In the early 200s, the Iberian lynx, small in stature yet brimming with character, was a hair’s breadth from disappearing from the wild.&nbsp;



Conservation groups and government agencies knew the stakes were high, because a world without this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protecting-lynx-habitat-in-a-shifting-landscape/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spotted feline</a> meant losing a living symbol of Mediterranean woodlands. Though it has taken decades of hard work, the Iberian lynx is finally bouncing back.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-race-to-protect-the-iberian-lynx">Race to protect the Iberian lynx</h2>



The Iberian lynx inhabits regions of southwestern Europe. It measures around 39 inches (100 cm) in length and stands about 18 inches (46 cm) at the shoulder.&nbsp;



Back in the early 2000s, fewer than 100 individuals roamed the wild, including only 25 reproductive females. The outlook was bleak until a dedicated breeding program took shape across the Iberian Peninsula.



This rehabilitation <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01871.x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">effort</a> is led in part by biologist and program director, <a href="https://apgvn.pt/speakers/en-dr-rodrigo-serra/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rodrigo Serra</a>, at the National Breeding Centre for Iberian Lynxes in Silves.&nbsp;



“The Iberian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/canada-lynx-survival-linked-to-life-cycle-of-snowshoe-hares/">lynx</a> was very, very close to extinction,” shared Serra at the end of a long observation shift. He works alongside other scientists who oversee the species’ reproduction in both Spain and Portugal.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-sabre-tooth-to-survival">From sabre-tooth to survival</h2>



There was a time when experts compared this cat’s precarious position to that of the ancient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mummified-baby-saber-toothed-cat-found-with-fur-and-toes-intact/">sabre-tooth tiger</a>. “The only feline species that was threatened at this level was the sabre tooth tiger, thousands of years ago,” noted Serra at the end of a field visit.



Loss of habitat to agriculture, increased road traffic, and a devastating drop in wild rabbit numbers pushed this lynx to the edge. 



By the mid-2000s, Portugal had no native lynxes left. Meanwhile, captive-breeding efforts in Spain were showing promise, and Portugal soon followed suit with its own national conservation plan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-going-the-extra-mile-in-silves">Going the extra mile in Silves</h2>



Conservation staff at the breeding facility in Silves have a clear, two-part mission: shape these cats into resourceful hunters and get them ready for life outside the center. A lot of attention goes into making sure they never grow too accustomed to humans.&nbsp;



“When we notice a litter is becoming a bit more confident, we go in and chase them and make noise so they are scared again,” said Serra. He then explained that this keeps them cautious around people, hopefully reducing future conflicts and accidents on farms or roads.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iberian-lynx-s-release-strategy">Iberian lynx's release strategy</h2>



Once the animals reach the right age and temperament, they are released into the wild. Their genetic makeup often determines whether they will head to Spain or remain in Portugal, a decision that is aimed at reducing the chances of inbreeding.&nbsp;



Private landowners typically allow these cats to be set free on their properties, and agreements between conservation <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21091768/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">teams</a> and landholders provide a framework that supports both sides. The cats then select their paths.&nbsp;



Although lynxes have occasionally caused rumbles by raiding chicken coops, these incidents remain uncommon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reintroducing-an-endangered-species">Reintroducing an endangered species</h2>



<a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=_zjEgOsAAAAJ&amp;hl=pt-PT" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pedro Sarmento</a>, a researcher who has studied the Iberian lynx for three decades with the Portuguese Institute for Conservation of Nature and Forests (<a href="https://iucn.org/our-union/members/iucn-members/instituto-da-conservacao-da-natureza-e-das-florestas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICNF</a>), has seen up close what makes these cats so distinctive.&nbsp;



“It’s an animal with a fairly small head for its body and extraordinarily wide paws,” observed Sarmento after a day’s worth of fieldwork. He found their exceptional leaping ability to be a defining trait. 



Despite the lynx’s recuperating numbers, collisions with vehicles are still a leading cause of death, which reflects the constant balancing act between modern infrastructure and wildlife.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iberian-lynx-is-a-cat-with-more-than-9-lives">Iberian lynx is a cat with more than 9 lives</h2>



One of the best-known <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317278807_First_captive-bred_individuals_released_in_the_Iberian_lynx_reintroduction_programme" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cases</a> in Portugal involved a cat named Lítio. Released into a part of southern Portugal, he stayed put for half a year, then wandered back into Spain’s Doñana National Park.&nbsp;



Lítio fell ill at one point and was returned for treatment in the Algarve. Right after getting a clean bill of health, he swam across the Guadiana River to Spain.&nbsp;



In time, he was again transported back, only to settle a short distance from the breeding center, find a mate, and stay put.&nbsp;



“He is the oldest lynx we have here, and he’s fathered plenty of cubs ever since,” said Sarmento.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-steady-climb-toward-a-safer-future">Steady climb toward a safer future</h2>



In recent years, the Iberian lynx has moved from Critically Endangered to Endangered on the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IUCN</a> Red List. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227672841_The_Iberian_lynx_Lynx_Pardinus_Conservation_Breeding_Program" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Conservationists</a> hope that the population can grow to around 5,000 or 6,000 in the wild by 2035, a threshold that would grant them healthier genetic diversity. 



“I saw the species disappearing. It’s surreal that we’re in a place where we can see <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/canada-lynxs-historic-range-points-to-a-promising-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lynxes in nature</a> or through camera trapping almost daily,” Sarmento commented, still recalling how grim things looked a few decades ago. 



Roads still claim too many lives, and keeping habitats linked is a continuous hurdle, but the progress so far stands as proof that species on the brink can inch their way back.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-taking-pride-in-an-ongoing-mission">Taking pride in an ongoing mission</h2>



The program teams in Spain and Portugal are not slowing their efforts. They’re fine-tuning captive-breeding routines, improving veterinary procedures, and pushing for more wildlife corridors.&nbsp;



Volunteers and landowners often work side by side, placing warning signs in high-risk areas and stepping up habitat restoration projects. These steps reduce vehicle collisions and lessen friction where farmland meets wilderness.&nbsp;



Although new challenges appear, the Iberian lynx’s rise from a handful of scattered cats to more than 2,000 in the wild shows what patient, practical conservation can accomplish when many people devote years to a single cause.



More information can be found on the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/12520/218695618" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red List</a>.



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Saving the Iberian lynx: How humans rescued this rare feline from extinction

In the early 200s, the Iberian lynx, small in stature yet brimming with character, was a hair’s breadth from disappearing from the wild.&nbsp; Conservation groups and government agencies knew the stakes were high, because a world without this spotted feline meant losing a living symbol of Mediterranean woodlands. Though it has taken decades of hard work, the Iberian lynx is finally bouncing back. Race to protect the Iberian lynx The Iberian lynx inhabits regions of southwestern Europe. It measures around 39 inches (100 cm) in length and...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> are describing five previously unknown plant species from the Bolivian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-species-frog-andes/">Andes</a>. All of the new species belong to the genus Jacquemontia, a group of trailing plants with blue flowers.

As the issue of biodiversity loss becomes increasingly worse on a global scale, it is more important than ever before to identify new plants so that they can be protected from extinction.

"Many plant species have not been identified and classified, especially in the tropics," said study co-author Rosie Clegg. "If you don't know what a species is, you can't conserve it."

"Working with local collaborators in Bolivia, we have identified five new Jacquemontia species - and our work so far suggests most of them are relatively rare."

The researchers now want to learn more about Jacquemontia plants, which often grow in open or grassy habitats. On the other hand, some of the species are highly specialized, existing only in a single location. 

When plants are limited to a very small range, they are more susceptible to threats such as climate change and human development. 

The current study by Clegg is focused on rock outcrops, where some Jacquemontia plants can be found. However, the new species are found on Andean slopes. 

"Rock outcrops come in many forms across South America, with different geologies and different plants living on them," said Clegg.

"As well as identifying plants, we want to learn more about these habitats and the role they play in wider ecosystems. "Jacquemontia and other plants on rock outcrops are able to survive in very harsh conditions, so through them we can learn more about how plants might respond and adapt to climate change."

According to John Wood of the University of Oxford, collaboration between UK institutions working alongside colleagues in Bolivia is important for the identification and conservation of species.

The new species are named Jacquemontia boliviana, J. cuspidata, J. longipedunculata, J. mairae and J. chuquisacensis.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/12225">Kew Bulletin</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Five new plant species found in Bolivia

Scientists at the University of Exeter are describing five previously...

The first vertebrates to achieve flight were neither <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-birds-learn-what-to-avoid-eating-by-watching-others/">birds</a> nor bats. During the Mesozoic, the geologic age spanning 250 million years ago to 66 million years ago, the skies were filled with pterosaurs - a diverse and mystifying group of creatures. 

Pterosaurs were simultaneously furred and scaled, often possessed both a long beak and needle-like teeth, and had wings composed entirely of one elongated finger. 

Ideas about their method of flight, metabolism, and feeding strategies have undergone significant revision as better fossils have been discovered and more reliable methodologies have been utilized. Now, a recent study by researchers at the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/">University of Portsmouth</a> has added to that growing body of research, unlocking the mystery of how pterosaurs changed as they grew. 

Understanding ontogeny - the growth and development of an organism - is a cornerstone of many modern paleobiological studies. Fossils of pterosaur hatchlings and embryos are rare finds, so paleontologists have struggled to picture when and how young pterosaurs flew. 

Two species in particular have well-preserved young specimens - Pterodaustro, a filter feeding genus from South American, and the broad-beaked Sinopterus from China.

Previously, researchers had hypothesized that baby pterosaurs might have been able to fly very soon after hatching, but until now this idea had not been quantified or modelled. <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a> researchers Darren Naish, Mark Witton, and Elizabeth Martin-Silverstone modeled the differences between young and old individuals from these two genera by comparing wing measurements and humerus strength. 

The researchers found that hatchlings were probably able to walk and even fly right out of the egg - in other words, they were extremely precocial. By contrast, human infants are extremely altricial and are largely helpless after birth. 

Young pterosaurs possessed relatively stronger bones and broader wings than adults. They were even equipped with huge deltoid muscles to operate their small wings. This left them less well-adapted to long-distance flight, but also more than ready to flutter out of a predator’s reach at a moment’s notice. 

The findings suggest that newborns occupied a different habitat and ecological niche from their parents - perhaps fluttering about in denser woodlands, only daring to venture out into more open spaces when they were more accomplished fliers. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the parents were absent, but it does mean they may have had a generally more hands-off approach to child-rearing than is seen in many modern birds and bats. 

The unique adaptations and evolutionary history of pterosaurs continue to provide paleontologists with ample opportunities for research. With this most recent study, we’ve begun to build an understanding of what exactly it was like to grow up in the Mesozoic skies. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pterosaurs may have hatched with the ability to fly

The first vertebrates to achieve flight were neither birds nor...

Beautiful lionfish with their mesmerizing patterns and showy spines are a popular aquarium <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jumping-spiders-know-the-difference-between-animals-and-objects/">animal</a>. Unfortunately, when released into the wild outside of their home range, lionfish can also cause problems for local ecosystems. 

The total eradication of lionfish outside of their native waters is likely impossible. Luckily, new research shows that targeted removal and closer monitoring of the invasive fish might still be helpful. 

"There are many changes happening within the Mediterranean as a consequence of human activity and climate change. The lionfish invasion has been one notable consequence of that, but this study shows there is a potential - albeit complex and challenging - solution," explained lead author Periklis Kleitou of the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a>.

"One of the interesting aspects of this work has been to see how the training improved divers' knowledge of the issue, and motivated them to support management efforts. That is without doubt something we can, and should, build on to ensure lionfish populations are managed sustainably now and in the future."

To look at the effectiveness of targeted lionfish removal, scientists employed the help of trained divers and citizen scientists. In three locations off the coast of Cypress, divers removed between 35 and 119 lionfish per day. The results showed that native wildlife populations started to recover after the targeted removal.  

"This study demonstrates the complex nature of managing and protecting our ocean. Marine Protected Areas are undoubtedly beneficial in terms of biodiversity on the seabed, but they are also vulnerable to the spread of invasive species," said senior author Professor Jason Hall-Spencer.

"Our ongoing research is showing the pivotal role citizens can play in monitoring and managing lionfish, but permitting divers to remove these fish using scuba gear will need to be applied with caution and strictly regulated to avoid illegal fishing." 

"If implemented correctly, removal events could protect selected areas from the adverse effects of lionfish, while at the same time help to establish rich and deep links with local communities, strengthening responsibility and surveillance at corporate and social levels, and stimulating public environmental awareness."

The scientists emphasize that this remedy can be useful in helping marine ecosystems, but must be carried out properly by targeting lionfish without impacting native species.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10990755">Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Targeted removal of lionfish may prove helpful

Beautiful lionfish with their mesmerizing patterns and showy spines are...

Xerces blue butterflies were last seen alive in San Francisco in the 1940s. The decline in their population numbers, and their eventual extinction, were generally credited to advancing urban development. If this is true, then the Xerces blue butterfly was the first known example of an American <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/painted-lady-butterflies-execute-the-longest-known-insect-migration/">insect</a> species driven to extinction by human activities. 

There was, however, the chance that Xerces blue butterflies were just a subpopulation of another, more widespread species - the silvery blue butterfly. This species has many of the same traits as the Xerces blue and is still common today. 

"There was a long-standing question as to whether the Xerces blue butterfly was truly a distinct species or just a population of a very widespread species called the silvery blue that's found across the entire west coast of North America," explained Corrie Moreau, director of the Cornell University Insect Collections and contributing author to the recent research paper on the project, published in <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsbl">Biology Letters</a>.

In this study, researchers analyzed the DNA of a Xerces blue specimen that was collected in 1928 and preserved in the pinned butterfly collection of the Chicago Field Museum. A very small piece of the specimen’s dried abdomen was removed with tweezers and sent to the <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Field Museum</a> Pritzker DNA Laboratory for analysis.

The results were compared with DNA extracted from recently caught silvery blue butterflies. The results showed differences in the DNA which were significant enough to confirm that Xerces blue butterflies were indeed a separate species.

"It's interesting to reaffirm that what people have been thinking for nearly 100 years is true, that this was a species driven to extinction by human activities," said study lead author Felix Grewe, co-director of the Field's Grainger Bioinformatics Center.

"We're in the middle of what's being called the insect apocalypse – massive insect declines are being detected all over the world," said Moreau. She stresses the importance of conserving insect species because they are crucial to the functioning of healthy ecosystems. 

Insects aerate the soil, which promotes plant growth and provides food for herbivores. The herbivores, along with the insects themselves, are preyed upon by predators. 

According to Felix Grewe, the study also showcases the importance of museum collections. "When this butterfly was collected 93 years ago, nobody was thinking about sequencing its DNA. That's why we have to keep collecting, for researchers 100 years in the future."

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

DNA evidence confirms: humans wiped out Xerces blue butterflies

Xerces blue butterflies were last seen alive in San Francisco...

In the past couple of years, sulphur-crested cockatoos in Sydney, Australia, have learned a new skill. The inquisitive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-are-moving-plants-in-the-wrong-direction-through-seed-dispersal/">birds</a> can use their bills and feet to open the lids of large, plastic wheelie bins to access the left-over food inside. 

A team of researchers led by Barbara Klump and Lucy Aplin of the <a href="https://www.ab.mpg.de/">Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior</a> set out to investigate how this novel behavior has evolved and spread. In their recent publication in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>, the experts have shown that cockatoos learn how to open bins by copying each other, rather than being born with the instinctual ability. 

After initially becoming aware of this unique behavior, research scientist John Martin recognized the need to find out whether cockatoos open bins everywhere. Garbage bins across Australia have the same design, and cockatoos are widely distributed in the northern and eastern regions of the country.

"In 2018, we launched an online survey in various areas across Sydney and Australia with questions such as, 'What area are you from, have you seen this behavior before, and if so, when?' The survey ran for two years and helped us determine how the behavior spread to other cockatoos in Sydney," explained Martin.

Analysis of the results showed that the behavior spread more rapidly to neighboring areas than to more distant areas, indicating that it did not simply arise randomly across Sydney. "These results show the animals really learned the behavior from other cockatoos in their vicinity," said Klump.

Although social learning is common amongst humans, it has rarely been recorded amongst animals. The researchers marked 500 individual birds using dots of colored paint in order to assess how learning spread between individuals. They found that only about ten percent of cockatoos had learned how to open the bin lids and these were mostly males. 

Since slightly different techniques were used by different individuals, the researchers concluded that the behavior was not genetically inherited. 

"We observed that the birds do not open the garbage bins in the same way, but rather used different opening techniques in different suburbs, suggesting that the behavior is learned by observing others," Klump said.

Interestingly, other cockatoos who were not ‘clever’ enough to copy the behavior were very enthusiastic about landing on a bin, once opened by a “pioneer," and helping to eat the contents.

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cockatoos learn by copying others

In the past couple of years, sulphur-crested cockatoos in Sydney,...

Newborn mammals have a visual sense of the world before they even open their eyes, but how is this possible? A new study from <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> suggests that mammals essentially <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dreams-keep-the-brain-from-becoming-too-familiar-with-everyday-life/">dream</a> about the world they are about to be born into. 

A team of researchers led by Professor Michael Crair observed waves of activity that exude from the neonatal retina in newborn mice before their eyes open. According to the study, this activity is replaced soon after birth by a more mature network of visual neural transmissions. 

"At eye opening, mammals are capable of pretty sophisticated behavior," said Professor Crair. "But how do the circuits form that allow us to perceive motion and navigate the world? It turns out we are born capable of many of these behaviors, at least in rudimentary form."

Professor Crair's team, including graduate students Xinxin Ge and Kathy Zhang, used brain imaging to study waves of activity in newborn mice. The researchers looked at the brains of the mice soon after birth but before their eyes opened.

The investigation revealed that the retinal waves of newborn mammals flow in a pattern that mimics the activity that would occur if the animal were moving forward through the environment.

This early dream-like activity makes evolutionary sense because it allows a mouse to anticipate what it will experience after opening its eyes, and be prepared to respond immediately to environmental threats," explained Professor Crair.

The team took a closer look at the cells and circuits responsible for producing the retinal waves. By blocking the function of starburst amacrine cells, which release neurotransmitters in the retina, the researchers could stop the waves from mimicking forward motion. As a result, the mouse's ability to respond to visual motion after birth was impaired.

"These brain circuits are self-organized at birth and some of the early teaching is already done," said Professor Crair. "It's like dreaming about what you are going to see before you even open your eyes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Newborn mammals can see the world before they open their eyes

Newborn mammals have a visual sense of the world before...

For over two thousand years, humans have been aware that worm-like mollusks called shipworms are responsible for damaging wooden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/slowing-boats-noise-pollution/">boats</a>, docks, and piers. However, new research from the <a href="https://www.umass.edu/">University of Massachusetts</a> has taught us something new – how shipworms eat. 

Reuben Shipway, an adjunct assistant professor in Microbiology and one of the study’s authors, could not believe what he had learned. "The ancient Greeks wrote about them, Christopher Columbus lost his fleet due to what he called 'the havoc which the worm had wrought,' and, today, shipworms cause billions of dollars of damage a year."

Shipworms don’t just damage wood - they play an important role in the ecosystem of mangrove forests found throughout tropical regions of the world. The worms are responsible for cycling an enormous amount of carbon throughout the ecosystem of the world  "Yet we still don't know how they do what they do," said Professor Shipway.

The crux of the conundrum is that cellulose, the nutritious part of wood, is encased within a dense and difficult-to-digest layer of lignin. "Imagine a really thick, unbreakable eggshell," said study senior author Professor Barry Goodell.

Specific types of fungi possess enzymes that can digest this "indigestible" lignin. It has been assumed that shipworms may also possess these enzymes within the symbiotic bacteria found in their gills. "We thought that the bacteria were doing the work," said Professor Goodell, "but we now know they are not."

The mystery of exactly how shipworms break down the lignin has been puzzling scientists for years. "I combed through the entire genomes of five different species of shipworm," stated study lead author Stefanos Stravoravdis, who was looking for specific protein groups which create the lignin digesting enzymes. "My search turned up nothing."

Whilst these research findings bear more questions than answers, the team is beginning to unravel the mystery. They will be publishing more research in the near future that will finally answer the question of how shipworms eat wood. "We need to understand this process," said Stravoravdis.

The research was supported by a range of scientific bodies including; National Institute of Food and Agriculture; the National Science Foundation; the Center for Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture; the UMass Amherst microbiology department; and Food and the Environment.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology">Frontiers in Microbiology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Shipworm mystery continues after more than 2,000 years

For over two thousand years, humans have been aware that...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> has revealed that the health of a tsetse fly can be compromised by its mother's age and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-protects-the-brain-from-dementia/">diet</a>. The researchers found that female tsetse flies give birth to weaker offspring as they get older, or when they feed on poor quality blood.

The study was designed to measure how the health of tsetse offspring may be influenced by their mothers' age, nutrition, and mating. 

While the females of many species experience this type of reproductive aging, the actual point in life at which this occurs is greatly variable among different animals. 

In the current study, the experts found that female tsetse flies in a state of nutritional stress have lower levels of fertility and produce smaller offspring that struggle to survive. 

The study also showed, however, that the rate at which the female fly ages is not affected by the quality of her diet. This means that nutrition during pregnancy does not drive variation in reproductive aging in this particular species, explained the researchers.

"Tsetse are remarkable flies. Mothers can produce offspring the same size they are. But, like many other animals (including humans), this huge reproductive investment comes at a cost: as females get older or when they have low quality food, they produce weaker offspring which do not survive as long. We still do not know, however, why some females age more rapidly than others," explained study senior author Dr. Sinead English.

Going forward, the researchers will look at new ways to test evolutionary predictions about aging, using a new method of tracking the reproduction of individual flies.

"We are also interested in understanding these patterns in tsetse as they spread deadly parasites, called trypanosomes, to humans and animals," said Dr. English.

"By understanding how offspring survival depends on maternal nutritional stress and age, we can design better population dynamic and disease transmission models."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14610248">Ecology Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Older tsetse flies give birth to weaker offspring

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

A growing collection of research shows that animals with much less complex minds than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-and-livestock-create-the-perfect-storm-for-pandemics/">humans</a> are surprisingly connected on a social level. A new study reveals that reef fish and other types of social fish depend on friendships for their very survival. 

Study lead author Dr. Lauren Nadler is an assistant professor in the (NSU) Halmos College of Arts and Sciences at the <a href="https://www.nova.edu/">Nova Southeastern University</a>.

"We studied how the presence of 'friends' versus 'strangers' affected how fish responded to a predator threat," said Dr. Nadler.

"The presence of 'strangers' seemed to distract fish, making them react more slowly and greatly increasing the chance that they would become lunch for a hungry predator when in the wrong social scene."

To investigate how familiarity may influence groups of social fish, the researchers focused on schooling coral reef fish.

Dr. Nadler and her colleagues believe that their results come down to trust. The experts found that reef fish rely on alerts from their trusted friends to avoid predators. 

According to the researchers, the fish must balance the risk of being attacked with the possibility of wasting their energy in response to inaccurate information. It appears that reef fish adjust their reactions to social information based on the level of familiarity in the group.

"Trust among individuals is critical. This is true for humans as well as many other species, including fishes," said study co-author Dr. Jacob Johansen of the University of Hawaii Manoa. 

"Our research in fishes shows that when accurate information transfer breaks down, so too does the chance of survival for the individual and the group as a whole."

The researchers found that the first fish to detect the predator exhibits the greatest amount of vigilance, and that the most useful information is shared among neighboring fish.

"Our work shows that readiness to react to a threat depends on who is around you, if you are a fish," said Dr. Paolo Domenici. "If you are in an unfamiliar social environment, this is already something you need to pay attention to. If you are surrounded by familiar individuals, then you will be able to pay attention to any external threat more readily."

The findings suggest that animals have evolved to associate with friends over strangers to promote survival in the wild. 

"Friendship networks matter, both for humans and for less evolved taxa like fishes," said Dr. Mark McCormick. "The more you can rely on your friends, the easier and more fulfilling your life will be."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsbio/">Communications 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

Depending on friends makes life easier for reef fish

A growing collection of research shows that animals with much...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> reveals the enormous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/terrestrial-plants-changed-how-earth-regulates-its-climate/">climate</a> impact of wild pigs. The experts report that by digging around in the soil to find food, wild pigs are releasing 4.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. 

According to the researchers, the massive amount of CO2 emissions related to pigs worldwide is the equivalent of emissions from 1.1 million cars.

In collaboration with experts at the University of Canterbury, the researchers used predictive population models and advanced mapping techniques to pinpoint the climate damage caused by wild pigs across five continents.

Dr. Christopher O'Bryan said the globe's ever-expanding population of feral pigs could be a significant threat to the climate.

"Wild pigs are just like tractors ploughing through fields, turning over soil to find food. When soils are disturbed from humans ploughing a field or, in this case, from wild animals uprooting, carbon is released into the atmosphere," explained Dr. O'Bryan.

"Since soil contains nearly three times as much carbon than in the atmosphere, even a small fraction of carbon emitted from soil has the potential to accelerate climate change."

"Our models show a wide range of outcomes, but they indicate that wild pigs are most likely currently uprooting an area of around 36,000 to 124,000 square kilometres, in environments where they're not native."

"This is an enormous amount of land, and this not only affects soil health and carbon emissions, but it also threatens biodiversity and food security that are crucial for sustainable development."

Based on the number and locations of wild pigs, the team simulated 10,000 maps to represent their density on a global scale. The experts calculated the amount of CO2 emissions associated with soil damage by wild pigs based on previous research conducted in China, Europe, and America. 

Study co-author Nicholas Patton said the research may have help to curb the effects of climate change going forward.

"Invasive species are a human-caused problem, so we need to acknowledge and take responsibility for their environmental and ecological implications," said Patton.

"If invasive pigs are allowed to expand into areas with abundant soil carbon, there may be an even greater risk of greenhouse gas emissions in the future. Because wild pigs are prolific and cause widespread damage, they're both costly and challenging to manage."

"Wild pig control will definitely require cooperation and collaboration across multiple jurisdictions, and our work is but one piece of the puzzle, helping managers better understand their impacts."

"It's clear that more work still needs to be done, but in the interim, we should continue to protect and monitor ecosystems and their soil which are susceptible to invasive species via loss of carbon."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change 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

Climate damage by wild pigs is worse than a million cars

A new study from the University of Queensland reveals the...

Giant Galapagos tortoises that live in human-dominated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/success-of-rewilding-efforts-depends-on-the-landscape/">landscapes</a> have increased levels of antibiotic resistance, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.ucm.es/">Universidad Complutense de Madrid</a>.

The experts found that the number of bacteria with resistant genes was higher in tortoises who had human contact compared to those that live in more isolated ecosystems.

"Human activities are facilitating the dispersal of resistance into the environment, which has already been observed in other parts of the world, but which has never been demonstrated on the Galapagos Islands," said study lead author Ainoa Nieto.

According to the World Health Organization, antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to public health. The WHO estimates that by 2050, resistance to antibiotics could cause more deaths than cancer, diabetes, or traffic accidents. 

The new study has detected antibiotic resistant bacteria in the Galapagos archipelago for the first time.

For their investigation, the researchers collected samples from 270 tortoises in two Galapagos sites with different characteristics - the island of Santa Cruz, which has the largest human population, and the remote volcano of Alcedo on the island Isabela.

Overall, 21 genes were analysed that codify resistance for eight of the antibiotic families most commonly used in human and animal medicine.

"We don't know the real implications that this discovery could have for the health of giant tortoises, but resistance is considered environmental pollution, and the fact that species as iconic as Galapagos tortoises are entering into contact with these resistant bacteria implies that the ecosystem in which they live is being contaminated," explained study co-author Casilda Rodríguez.

The researchers said their findings suggest that human activities in Galapagos have a negative impact on ecosystem health through the dispersal of antimicrobial resistant genes.

"This research highlights a new threat for the health and conservation of the unique wildlife of the Galapagos, their ecosystems, and the humans inhabiting this World Heritage Site," wrote the study authors.

"Our recommendation to local policy makers is to control and reduce the use of antibiotics in both human and animal health, thus helping enforce antimicrobial regulations."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environmental-pollution">Environmental Pollution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Antibiotic resistance found in giant tortoises of Galapagos

Giant Galapagos tortoises that live in human-dominated landscapes have increased...

Scientists at <a href="https://www.mtu.edu/">Michigan Technological University</a> have uncovered new information on two iconic wildlife populations that inhabit Isle Royale - an island of the Great Lakes located northwest of Lake Superior. 

The researchers found evidence that wolves are thriving in the region, while the moose population appears to be in a state of decline.

The COVID-19 pandemic canceled the wintertime survey of wolves and moose on Isle Royale for the first time in 63 years. The MTU team visited the remote national park in the spring, gaining new insights into wolf and moose abundance. The experts report that the Isle Royale wolf population is likely growing. 

"We recovered footage of a group of four wolf pups taken in January 2021 by remote cameras at the east end of Isle Royale," said Professor Sarah Hoy. "Additionally, observations of tracks and scats left by wolf pups last fall at two different locations suggest that there were probably two different litters of pups living at the east end of the island in September 2020."

"Wolf foraging behavior seems driven by minimizing the risks associated with killing large prey, like moose, even when the differences in vulnerability among individual moose might seem relatively subtle compared to when predators are choosing between different prey species."

The moose population is particularly sensitive to nutritional stress, which has concerning implications for how the animals will respond to a warming climate. 

"We found that the nutritional health of moose was importantly influenced by how hot it is during the summer, and also by how deep the snow is in winter," said Hoy. "Moose tended to be more nutritionally stressed during winters with deep snow, which may be because deeper snow makes it more difficult for moose to move around and find food."

The moose population is likely declining, and Hoy noted that moose really struggled to find enough food this past winter. 

"Because there have been such large numbers of moose on the island over the last five years and moose ate branches faster than the trees can recover and replace them, the amount of food available to moose during winter has been getting progressively worse each year since 2017."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/animal-behaviour">Animal Behaviour</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Iconic wildlife populations are declining on Isle Royale

Scientists at Michigan Technological University have uncovered new information on...

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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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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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



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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"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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