For many years, scientists believed that prehistoric kangaroos in Australia had specialized diets, relying specifically on certain types of plants or vegetation for their survival. This idea suggested that they were unable to adapt to changes in their environment, such as shifts in climate or vegetation patterns. 



When the kangaroos' preferred food sources became scarce, it was assumed that their dietary inflexibility contributed to their extinction. This theory placed dietary specialization as a key reason for the disappearance of some kangaroo species during the Pleistocene epoch.



However, recent research challenges these assumptions, suggesting that these marsupials were more resilient than we initially realized.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diverse-diets-of-prehistoric-kangaroos"> Diverse diets of prehistoric kangaroos</h2>



The study was carried out by experts from <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flinders University</a> and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (<a href="https://www.magnt.net.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MAGNT</a>). 



The researchers used cutting-edge techniques to analyze the microscopic patterns of wear on fossilized kangaroo teeth. These patterns revealed the types of food the kangaroos ate.



The results showed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-kangaroos-of-the-past-didnt-hop-they-walked-on-all-fours/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prehistoric kangaroos</a> were not limited to specific types of food. Instead, they were generalists, capable of eating a wide variety of plants. This flexibility in diet helped them survive environmental changes over time.



Focusing on fossils from the Victoria Fossil Cave at the Naracoorte Caves World Heritage Area in South Australia, the experts analyzed kangaroo diets across 12 extinct species and compared them with 17 modern species.



The Naracoorte region contains the richest and most diverse fossil deposits of kangaroos from the Pleistocene epoch, making it an ideal location for this research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flexible-diets-helped-kangaroos-survive">Flexible diets helped kangaroos survive</h2>



“Our study shows that most prehistoric kangaroos at Naracoorte had broad diets. This dietary flexibility likely played a key role in their resilience during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protemnodon-kangaroo-fossils-may-explain-their-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">past changes</a> in climate,” explained lead researcher Dr. Sam Arman.



Contrary to previous assumptions, the study revealed that most species were mixed feeders, capable of consuming both shrubs and grasses.



“The distinctive short-faced kangaroo anatomy led to a widespread view that sthenurines were unable to adapt their diets when climate change altered vegetation patterns, leading to their extinction,” said study co-author Professor Gavin Prideaux.



However, the findings suggest that their ability to consume a wide range of foods provided a survival advantage during periods of scarcity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-extinction-dynamics">Complex extinction dynamics </h2>



While the ability to adapt their diets likely helped prehistoric kangaroos survive for a time, it wasn’t the only factor influencing their fate. 



The extinction of these megafaunal kangaroos also involved other challenges, such as their large body size, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/not-all-kangaroo-ancestors-hopped-as-a-means-of-locomotion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">how they moved</a> (locomotion), and their interactions with early humans, who may have hunted them or altered their habitats. 



To better understand these complex extinction dynamics, the researchers plan to study fossils from other Pleistocene sites. They will focus on the critical period between 60,000 and 40,000 years ago - a time when many large animal species disappeared.



This broader investigation could reveal how different factors worked together to drive kangaroo extinctions.



"Identifying what drove the late Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions on the continents remains one of the most contested topics in historical science," noted the study authors. 



"This is especially so in Australia, which lost 90% of its large species by 40,000 years ago, more than half of them kangaroos."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-into-ecosystem-vulnerabilities">Insights into ecosystem vulnerabilities</h2>



The study highlights the ecological roles of prehistoric marsupials, offering valuable insights into the evolution of Australia’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ecosystem-attack-predicting-the-success-of-species-invasions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a>. 



“Understanding the resilience of ancient species helps contextualize why Australia has been so vulnerable to introduced large mammals like pigs, camels, and deer,” noted Professor Prideaux.



Dr. Arman uses a relatable analogy to describe dietary flexibility: “Most of the time, I don’t need to engage four-wheel drive, but this capability becomes crucial when I do need it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extinction-of-australia-s-megafauna">Extinction of Australia’s megafauna </h2>



The research, funded by the <a href="https://www.arc.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australian Research Council</a>, reflects a long-standing partnership between Flinders University and MAGNT.



The research also honors the traditional custodians of the Naracoorte region, the Meintangk, Marditjali, and Potaruwutj peoples, and acknowledges the contributions of volunteers and students in collecting and preparing specimens.



The study marks an essential step in understanding the resilience of prehistoric kangaroos, their adaptable diet and the complex interplay of factors that led to the extinction of Australia’s megafauna.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq4340" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Prehistoric kangaroos changed their diets to survive climate change

For many years, scientists believed that prehistoric kangaroos in Australia had specialized diets, relying specifically on certain types of plants or vegetation for their survival. This idea suggested that they were unable to adapt to changes in their environment, such as shifts in climate or vegetation patterns. When the kangaroos' preferred food sources became scarce, it was assumed that their dietary inflexibility contributed to their extinction. This theory placed dietary specialization as a key reason for the disappearance of some kangaroo species during the Pleistocene epoch. However,...

We might think that the bold, black-and-white coloration of giant pandas makes them highly conspicuous to humans and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-new-study-led-by-the-memorial-university-of-newfoundland-in-canada-has-found-that-snowshoe-hares-are-starting-to-lose-their-camouflage-abilities-due-to-climate-change/">predators</a> alike. But we would be wrong.



A new study led by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> demonstrates that the unique pattern of black and white fur coloration works to disguise giant pandas in their natural environment. For their investigation, the researchers made use of state-of-the art image analysis techniques.



“I knew we were on to something when our Chinese colleagues sent us photographs from the wild and I couldn’t see the giant panda in the picture," explained Professor <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/people/person/Tim-Caro-d795dfe6-b3f7-4d2f-9d6c-506da26408f2/">Tim Caro</a>. "If I couldn’t see it with my good primate eyes, that meant that would-be carnivorous predators with their poorer eyesight might not be able to see it either. It was simply a matter of demonstrating this objectively.”



Initially, the international team of experts analyzed the rare photographs of giant pandas in their natural environment. They found that the black patches of fur blended in with dark shadows and tree trunks, while the white patches matched foliage and snow. Also, the rare brown fur that some pandas exhibit matched ground colors and bridged the gap between the dark and light elements in the visual environment.&nbsp;



The results are consistent whether viewed by humans, or by felid or canid vision models (which both represent potential predators of pandas).



Next, the researchers assessed whether giant pandas show disruptive coloration. This is a form of camouflage in which high-contrast patterns break up the outline of an animal’s body or obscure easily recognizable internal features, such as the eyes or mouth.&nbsp;



The experts found that the large black and white patches of fur do indeed make it more difficult to identify the various parts of a panda’s body as being joined together. This defensive color pattern means that the black legs and ears do not look as though they are part of the panda’s white body, especially when it is viewed from some distance.&nbsp;



Lastly, the researchers utilized a novel color map technique to compare a similarity-to-background metric across a variety of species, including the giant panda. This comparative analysis confirmed that the background resemblance of the giant panda fell solidly within the range observed for other species that are traditionally considered to be well camouflaged or cryptic.



“The rare photographic evidence allowed us to examine the giant panda appearance in its natural environment for the first time," said study lead author Dr. Ossi Nokelainen. "With help of the state-of-the-art image analysis, we were able to treat these images as if the pandas would have been seen by their predator surrogates, using applied vision modeling techniques and also to explore their disruptive coloration. Comparative results totally bust the myth of giant pandas being overtly conspicuous in their natural habitat.”



“It seems that giant pandas appear conspicuous to us because of short viewing distances and odd backgrounds: when we see them, either in photographs or at the zoo, it is almost always from close up, and often against a backdrop that doesn’t reflect their natural habitat. From a more realistic predator’s perspective, the giant panda is actually rather well camouflaged," explained <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/people/person/Nick-Scott-Samuel-5af4dc2d-612b-4eda-be0e-1f5655e8ce30/">Professor Nick Scott-Samuel</a>.



Pandas are not alone in having bold and extreme color patterns rather than the drab browns and earthy tones present in the mammals usually considered to be well camouflaged. Zebras, skunks, badgers and orcas all have striking black and white patterning on their bodies, something that has intrigued and challenged scientists for decades.



The results of the study are published in&nbsp;the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/?gclid=CjwKCAjwwsmLBhACEiwANq-tXPt0Gxcobii26777ZGOiGHt16wGAow3i3EuC_OcGsRMnJiBrwoQyCBoCUkcQAvD_BwE">Scientific Reports</a>.



---



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

Giant pandas have the perfect camouflage for their natural habitat

We might think that the bold, black-and-white coloration of giant...

In our plastic filled world, fish often ingest microplastics. What few people may know is that when fish eat microplastics, they also ingest progesterone. A new study shows that a chemical reaction between microplastics and digestive fluid in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/red-wine-grapes-have-unexpected-gut-health-benefits/">gut</a> releases progesterone.&nbsp;



“Our study shows that microplastics are an additional vector for exposing fish to micropollutants like progesterone, a steroid hormone that can be found in the environment," explained study co-author Florian Breider.



"These microplastics act like sponges and serve as a vector - they readily absorb hydrophobic micropollutants in water, since the pollutants’ molecules would rather attach to the plastic."



"Once inside a fish, the molecules are released into its digestive tract as a result of the physical and chemical properties of the digestive fluids. Today, nobody knows whether the micropollutants subsequently pass through the intestinal walls and spread to the rest of the fish.”



The study looked at three types of polymers commonly found in Swiss lakes and streams: polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene. The researchers examined how well the polymers absorbed micropollutants such as progesterone and how quickly they in turn could be released in a fish's digestive tract.&nbsp;



The researchers found that microplastics play an important role in the ingestion of progesterone, an endocrine disruptor in fish. In relatively modest amounts of water, fish are exposed to large amounts of microplastics.



“If an organism weighing one kilogram ingests 4.5 liters of water per day, this vector of progesterone exposure - that is, through microplastics - would account for 10% of its daily progesterone intake due to water ingestion,” said Breider.



He noted that this research is important not only for countries bordering the ocean but for the whole world and that concern with the problem is growing.&nbsp;



“In countries bordering a sea or ocean, research on plastic contamination and the associated micropollutants is becoming a priority. But that’s not the case in Switzerland," said Breider. "However, people are becoming increasingly aware of the issue and eager to take action. Things are moving in the right direction.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/journals/journal/EM">Environmental Science: Processes &amp; Impacts</a>.&nbsp;



---



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

When fish ingest plastic, the impacts are complicated

In our plastic filled world, fish often ingest microplastics. What...

Sohutern,Right,Whale,Jumping,,Endangered,Species,,Patagonia,argentina.

North Atlantic right whales are a critically <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-ecosystems-are-endangered-by-global-warming/">endangered</a> species with a past of being targeted by whaling, a historical tragedy that they have never recovered from.&nbsp;



A new population estimate by the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium shows the whale numbers continue on a downward plunge. From 2019 to 2020, the estimated population dropped from 366 to 336, a decline of 8 percent.&nbsp;



Along with this report came another confirmation of the sad state of affairs. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) drafted a new Stock Assessment Report showing that the number of whales which can die and still support the species recovery fell to 0.7. The North Atlantic right whale death rate is also up from 18.6 annual deaths in the previous report to 27.4 whales per year from 2014 to 2018. “The new population and mortality estimates for North Atlantic right whales are upsetting and alarming. Losing nearly 10% of a critically endangered species in one year is drastic and should be a wake-up call that the situation facing these whales is more dire and urgent than ever before," said Whitney Webber, campaign director for <a href="https://oceana.org/">Oceana</a> in the United States.



"There’s zero time to waste - political finger-pointing, process delays, and industry opposition are decimating North Atlantic right whales. This downward trajectory must be reversed if the species is to survive another generation. Oceana calls on the U.S.&nbsp; government to act now before these whales disappear from our coasts forever."



Historically, the North Atlantic right whale population reached a high estimate of 21,000 individuals, which dropped to possibly less than 100 by the 1920s.&nbsp;



After whaling right whales was banned in 1935, the population slowly climbed to about 483 animals in 2010. Population numbers are now again at alarmingly low levels.&nbsp;



Due to the slow speed the whales swim at (around 6 miles per hour) often near the surface, collision with ships is a leading cause of death. Ships moving at fast speeds cannot maneuver to avoid the marine mammals.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Another leading cause of mortality for the whales is entanglement in fishing gear. About 25 percent of the whales are tangled in fishing gear from the US and Canada annually and a disturbing 85 percent have been caught in fishing gear at least once. Lines cutting into flesh can cause infections that are sometimes fatal.&nbsp;



Without immediate and decisive action, the last North Atlantic right whale may soon die, leaving the planet forever impoverished.&nbsp;&nbsp;&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

Right whale populations reach new low

North Atlantic right whales are a critically endangered species with...

Approximately 90-97 percent of people eat meat. Despite the outcry from activists such as Greta Thunberg, global meat consumption is on the rise. Paradoxically, most people claim to be concerned with animal welfare. Many people even relate to animals, with one study showing that some individuals are more empathetic <a href="https://brill.com/view/journals/soan/25/1/article-p1_1.xml?_sp=365214a7-fd1d-4817-b93b-7cbb4433ec95.1509706369283&amp;language=zh">toward dogs</a> than other adult humans.&nbsp;



A new literature review from the <a href="https://publons.com/publisher/11574/polish-association-of-social-psychology">Polish Association of Social Psychology</a> examines the “meat paradox,” looking closely at this strange state of affairs. The scientists identified two distinct psychological processes at play in people who eat meat yet claim to care for animals. 



First are triggers - things that make a meat eater uncomfortable about their consumption, such as pictures from a slaughterhouse. Second, restorative strategies can make a person feel better about eating meat when they feel "triggered."



Common strategies are considering food animals as incapable of thought or complex feeling, thus justifying eating them. Another example is the “4 N’s” - when people think of eating meat as “natural," “nice," “normal” and “necessary." Different language is also used to disguise the reality of eating animals, using sanitized words such as livestock, poultry, or beef.&nbsp;



Strategies are not the same across cultures. Americans are more likely to dissociate themselves with the reality of animals than Ecuadorians, who live in a region where animals are more likely to be served with their heads attached. The study also showed that French people were more likely to deny that animals have minds than Chinese people.&nbsp;



There were also differences in meat consumption depending on how people viewed masculinity. People who highly valued traditional masculinity were more likely to eat meat than those who did not highly value traditional masculinity, including men. Overall, 63 percent of vegans are female, with only the remaining 37 percent being male. Females, the research showed, are more likely to connect with animals than males.&nbsp;



There is also a political divide at play in diet. Those with conservative views were more likely to view vegetarian and vegan diet in a negative light. Those leaning more left in their views are more likely to think kindly of plant based diets.&nbsp;



The researchers hope this review will shine a light on the psychology of meat eating and possibly even bear fruit in more vegetarians.&nbsp;



The review was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.32872/spb.5953">Social Psychology Bulletin</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



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

The meat paradox: People care about animals, but still eat meat

Approximately 90-97 percent of people eat meat. Despite the outcry...

The majority of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-explain-longevity-in-mammals/">mammals</a> experience the world through similar senses to humans, whilst some have additional means such as echolocation. New research from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland has found that whales are an example of this, using a combination of echolocation adjustments and nimble brain responses to locate prey.



The researchers have discovered that the aquatic mammals are able to respond to prey through rapid echolocation at speeds comparable to visual predators. These new insights may help in contributing to the protection of wild whales.



“Visual animals must respond quickly to sudden movements of their prey or predators,” explained study first author Heather Vance from the&nbsp; Sea Mammal Research Unit. “For example, primates’ vision allows them to respond to sudden movements in as little as 50 milliseconds – less than the blink of an eye. But what about whales that use echolocation?"



"We wanted to know if echolocators have a way to lock onto prey movements like visual animals do when they close in for the kill and how quickly they can react to prey movements.”



In order to shed light on these questions, Vance and her team monitored the movement and sound of whales. The experts used a non-invasive monitoring method, attaching sound and movement trackers to six wild harbor porpoises and eight Blainville’s beaked whales.&nbsp;



The resulting data was analyzed based on the whale’s clicking sounds and echo, helping them to track the movements of their prey.



Both types of whales were discovered to increase their clicking rate to up to 500 clicks per second when tracking their prey, with a rapid adaptive time of as little as 50 milliseconds.&nbsp;



“Despite the high clicking rates of the whales, their response speeds were similar to visual responses in monkeys and humans, suggesting that their brains may be wired in much the same way as visual animals,” explained Vance.



Closely investigating the whales’ behavior will contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of echolocation. Furthermore, it could also help identify how human activity, such as noises from ships, may negatively impact the mammals.



“Many whale populations are shrinking, which has led to efforts to help protect them,” concluded study senior author Professor Mark Johnson of Aarhus University. “Knowing what conditions allow these animals to thrive will make conservation efforts all the more effective.”



The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/">eLife</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Toothed whales have response times similar to human vision

The majority of mammals experience the world through similar senses...

Bird populations are decreasing across the United States as their preferred habitats are replaced. This is particularly true in urban areas where impervious surfaces and man-made structures predominate. However, a recent study of bird diversity in six US cities has found that the way in which people manage and landscape their own backyards has the potential to increase habitat for wild birds and improve <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reef-biodiversity-expected-to-shuffle-but-not-decline/">biodiversity</a> on a regional scale.&nbsp;



The research was co-led by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/people/sblerman">Susannah Lerman</a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/">USDA&nbsp;Forest Service</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://asrc.gc.cuny.edu/people/desiree-narango/">Desirée L. Narango</a>&nbsp;from City University of New York.&nbsp;The team recorded bird diversity in four residential yard types and in natural parks across six cities with distinctly different climate conditions, including Baltimore, Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, and Phoenix.



Urbanization usually leads to the homogenization of biodiversity because fewer different types of habitats are available for birds. In addition, bird communities in urban areas contain fewer indigenous species and have a lower conservation value. But few studies have explored whether or how land management by urban residents can ameliorate the negative effects of this homogenization on species composition.&nbsp;



The researchers tested the effects of local (back yard land management) and neighborhood-scale (amount of impervious surface and tree canopy cover) features on breeding bird diversity in the six metropolitan areas. &nbsp;They considered six land management types: two natural area park types (separate and adjacent to residential areas), two yard types with conservation features (wildlife-certified and water conservation) and two lawn-dominated yard types (high- and low-fertilizer application), in addition to the surrounding neighborhood-scale features.&nbsp;



The results were similar in all six cities; species diversity was higher in yards than in urban parks, although parks supported more species of conservation concern. In addition, yards certified as wildlife habitat through the National Wildlife Federation’s certification program supported a wider variety of bird species when compared with more traditional yard landscaping that was dominated by lawn.



Within yard types, species richness was positively associated with the amount of tree cover in the neighborhood, and negatively correlated with the amount of impervious surface in the neighborhood.&nbsp;



The experts also found that bird species in backyards generated high public interest within the community of citizen birdwatchers, and this made the management of back yards for the purpose of attracting wildlife very significant.&nbsp;



“This study shows that when people landscape with wildlife in mind, householders can contribute to conservation right in their own back yards,” said Lerman. “And our yards often support some of our most beloved backyard birds.”



According to the study authors, their results show that preserving natural areas, minimizing impervious surfaces and increasing tree canopy are essential strategies to support bird diversity and conserve regionally important species.&nbsp;



Back yards - especially those managed for wildlife - support diverse, heterogeneous bird communities with high public interest that can advance successful conservation in American residential landscapes.



“Scientists are finding that we can’t study cities in isolation," said Narango. "It will improve bird conservation efforts if we can understand which management practices are effective across regions and nationally, and which are effective at a more local level."



The research findings were published today in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19395582">Ecological Applications</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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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

Background gardens increase regional bird diversity

Bird populations are decreasing across the United States as their...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.fchampalimaud.org/champalimaud-foundation/champalimaud-centre">Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown</a> from Lisbon, Portugal has found that flies’ hearts respond to danger in the same way human hearts do: they accelerate if the flies decide to escape an imminent danger, and slow down if the flies freeze into place.



Although it has been long known that the hearts of non-human vertebrates, such as cats, frogs, or antelopes, follow the same rules as human hearts when the animals are in danger, much less was understood about insects’ hearts. This new study, published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.013">Current Biology</a>, is one of the first to explore these issues.



“We were quite surprised by this result," recalled study lead author Marta Moita, a neuroscientist and leader of the <a href="https://moitalab.org/lab-members/">Moita Lab</a>. “We know that when vertebrates face a threat, their autonomic nervous system kicks into action, generating the changes in cardiac activity that we are all familiar with. However, this system doesn’t exist in insects, and so it was unclear whether they would exhibit similar cardiac alterations.”



By lighting up each fly’s heart cells with fluorescent molecules, the scientists observed the heart’s activity through the fly’s transparent exoskeleton, and found that, just like in humans, the heart pumps faster when the fly decides to flee and slower when the insect freezes into place.



“This finding is very intriguing," said Professor Moita. “Since flies don’t have an autonomic nervous system, it means there’s another mechanism at play here. The question is whether there’s an autonomic-nervous-system-like structure that we are not aware of, or is there an entirely different mechanism yet to be discovered.”



The researchers also discovered that whether the fly was attempting to escape or freezing, the heart was pumping more actively towards the insect’s front section.&nbsp;



"Pumping more nutrients into the front section while escaping makes sense,” explained study co-author Natalia Barrios, a researcher at the Champalimaud Centre. “This is where the brain, legs and wings are located, so that's where the action is. But we didn't expect to see this while the fly was freezing."



According to the scientists, this surprising finding was caused by the fact that even while freezing, the fly was preparing for action.&nbsp;



More research needs to be done to unravel the surprising similarities between flies and humans. “Eventually, we hope that insight gained in the fly will lead to an understanding of how the brain controls behavior in other animals, including humans," Moita concluded.



---



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

Flies respond to danger like humans

A new study led by the Champalimaud Centre for the...

The known boundaries of sea turtle <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/foraging-habits-of-seabirds-altered-by-turbulent-tidal-flows/">foraging</a> areas have been called into question by new research. Loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley, and green turtles stranded off the coast of France may have been foraging for food.&nbsp;



The researchers used satellite data to show that turtles who were rehabilitated in places like Florida and the Cape Verde Islands might have been returning to home waters through Europe. Younger individuals are especially at risk of being stranded.&nbsp;



“Stranded turtles that were tracked swimming westwards presumably towards their birth homes, after their rescue and release from the Atlantic coast of France, were older and more developed than those that remained in the Bay of Biscay region," explained study first author Dr. Philippine Chambault.



"Turtles that remained in the area were much smaller, possibly trapped in the winter, as they are not able to regulate their body temperature and get lethargic with decreasing sea temperatures.”



According to study co-author Florence Dell’Amico, this new insight is valuable for informing conservation strategies.&nbsp;



“These findings have important turtle conservation implications," said Dell’Amico. "Maps of their ecological range need to be updated, and these study findings can help to plan effective rehabilitation and release strategies for turtles rescued from this area.”



To look at where the turtles were going, the researchers deployed miniature satellite transmitters attached to the shells of rescued turtles. The team also looked at ocean currents, water temperature, abundance of turtle prey species and mass and size of turtles.&nbsp;



The results suggest that turtles might be visiting some areas off the coast of France to forage for food. While larger turtles can weather colder temperatures in the winter, smaller turtles instead seem to be trapped and suffer from hypothermia. “The Bay of Biscay waters are especially cold during wintertime, less than 10°C, and so this area is assumed to be outside the geographical range for turtles," said study co-author Dr. Philippe Gaspar.



"Our observations suggest that while the turtles could be visiting this area to forage for food, it may be an ecological trap for very small turtles that may suffer from hypothermia in the cold months."



“A turtle’s body temperature is largely controlled by the temperature of the environment, and temperatures below 10oC are often lethal.”



This research lays the groundwork for further studies as well as conservation planning for sea turtles worldwide. The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.



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

The coast of France may be a death trap for sea turtles

The known boundaries of sea turtle foraging areas have been...

Although songbirds share the human sense of rhythm, such musical abilities are rare in non-human mammals. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.mpi.nl/">Max Planck Institute of Psycholinguistics</a> (MPI) has found that one of the few “singing” <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-use-tools/">primates</a>, the critically endangered lemur Indri indri, has a similar sense of rhythm as humans.



“There is longstanding interest in understanding how human musicality evolved, but musicality is not restricted to humans," said study co-author Andrea Ravignani, a researcher at MPI. “Looking for musical features in other species allows us to build an ‘evolutionary tree’ of musical traits, and understand how rhythm capacities originated and evolved in humans.”



Over a period of 12 years, Ravignani together with colleagues from MPI and the <a href="https://en.unito.it/">University of Turin</a>, visited the rainforest of Madagascar to record songs from 20 indri groups living in their natural habitat. Members of indri groups tend to sing together in harmonized duets and choruses.&nbsp;



The researchers found that indri songs have a categorical rhythm, with intervals between sounds having the same duration (1:1 rhythm) or double duration (1:2 rhythm). Such rhythms make a song recognizable even if it’s sung at different speeds.&nbsp;



Besides the fact that indri songs had the classic rhythmic categories, they also exhibited the typical “ritardando” or slowing down found in several music traditions. Although male and female songs had different tempos, they showed the same rhythm. This is the first evidence of a human rhythmic universal in a non-human mammal.



“Categorical rhythms are just one of the six universals that have been identified so far," explained Ravignani. “We would like to look for evidence of others, including an underlying ‘repetitive’ beat and a hierarchical organization of beats - in indri and other species.” 



The scientists encourage other researchers to collect more data on indri and other endangered species, “before it is too late to witness their breath-taking singing displays.”



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

Primates have musical rhythm similar to humans

Although songbirds share the human sense of rhythm, such musical...

Footprint,Of,Dinosaur,On,Phoo-luang,loei,thailand

Around 50 years ago, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossils-reveal-a-previously-unknown-mass-extinction-event/">fossil</a> footprints of what was assumed to be a "raptor-like" predatory dinosaur were found in an Australian coal mine. However, new research from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> has discovered that the fossil was in fact of a long-necked herbivore.



Upon re-analyzing the footprints, paleontologist Dr. Anthony Romilio was able to conclude that they belonged to the vegetarian Prosauropod and could be dated back to around 220 million years ago, around the end of the Triassic Period.



“For years it’s been believed that these tracks were made by a massive theropod predator that was part of the dinosaur family Eubrontes, with legs over two meters tall,” explained Dr. Romilio. “This idea caused a sensation decades ago because no other meat-eating dinosaur in the world approached that size during the Triassic period."



However, it was expected at the time that there was something incorrect about this conclusion. “Unfortunately, most earlier researchers could not directly access the footprint specimen for their study, instead relying on old drawings and photographs that lacked detail,” explained Dr. Romilio.



The new conclusion made a lot more sense as the legs of the Prosauropod were in fact smaller, with legs around 1.4 meters in length and a body length of six meters.



The prosauropod dinosaur footprints are known scientifically as ‘Evazoum’ and were made on the water-sodden layers of ancient plant debris.



“After millions of years, the plant material turned into coal which was extracted by the miners to reveal a ceiling of siltstone and sandstone, complete with the natural casts of dinosaur footprints," explained study co-author Hendrik Klein. "This explains why today they occur in an upside-down position right above our heads,”



Whilst the mine closed many years ago, the fossil was mapped and preserved through plaster casts by geologists at the Queensland Museum in 1964. “We made a virtual 3D model of the dinosaur footprint that was emailed to team members across the world to study,” said Klein.



“The more we looked at the footprint and toe impression shapes and proportions, the less they resembled tracks made by predatory dinosaurs – this monster dinosaur was definitely a much friendlier plant-eater."



The findings are published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ghbi20/current">Historical Biology</a>, and the Prosauropod footprint can be seen at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane.



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Triassic’s “largest meat-eating dinosaur” was actually a vegetarian

Around 50 years ago, fossil footprints of what was assumed...

A new study led by the <a href="https://vu.nl/en">Free University of Amsterdam</a> has found traces of <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/understanding-the-effects-of-microplastics-on-our-environment/">microplastics</a> in the blood of cows and pigs, sparking concern about how these harmful particles might move through the food chain. Although this discovery could have serious implications for public health, more research is needed to assess the toxicity levels of these substances and the potential risks of exposure.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Microplastics, small non-biodegradable particles produced from the breakdown of plastic materials, are increasingly widespread in nature, polluting large portions of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.&nbsp;



The plastic particles are present in our water, food and surfaces that we touch, and scientists are only recently starting to understand their impact.&nbsp;They have been linked to harmful health effects, including inflammation. Microplastics are also believed to cause potentially dangerous immune overreactions, and can increase the risk of various diseases.&nbsp;



Although microplastics have been found in many marine animals and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seabirds-are-damaging-their-health-by-eating-plastic/">birds</a>, this is the first time they have been discovered in the bloodstream of farm animals. The discovery was made by a team of researchers led by Dr. Heather Leslie, an expert in microplastics. The researchers analyzed blood samples from 12 cows and six pigs and detected traces of microplastics.&nbsp;



“We have uncovered preliminary evidence of trace amounts of plastic particles in farm animals' bloodstreams,” said Dr. Leslie.&nbsp;“We already know that hundreds of other animals also have microplastics in their bodies. But in cows and pigs, it had not been discovered before.”&nbsp;



Dr. Leslie’s hypothesis is that microplastics in the soil probably ended up in the crops eaten by farm animals. These particles cannot be broken down by the intestines and end up in manure, continuing thus to be disseminated through the environment.&nbsp;



“If you want to assess the risks, you first have to know what the actual exposure is and how toxic it is.&nbsp;If we are above the values ​​that are still safe and responsible, then we have to do something about it,” said Dr. Leslie.



“It is in the interest of&nbsp;animal and human health protection to further explore this nascent signal of plastic pollution exposure in the food chain."



The research was presented at Amsterdam's <a href="https://www.plastichealthsummit.org/">Plastic Health Summit</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

Microplastics discovered in the blood of livestock

A new study led by the Free University of Amsterdam...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a> (UGA) has managed to create functional sperm cells by using embryonic stem cells collected from rhesus macaque monkeys. This important scientific breakthrough could lead to innovative human infertility treatments.



“This is a major breakthrough towards producing stem cell-based therapies to treat male infertility in cases where the men do not produce any&nbsp;viable sperm cells,” said lead researcher Charles Easley, an associate professor in UGA’s <a href="https://publichealth.uga.edu/">College of Public Health</a>.&nbsp;



The scientists used embryonic stem cells from rhesus macaque monkeys in order to generate immature sperm cells (known as round spermatids) which they showed to be capable of fertilizing a rhesus macaque egg. According to the study authors, since rhesus monkeys share similar reproductive mechanisms to humans, they are an&nbsp;“ideal and necessary model for exploring stem cell-based therapies for male infertility.”



Although a few years ago researchers have managed to produce sperm-like cells using mouse stem cells, it was not yet clear whether this technology could prove successful in humans, due to vast differences between mice’s and humans’ reproductive systems. With the recent replication of this technology in monkeys, more hope emerges that humans will soon be able to benefit from these findings too.



“This is the first step that shows this technology is potentially translatable. We’re using a species that’s more relevant to us, and we’re having success in making healthy embryos,” said Professor Easley.



In a future study, the researchers aim to implant the embryos into a surrogate rhesus macaque monkey in order to asses whether embryos from in vitro spermatids could ultimately produce healthy babies.&nbsp;



“This is a significant step in establishing whether sperm created in the lab could, one day, be used for human reproduction,”&nbsp;said Sarah Norcross, the director of fertility and genomics charity <a href="https://www.progress.org.uk/">Progress Educational Trust</a>.



“We will be watching closely as the researchers carry out this work in macaques, first seeing whether eggs fertilized with this type of sperm can lead to a pregnancy, and then seeing whether a pregnancy can be achieved with sperm derived from skin cells.&nbsp;Even if all of these things are achieved in macaques, it will still take many years and much more research before such techniques are fit for use in human treatments,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.fertstertscience.org/article/S2666-335X(21)00066-5/fulltext">Fertility and Sterility 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

Monkey sperm cells could treat human infertility

A new study led by the University of Georgia (UGA)...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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

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