/">cats</a> often live together with several other conspecifics, raising the question of which strategies they use to establish cohabitating groups. A research team led by the <a href="https://www.azabu-u.ac.jp/english/">Azabu University</a> in Japan has now explored the relationships between domestic cats’ social behaviors, hormone levels, and gut microbiomes, shedding more light on how these solitary animals can frequently live in high densities.



The scientists conducted a two-week-long study of three different groups of five cats living together in an animal shelter. They used video cameras to observe and record the cats’ behaviors, measured hormone levels in their urine, and evaluated the mix of microbial species in their gut microbiomes from fecal samples.



The results revealed that cats with high levels of the hormones cortisol and testosterone had less contact with their conspecifics, and those with high testosterone levels were more likely to try to escape from the shelter. By contrast, cats with low levels of testosterone and cortisol were more tolerant towards other cats. In addition, the researchers found greater similarity of gut microbiomes between cats who had more frequent contact with each other.



Surprisingly, contrary to the scientists’ expectations from previous research on animals that live in groups, cats with higher levels of the hormone oxytocin were not more social and willing to bond with others. This finding suggests that oxytocin might have different functions for typically solitary animals living in groups than for animals that typically live in groups.



“Low testosterone and cortisol concentrations in cats enabled them to share the space and live together, but the higher the oxytocin, the less affiliative behavior with others and the lonelier they are. The function of oxytocin was different from that of affinity for a group-mate. Cats may not consider other individuals living in the same space as tight relationship group-mates,” explained the study authors.



Further research is needed to better understand the dynamics of cohabitating cats, such as a longer follow-up study to observe cats for several months, rather than only two weeks, in order to properly clarify the causal relationships between hormones, microbiota, and social behaviors.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0269589">PLoS ONE</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;

How do solitary animals like cats live in groups?

Most feline species display solitary and territorial behaviors. However, domestic...

A new study led by <a href="https://home.dartmouth.edu/">Dartmouth College</a> has found that women, older gardeners, and those who live near gardens often grow rare plants, which attract rare animal species. Observations of nearly 18 community gardens in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Monterey counties in California revealed that more than 50% of urban gardens contain rare plants. 



Along with plants, the researchers sampled bees and birds in the area. Using this data, they devised a model that showed a correlation between gardener demographics, the rare plants grown by the gardeners, and the rarity of bird and bee species.



"There appears to be a cascading effect of people planting uncommon species on the accumulation of other uncommon bee and bird species," said study lead author <a href="https://envs.dartmouth.edu/people/theresa-ong">Theresa Ong</a>, an assistant professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth.



"Taro (Colocasia esculenta), was one of the rare plants found in the urban gardens but is not of conservation concern, primarily, because it's cultivated. It's a traditional crop planted in Hawaii and by a lot of Asian cultures. It requires a lot of space to grow and is cooked for its underground corm, much like the tuber of a sweet potato but it's not a common food grown in California."&nbsp;



Professor Ong believes that Taro is important for rare species because it requires creating a wetter habitat, attracting species to an area they wouldn't usually visit.



The experts discovered a special relationship between Bachelor's buttons and leafcutting bees, whose female bees cut the plants' leaves to make nests for their larva. The researchers also observed other notable species, including American kestrels.&nbsp;



"It's a small and very cute falcon that is actually the most common and widespread falcon in the continent. Recently its populations have declined, which has been a cause of concern," said Professor Ong.



"It's an important predator of garden pests like mice and voles, so it's a good sign when it is found in some urban gardens, as it signals that gardens can be managed in a way that provides habitat for a species that is rare in cities."



The researchers want the public to know that some of the rare plants discovered in the gardens were weeds. Therefore, we shouldn't be so quick to destroy all weeds since they may support diversity.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/eap.2708">Ecological Applications</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

Rare birds and bees flock to gardens with rare plants

A new study led by Dartmouth College has found that...

Mammals and birds are endotherms – that is, organisms capable of self-regulating their body temperature. Reptiles, on the other hand, are ectotherms since they do not have this ability of self-regulating their temperature metabolically and must rely more heavily on environmental factors to survive.&nbsp;



For many years, scientists believed that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-of-the-dinosaurs-were-warm-blooded/">dinosaurs</a> were ectotherm too – a feature which was often used to explain their extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period, as they would not have had the capacity to regulate their body temperature to combat the temperature fluctuations of their environment. However, a new study led by <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> has found that dinosaurs and pterosaurs had high metabolic rates, suggesting that they were in fact endothermic.



“This study demonstrates that dinosaurs were real endotherms, and refutes previous ideas that they had an intermediate condition (mesothermia) between ectotherms and endotherms, or that they could maintain their bodily temperature constant thanks to their large bodies, given that there are small dinosaurs with high metabolic rates,” said study lead author Jasmina Wiemann, a molecular paleobiologist at Yale.



Dr. Wiemann and her colleagues used metabolic markers found in fossils to assess the metabolic capacities of dinosaurs. The analysis revealed that these creatures had high metabolic rates, which helped them regulate their body temperature in order to adapt to environmental fluctuations. These findings refute the hypothesis that dinosaurs’ extinction was caused by their incapacity to do this.



“According to the results of this research, being an endotherm is not an advantage in the case of mass extinctions, and we will have to look for causes other than the metabolism they had, which was similar to that of mammals and birds which did survive,” said study co-author Iris Menéndez, a paleontologist at the <a href="https://www.ucm.es/english">Complutense University of Madrid</a>.



“This study provides us with knowledge about extinct species. Sometimes we have the idea that there are not many discoveries still to be made, but the reality is that many studies in recent decades are continuing to change the ideas we had about what some species were like, and help us understand life in the past better,” she concluded. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04770-6">Nature</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;

Dinosaurs self-regulated their body temperature

Mammals and birds are endotherms – that is, organisms capable...

Exotic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/which-types-of-fish-suffer-from-oxygen-starvation/">fish</a> are a threat to the river ecosystems they invade. In a new study from the <a href="https://www.ub.edu/web/portal/en/">University of Barcelona</a>, experts set out to understand what happens when invasive species have been introduced into waters that are not their original territory. The study analyzed how native fish are impacted by these species, called translocated species, compared to the effects of exotic or invasive groups.&nbsp;



The results show that the quality of the habitat is the most important factor for the well-being of native fish. However, translocated species were found to be as problematic as the exotic ones.



These results have implications for river management, especially in the context of climate change - as species translocation is one approach to mitigate the consequences of global warming.&nbsp;



"What our data suggest is that invasions by translocated native species should be taken at least as seriously as those by exotic species in the systems we studied, i.e. the typical medium-sized Mediterranean streams and rivers," explained study first author Alberto Maceda.



The characteristics of fish species were studied in 15 sites in the basins of the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. The focus was on the cyprinid family (Cyprinidae), which has the highest species richness in the world and is the most common in Europe.



Indicators of great ecological relevance were used, such as diversity, abundance and size distribution of native fish when exposed to invasion by exotic or translocated native species.&nbsp;



"Before our study, there were studies that highlighted the problem of mixing populations of Mediterranean and Atlantic trout, and some examples of competition between native and translocated native species, but ours is the first study that has analysed the problem from a broader point of view and has combined different indicators," said Maceda.



The results indicate that habitat quality is essential for conservation of native species. This includes temperature, water depth or velocity, pH or nutrient levels - which all influence characteristics such as the abundance or weight of native species.&nbsp;



The results suggest that translocated species have potentially greater impacts on native fish than the exotic species. The presence of translocated fish was associated with a lower abundance and richness of native fish and smaller native individuals. Meanwhile, exotic fish led to impacts such as higher abundance and richness of native fish and generally larger individuals.



There are still many unanswered questions about translocated species. Further research is needed to fully understand the ecological impact of translocated species.



"It is no good assuming that the impacts of exotic species are worse because they come from outside our borders, as we do not yet have enough information to make such assertions. In fact, we have a great lack of knowledge about the diseases, hybridisation problems, trophic competition, etc. that translocated species can bring," said Maceda.



The findings present a challenge for current river legislation and management. According to Maceda, species are usually declared a problem in a political territory, but we can find that a species is native and has invasive populations in the same political area. "To make things worse, we may even find that a species is in decline in its native basin, but it is expanding in basins where it has been previously introduced."



The researchers emphasize that habitat conservation should be a priority, as the benefits can even make native species better competitors against exotic species. Furthermore, in some cases, intervention against introduced species can also be a solution, as translocated natives can have similar habitat requirements to natives.&nbsp;



"Rivers with poorly conserved habitats also experience the most biological invasions, and it is often difficult to distinguish between the effects of exotic species and habitat," said Maceda. "However, in some cases the main detrimental effect is that of translocated native or exotic species, and therefore acting on them, if a complete eradication is feasible, will certainly be beneficial to the river."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155953.">Science of The Total Environment</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Translocated fish may be more problematic than invasive species

Exotic fish are a threat to the river ecosystems they...

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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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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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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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...