Just imagine a world where humans no longer exist, who would take over? Well, it may not be another mammal. Believe it or not, octopuses could be the ones to dominate Earth after humans. 



Scientists have recently made a riveting claim that these eight-limbed, marine invertebrates could become the dominant species on Earth should homo sapiens vanish from existence. It's an intriguing idea, but how is it possible?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hypothetical-world-without-humans">Hypothetical world without humans</h2>



What if humanity were utterly wiped out through wars or climate change? It's a grim concept but it is fascinating to wonder about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/octopus-arms-inspire-more-human-like-robots/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">potential successors</a> of our civilization.



According to leading experts, octopuses possess the "physical and mental attributes necessary" to evolve into the next civilization-building species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-octopus-taking-over-humans">Octopus taking over humans</h2>



Tim Coulson, a professor at the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>, presents an interesting case for these eight-legged creatures. His argument hinges on the octopuses' "dexterity, curiosity, ability to communicate with each other, and supreme intelligence."



These traits, according to Professor Coulson, equip octopuses with the potential to develop complex tools and methodologies necessary to birth a vast Atlantis-like civilization under the ocean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-not-primates">Why not primates?</h2>



One might think that primates, our closest relatives, have the best shot at stepping into our shoes if we were to vacate the world. They have opposable thumbs, use tools, and walk on two legs, right? But according to Professor Coulson, it's not that simple. 



He reasons that primates would face the same threats that could potentially wipe out humanity and thus are also at risk of extinction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-octopuses-competing-with-humans">Octopuses competing with humans</h2>



In an interview with The European magazine, Professor Coulson, who has held positions at institutions like <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imperial College London</a> and <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cambridge University</a>, elaborates on why octopuses are a strong contender.



He refers to them as "the most intelligent, adaptable, and resourceful creatures on Earth," lauding their abilities to solve complex problems, manipulate objects, and even camouflage themselves with near-perfect precision.



Their decentralized nervous system and advanced neural structure, coupled with their exceptional problem-solving skills, make octopuses uniquely suited for an unpredictable world. 



Professor Coulson sees these intelligent cephalopods as an underappreciated contender who could step up as the planet's next intelligent species after humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adaptable-survivalists">Adaptable survivalists</h2>



If humans were to go extinct, most scientists concur that the creature to "replace" us should be dextrous. Dexterity, in this context, pertains to the ability to modify their environment and colonize the planet using complex tools, much like humans.



Octopuses' abilities to distinguish between real and virtual objects, solve puzzles, manipulate their surroundings, and adapt to a broad range of environments make them a viable candidate for future rulers of Earth. 



They are also adept at surviving in harsh conditions and are formidable hunters with a wide variety of prey including clams, shrimp, lobsters, fish, sharks, and even birds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-octopuses-and-human-like-settlements">Octopuses and human-like settlements</h2>



With relatively short lifespans, from between 1.5 to five years, one could argue that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-octopus-has-mastered-the-art-of-multispecies-hunting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">octopuses</a> are on the back foot for the long evolutionary race. But here's a counterintuitive thought. 



What if their hasty reproduction and quick intellectual maturity actually give them an advantage in rapidly changing environments, thereby accelerating their evolutionary progress?



According to our Professor Coulson, while octopuses are unlikely to evolve into land-based animals due to their lack of a skeleton and associated challenges with mobility out of water, they could potentially develop underwater cities and towns akin to human settlements on land.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-possible-yes-probable-maybe">Possible? Yes. Probable? Maybe.</h2>



In the end, as Professor Coulson reminds us, these are all just speculations. "It's important to remember that these are just possibilities, and that it's impossible to predict with any degree of certainty how evolution will unfold over extended periods."



However, given the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/octopus-suckers-the-future-of-underwater-adhesives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">octopuses</a>' remarkable intelligence, adaptability, and diverse range of survival strategies, they could indeed emerge as a potential successor to humanity.



Now, whether the octopuses would build vast underwater cities or venture onto land to hunt terrestrial mammals is yet to be determined, and we may never really know.



For now, we will continue to marvel at these fascinating creatures and their potential for becoming the torchbearers of intelligent life on Earth, albeit in the far-flung future.



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Octopuses could dominate Earth if humans vanish

Just imagine a world where humans no longer exist, who would take over? Well, it may not be another mammal. Believe it or not, octopuses could be the ones to dominate Earth after humans. Scientists have recently made a riveting claim that these eight-limbed, marine invertebrates could become the dominant species on Earth should homo sapiens vanish from existence. It's an intriguing idea, but how is it possible? Hypothetical world without humans What if humanity were utterly wiped out through wars or climate change? It's a grim...

Since May 13, 2022, more than 100 cases of confirmed or suspected monkeypox have been detected in countries where this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-with-pet-dogs-have-a-lower-risk-of-crohns-disease/">disease</a> does not usually occur, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The disease is endemic to Central and West Africa, and was first discovered in 1958.



While there is no proven, safe treatment for monkeypox, experts claim that smallpox vaccines, antiviral drugs, and contact tracing will be sufficient to contain the multi-country outbreak of this mildly contagious disease.



Monkeypox is caused by a zoonotic virus - the orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family - which is related to the smallpox virus, but causes milder disease. Although it was first discovered in laboratory monkeys in 1958, rodents appear to be the main carriers of monkeypox in the wild. Humans can catch it by coming into close contact with infected animals – through bites, scratches, bodily fluids, feces, or consuming meat that is not sufficiently cooked.&nbsp;



The virus has an incubation period of six to 21 days, after which infected individuals develop flu-like symptoms (fever, body aches), followed by a rash gradually covering their entire body. These symptoms usually last between two to four weeks, and usually resolve by themselves. Although it is considered a relatively mild disease, it can cause severe cases in children, pregnant women, or immunosuppressed individuals.&nbsp;



Monkeypox is significantly less contagious than Covid-19, so sustained human-to-human transmission leading to another <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-world-is-still-unprepared-for-the-next-pandemic/">pandemic</a> is unlikely. “Transmission is really happening from close physical contact, skin-to-skin contact. So it’s quite different from Covid in that sense,” explained Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist at <a href="https://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a> (WHO).



According to Dr. David Heymann, a professor of Infectious Diseases at the <a href="https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/">London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine</a> and advisor for the WHO, the current outbreak in developed countries appears to have been caused by sexual activity at two <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/expert-monkeypox-likely-spread-by-sex-at-2-raves-in-europe/2022/05/23/fdef8d88-da79-11ec-bc35-a91d0a94923b_story.html">raves</a> in Europe, including a Gay Pride event in the Canary Islands, which drew over 80,000 participants.&nbsp;



“It’s very possible there was somebody who got infected, developed lesions on the genitals, hands or somewhere else, and then spread it to others when there was sexual or close, physical contact,” Dr. Heymann hypothesized. “And then there were these international events that seeded the outbreak around the world, into the U.S. and other European countries.”&nbsp;



Although the majority of the recent identified cases are linked to gay males, experts warn that monkeypox can be easily transmitted through any type of sexual contact (or non-sexual physical contact), so minorities should not be discriminated.&nbsp;



“This is not a gay disease, as some people in social media have attempted to label it,” said WHO advisor Dr. Andy Seale. “Anybody can contract monkeypox through close contact.”



While the current outbreak is highly unusual and probably more cases will be discovered soon, the disease is unlikely to trigger widespread community transmission. “This is not COVID. We need to slow it down, but it does not spread in the air and we have vaccines to protect against it,” concluded Dr. Heymann.&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

Monkeypox is spreading, but unlikely to cause a pandemic

Since May 13, 2022, more than 100 cases of confirmed...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a>, researchers have discovered that scavengers can be very picky about what they eat. The experts found that both avian and mammal scavengers showed a strong preference for the carcasses of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-herbivores-must-be-restored-to-balance-ecosystems/">herbivores</a>.



The research was focused on more than 20,000 images captured by remote cameras. The analysis revealed that when scavengers were presented with a variety of carcasses, the animals were very selective about what they ate.



Both avian and mammal scavengers preferred to dine exclusively on mallard duck or chicken carcasses when the carcasses of turkey vultures or black vultures were also available.



The experts set up cameras on a heavily forested site along the Savannah River near Aiken, South Carolina. Miranda Butler-Valverde, lead investigator on the study, placed nearly 80 avian carcasses in the area.



The images showed that all of the scavengers, including coyotes, crows, bald eagles and wild pigs, preferred the carcasses of the chickens and ducks over vultures. In fact, only 10 out of 39 vulture carcasses were consumed, while all of the chicken and duck remains were completely devoured.



According to Butler-Valverde, the fate of these carcasses provides insight into how nutrients can cycle through food webs.



“The vulture carcasses, that were not scavenged or were only partially scavenged, were on the landscape for a longer period of time,” said Butler-Valverde. “This means the microbial and invertebrate communities were likely able to take advantage of the reduced competition and lack of disturbance at these carcasses. After the carcasses decomposed, nutrients would have most likely been deposited into the soil and plant communities located in the vicinity of the carcasses.”



While it may seem that the scavengers were just choosing the tastier meal, the researchers believe there is more than the scavengers’ taste buds at play. Study co-author Professor James C. Beasley said the scavengers could be avoiding disease risks. 



“Scavengers are most often predators and higher trophic-level species, and by scavenging similar species they may be more likely to be exposed to pathogens that they can be susceptible to,” said Professor Beasley. “So carnivores might be less likely or unwilling to scavenge other carnivores to reduce their exposure to pathogens.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/food-webs">Food Webs</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

Believe it or not, scavengers are picky eaters

In a new study from the University of Georgia, researchers...

Termites are actually a type of cockroach that diverged from other roaches 150 million years ago. They then evolved to live colonially - sometimes with millions of individuals living in dirt structures.&nbsp;



Drywood termites are a seemingly unique lineage, separated from other termites by millions of years of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stinging-cells-shed-light-on-the-early-evolution-of-animals/">evolution</a>. These creatures live in smaller colonies of around 5,000 individuals, typically in wood. Now, a new study published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mbe">Molecular Biology and Evolution</a> has mapped out the family tree of drywood termites.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Drywood termites, or Kalotermitidae, are often thought of as primitive because they split from other termites quite early, around 100 million years ago, and because they appear to form smaller colonies. But very little is actually known about this family," explained study lead author Dr. Aleš Buček, a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.oist.jp/">Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology</a>.



Based on genetic evidence, the study revealed that drywood termites have made several trips across oceans, probably hitching rides on logs to reach remote islands. More recently, these insects have been carried accidentally by humans.&nbsp;



Overall, drywood termites have made at least 40 oceanic journeys in the last 50 million years, allowing them to spread as far as Africa and South America.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“They’re very good at getting across oceans,” said Dr. Buček. “Their homes are made of wood so can act as tiny ships.”



For the investigation, the scientists drew on thirty years of specimens collected all over the world. Out of this prodigious collection, the researchers chose 150 species, representing about a quarter of drywood termite diversity. From these, DNA was isolated and sequenced to create a family tree.&nbsp;



This new phylogeny shows that most genera in the family originated in South America. The researchers also found that although the lineage is quite old, they live a similar "modern" lifestyle like other termites, with complex colonies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This study only goes to highlight how little we know about termites, the diversity of their lifestyles, and the scale of their social lives,” stated study senior author Professor Tom Bourguignon. “As more information is gathered about their behavior and ecology, we’ll be able to use this family tree to find out more about the evolution of sociality in insects and how termites have been so successful.”



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Family of termites has been adrift at sea for 50 million years

Termites are actually a type of cockroach that diverged from...

It may seem like common sense to many pet owners that their animals understand human emotions. Now, scientists have looked at this idea with scrutiny to determine if domestic animals can understand emotion in a person’s voice. The research, published in <a href="https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Biology</a>, looked at a range of animals for their reactions to human voices with different emotional undertones.&nbsp;



"The results showed that domesticated pigs and horses, as well as Asian wild horses, can tell the difference, both when the sounds come from their own species and near relatives, as well as from human voices," explained behavioral biologist Elodie Briefer of the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a>.&nbsp;



To not confuse the idea of the animals understanding certain words with the idea of them understanding emotion, the researchers played the sound of a voice actor talking gibberish. Real words were used but strung together in nonsensical ways with different emotional tones. The animal responses were observed and recorded.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Beyond testing whether animals can understand human emotion, the research was also aimed at seeing whether animals mirror those emotions. Could an emotion from a human act like a contagion to other animals? The research suggests it can.&nbsp;



"Our results show that these animals are affected by the emotions we charge our voices with when we speak to or are around them. They react more strongly – generally faster - when they are met with a negatively charged voice, compared to having a positively charged voice played to them first. In certain situations, they even seem to mirror the emotion to which they are exposed," said Briefer.



"Should future research projects clearly demonstrate that these animals mirror emotions, as this study suggests, it will be very interesting in relation to the history of the development of emotions and the extent to which animals have an emotional life and level of consciousness."



This new information has clear implications for animal care and welfare. It sets the stage for new rules on how best to care for animals, and confirms that how you talk to an animal is important.&nbsp;



"When the animals reacted strongly to hearing negatively charged speech first, the same is also true in the reverse. That is, if animals are initially spoken to in a more positive, friendly voice, when met by people, they should react less. They may become calmer and more relaxed," explained Briefer.



Next, the scientists want to switch things up and test humans to see if they can detect emotions from domestic animals.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Animals are affected by the emotions in human voices

It may seem like common sense to many pet owners...

A new paper published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(22)00601-7?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982222006017%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">Current Biology</a> details an astounding behavior seen in jackdaws, a small crow species. Researchers in the United Kingdom found that these crows make a Democratic decision about when to take <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-tiny-bat-has-set-a-surprising-new-flight-record/">flight</a> after a night of rest.



Consensus decision-making among non-human animals is not a new concept. However, this is the first study to show that a sizable non-family group performs this behavior.&nbsp;



The decision of when to move is an important one. Taking off in large groups helps the birds avoid predation and maybe learn about where the best food is.&nbsp;



Still, not everyone wants the same thing simultaneously. So, the jackdaws begin making calls to signal they are ready to take flight. Birds from different family groups or flocks of various ages and sexes all come together, and once enough birds decide it’s time to get moving, off they go.&nbsp;



“Through their calls, jackdaws appear to effectively signal their willingness to leave, providing large groups with a means of achieving consensus to perform cohesive, collective departures from the roost,” explained the researchers.



To explore how the birds decide when to take flight, the researchers took audio and video recordings of roosts that varied in size from 160 to 1,500&nbsp; individual birds. They quantified the intensity of the calls right before and right after the birds began to fly.



Most of the time, hundreds of birds would take off within four seconds of one another, and the bird calls intensified about one hour before the largest group took flight.



To test cause and effect, the researchers played audio of other jackdaws and found that the birds would take flight an average of 6.5 minutes earlier when the audio was present. They believe this occurred because the roost thought more birds came to a consensus that they were ready to leave, so they took off.&nbsp;



“Through their calls, jackdaws appear to effectively signal their willingness to leave, providing large groups with a means of achieving consensus to perform cohesive, collective departures from the roost,” said the researchers.



Study co-author Alex Thornton hopes this discovery allows us to understand and help jackdaws now and in the future. “As human impacts on wildlife grow, we are very interested in understanding whether and how human disturbance - for instance, from light and noise pollution - may affect animal groups’ abilities to communicate and reach consensus decisions.”&nbsp;



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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

Jackdaws reach a consensus before taking flight

A new paper published in Current Biology details an astounding...

Moths are an important source of food for migrating birds and bats, and are also fascinating creatures in their own right. As climate change intensifies, moths (as well as birds and bats) are increasingly impacted. Now, a team of researchers has created a computer model that predicts the movements of different moths in a changing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-may-become-a-side-effect-of-climate-change/">climate</a>.&nbsp;



"There is widespread concern that species will fail to track climate change if habitat is too scarce or insufficiently connected. Targeted restoration has been advocated to help species adapt, and a 'conductance' metric has been proposed, based on simulation studies, to predict effective habitat configurations. However, until now there is very little empirical evidence on how the configuration of habitat is affecting expansion at species' cool range margins," explained the study authors.



"We analyzed the colonization events that have occurred in continuously monitored trap locations for 54 species of southerly distributed moths in Britain between 1985 and 2011."



The model shows that moths coming from suburban and farmland habitats, both essential for pollination as well as food sources, have a hard time crossing some landscapes.&nbsp;



The scientists set out to identify which features of the landscapes slowed the moths down, making it hard for them to move with changing temperatures. The study revealed that some moths have a harder time moving northward.&nbsp;



“These new computer models will help us to target habitat restoration in the most effective places to help species adapt to climate change by shifting their ranges across the country," said Dr. Jenny Hodgson, the study's lead author from the University of Liverpool.



The main objective of the research is to better prioritize conservation efforts. With this important data in hand, moth migration pathways can be protected, allowing the insects the chance to adapt to a changing climate.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Previous research has shown how severe fragmentation of habitats in our UK landscapes is preventing the ability of species to shift their ranges in response to climate warming. We urgently need targeted habitat restoration to help species adapt to climate change," said study co-author Professor Tom Oliver, an ecologist at the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a>.&nbsp;



"Utilizing predictions like these would enable us to effectively create moth motorways, helping endangered moth species reach new, more suitable regions more quickly in their bid to survive.”



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Moths may struggle to move in response to climate change

Moths are an important source of food for migrating birds...

Fish are a major source of micronutrients and essential fatty acids that have a high potential of reducing the rates of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cost-healthy-foods-malnutrition/">malnutrition</a> and its associated health conditions such as maternal mortality, stunted growth, or pre-eclampsia. Unfortunately, a research team led by <a href="https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a> has recently found that foreign fishing and international seafood trade exacerbate nutrition insecurity by taking fish away from the waters of nations with high levels of malnutrition and diverting them to wealthier countries.&nbsp;



By analyzing global fish catches, trade, and nutrient composition (calcium, iron, selenium, zinc, omega-3, protein, and vitamin A) for global marine fisheries, the scientists found that over 60 percent of countries receive net gains in fish-related nutrients through international trade, with Nigeria, France, Japan, and Italy gaining the most. However, these practices cause a third of the world’s nations net losses of such nutrients, with over half of them among African countries and vulnerable small island states, where malnutrition is already a major public health problem.



“The findings suggest that when nutritional differences among fish species and nations’ nutritional needs are considered, distributions of fish supplies through foreign fishing, and amplified by international trade, may be undermining nutritional food security and international equity,” said study lead author Kirsty Nash, a research fellow in Marine Socioecology at the <a href="https://www.utas.edu.au/">University of Tasmania</a>.



“Marine fisheries hold unrealized potential to help address global nutrient deficiencies but we need to harmonize fisheries, health, and trade policies to ensure nutrients reach people vulnerable to undernutrition. And decision-makers must consider nutrients derived from fisheries as a key resource that needs protection.”&nbsp;



According to study senior author Christina Hicks, an environmental social scientist at the University of Lancaster, these findings highlight that there is an urgent need for greater transparency regarding the distribution of fish and the practice of foreign fishing and international trade. “If fisheries are to achieve their potential to reduce global malnutrition, and the terrible health consequences associated with it, then nutrition security needs to be considered more centrally when countries develop international trade agreements,” she argued.



Together with her team, Professor Hicks developed a new “nutritional vulnerability framework,” which provides strong evidence that small island states and African countries that are currently benefiting from international fishing and trade will likely be among the most vulnerable to future shifts in nutrient supplies caused by changes in international trade and fishing practices.&nbsp;



Moreover, by taking into account the effects of climate change – which will likely lead to overall declines in fisheries production - the experts predict that tropical countries and small island states, such as Papua New Guinea or Guyana, will be the most affected by climate-related changes in fishing and trade patterns.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2120817119">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</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

Seafood trade takes fish away from malnourished populations

Fish are a major source of micronutrients and essential fatty...

For over 25 years, drug hunters have been searching for the source of eleutherobin - a natural chemical which has shown promise for treating cancer in initial trials. Now, a research team led by the <a href="https://healthcare.utah.edu/">University of Utah Health</a> has discovered that easy-to-find soft <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-coral-communities-are-doing-better-than-expected/">corals</a> (flexible corals resembling underwater plants) produce this elusive compound. By identifying this source, as well as the corals’ DNA code for synthesizing the chemical, scientists were already able to begin recreating this potentially therapeutic compound in the laboratory.



Soft corals are known to harbor thousands of chemical compounds that could act as anti-inflammatory agents, antibiotics, and other types of drugs. In the 1990s, marine scientists found that a rare coral near Australia carried eleutherobin, a chemical used by corals as a defense against predators. Laboratory investigations showed that this compound could also act as a potent inhibitor of cancer cell growth. However, for over two decades, scientists could not manage to find the chemical in the quantities needed for drug development.



The researchers analyzed samples from soft corals living off the Florida coast to find out whether their genetic code carried instructions for making the compound. Although they did not initially know what the instructions for making the chemical should look like, they searched for regions of coral DNA that resembled genetic instructions for similar kinds of compounds from other species.&nbsp;



After programming lab-grown bacteria to follow coral DNA instructions specific to the soft corals, the microorganisms appeared able to replicate the first steps of producing this potential cancer therapeutic. This proved not only that soft coral are major sources of eleutherobin, but also that this precious compound could be easily manufactured in the laboratory.



“This is the first time we have been able to do this with any drug lead on Earth,” said study senior author Eric Schmidt, a professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Utah Health. “These compounds are harder to find but they’re easier to make in the lab and easier to take as medicine.”



Professor Schmidt and his team hope that, in the near future, drugs derived from these compounds could be given as pills with a glass of water, rather than by injection or other more invasive means.



“My hope is to one day hand these to a doctor,” said study lead author Paul Scesa, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Utah Health. “I think of it as going from the bottom of the ocean to bench to bedside.”&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41589-022-01027-1">Nature Chemical Biology</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

Chemical found in soft corals could be used to treat cancer

For over 25 years, drug hunters have been searching for...

Wandering salamanders can parachute and glide from some of the world’s tallest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-value-of-trees-far-exceeds-their-commercial-value/">trees</a>. According to a new study published by Cell Press, the salamanders manage to do this by using postures much like those used by skydivers to slow and control their fall.



“Although hundreds of species of lungless salamanders are known to climb, aerial behavior had not been described,” said study lead author Christian Brown, a doctoral candidate at the University of South Florida.



“Our investigation of aerial behavior revealed that highly arboreal species of salamanders, especially the wandering salamander (Aneides vagrans), reliably engage in parachuting and gliding to slow and direct their descent.”



Brown said that since the first time he read about wandering salamanders in National Geographic magazine, he could never stop thinking about them. Years later, he found that the amphibians would jump from his hand before quickly assuming skydiving postures. Brown set out to investigate whether this behavior takes place in nature.



Using a series of wind-tunnel experiments, the researchers observed that salamanders parachuted consistently, and were able to slow their vertical speed by up to 10 percent while falling. About half of the time, the animals also used their tail and torso when gliding at non-vertical angles.



“To observe salamanders, which are generally associated with ponds and streams, in the air is a bit unexpected in and of itself,” said Brown. “Most surprising to us was the exquisite level of control that the more arboreal salamanders had in the vertical wind tunnel. Wandering salamanders were especially adept and seemed to instinctively deploy skydiving postures upon first contact with the airstream."



“These salamanders were not only able to slow themselves down, but also used fine-scale control in pitch, roll, and yaw to maintain upright body postures, execute banking turns, and glide horizontally. This level of aerial control was unexpected because these salamanders do not seem to possess conspicuous features for aerial control.”



Brown said what he finds most noteworthy is that the salamanders, and presumably other animals, don’t necessarily need flashy control surfaces such as webbing or skin flaps to parachute and glide. He wonders what other animals might have hidden skydiving abilities. 



“Scientists have barely scratched the surface in studying the redwood canopy ecosystem and the unique fauna it has shaped through evolutionary time,” said Brown. “With the climate changing at an unprecedented rate, it is vitally important that we collect more data on animals like wandering salamanders so we may better understand, protect, and preserve this delicate ecosystem.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</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

Some salamanders use skydiving postures to parachute out of trees

Wandering salamanders can parachute and glide from some of the...

Children who grow up in a large family, or with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-poisoning-in-pets-is-on-the-rise/">pet</a> dog, may have some protection from Crohn’s disease, according to a new study from the <a href="https://gastro.org/">American Gastroenterological Association</a>.



Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects around half a million people in the U.S. It most often develops in young adults, people who smoke, and those with a close family member who has irritable bowel syndrome. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain and weight loss. Treatments currently aim to prevent symptom flare-ups through diet modification, medication, and surgery.



“Our study seems to add to others that have explored the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ which suggests that the lack of exposure to microbes early in life may lead to lack of immune regulation toward environmental microbes,” said study senior author Dr. Williams Turpin, a research associate with Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto.



An environmental questionnaire was used to collect information from nearly 4,300 first-degree relatives of people with Crohn’s disease enrolled in the Crohn’s and Colitis Canada Genetic, Environmental, and Microbial (CCC-GEM) project.&nbsp;



The research team analyzed several environmental factors, including family size, pet dogs or cats, the number of bathrooms in the house, living on a farm, drinking unpasteurized milk and drinking well water. The analysis also included age at the time of exposure.



The results showed that exposure to dogs from ages 5 to 15 was linked to healthy gut permeability and balanced microbes in the gut and the body’s immune response. These factors are all likely to help protect against Crohn’s disease. In other age groups that had exposure to dogs, similar effects were observed.



Interestingly, the research team did not find the same association with pet cats. “It could potentially be because dog owners get outside more often with their pets or live in areas with more green space, which has been shown previously to protect against Crohn’s," said Dr. Turpin.&nbsp;



The findings also suggest that living with three or more family members in the first year of life was associated with microbiome composition later in life. It is not yet clear why dog ownership or living in a larger family provides protection from Crohn’s.



The gut microbiome is believed to play an important role in many health conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.



Dr. Turpin and his colleagues hope their work can help physicians when diagnosing patients with Crohn’s disease to help determine risk.&nbsp;



The research will be presented at <a href="https://gastro.org/digestive-disease-week-ddw/">Digestive Disease Week</a> (DDW) 2022.



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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

Children with pet dogs have a lower risk of Crohn’s disease

Children who grow up in a large family, or with...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/">British Ecological Society</a> has found that targeted conservation measures are needed to protect bumblebees. Of the 24 bumblebee species found in the UK, one third are listed as species of conservation concern, threatened by loss and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-degradation-is-a-major-cause-of-bird-population-declines/">degradation</a> of nesting and feeding habitat.&nbsp;



For the investigation, the researchers used 10 years of data from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s BeeWalk scheme collected by citizen scientists. The study provides the most detailed overview of bumblebee habitat requirements across the UK.



The data from the BeeWalk scheme was combined with land cover data, climate date and detailed observer-collected habitat data. This allowed the researchers to look at associations between 14 UK bumblebee species and types of habitat.



A wide range of differences was found between the species and the types of habitat they are associated with. This suggests that a one-size-fits-all approach to conservation will not protect all species,&nbsp; and that conservation efforts need to be carefully tailored.



The experts identified the kinds of habitat that could be used for conservation. Arable areas were found to be important for rare species like the large garden bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus), the largest species in the UK. Whereas large areas of semi-natural land, like moorland, were important for species such as the moss and the brown-banded carder bees (Bombus muscorum and Bombus humilis), and the bilberry bumblebee (Bombus monticola).



“Our results suggest that reversing the loss of semi-natural areas such as wetlands may be the single most generally effective action for bumblebee conservation, while improving habitats in urban and arable areas could benefit particular rare species. As one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world it’s really important that we better protect our native species and habitats in the UK," said Dr. Penelope Whitehorn of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, who led the study.



"Our study highlights the value of citizen science for understanding bumblebees and their habitats. Citizen science also gives everyone a chance to contribute to protecting these species.”



The study also identified the different habitats of individual bumblebees. The queens and males were associated with areas of scrub, bracken and herbs - habitats that are good for nesting. By contrast, workers were more commonly associated with hedges and lanes, suggesting that these areas are valuable for providing food.



“Bumblebees need areas with lots of flowers available from March right through to September/October. Bees lose this vital resource when habitats are lost entirely because they’re either built on or changed into other environments or degraded through things like pesticide use," explained Richard Comont.



As with many studies that rely on volunteers, the researchers did detect biases. Namely, a bias towards urban areas as volunteers selected sites to monitor bumblebees that were close to where they live. However, the scale of volunteer efforts still covered a wide range of landscapes, allowing for statistically robust findings.



“We’d like to find out why different species are associated with different habitats, so we can create and preserve the right conditions for them in the future," said Dr. Whitehorn. "We also need to better understand how shifting climate and land uses might affect bumblebees and their habitats.”



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

Multiple habitats must be protected to save bumblebees

A new study from the British Ecological Society has found...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uc.edu/">University of Cincinnati</a> has found that nighttime <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/light-pollution-has-increased-almost-everywhere/">light pollution</a> can interfere with the extraordinary navigational abilities of monarch butterflies, which often travel from Canada to Mexico during multigenerational migrations. Since artificial nightlights interfere with butterflies’ circadian rhythms, the animals often become disoriented and fly when they should be resting.



Scientists have long known that light pollution can significantly disrupt normal circadian rhythms and sleep-wake cycles of both wildlife and humans. For instance, previous studies have shown that city lights interfere with the navigation of animals such as baby sea turtles, which mistake the artificial lights for the glow of the moon on the ocean, and head out of the water when they should in fact be hatching.&nbsp;



While researchers have already investigated in great depth the effects of light pollution on birds and other animals that migrate at night, animals that migrate during the day, such as the monarch butterflies, have received far less attention.



Although the erratic, circuitous movements taking them to and fro across gardens or orchards can make it difficult to imagine that these creatures are able to stick to a rigid flight plan, their mass migrations across entire continents is a clear proof that they have remarkable navigational capacities.&nbsp;



For instance, millions of monarch butterflies living east of the Rocky Mountains leave their summer breeding grounds in southern Canada and northern US, and travel as much as 4,000 kilometers to overwintering sites across Mexico. They can take up to five generations during this cross-continent journey, which is made possible by amazingly precise internal clocks that tell them where to orient themselves in relation to the position of the sun.



Yet, researchers have now found that monarchs exposed to nighttime light pollution – such as street lamps above their tree roosts – can experience a phase shift, making their bodies think that it’s either earlier or later than it really is. “It’s like jet lag,” said study senior author Patrick Guerra, an assistant professor of Biology at the University of Cincinnati. “Essentially, their sense of time is disturbed.”&nbsp;



By conducting controlled laboratory experiments that simulated and isolated the effects of light trespass perturbation on the monarchs, Professor Guerra and his team found clear evidence that light pollution disrupts the animals’ day-night cycle. Thus, if we want to be hospitable to these beautiful creatures, we should protect them from exposure to nightlights. “It’s something to think about if you’re making a pollinator garden or if you want to be eco-friendly,” Guerra&nbsp;advised.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.104310">iScience</a>.&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

Light pollution disorients monarch butterflies

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

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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

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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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...