On April 8, 2024, millions across North America paused to watch a rare and awe-inspiring celestial event. A group of scientists was there, prepared to track bird behavior during the total solar eclipse.



The researchers discovered that birds fell unusually quiet. This behavior, however, only occurred in areas where the sun was almost completely obscured.



The research was led by scientists from <a href="https://www.loggerhead.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Loggerhead Instruments</a> and the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at the <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a>.



The experts analyzed data from 344 Haikubox devices (small, community-powered acoustic monitors spread across the continent). This was the first large-scale study to use the Haikubox network for scientific analysis. 



A neural network detected changes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-songs-human-speech-common-vocal-genetic-origin-syrinx/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bird vocalizations</a> while controlling for human interference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-did-birds-go-silent">Did birds go silent?</h2>



“Anecdotal evidence has long suggested that birds fall silent or exhibit nighttime <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-behavior-productivity-being-directly-impacted-by-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behaviors</a> during a total solar eclipse,” said Dr. David Mann, lead author of the study and researcher at Loggerhead Instruments.



“Our study shows that, on average, birds do get quiet during and just after totality, but we also learned that this behavior is strongly linked to the degree of darkness experienced."



The findings confirmed that birds generally reduced their vocal activity during totality - but only in areas where the eclipse brought more than 99% obscuration. This threshold made all the difference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bird-reactions-to-the-eclipse-varied">Bird reactions to the eclipse varied </h2>



Interestingly, not all birds responded the same way. Even birds of the same species behaved differently at different locations. 



For example, black-capped <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chickadees-are-genetically-inclined-to-have-a-remarkable-memory/">chickadees</a> in New York remained silent well after totality. The same birds in Vermont became more vocal during and just after the darkest moment.



Other examples were just as varied. Some American robins in Kentucky continued singing through the eclipse.



In contrast, pine siskins in Maine fell completely silent. These site-to-site variations left researchers with more questions than answers.



“The variability in bird responses and site differences was fascinating,” said Dr. Mann. "We really don’t know why birds had such different responses to the total darkness during the eclipse." 



"Despite examining factors like temperature, cloud cover, and wind speed, we found no significant relationship with changes in vocalization rates." 



"This strongly suggests that the sudden total darkness and associated changes in wind and temperature were the primary drivers of the observed behavioral shifts.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keeping-human-noise-out-of-the-data">Keeping human noise out of the data</h2>



One key feature of the study was its effort to isolate the human factor. Haikubox data that may have been influenced by people nearby was adjusted accordingly.



This helped ensure the birds’ behavior was truly in response to the eclipse and not to excited human activity.



“Our first, quick look at Haikubox data just a few hours after the eclipse showed a large dip in bird vocalizations around the time of peak totality,” said Dr. Mann.



“When we dove deeper into the data and removed any sites where humans may have influenced the birds’ behaviors, we found a much more complicated story. People were pretty excited about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/total-solar-eclipse-captured-from-one-million-miles-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">total solar eclipse</a>, and their celebrations likely affected the birds’ reactions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monitoring-nature-using-sound">Monitoring nature using sound</h2>



The Haikubox platform is built on the idea that everyday people can help monitor the natural world using sound. 



Each device records local bird vocalizations and uploads them to a central database. It’s a non-intrusive way to gather wildlife behavior data at scale, and it doesn't require a team of observers in the field.



“In a time when technology often pulls us away from the natural world, Haikubox does the opposite - it fosters a deeper connection to it. By combining AI technology with a love for the environment, Haikubox helps people engage with nature in a modern and educational way,” noted Dr. Mann.



This passive acoustic monitoring allows scientists to study how animals respond to natural events across large areas - without disrupting them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-from-bird-behavior">Learning from bird behavior</h2>



Beyond eclipses, the study may have broader implications for understanding how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/habitat-and-evolution-shape-the-unique-sounds-of-birds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> react to sudden changes in light.



“Our findings can inform future research on the impacts of light pollution and sudden changes in light levels on bird behavior," noted Dr. Mann.



“Furthermore, it proves that when we combine the power of community science with clever technology, we can learn amazing things about wildlife without disturbing them, which may inform future continental-scale studies."



The researchers hope this will inspire more people to get involved in community science. More participants also means expanding the listening network.



“Passive acoustic monitoring is a terrific tool for gathering data about animal behavior, and regular folks play an important role in widening our listening network,” said Dr. Mann.



“Putting a Haikubox in your yard helps us add to the already 1 billion acoustic recordings we’ve gathered. Our community is enabling tomorrow’s scientific discoveries.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-94901-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Darkness at noon: What the 2024 eclipse revealed about bird behavior

On April 8, 2024, millions across North America paused to watch a rare and awe-inspiring celestial event. A group of scientists was there, prepared to track bird behavior during the total solar eclipse. The researchers discovered that birds fell unusually quiet. This behavior, however, only occurred in areas where the sun was almost completely obscured. The research was led by scientists from Loggerhead Instruments and the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The experts analyzed data from 344 Haikubox devices (small, community-powered...

Shellfish will find it very hard to escape ocean warming because they are migrating the wrong way. Bottom-dwelling creatures like sea scallops, blue mussels, and quahogs are responding to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sea-turtles-will-lose-habitats-due-to-climate-change-and-coastal-development/">climate change</a> by moving into warmer waters. 

In a new study, experts at <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> have discovered the reason for these wrong-way migrations, which threaten the survival of some commercially important shellfish. 

The researchers found that rising ocean temperatures are advancing the timing of spawning among shellfish, snails, starfish, and other invertebrates. This results in the earlier release of larvae that are pushed into warmer waters by ocean currents.

The team analyzed six decades of data for 50 species of bottom-dwelling invertebrates. They found that about 80 percent have disappeared from the Georges Bank and the outer shelf between the Delmarva Peninsula and Cape Cod, including off the coast of New Jersey.

The marine species that are moving in the wrong direction toward warmer waters share a few important traits, according to the researchers. They are weak swimmers and rely on ocean currents for transportation as larvae, and they tend to be sedentary or fixed to the seafloor as adults.

Warming waters have caused the fish to spawn earlier in the spring or summer, which exposes the larvae to patterns of wind and water currents they would not normally experience. 

The currents push the larvae into even warmer waters to the southwest and inland, and they are less likely to survive. Furthermore, the adults remain in the areas, and get caught up in a reinforcing feedback loop in which the waters are even warmer and so is the timing of spawning.

The researchers compare this phenomenon to "elevator-to-extinction" events, such as when butterflies and birds respond to warmer temperatures by shifting uphill into cooler areas until they are completely eliminated from the regions they once inhabited. 

Shellfish and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates could potentially thrive in cooler regions, but the earlier currents prevent weak-swimming larvae from reaching safety.

The researchers noted that further research is needed to determine whether the effects are similar on the U.S. Pacific coast or other ocean areas.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate">Nature Climate Change</a>.

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Shellfish are migrating away from safety as the ocean warms

Shellfish will find it very hard to escape ocean warming...

A previously undescribed type of freshwater crustacean has been found in the Lut Desert, one of the hottest places on the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/planetwide-storms-filled-up-lakes-on-mars-4-billion-years-ago/">planet</a>. The crustacean belongs to the genus Phallocryptus, of which only four species are known to have originated in arid regions.

The discovery was made by Dr. Hossein Rajaei of the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History and Dr. Alexander V Rudov of Tehran University during a research mission focused on studying the ecology and biodiversity of the Lut Desert.

Upon analyzing the samples collected from the desert, study co-author Dr. Martin Schwentner of the Natural History Museum of Vienna determined that the animals belong to a new species of freshwater Crustacea.

The experts named the new species Phallocryptus fahimii, in honor of Iranian conservation biologist Hadi Fahimi, who took part in the 2017 expedition and perished in a tragic airplane crash the following year.

Dr. Rajaei noticed the unique crustaceans in a small seasonal lake in the southern part of the desert. "During an expedition to such an extreme place you are always on alert, in particular when finding water. Discovering crustaceans in this otherwise hot and dry environment was really sensational."

In a paper published by the <a href="https://taylorandfrancis.com/">Taylor &amp; Francis Group</a>, the experts describe how Phallocryptus fahimii is different from all other known Phallocryptus species in its overall morphology and genetics.

"These Crustaceans are able to survive for decades in the dried-out sediment and will hatch in an upcoming wet season, when the aquatic habitat refills," said Dr. Schwentner. "They are perfectly adapted to live in deserts environments. Their ability to survive even in the Lut desert highlights their resilience."

The Lut Desert, also known as Dasht-e Lut, is the second largest desert in Iran and holds the current record for the highest ever-recorded surface temperature. Based on satellite measurements, NASA reported a record surface temperature of 70.7 degrees Celsius, or 159.3 degrees Fahrenheit, in 2005.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tzme20">Zoology in the Middle East</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

New crustacean identified in the world's hottest desert

A previously undescribed type of freshwater crustacean has been found...

Broken fragments of coral reef may look like nothing more than litter on the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/remote-australian-beaches-plastic/">beach</a> or seafloor, but coral rubble can support more animals than living corals, according to researchers at the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>.

Study lead author Dr. Kenny Wolfe said that reef rubble habitat, which is often overlooked as desolate, unattractive, and "dead," is very much alive.

"When people think of coral reefs they often think of larger invertebrates that are easily found, such as sea cucumbers, starfish and giant clams," said Dr. Wolfe. "But interestingly, dead coral rubble supports more of what we call 'cryptic' animals than live coral."

"Cryptic animals are simply hidden creatures, that include tiny crabs, fishes, snails and worms - all of which hide in the nooks and crannies of the reef to avoid predation."

"And just like on land with small insects and bugs, biodiversity in the sea can be dominated by these tiny invertebrates."

Since cryptic animals are masters at hiding, they are not always easy to locate and study. The UQ researchers designed 3D-printed coral stacks called RUBS (RUbble Biodiversity Samplers) to survey cryptic animals on coral reefs.

The 3D-printed structures resemble the surrounding reef rubble so that it can lure cryptic reef organisms to be unknowingly monitored.

"Every piece of coral or rubble is different," said Dr. Wolfe. "RUBS provide a uniform method to survey the hidden majority on coral reefs."

"By sampling the RUBS' structures over time, the team were able to identify changes in the cryptic population, adding pieces to the puzzle and filling in the unknowns of coral reef food webs."

"This data fills important knowledge gaps, such as how small cryptic animals support coral reefs from the bottom of the food chain, all the way up to bigger predators."

According to Dr. Wolfe, this approach to surveying corals represents a new step in understanding corals, whether they are considered dead or alive.

"We're really pulling back the curtain on just how alive these 'degraded' reefs are. These are important habitats, which support coral reef biodiversity and important food webs."

"This new technology is a new opportunity for reef management, particularly for reef education and awareness. We're excited to learn about and celebrate the diversity of life in this misunderstood habitat."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/2041210X">Methods in Ecology and Evolution </a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Dead coral rubble supports a surprising amount of life

Broken fragments of coral reef may look like nothing more...

Despite the fact that tropical forests host some of the most diverse species on the planet, very little is known about how animals in the rainforest are directly affected by precipitation. To address this issue, a team of researchers has developed an analytical tool that can be used by scientists to factor in the environmental conditions that are most optimal for any given species, including <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/heavy-rains-flood-a-million-homes-in-bangladesh/">rainfall</a>.

Study lead author Alice Boyle is an associate professor in the Division of Biology at Kansas State University.

"We understand exactly how most animals respond to temperature, but the same is not true for rain," said Professor Boyle. "When animal biologists see rainfall effects in their studies, they assume it must be about how plants are responding to rainfall and how that affects the food supply for the organisms they're studying. But there can be direct physiological consequences of rain related to feeding behavior, predation, pathogens, and more. There's a lot more going on than food supply."

The researchers propose that animals have a hygric niche, which they define as the collection of physiological, behavioral, and ecological processes that predict how warm-blooded organisms will perform under various levels of precipitation.

"Prior to this, there was no unifying conceptual framework to understand why responses to precipitation might differ between species or even within the same species, depending on the location of the study," said Professor Boyle. "We've heard from scientists who have said, 'Wow, how come I've never thought about this before?' I think this new framework is probably going to change the way many people study the distributions, physiology, and demographic responses of endotherms."

Study co-author Jeff Brawn is a professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a>. 

"This concept has implications for conservation of sensitive organisms, long term. In terms of planning where to invest conservation dollars or where to prioritize habitat, we should be looking at rainfall refugia where precipitation regimes are likely to stay intact over time," said Professor Brawn.

The team developed the concept of the hygric niche using decades of bird and mammal research from the tropics to help distinguish between the effects of rainfall and moisture. However, weather patterns are shifting due to climate change.

"Human-caused changes to climate are resulting in some areas getting wetter, and other areas getting drier," wrote the study authors. "Also, it is not just the amount of precipitation that is changing; the timing and magnitude of storms are also changing, and we have very little idea of how any of this will affect animals."

The experts outlined the ways in which too much or too little precipitation can affect foraging behavior, reproductive and population growth rates, and competitive interactions among animals. 

"Even if you can see intact forest out to the horizon, if the precipitation regimes change, the integrity of that ecosystem may be compromised. And that's concerning," said Professor Brawn.

While this concept was conceived with tropical systems in mind, the researchers said it can be applied to ecosystems and organisms outside the tropics.

"The next steps involve the research community testing key assumptions and predictions of our model," wrote the study authors. "One of the hardest but most important tasks is to understand whether rainfall affects different animal species for the same or different reasons. Is it really mostly about food, or are these less-obvious physiological costs more important than we thought? Answering these questions will be crucial to doing effective conservation and climate change mitigation in the tropics."

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/home">Trends in Ecology and Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Not enough is known about how rainfall affects tropical animals

Despite the fact that tropical forests host some of the...

The complex networks of trails cleared by elephant tracks are important routes used by locals, tourists, scientists, and loggers to traverse the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/many-forests-will-never-be-forests-again-after-a-wildfire/">forest</a>. Researchers at <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/">Purdue University</a> are describing how drawing attention to the significance of these trails may lead to the development of more effective conservation approaches to protect African elephants.

"Think of elephants as engineers of the forests," said study co-author Professor Melissa J. Remis. "Elephants shape the landscape in many ways that benefit humans. We're talking thousands of miles of trails. If we think about the loss of elephants over time, then we will see the forest structure change and human activities also would shift."

Elephants trample over thick vegetation across dense forests in the Central African Republic's Congo Basin as they move from their foraging areas to open water sources where they hydrate, bathe, and socialize. If elephants start to disappear, the forest will grow over the trails, explained the researchers.

"The fabric and way of life of local communities, and even for the industries and conservation organizations that exist in African forests, have largely been shaped by elephant landscape design," said study co-author Carolyn A. Jost Robinson. "People rely on these elephant highways, and they also are invaluable at understanding and explaining the networks."

The experts are investigating how the effects of conservation affect humans, and what role biological anthropology can play. 

"Anthropologists are very famous for critiquing conservation but not always for coming up with effective solutions," said Professor Remis. "The area of conservation is dominated by biological sciences, and you can't make change just tending to ecosystems. Conservation messages focus on flagship species, like elephants, and rarely do they consider the knowledge or needs of people relying on or living with those species. Attention on both could help further conservation and human rights issues."

In particular, the research is focused on elephant trails leading to Dzanga Saline, a famous forest clearing with a large water source in the Congo area. The first time Professor Remis visited this region was for the purpose of studying gorillas. During her fieldwork, she learned that to gain a better understanding of the gorillas, you must also learn about the forest and other wildlife from the local residents who share the land with them.

"We're broadening the conversation about conservation," said Robinson. "When you see a picture in a magazine story about ivory trafficking and elephant hunting, it is unlikely that the article will capture the entire experience of the community, as well as tourists, researchers and companies with local interests. As part of this change - whether you want to talk about climate change, forest access or wildlife protection - these relationships have evolved and taken on new shapes. We looked back on years of data and stories and realized there was a story to tell."

By consulting with the local BaAka community, the scientists can collect relevant information about interacting and living with elephants that will better inform conservation strategies.

"We want this to be a model for showing how to get additional insights when addressing how to conserve forests in better collaboration with those people who rely on them for cultural and material sustenance," said Professor Remis. 

"Being able to tell their stories and share their deep knowledge about the area, and what closing off an elephant trail or part of the forest can due to cut off access to food, medicines or social networks, is usually not part of the conservation approach. We need to hear the BaAka in their own words."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15481433">American Anthropologist</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Scientists turn to elephant trails for a new approach to conservation

The complex networks of trails cleared by elephant tracks are...

Scientists have discovered that the population numbers of Yosemite's spotted owls remained essentially the same after a megafire that destroyed one-third of their suitable habitat. According to the researchers, the success of these owls may be due to the unique structure and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/many-forests-will-never-be-forests-again-after-a-wildfire/">fire</a> management strategy of Yosemite.

The park provides prime habitat for the California Spotted Owl, which is listed as a Species of Special Concern by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

In 2013, a massive wildfire known as the Rim Fire burned 256,000 acres of the Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park. A new study from the <a href="https://www.birdpop.org/">Institute for Bird Populations</a> found that California Spotted Owl numbers and nesting rates remained stable in areas of the park that were burned by the megafire. 

Between 2015 and 2017, the researchers searched Yosemite for spotted owls, locating their territories and investigating their breeding status. The team used satellite data to examine habitats in the study area, including how severely they were burned.

"What surprised me, primarily, was not that owls were still present, but they were still present in the same numbers and still successfully setting up territories and breeding," said study lead author Lynn Schofield. 

The researchers found that the owls had avoided the most severely burned areas, but still resided in territories within the fire's perimeter.

While California Spotted Owls managed to tolerate the Rim Fire, Schofield warned that not all fires are created equal. Fire suppression efforts since the 1970s have minimized fire activity in Yosemite, and the park's forests have not been commercially logged since the early 1900s, which creates a very unique forest structure.

"In Yosemite there is a diversity of forest habitat," said Schofield. "This means the Rim Fire burned with a diversity of severities creating a range of post-fire habitat for owls to choose from." 

The study authors noted that in portions of the adjacent Stanislaus National Forest that were also burned by the Rim Fire, the severity was more uniform, and this was likely due to the contrasting logging and fire management system.

High intensity "megafires" like the Rim Fire are expected to become more frequent in the Sierra Nevada, which poses one of the biggest conservation threats to the California Spotted Owl. 

The study findings indicate that Yosemite's owl population has greatly benefited from the park's fire management strategy, as well as from the diverse habitats that have been preserved here. 

"At Yosemite, restoring fire to its natural role is one of our management priorities," said study co-author Sarah Stock, a wildlife ecologist at Yosemite. "It's gratifying to see that this strategy is paying off for the park's wildlife."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/forest-ecology-and-management">Forest Ecology and Management</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Spotted owls greatly benefit from Yosemite's fire management strategy

Scientists have discovered that the population numbers of Yosemite's spotted...

Cat owners are often perceived as being quiet and introverted, but a new study shows that there is much more to the story. A new study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has identified different types of cat owners, ranging from "freedom fighters" to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/support-from-land-owners-could-protect-endangered-species/">wildlife</a> advocates.

Based on survey responses of cat owners, the researchers determined that they fall into five categories. While some cat lovers believe cats should roam free without restrictions, others are more "conscientious caretakers" that feel responsible  for their cat's impact on wildlife.

People who are primarily focused on cat safety fall into the category of "concerned protectors," while "tolerant guardians" dislike their cat's hunting but tend to accept it. Meanwhile "laissez-faire landlords" are mostly unaware of any issues around cats roaming and hunting.

In the UK, conservation organizations are increasingly concerned about the number of animals killed by domestic cats. Even though some cats do not kill wild animals, and most kill very few, the number of victims can quickly accumulate with a population of around 10 million cats.

The Exeter team has launched a research project called "Cats, Cat Owners and Wildlife" with the goal of identifying ways that owners can best manage their cats while protecting wildlife.

According to the researchers, their findings demonstrate the need for diverse management strategies that reflect the differing perspectives of cat owners.

"Although we found a range of views, most UK cat owners valued outdoor access for their cats and opposed the idea of keeping them inside to prevent hunting," said lead author Dr. Sarah Crowley.

"Cat confinement policies are therefore unlikely to find support among owners in the UK. However, only one of the owner types viewed hunting as a positive, suggesting the rest might be interested in reducing it by some means."

"To be most effective, efforts to reduce hunting must be compatible with owners' diverse circumstances."

Dr. Sarah Ellis said the finding that many UK cat owners actually care a great deal about wildlife conservation, including their cat's impact, suggests that some owners are receptive to employing cat-friendly ways of reducing hunting.

"The right interventions could improve wildlife conservation efforts, maintain good cat mental-wellbeing, and at the same time improve the cat-human relationship," said Dr. Ellis.

"This would be especially true for 'tolerant guardians' and 'conscientious caretakers' by reducing the internal conflict of loving an animal that often hunts other animals they also care about."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.esa.org/frontiers-in-ecology-and-the-environment/">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>

.---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Some cat owners care about their pet's impact on wildlife conservation

Cat owners are often perceived as being quiet and introverted,...

A new study provides unprecedented details about the true size of Megalodon, the legendary <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sharks-have-vanished-from-20-percent-of-coral-reefs/">shark</a> that dominated the ocean up until about three million years ago. Megalodon was more than double the size of a Great White with a dorsal fin that was the height of a full-grown human.

Experts at <a href="https://www.swansea.ac.uk/">Swansea University</a> and the University of Bristol used different mathematical methods to quantify the size and proportions of the extinct shark. To do this, they compared Megalodon to living relatives with similar features. The researchers confirmed that Megalodon grew to a length of 16 meters, or 52 feet, and weighed up to 100 tons. 

The most powerful shark living today, the Great White, bites with a force of two tons and grows to be over six meters long. At more than twice this length, Megalodon had a bite force of more than ten tons. This incredible force is evident in fossil teeth, which are bigger than a human hand.

"I have always been mad about sharks. As an undergraduate, I have worked and dived with Great Whites in South Africa - protected by a steel cage of course. It's that sense of danger, but also that sharks are such beautiful and well-adapted animals, that makes them so attractive to study," said lead author Jack Cooper.

"Megalodon was actually the very animal that inspired me to pursue palaeontology in the first place at just six years old, so I was over the moon to get a chance to study it. This was my dream project. But to study the whole animal is difficult considering that all we really have are lots of isolated teeth."

Previous studies have only compared Megalodon with the Great White, but the current study includes other modern sharks as well. 

"Megalodon is not a direct ancestor of the Great White but is equally related to other macropredatory sharks such as the Makos, Salmon shark and Porbeagle shark, as well as the Great white," said study co-author Dr. Catalina Pimiento. "We pooled detailed measurements of all five to make predictions about Megalodon."

"Before we could do anything, we had to test whether these five modern sharks changed proportions as they grew up," explained study co-author Professor Mike Benton. "If, for example, they had been like humans, where babies have big heads and short legs, we would have had some difficulties in projecting the adult proportions for such a huge extinct shark.

According to Professor Benton, the team was surprised and relieved to discover that the babies of all these modern predatory sharks start out as little adults, and their proportions do not change as they grow.

"This means we could simply take the growth curves of the five modern forms and project the overall shape as they get larger and larger - right up to a body length of 16 meters," said Cooper.

The results of the analysis suggest that a Megalodon with a length of 16 meters had a head that was 4.65 meters long, a 1.62-meter dorsal fin, and a tail that was around 3.85 meters tall.

"The estimates of body dimensions of this extinct species have the potential to inform future anatomical, physiological, and ecological reconstructions," wrote the researchers.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Actual size of legendary shark Megalodon has been revealed

A new study provides unprecedented details about the true size...

It is widely accepted that our childhood social experiences shape our <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/grooming-behavior-exposes-the-complex-social-lives-of-dairy-cows/">behavior</a> as adults, and that events we may not even remember can have lifelong effects. A recent study from the <a href="http://first.fchampalimaud.org/en/the-foundation/champalimaud-centre-unknown/">Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown</a> is shedding new light on this phenomenon, suggesting that the very earliest stages of life have the greatest impact on behavior.

Experiments with zebrafish revealed that social experiences during the first week of development impacted future behavior. The fish are not even considered social at the larval stage, so this was completely unexpected. 

"Social experiences greatly define subsequent social behavior. Lack of such experiences, especially during critical phases of development, can severely impede the ability to behave adequately in social contexts," wrote the researchers. "To date, it is not well characterized how early-life social isolation leads to social deficits and impacts development."

For the investigation, zebrafish larvae were raised either in regular groups or alone in a dish. Later, high-speed video tracking was used to precisely measure swim movements as the fish interacted.

"It was previously thought that the effects of early-life social experience could only be seen at an age when the animal shows attraction to social stimuli, but we have shown that, in zebrafish, the effects can already be observed earlier," said study lead author Antonia Groneberg. 

"Normally, larvae move away from other close-by larvae, but we have found that larvae raised in isolation tend to react with a stronger escape swim, even when the other larvae are located at a larger distance." 

"By removing inputs from different senses and testing artificial stimuli that mimic another fish, we found that isolation-raised fish showed stronger reactions to local water vibrations."

In the next phase of this project, the researchers will study the brain activity of the zebrafish. "Using live imaging, we can record activity throughout the whole brain, from areas that process sensory stimuli to those that control behavior," said study co-author Michael Orger. 

"We are working towards a framework of collective behaviour in which we include the information on how the brain processes the information about the environment and about neighbouring conspecifics," added principal investigator Gonzalo de Polavieja.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Are we shaped by social experiences in the earliest phase of life?

It is widely accepted that our childhood social experiences shape...

After NOAA scientists placed satellite tags on 26 loggerhead sea turtles in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/atlantic-ocean-may-hold-200-million-tons-of-microplastics/">Atlantic</a> Ocean in 2011, 18 of the turtles ended up in the direct path of Hurricane Irene. The study reveals intriguing details about how both adult and juvenile sea turtles behave in extreme weather conditions.

The tagged turtles were located in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB), a coastal region that spans southern Massachusetts down to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. 

Study lead author Leah Crowe is a contract field biologist at the <a href="https://nefsc.noaa.gov/">NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center</a>.

"Hurricanes are some of the most intense weather events loggerheads in the mid-Atlantic experience, and we thought it was worth investigating how turtles in our dataset may be influenced by these dramatic environmental changes," said Crowe.

"It was a perfect storm situation in terms of location, timing, and oceanographic conditions. We found that the turtles responded to the changes in their habitat in different ways."

The satellite tags recorded the turtles' location and dive behavior, as well as sea-surface temperatures for just over a year. 

The data showed that the turtles aligned themselves with surface currents and moved northward during the hurricane, which was likely to conserve energy.

After the storm, turtles that stayed in their familiar foraging areas were observed diving for at least an hour, compared with dives that lasted  less than 30 minutes before the hurricane. In addition, turtles that left their foraging areas moved south much earlier than usual after the hurricane passed.

"Loggerheads experience environmental changes in the entire water column from the surface to the bottom, including during extreme weather events," said Crowe. "This study was an opportunistic look at turtle behavior during a hurricane. Their behavior makes loggerheads good observers of oceanographic conditions where they forage."

Previous studies have found that loggerheads are  sensitive to changes in water temperatures throughout the water column. Hurricanes cause the water layers to mix, which creates cooler surface temperatures. This mixing disrupts the boundary layer between warm surface waters and colder, deeper waters, known as the thermocline.

The researchers found that ocean temperatures recorded by the satellite tags were consistent with observations from weather buoys and autonomous gliders operating in the region.

"We determined that as the storm passed, the tagged turtles altered their dive behavior and movement patterns," wrote the study authors.

"These observed changes in behavior can provide insight into turtle reactions to other perturbations. The turtle-borne tags also recorded the environmental changes to the water column as the hurricane passed through the MAB, highlighting these data as a valid resource for weather forecasting models alongside other in situ data sources."

The study showed that turtle behavior did not return to normal within two weeks after the storm.

"The long-term cumulative effects of a changing climate and the increase in intensity of hurricanes and other storms is something that needs to be looked at. Changes in sea turtle movements and behavior can affect abundance estimates and management decisions," said Crowe. "This study reminds us that turtles live in a dynamic environment, and we cannot assume their behavior will be consistent throughout space and time."

The researchers concluded that future analysis of turtle behavior should consider the dynamic environments in which they live.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://movementecologyjournal.biomedcentral.com/">Movement Ecology</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

&nbsp;

Sea turtles recorded their own behavior during a hurricane

After NOAA scientists placed satellite tags on 26 loggerhead sea...

Ocean acidification is threatening the stability of the world's tropical <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sharks-have-vanished-from-20-percent-of-coral-reefs/">reefs</a>. Experts at the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> report that the "glue" that holds the Great Barrier Reef together is being weakened by rising levels of carbon dioxide.

Calcified deposits known as microbialites are formed by microbes that live within reef formations. The deposits bind and stabilize the reef framework, creating a strong scaffold that is used by corals and other reef builders to colonize and grow

The researchers analyzed historical samples from the Great Barrier Reef and found that these calcified scaffolds become thinner and lose their strength as acidity rises and pH levels fall. 

While previous studies have produced some evidence of this phenomenon the past, the current study is the first to show that the destabilizing effects of ocean acidification are impacting reefs worldwide.

"For the first time we have comprehensively shown that the thickness of this geologic 'reef glue' correlates with changes in ocean pH and dissolved carbon dioxide," said study lead author Zsanett Szilagyi.

Looking at the fossil record, the researchers determined that the thickness of reef crusts are a reliable indicator of ocean acidification going back at least tens of thousands of years.

"We haven't had such a complete and high-resolution record before. And this geologic study shows that as oceans became more acidic, this is reflected in the thickness of these reef crusts," said study co-author Professor Jody Webster.

In the past, the reef scaffolding was more abundant than the corals and algae that grow on and around them. These crusts display variations in thickness over time, yet continue to serve as the structural support for reefs.

"This means they are really good indicators of changes in environmental conditions of our oceans," said Professor Webster.

The scientists identified a variation in thickness from 11.5 centimeters 22,500 years ago to about 3 centimeters 12,000 years ago along younger parts of the Great Barrier Reef.

The results of testing from 17 reefs across the globe show that the thinning of reef crusts coincides with pH dropping below 8.2 right up to modern times.

"Previous studies have given us glimpses as to how these microbial crusts respond to changes in their environment. What is new in our study is that we measured more than 700 well-dated microbialite samples from the International Ocean Discovery Program on the Great Barrier Reef and combined this with a meta-analysis of 17 other reef records from around the world," said Professor Webster.

"This allowed us to assess global-scale changes in microbialite development over the past 30,000 years. And, frankly, the findings are a stark warning sign for the dangers of rapid acidification of oceans."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14390485">Marine Ecology </a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Ocean acidification could cause coral reefs to fall apart

Ocean acidification is threatening the stability of the world's tropical...

Fruit flies use eye movements to control their <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/birds-with-darker-wing-feathers-have-increased-flight-efficiency/">flight</a> with a reaction speed that is about 30 times faster than the blink of a human eye. With a new understanding of this incredible ability, scientists at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> will apply the rapid flight control techniques of fruit flies to the field of mechanical engineering. 

"If you are able to study flies doing what they do best - flying - you can find some incredible engineering solutions that already exist in biology," said study first author and doctoral student Benjamin Cellini.

Professor Jean-Michel Mongeau, director of the Bio-Motion Systems Lab, worked with Cellini to determine how fruit flies use eye movements to quickly coordinate their wings in response to what they are seeing. 

Even though our eyes are not on the back of our head like flies, humans can also execute a stabilizing gaze in which we zero in on a target with our eyes.

"But that is a challenging, complex problem to understand, how are we and other animals able to do that so well?" said Professor Mongeau. "My lab is interested in active sensing, which is a branch of engineering and biology that studies how sensor movement, like eyes scanning a room, can enhance sensing itself."

According to the researchers, understanding how animals like flies use active eye movements to control flight could greatly enhance robotics. 

Most robots have stationary sensors, which means sensing and movement are not interconnected. The flight control of robots has great potential for improvement if the efforts of visual sensors could be coordinated.

The team's investigation revealed that the eyes of the fruit fly were able to react four times faster than its body or wings. These reactions were strongly associated, which confirms that flies rely heavily upon eye movements to coordinate their wing movements.

"We've shown that their eyes can control and stabilize their vision better than we originally thought, by reducing motion blur," said Cellini. "Like in sports, they teach baseball players to follow the ball with their eyes to reduce blur and increase batting performance."

Professor Mongeau said one of the most significant findings is that fly eyes slow down visual motion signals to the brain to enhance their flying behavior.

The researchers believe unlocking the secrets of the biological world could have broad implications for technology.

"In engineering, you are taught to apply principles from mathematics and physics to solve problems," said Cellini. "If you want to build a robot to fly on Mars, you can use engineering concepts to provide potential solutions. But we don't always have to develop ideas from scratch; we can also seek inspiration from nature."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Fruit flies use their eyes to control flight at incredible speeds

Fruit flies use eye movements to control their flight with...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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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

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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

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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

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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"

[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

[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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