A team of researchers have recently witnessed behavior in the wild that could offer critical clues about how the endangered whale shark reproduces.&nbsp;



This surprising discovery, made by a research team off northwestern Australia, could be pivotal for the species’ conservation.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whale-sharks-move-into-dangerous-territory-as-the-climate-warms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Whale sharks</a>, recognized as the world’s largest fish, have long posed a challenge for scientists who strive to understand the details of their life cycles - particularly their mating rituals.&nbsp;



Given that whale sharks are currently listed as endangered, every insight into their reproductive strategies is essential for crafting effective measures to protect them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collecting-data-on-whale-shark-behavior">Collecting data on whale shark behavior </h2>



At Ningaloo Reef, a <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNESCO World Heritage Site</a> on the northwestern coast of Western Australia, annual expeditions have taken place each May from 2009 to 2024. This specific timeframe captures the peak period when whale sharks migrate to the region and aggregate in considerable numbers.&nbsp;



Scientists have used these field seasons to observe and collect data on the behaviors of whale sharks, hoping to uncover patterns that would illuminate everything from feeding habits to potential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fascinating-mating-behaviors-of-leopard-seals-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mating rituals</a>.



During the 2024 expedition, a research team documented a mature male whale shark engaging in what appeared to be following and biting behaviors toward a smaller female shark.&nbsp;



Although it remains unclear if this encounter culminated in mating, the new observations provide a rare glimpse into the courtship interactions of these elusive giants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-first-hand-accounts-of-unusual-behavior">First-hand accounts of unusual behavior</h2>



“Following and biting are common copulation behaviours in other species within the subclass of cartilaginous fish that the whale shark belongs to,” explained PhD candidate Christine Barry, a member of <a href="https://www.murdoch.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Murdoch University</a>’s Harry Butler Institute and the <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australian Institute of Marine Science</a>.&nbsp;



Barry and her colleagues noted that these behaviors have been observed in several other cartilaginous fish, including various shark species. Such actions typically denote an attempt by the male to stabilize or secure the female’s position during mating.



“This is also consistent with previous reports by fishers recounting behaviours they’d observed out on the water of sexually mature males towards females at different aggregation sites,” Barry added.&nbsp;



These anecdotes, now supported by direct evidence, add weight to the idea that whale sharks’ mating rituals may mirror those of other large sharks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-piecing-together-mating-clues">Piecing together mating clues</h2>



The research team, led by Barry alongside Dr. Mark Meekan of the University of Western Australia, published their conclusions in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1507072/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.&nbsp;



According to Barry, it is unlikely that the encounter during this expedition resulted in a successful mating event. Nonetheless, the instance of following and biting strongly suggests that whale shark mating behavior follows a pattern akin to many other shark species.



By placing these newly documented behaviors in the broader context of whale shark biology, scientists can form hypotheses regarding the mating process of the species.&nbsp;



Additionally, the research group underscores that knowledge of how whale sharks court and reproduce can significantly boost conservation efforts, particularly as populations remain vulnerable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-avoidance-behavior-by-female-whale-sharks">Avoidance behavior by female whale sharks </h2>



Whale sharks, which can grow up to 12 meters or more in length, have a global distribution in warm temperate and tropical waters. Despite their widespread presence, many aggregation sites show an overwhelming number of males.&nbsp;



“At Ningaloo Reef, and many aggregation sites around the world, males outnumber females with a ratio of one female to three males,” Barry said. The reasons behind this imbalance have puzzled scientists for years.



“This could explain why female whale sharks may be avoiding aggregation sites. Particularly for juvenile female sharks, the energetic costs of unwanted attention from males could imply a reason for strong male biases,” Barry added.&nbsp;



Female whale sharks, particularly younger ones, might seek refuge in areas with fewer adult males to steer clear of the stress and energy demands associated with repeated courtship attempts.&nbsp;



This avoidance behavior could be a crucial factor influencing whale shark population structures at various aggregation points.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-conservation">Implications for conservation</h2>



One pressing question is what these findings mean for managing whale shark populations worldwide. As an endangered species, whale sharks already face numerous challenges, including interactions with fisheries, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/basking-sharks-are-exceptionally-vulnerable-to-ship-strikes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vessel strikes</a>, and habitat degradation.&nbsp;



Understanding their mating behavior, including how males and females interact at aggregation sites, can aid biologists and policymakers in deciding how to protect critical habitats - such as identifying areas where females can avoid male-dominated gatherings.



The annual expeditions at Ningaloo Reef also serve as a model for studying whale sharks in their natural environment without relying on anecdotal sightings.&nbsp;



By systematically gathering data and applying scientific methods, researchers can more accurately identify patterns and track changes in whale shark behavior over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-continuation-of-whale-shark-research">Continuation of whale shark research</h2>



This new information about potential mating interactions is just the latest in a series of findings by Christine Barry, Dr. Meekan, and other scientists at Murdoch University’s School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences and partner institutions.&nbsp;



Their previous studies have covered topics ranging from the impact of tourism on whale shark well-being to prey dynamics in waters frequented by these fish.



Moving forward, the researchers intend to broaden their focus to include additional observational and genetic studies, in hopes of confirming how often such pre-mating behaviors occur and what leads to successful reproduction.&nbsp;



In this way, the data gleaned at Ningaloo Reef and other aggregation sites may help scientists develop clearer conservation strategies tailored to the unique reproductive needs of whale sharks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-the-largest-fish-in-the-sea">Saving the largest fish in the sea</h2>



The newly documented behaviors at Ningaloo Reef represent a pivotal step in unraveling one of the great mysteries of marine biology: how whale sharks reproduce.&nbsp;



While much remains to be learned about courtship and mating in these gentle ocean giants, the direct observations of following and biting offer valuable context for a species that has long eluded scientific understanding.



With further research, scientists hope to clarify whether female whale sharks avoid highly male-dominated sites as a means to reduce the stress and energy costs of unwanted attention.&nbsp;



Such knowledge could shape guidelines for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-marine-protected-areas-boost-human-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine protected areas</a> and responsible ecotourism that minimize disturbances to whale shark breeding practices.&nbsp;



Ultimately, uncovering the nuances of whale shark mating is a vital piece of the puzzle in ensuring the survival of these endangered animals for generations to come.



-----



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Whale shark mating behaviors observed for the first time in the wild

A team of researchers have recently witnessed behavior in the wild that could offer critical clues about how the endangered whale shark reproduces.&nbsp; This surprising discovery, made by a research team off northwestern Australia, could be pivotal for the species’ conservation.&nbsp; Whale sharks, recognized as the world’s largest fish, have long posed a challenge for scientists who strive to understand the details of their life cycles - particularly their mating rituals.&nbsp; Given that whale sharks are currently listed as endangered, every insight into their reproductive strategies is...

Experts at the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> have made a breakthrough discovery that explains how the one-humped Arabian camel can survive for weeks without drinking. The research was focused on the response of the camel's kidneys to the stress of dehydration and rapid rehydration.

Camelus dromedarius is believed to have been domesticated 3,000 to 6,000 years ago in the Arabian Peninsula. Here, as well as in the arid and semi-arid regions of North and East Africa and Iran, the camel is the most important livestock animal. The camels serve a variety of purposes, ranging from milk and meat production to riding and sport.

According to the researchers, the one-humped camel is so incredibly well adapted to the desert environment that it can endure weeks without access to water. 

The camel's kidneys play a central role in conserving water by producing highly concentrated urine. For the current study, the researchers set out to identify the genes that activate this biological coping mechanism.

The team analyzed how thousands of genes changed in the camel kidney in response to dehydration and rehydration.  The results indicate that the amount of cholesterol in the kidney plays a role in water conservation. 

"A decrease in the amount of cholesterol in the membrane of kidney cells would facilitate the movement of solutes and water across different sections of the kidney - a process that is required to efficiently reabsorb water and produce a highly concentrated urine, thus avoiding water loss," explained the study authors. 

"This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first time that the level of cholesterol has been directly associated with water conservation in the kidney. Thus, we describe a novel role for this lipid that may be of interest when studying other species."

The experts are currently investigating how the camel brain responds to dehydration and how other species adapt to life in the desert. 

The research is particularly relevant today, as over one third of the world's land surface is threatened with desertification as a result of climate change and unsustainable land use. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsbio/">Communications Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How do Arabian camels survive for weeks without water?

Experts at the University of Bristol have made a breakthrough...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.uaf.edu/">University of Alaska Fairbanks</a> reveals the discovery of a dinosaur nursery in the Arctic. The research solves a long-standing mystery of whether dinosaurs reproduced in the Arctic and lived there year-round.

It was once common to think of dinosaurs as swamp-dwelling, slow moving “cold-blooded” monster <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-lizards-were-thriving-during-the-age-of-dinosaurs/">lizards</a>. The more modern view is a bird-like, quick witted, social, dynamic animal that lived in a broad range of habitats. 

"It wasn't long ago that people were pretty shocked to find out that dinosaurs lived up in the Arctic 70 million years ago," said study lead author Dr. Pat Druckenmiller. 

"We now have unequivocal evidence they were nesting up there as well. This is the first time that anyone has ever demonstrated that dinosaurs could reproduce at these high latitudes."

An earlier hypothesis suggested that dinosaurs might have migrated from higher latitudes and laid their eggs in warmer climates. Now, with the discovery of a dinosaur nursery in the Arctic, it is clear this wasn’t the case. 

For more than ten years, Dr. Druckenmiller and Gregory Erikson, a biology professor from University of Florida, have conducted field work in Prince Creek formation of northern Alaska. The experts have discovered new dinosaur species, and excavated many more, but this new discovery solves one of the biggest mysteries about Arctic dinosaurs. 

The team found tiny bones from several dinosaurs that had not yet hatched or had just recently hatched. This makes it an open and shut case proving that dinosaurs did indeed nest in the Arctic. 

After careful field work, the pair of scientists joined other researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder to painstakingly sort through sediment and find the tiny boned dinosaurs hiding amid rubble. 

The hard work paid off and produced one more piece of evidence that dinosaurs were warm-blooded animals, able to survive much of the same range of environments as modern mammals. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dinosaur nursery discovered in the Arctic

A new study from the University of Alaska Fairbanks reveals...

There is a general rule for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-mammals-actually-benefit-from-human-disturbance/">mammal</a> vocalizations - the larger the animal’s vocal fold, the lower the vocalization’s fundamental frequency. Large vocal folds such as those found in Asian elephants set an upper limit to the fundamental frequency of sounds produced by them.

In keeping with this rule, many of the sounds Asian elephants produce are low frequency calls - trumpets and infrasonic rumbles below the threshold of human hearing. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/">University of Vienna</a> have been studying these vocalizations for decades.

Asian elephants - but not their African cousins - make a high pitched squeaking noise that cannot, if the rule holds, be produced by their large vocal folds. To investigate, the experts analyzed the squeak sounds in Asian elephants from Nepal. 

The research team used 48 microphones and a special camera that translates the location of sounds into colors, similar to a heat sensing camera. In this way, the precise location of each sound was visually mapped as it was created. 

The researchers discovered that the squeaking sound is created by the elephant’s mouth, not by the trunk as in trumpeting. 

"Our results strongly suggest that Asian elephants force air from the small oral cavity through the tensed lips, inducing self-sustained lip vibration. Besides human brass players, lip buzzing is not described elsewhere in the animal kingdom," wrote the study authors.

"Given the complexity of the proposed mechanism, the surprising absence of squeaking in most of the unrelated subjects and the indication for volitional control, we hypothesize that squeak production involves social learning."

The research supports other recent discoveries which show that elephants have the ability to learn and repeat novel sounds they hear. The study highlights the elephant’s vocal flexibility as well as their learning capacity. 

"Our study offers new insights into how vocal and cognitive flexibility enables mammals to overcome size-related limitations of laryngeal sound production," said the researchers.

"This flexibility enables Asian elephants to exploit a frequency range spanning seven octaves within their communicative system."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Asian elephants vibrate their lips like human brass players

There is a general rule for mammal vocalizations - the...

Geckos and lizards can sever their tails as a self defense mechanism to distract <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-tyrannosaurs-displaced-medium-sized-predators/">predators</a>. In a new study from <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/">UC Riverside</a>, experts have discovered that geckos are still successful hunters even after they have lost their tails. 

Since the tail vertebrae are perforated, some lizards can drop their tails without injury or loss of blood. Despite the advantages of tail loss, however, this defensive strategy comes at a cost. 

"Other studies have documented the negative effects of tail loss on lizards' ability to run, jump, mate, and reproduce," said study lead author Marina Vollin. "However, few have examined their ability to capture food when they lose their tails, which is critical for regenerating the tail and for overall survival."

To investigate, Vollin collaborated with Professor Tim Higham to observe geckos - some with their tails intact and others who had lost their tails - while they were in the prowl.

The researchers found that geckos successfully captured crickets about 77 percent of the time regardless of whether or not they still had their tail. According to the experts, this level of accuracy was surprising in tailless geckos considering thar tails help stabilize their body positions during and after a strike.

At the same time, the geckos were much slower without tails, and their attack strikes were much more awkward, explained Vollin.

"It is very possible that geckos suffer a loss in feeding performance and success following autotomy in nature given the complexity of the habitat and more room for the prey to escape," said Professor Higham.

Going forward, the researchers plan to study whether geckos are able to fully regain their agility once their tails have regenerated, which can take up to a month.

"It's important to get a sense of how they operate in nature, where additional elements could affect whether they have more difficulty capturing prey," said Vollin.

While geckos and other lizards eat a variety of different insects, they also serve as a key source of food for birds, snakes, and other mammals.

"I've heard them referred to as 'nature's popcorn,' because other animals can eat a bunch of them at once, they're abundant, and easy to acquire," said Vollin. "They're a big part of the base of the food chain."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/icb">Integrative and Comparative Biology</a>

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Geckos are skilled hunters even after they lose their tails

Geckos and lizards can sever their tails as a self...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> demonstrates that synchronous births among banded mongooses has supported the evolution of a fair <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-science-is-becoming-increasingly-critical-to-society/">society</a>.

Female banded mongoose groups give birth on the same night, creating a "veil of ignorance" as to which pups belong to which mothers. 

The team designed a study to investigate how the veil of ignorance over parentage may influence fairness in the distribution of postnatal care among the offspring.

"We test our model by creating inequalities among helpers and among offspring through the targeted provisioning of pregnant females, and then measuring whether mothers and helpers act to reduce or amplify these inequalities," wrote the researchers.

Half of the pregnant mothers in wild mongoose groups were regularly given extra food, which increased inequality in the birth weight of pups.

After they gave birth, however, the well-fed mothers provided extra care to the smaller pups, rather than to their own pups. As a result, the size differences among the pups were quickly eliminated.

"In most of the natural world, parents favor their own young. However, in banded mongooses, the evolution of remarkable birth synchrony has led to the unusual situation that mothers don't know which pups are their own, and therefore cannot choose to give them extra care," explained study lead author Dr. Harry Marshall of the University of Roehampton.

"Our study shows that this ignorance leads to a fairer allocation of resources - in effect, a fairer society."

The study was focused on seven groups of banded mongooses in Uganda. According to study co-author Professor Michael Cant, the experts predicted that a veil of ignorance would cause females to focus their care on the pups most in need, which is exactly what they observed.

"Those most able to help offer it to the most needy, and in doing so minimize the risk that their own offspring will face a disadvantage."

"This redistributive form of care 'levelled up' initial size disparities, and equalised the chances of pups surviving to adulthood."

"Our results suggest that the veil of ignorance, a classic philosophical idea to achieve fairness in human societies, also applies in this non-human society."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Banded mongooses are born into a fair society

A new study from the University of Exeter demonstrates that...

Plants and animals are increasingly shifting their ranges northward toward cooler latitudes to cope with climate change and to escape rising temperatures. But in a new study led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, researchers have found that many migratory birds are moving plants in the wrong direction through seed dispersal.

The experts report that the majority of plants from European woodlands are dispersed by birds migrating to warmer latitudes in the south, while far fewer are dispersed by birds migrating north. 

The researchers say that this pattern of southward seed dispersal by migratory birds is counterproductive if plants are to adapt to climate change.

"Contemporary climate change is so fast that many plants require dispersal distances far beyond those that normally take place locally," said study lead author Juan Pedro González-Varo of the University of Cádiz.

"This is where migratory birds can play a major role, as they are capable of dispersing seeds over tens of kilometers."

"With this research, we wanted to know the potential of plant species to be dispersed by migratory birds towards future favorable areas."

The research, which was conducted by experts from 13 European institutions, was focused on birds that consume fruits and disperse the seeds. The team analyzed data on the fruiting period of plants and migratory patterns of birds to investigate whether most seeds are being dispersed in cooler or warmer latitudes.

The researchers examined 13 wooded sites, including a total of 949 interactions between 46 bird and 81 plant species.

The study revealed that only 35 percent of the plants from the woodland communities are dispersed by birds that migrate northward in the spring. By contrast, 86 percent of the plants are dispersed by birds migrating to warmer areas in autumn.

"Under climate change, species redistribute themselves to track suitable climate conditions," explained study co-author Dr. Benno Simmons. "As plants cannot move themselves, they require species like birds to disperse their seeds to new areas."

"We wanted to know how well migratory birds might be able to do this. We found that northward dispersal to cooler areas is done by only a small number of migratory bird species, some of which are under hunting pressure."

"Our study emphasises the importance of these species for helping European plant communities experiencing climate change."

According to the study, the birds with the greatest potential to disperse European plants to cooler latitudes are Palearctic species - which spend the winter in central and southern Europe or North Africa - such as robins, blackcaps, and blackbirds.

"Although these are common species, the potential for seed dispersal to the north lies with only a handful of species, some of them heavily hunted in the Mediterranean Basin, both legally and illegally," said González-Varo.

"We believe that our study adds value to these species, since they would be responsible for helping European plant communities respond to climate change."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Birds are moving plants in the wrong direction through seed dispersal

Plants and animals are increasingly shifting their ranges northward toward...

Many species of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/physical-changes-in-birds-evolved-separately-from-earlier-migrations/">birds</a> migrate across entire continents only to land at the same exact spot as the year before. This navigational skill may seem like magic, but animals sense the world differently than humans, and they have evolved different abilities for doing so. A bird’s navigational prowess can be at least partially attributed to their ability to sense Earth’s magnetic field. 

In a new study led by the <a href="https://uol.de/en/">University of Oldenburg</a>, experts have been exploring the idea that a bird's magnetic sense is related to a light sensitive protein found in the eye. 

The researchers set out to investigate whether the protein cryptochrome 4 is used by birds to detect magnetic fields. The scientists were able to extract the DNA that encodes the protein in migratory robins and clone it in the lab. They reproduced large amounts of the protein to be examined by techniques that demonstrated its sensitivity to magnetic fields.

"We think these results are very important because they show for the first time that a molecule from the visual apparatus of a migratory bird is sensitive to magnetic fields," said study co-author Henrik Mouritsen. 

After demonstrating the magnetic sensitivity of the protein found in migratory robins, the research team cloned the same protein from chickens and pigeons, birds that do not migrate (but it might be noted, pigeons still have incredible navigational ability). The proteins from the non-migratory birds were similar in their photochemistry but notably less sensitive to magnetic fields. 

The scientists note that the research is not definitive proof that birds sense magnetic fields with cryptochrome 4. The proteins were tested in isolation in the lab using magnetic fields significantly stronger than the natural ones found on earth. 

More research is needed to prove that this reaction is happening in the eyes of living birds caused by the Earth’s magnetic fields.   

"If we can prove that cryptochrome 4 is the magnetic sensor we will have demonstrated a fundamentally quantum mechanism that makes animals sensitive to environmental stimuli a million times weaker than previously thought possible," said study co-author Peter Hore.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://Zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How do birds sense Earth's magnetic field?

Many species of birds migrate across entire continents only to...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a>, researchers have found that the speech patterns of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/songbirds-can-control-single-muscle-fibers-while-singing/">songbirds</a> are similar to those of humans. The team reports that both songbirds and humans tend to use shorter sounds for building longer phrases. 

The study shows that birdsong follows Menzerath’s law: the greater the whole, the smaller the parts. Experts speculate that this pattern could make communication more efficient by making things easier to say and understand.

Furthermore, the McGill team suggests that for songbirds, physical factors such as muscle fatigue and limited lung capacities may also play a role in the production of shorter sounds.

"Although we see Menzerath's Law in all the songbird species we looked at, and others have seen it among primates and penguins, we aren't sure this necessarily reflects enhanced communication efficiency in non-human animals," said study senior author Professor Jon Sakata. "It is possible that these patterns of communication that we saw in songbirds are caused by physical predispositions and constraints."

Professor Sakata pointed out that the brain mechanisms which regulate breathing and vocal muscles seem to be organized in similar ways in birds and humans.

The researchers found the same speech patterns among birds that had been raised by their parents and those that had not been taught to sing by their parents. This finding supports the idea that physical elements play a role in song patterns.

"The individual units of sound made by untutored birds were very different from those made by the typically raised birds," said study first author Logan James.

"However, the 'rules' by which they organize these aberrant elements is indistinguishable from typically raised birds. These results suggest that physical predispositions or limitations may play a role in producing these song patterns."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Songbirds and humans use similar speech patterns

In a new study from McGill University, researchers have found...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forest-flowers-are-critical-for-the-survival-of-bumble-bees/">Flowers</a> possess an invisible feature that attracts bumblebees, according to a new study led by the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>. The experts report that bumblebees may use the humidity of a flower to tell them about the presence of nectar.

The researchers determined that bumblebees are able to accurately detect different levels of dampness next to the surface of the flower.

"Our study shows that bumblebees not only use this sensory information to make choices about how they behave, but are also capable of learning to distinguish between humidity patterns in a similar way to how they learn to recognize the color or smell of a flower," said study co-author Professor Natalie Hempel de Ibarra.

To investigate, the researchers designed artificial flowers with levels of humidity similar to those of flowering plants.

"Bumblebees showed a spontaneous preference for flowers which produced higher floral humidity. Furthermore, learning experiments showed that bumblebees are able to use differences in floral humidity to distinguish between rewarding and non rewarding flowers," explained the study authors.

"Our results indicate that bumblebees are sensitive to different levels of floral humidity. In this way floral humidity can add to the information provided by flowers and could impact pollinator behaviour more significantly than previously thought."

According to study lead author Dr. Michael Harrap, it is known that different species of plants produce flowers that have distinct patterns of humidity, which differ from the surrounding air.

"Knowing that bees might use these patterns to help them find food shows that flowers have evolved a huge variety of different ways of attracting pollinators, that make use of all the pollinators' senses."

"If humidity patterns are important for attracting pollinators, they are likely to be one of several different signals (such as colour, scent and pattern) that a flower is using at the same time, and could help the bee to identify and handle the flower more efficiently," said study co-author Dr. Sean Rands.

"The effectiveness of humidity patterns may depend upon the humidity of the environment around the flower; climate change may affect this environmental humidity, which in turn could have a negative effect on a visiting bee because the effectiveness of the humidity pattern will be altered."

The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb">Journal of Experimental Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bumblebees are attracted to the humidity of flowers

Flowers possess an invisible feature that attracts bumblebees, according to...

For anyone who’s ever visited a coral reef, you know that they serve as a haven for an abundance of life. Florida’s coral reefs are a rare example of coral in North America and are home to spiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/american-lobsters-face-an-uncertain-fate/">lobster</a>, snapper and grouper.

According to NOAA, the reefs generate an estimated $4.4 billion in local sales and provide more than 70,000 related jobs.

In many places, plants and animals are migrating to escape the heat of climate change. How organisms migrate depends on a lot of things. Mid-elevation montane species tend to migrate upwards, while others migrate northward or southward, or into more suitable environmental conditions. Many of those without the ability or space to migrate may simply die off. 

Unfortunately, researchers predict that there will be no northern escape route for Florida’s coral reefs. Study lead author Lauren Toth is a research scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey's St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

"It's just not as simple as predicting the corals will move north," said Toth. "Thousands of years ago, corals and coral reefs moved north along Florida's east coast when the climate warmed, but things are different now. Rapid climate change looks to be increasing the number of cold fronts from the polar vortex that are dipping down into Florida."

The state's main species of reef-building corals, which are already listed under the Endangered Species Act, will decline even more drastically with no northern refuge.

The researchers report that Florida's coral reefs will become trapped between warmer tropical waters and cold polar vortexes that are projected to sporadically hit waters to the north. 

"All of us on the Eastern Seaboard know the jet stream is wobbling more and dipping southward more frequently, bringing us bad winter storms and bitterly cold weather," said study co-author Richard Aronson, a marine scientist at Florida Tech.

"The corals along Florida's east coast will be hammered from the north by freezes on the anvil of rising temperatures in the south. They won't be able to shift locations from the Florida Keys to the east coast."

According to study co-author William Precht, beyond their essential ecological role, coral reefs' economic contribution to Florida's economy means their loss could have a wide-ranging impact. 

"That is a very obvious reason why Floridians - and everyone else for that matter - should be concerned about the impacts of climate change on corals."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

No way out for Florida's coral reefs

For anyone who’s ever visited a coral reef, you know...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a> reveals that the Painted Lady butterfly embarks on the longest known <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/physical-changes-in-birds-evolved-separately-from-earlier-migrations/">migration</a> of any insect. The researchers have found that the butterflies can migrate over thousands of miles from the Saharan Desert to Europe when the weather conditions are right. 

The experts report that the butterflies travel across 12,000 to 14,000 kilometers round trip, and make this incredible journey in greater numbers when wetter conditions give certain desert plants a boost.

"We know that the number of Painted Lady butterflies in Europe varies wildly, sometimes with 100 times more from one year to the next," said study co-author Professor Tom Oliver. "However, the conditions that caused this were unknown, and the suggestion the butterflies could cross the Sahara desert and oceans to reach Europe was not proven."

"This research shows this unlikely journey is possible, and that certain climate conditions leading up to migration season have a big influence on the numbers that make it. It demonstrates how the wildlife we see in the UK can transcend national boundaries, and protecting such species requires strong international cooperation."

The findings may help experts to predict the movements of other insects, such as the locusts that are currently plaguing East Africa or mosquitoes that carry malaria.

"We enjoy seeing the beautiful Painted Lady butterflies in our gardens in Europe, but climate change will also lead to shifts in invasive species that are crop pests or those that spread diseases," said Professor Oliver. "Food shortages in East Africa are a reminder that the impacts of climate change can be much more dramatic than a few degrees of warming might first seem."

The Painted Lady breeds in the winter and migrates during the spring. The study was focused on long-term monitoring data from thousands of trained volunteer recorders. The experts also analyzed climate and atmospheric data in Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.

The researchers found that there are three main factors which influence the number of Painted Lady butterflies that migrate to Europe, including increased vegetation in the African Savanna during the winter, increased vegetation in North Africa in the spring, and favorable tail winds.

The plants that support Painted Lady caterpillars thrive in wetter winter conditions in sub-Saharan Africa, causing population numbers to explode. When spring conditions are also optimal in North Africa, the population numbers grow even further.

In addition, the study showed that favorable tailwinds between Africa and Western Europe occur regularly, providing the butterflies with some assistance. To take advantage, the experts found the the butterflies must fly up to three kilometers above sea level. 

Based on observations of similar butterfly species, the experts concluded that Painted Lady butterflies have enough body fat after metamorphosis to sustain 40 hours of non-stop flying. They gain extra energy by feeding on nectar whenever possible.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences</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

Painted Lady butterflies execute the longest known insect migration

A new study from the University of Reading reveals that...

Sperm are extremely variable in size, ranging from an amazing six centimeters in fruit flies to .002 millimeters in tiny rotifers. In fact, sperm cells are the most variable known cell type in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-rarely-try-to-avoid-inbreeding/">animals</a>. The diversity of sperm sizes has been a mystery because sperm all perform the same role - fertilization of eggs. 

Depending on the animal, sperm meet their fate in different ways. In corals or sea urchins for instance, the sex cells meet eggs outside the body. In mammals, sperm meet eggs within a female body. 

A new study from <a href="https://www.su.se/cmlink/stockholm-university">Stockholm University</a> has found that the meeting place for sperm and egg may impact the evolution of size in sperm. The research shows that evolution of sperm got a boost, only when sperm swim inside females. 

“Researchers usually try to explain sperm diversity by focusing on how sperm compete to fertilize eggs or how females choose which sperm fertilize their eggs. But it turns out that there is a missing piece of the puzzle - the location where sperm and eggs meet can also influence sperm size," explained study co-author Ariel Kahrl.

The researchers examined the sperm size of 3,200 animals and analyzed where these sex cells meet with the egg. They confirmed that meeting place is important in the evolution of sperm size. 

In animals with internal fertilization such as mammals, sperm were six times longer and increased in size at a faster rate than in animals such as coral with external fertilization. 

The study’s findings make a lot of sense. There’s a trade off when creating large sperm - you can’t create as many. The opposite is true - when creating a large amount of sperm, it usually necessitates making smaller sperm. 

Animals with external fertilization, such as corals, have selection pressure to make a lot of sperm. With coral reproduction in particular it’s a game of chance - sperm and egg are just cast into the water around the sessile animals to fertilize when they come into contact. It’s obvious why so many sperm need to be produced. 

In animals with internal fertilization, the pressure pushes in the opposite direction - to create larger and fewer (relatively speaking) sperm.    

"Our results clearly show that interactions between sperm and females help generate the tremendous diversity in sperm size we see in animals today. The greater the potential for interactions between sperm and females, the faster sperm evolve," said study co-author John Fitzpatrick.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

An answer to the mystery of sperm evolution

Sperm are extremely variable in size, ranging from an amazing...

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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?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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