Twelve million years ago, vast herds of rhinoceroses grazed the lush grasslands of what is now the North American Midwest. These barrel-bodied creatures - ancient rhinos known as Teleoceras major - flourished across the region, often gathering in large numbers near waterholes.



Today, a new <a href="https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2025/04/uc-study-finds-evidence-that-prehistoric-rhinos-lived-in-huge-herds.html">study</a> from the University of Cincinnati (<a href="https://www.uc.edu/?utm_source=gmb&amp;utm_medium=organic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC</a>) reveals they weren’t just occasional visitors to these sites - they likely lived and died in close-knit herds, much like modern hippos.



As a result, the research sheds new light on one of North America's most extraordinary fossil sites: Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park in northeast Nebraska. 



Over 100 rhinoceroses left fossilized remains at this site, along with camels, horses, and other animals - all of which perished in the aftermath of a massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-viruses-found-in-yellowstones-hot-springs-are-1-5-billion-years-old/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yellowstone</a> supervolcano eruption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unraveling-an-ancient-rhino-mystery">Unraveling an ancient rhino mystery</h2>



Since the park’s discovery in 1971, scientists have puzzled over why so many animal,s including rhinoceroses, were found clustered in the same place. Did they come from miles away, fleeing the growing disaster of falling ash? Or had they been living there all along?



“We found they didn’t move very much,” said Clark Ward, lead author of the study and a UC graduate. “We didn’t find evidence for seasonal migration or any evidence of a response to the disaster.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-rhino-teeth">Clues from rhino teeth</h2>



Ward, now a doctoral student at the <a href="https://twin-cities.umn.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Minnesota</a>, used isotopic analysis of fossilized ancient rhino teeth to track their movements and environmental conditions.&nbsp;



With guidance from co-authors and advisers Brooke Crowley at UC and Ross Secord at the <a href="https://nebraska.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Nebraska</a>, Ward analyzed ratios of strontium, oxygen, and carbon isotopes - atomic fingerprints that can reveal everything from diet and rainfall to landscape use.



“By studying carbon in the animal, we can reconstruct carbon in the environment to understand what kinds of vegetation lived there,” Ward explained.



“We can use [oxygen] to reconstruct how wet or dry the environment was,” he added. “And strontium tells us where the animal was foraging because the ratio of isotopes is related to the soil and supporting bedrock.”



Together, these isotopic clues suggest the rhinos were long-term residents of the area, not migrants drawn by a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natural-disasters-are-on-the-rise-but-hazard-plans-are-inadequate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural disaster</a> or seasonal food shifts. It appears they simply lived - and ultimately died - in the place they called home.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-supervolcano-s-lethal-reach">A supervolcano’s lethal reach</h2>



The mass death was triggered by ash from one of Yellowstone’s ancient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-study-sparks-new-debate-on-where-and-when-it-will-erupt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supervolcano</a> eruptions. The Yellowstone hotspot has erupted often over 12 million years, spreading ash hundreds of miles away.



“That ash would have covered everything - the grass, leaves, and water,” Ward said. “The rhinos likely weren’t killed immediately, like the people of Pompeii. Instead, it was much slower. They were breathing in the ash, and they likely starved to death.”



In contrast to the sudden catastrophe of volcanic pyroclastic flows, which instantly buried victims in ancient cities like Pompeii, the Ashfall rhinos suffered a slower, agonizing fate.



The ash settled into the landscape like snow, rendering food and water sources toxic or unusable. Over time, the animals succumbed to inhalation of ash and eventual starvation.



Fossils show scavenging by bone-crushing dogs, which came after the animals died. Ancient tracks from these 100-pound carnivores, along with tooth marks on bones, support this conclusion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-creatures-in-ancient-herds">Social creatures in ancient herds</h2>



Teleoceras major was a one-horned rhino with a short, squat body and stubby legs. Like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/missing-data-on-hippos-could-push-them-closer-to-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hippos</a>, these rhinoceroses were grazers who likely spent much of their lives near water. Their massive size offered protection from predators, but their calves would have been vulnerable to attack.



The study’s findings have answered one long-standing question: Did these rhinos live alone or in groups? The presence of so many individuals, including adults and juveniles, supports the idea of herd behavior.



Rhino expert John Payne, who spent his career working with Sumatran rhinos in Malaysia, said the conclusion fits the species’ biology.



“I am not surprised that the analyses very strongly suggest that Teleoceras major lived in herds, given that this animal resembles the modern hippopotamus in form, and hippos live in herds of several tens of animals - with several herds in one geographical area,” Payne said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-science-comes-full-circle">Science comes full circle</h2>



For Ward, the study has a personal significance. As a child, he visited Ashfall Fossil Beds and later returned as an intern to help with fossil preparation and visitor education.



Now, his name is attached to groundbreaking research from the same site that once inspired his curiosity.



“I’m honored and privileged to have my name in science attached to the site,” he said. “As someone who used to go to Ashfall as a kid, it’s come full circle.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study">Broader implications of the study</h2>



Though Teleoceras major is extinct, studies like this reveal ancient ecosystems and modern species’ responses to threats.



The broader implications of the research go beyond rhinoceroses. By studying how ancient animals responded to environmental change, scientists can better predict the impact of climate disruptions today. 



Whether it’s ash, mercury, or climate change, the past remains a vital key to our future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-94263-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Scientific Reports</a>.



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Ancient graveyard reveals that rhinos once lived in 'super-herds'

Twelve million years ago, vast herds of rhinoceroses grazed the lush grasslands of what is now the North American Midwest. These barrel-bodied creatures - ancient rhinos known as Teleoceras major - flourished across the region, often gathering in large numbers near waterholes. Today, a new study from the University of Cincinnati (UC) reveals they weren’t just occasional visitors to these sites - they likely lived and died in close-knit herds, much like modern hippos. As a result, the research sheds new light on one of North America's...

Jurassic crocodile finally identified after 250 years. Nearly 250 years after its fossil was discovered in Germany, an 180-million-year-old <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/american-crocodile-recovery/">crocodile</a> has finally been identified as a Mystriosaurus laurillardi. 

This positive identification comes 60 years after paleontologists first hypothesized that the ancient croc was a member of a similar species, called Steneosaurus bollensis, which lived during the same time as Mystriosaurus.

Mystriosaurus had a long snout, sharp teeth, and primarily ate fish within tropical waters during the Jurassic period. It’s believed that the creature could grow up to 14.7 feet long.

The prehistoric crocodile was finally identified after a team of paleontologists, some of whom hailed from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a>, compared its fossil to other fossils found in both the U.K. and Germany. During this process, the team successfully identified another mystery skull found in Yorkshire in the 1800s as also belonging to a Mystriosaurus laurillardi.

Because Mystriosaurus fossils have been located in present-day Germany and the U.K., scientists believe the crocodile could easily swim between islands.

“Mystriosaurus looked like a gharial but it had a shorter snout with its nasal opening facing forwards, whereas in nearly all other fossil and living crocodiles the nasal opening is placed on top of the snout,” said study leader Sven Sach, of the <a href="https://namu-ev.de/">Naturkunde-Museum Bielefeld</a>.

“Unravelling the complex history and anatomy of fossils like Mystriosaurus is necessary if we are to understand the diversification of crocodiles during the Jurassic,” added fellow researcher Dr. Mark Young, of the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/geosciences">University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences</a>. “Their rapid increase in biodiversity between 200 and 180 million years ago is still poorly understood.”

The identification and corresponding study is published in the journal <a href="https://app.pan.pl/home.html">Acta Paleontologica Polonica</a>. 

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Credit: Julia Beier

Jurassic crocodile finally identified after 250 years

Jurassic crocodile finally identified after 250 years. Nearly 250 years...

Researchers at the <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a> have discovered that Atlantic ghost crabs can make angry growling sounds in their stomachs when they feel threatened. The sound is produced by a structure called the gastric mill, which is also used to break down food.

Stridulation sounds are made when creatures rub two body parts together, like when crickets chirp to attract mates. Scientists had previously determined that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fiddler-crabs-separate-light/">crabs</a> can communicate through stridulation as well by rubbing their legs or specialized ridges on their claws together. 

However, study lead author Jennifer Taylor observed ghost crabs that were mysteriously making sounds while neither their legs or claws were moving. 

To investigate, Taylor teamed up with Damian Elias at UC Berkeley and used lasers to pinpoint areas of the crab that could be producing the sounds. After analyzing the sound signature, the researchers confirmed that the noise was coming from the gastric mill, a three-pronged structure that grinds up food like teeth.

"The first time I heard the rasp, I couldn't believe how clear the sound of stridulation was, even though the crab's claws were outstretched and clearly not producing sound,” said study co-author Maya S. deVries.

Taylor and deVries performed fluoroscopies on the ghost crabs by feeding them fluoro bromide, a blue liquid that moves through the body and dyes the organs. “For this approach to work, we had to get the crabs to ingest the dye,” said Taylor. “We eventually succeeded and were able to see the gastric mill teeth in the x-ray.”

The researchers observed the crabs using the gastric mill to produce the stridulation noises when they were agitated. According to the researchers, it is possible that other crabs are using the same form of communication. 

“All crabs have a gastric mill and the capacity to communicate with sound,” said Taylor. “It will be interesting to see how our understanding of crustacean communication unfolds.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Natalia Kuzmina

Ghost crabs growl with teeth in their stomachs when agitated

Researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography have discovered that...

Small robot can launch itself out of the water like a flying fish. Researchers at <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> have created a robot that mimics a flying fish, using water as fuel to launch itself from the surface of a lake or ocean. The robot can travel 26 meters through the air after take-off, which could make it useful for monitoring water pollution or for collecting water samples in hazardous conditions after <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-flooding-north-carolina/">flooding</a>. 

In the past, experts have found it challenging to generate enough power for a small robot to transition from water to air. The Imperial team has invented a system that requires just 0.2 grams of calcium carbide powder in a combustion chamber. 

The only moving part in the system is a small pump that brings in water from the surrounding ocean or lake. When the water combines with the calcium-carbide powder in a chamber, the reaction produces a burnable acetylene gas that ignites and expands to push the water out as a jet. The robot is propelled out of the water, gliding up to 26 meters.

"Water-to-air transition is a power-intensive process, which is difficult to achieve on a small-scale flying vehicle that needs to be lightweight for flight," said study lead author Dr. Mirko Kovac.

"We have used water-reactive chemicals to reduce the materials that the robot needs to carry. Since the chamber fills passively and the environmental water acts as a piston, we can create a full combustion cycle with only one moving part, which is the pump that mixes the water with the fuel."

Tests conducted in a lake and a wave tank showed that the robot can blast off of the water's surface even when conditions are relatively rough. The system generates a force that it 25 times the weight of the robot, which is only 160 grams, to help it overcome waves.

The team is now working with the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology to refine the robots using advanced materials and to begin field trials in a range of environments, including the oceans around coral reefs and offshore energy platforms.

"These kinds of low-power, tether-free robots could be really useful in environments that are normally time- and resource-intensive to monitor, including after disasters such as floods or nuclear accidents," said study first author Raphael Zufferey.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://robotics.sciencemag.org/">Science Robotics</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Aerial Robotics Lab/Imperial College London

Small robot can launch itself out of the water like a flying fish

Small robot can launch itself out of the water like...

In a new study from <a href="https://aru.ac.uk/">Anglia Ruskin University</a>, researchers have demonstrated that soil <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-human-food-chain/">microplastics</a> adversely affect earthworms by stunting their growth and potentially causing them to lose weight. Because of their contribution to soil structure and nutrient availability, earthworms play a crucial role in the soil ecosystem. 

"Earthworms can be called 'ecosystem engineers' as they help maintain a healthy soil. They do this through ingesting dead organic matter, therefore contributing to the availability of nutrients," explained study co-author Connor Russell.

"Their burrowing activity improves soil structure, helping with drainage and preventing erosion. It's therefore highly likely that any pollution that impacts the health of soil fauna, such as earthworms, may have cascading effects on other aspects of the soil ecosystem, such as plant growth."

The study was focused on endogeic worms, which live in the upper layers of soil. The team investigated the impact of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and microplastic clothing fibers (acrylic and nylon) on earthworms.

High-density polyethylene is commonly used in the production of plastic bottles and carrier bags. After 30 days of exposure to HDPE, rosy-tipped earthworms had lost an average of 3.1 percent of their weight. By comparison, a group of earthworms living in control conditions without the presence of microplastics had weight increases of 5.1 percent in the same time frame.

High-density polyethylene was also found to decrease the soil pH, which is a measure of the acidity and alkalinity in soil.

When the team planted ryegrass across the affected and unaffected soil, dirt containing the biodegradable plastic PLA was much less productive and the shoot height of the grass was significantly reduced. At the same time, microplastic clothing fibers led to fewer ryegrass seeds germinating.

"The earthworms lost weight overall when certain microplastics were present and grew significantly in weight in soil without added microplastics. However, the specific reasons for this weight loss needs unravelling," said study lead author Dr. Bas Boots.

"It may be that the response mechanisms to microplastics may be comparable in earthworms to that of the aquatic lugworms, which have been previously studied. These effects include the obstruction and irritation of the digestive tract, limiting the absorption of nutrients and reducing growth."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/photographyfirm

Microplastics are negatively affecting the ‘engineers’ of soil ecosystems

In a new study from Anglia Ruskin University, researchers have...

Mercury and other high concentrations of pollutants were discovered in the skin and blubber of bottlenose dolphins that live in the English Channel. 

The levels of pollutants are some of the highest ever found in bottlenose dolphins in Europe, according to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-48485-7">Scientific Reports.</a>

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uliege.be/">University of Liège</a> in Belgium measured levels of organic pollutants and mercury in the blubber and skin 82 bottlenose dolphins that inhabit the Normanno-Breton Gulf in the English Channel. 

In the blubber, the researchers found high concentrations of pollutants from industrial fluids containing chlorine and the pollutants were found in 91 percent of males and 92 percent of females. 

High concentrations of mercy in the skin of the dolphins matched mercury levels found in bottlenose dolphins in the Florida Everglades and the Mediterranean Sea.

Even though chlorine-containing pollutants were banned from many countries in the 1970s and 80s, marine biologists are still finding levels of harmful organic pollutants in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-white-sharks-mercury-arsenic/">marine life. </a>

When industrial waste and fertilizer runoff filter into the ocean, the organic pollutants carried with them can dissolve in the fat and oils of marine species like dolphins. 

This is why bottlenose dolphins serve as an excellent model for studying pollution because of the build-up of mercury and chlorine in the fatty tissues. 

Due to the high levels of mercury and pollutants discovered in the dolphins in the English Channel, the researchers recommend that Normanno-Breton Gulf become a conservation area to ensure that Europe’s largest population of coastal bottlenose dolphins is protected.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Hannah Stanbury

High levels of mercury and pollutants found in English Channel dolphins

Mercury and other high concentrations of pollutants were discovered in...

Rising temperatures could lead to a shortage in omega-3 fatty acids. Declines in global fish stocks due to climate change could lead to deficiencies in a crucial brain-building <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/omega-3s-seafood-healthy-aging/">omega-3 fatty acid </a>for a majority of the world’s population, according to a new study. 

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the most abundant fatty acid in the brain, and DHA plays an essential role in cell survival and neuroprotection. 

Even though DHA is a necessary fatty acid and crucial for brain development, we can’t make enough of the stuff on our own. Instead, people get DHA from fish or supplements. 

In a new study, researchers from <a href="https://www.dal.ca/">Dalhousie University,</a> the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto</a>, and <a href="https://www.ryerson.ca/">Ryerson University</a> found that climate change could drastically limit DHA availability in the future. 

Ninety-six percent of the world’s population may not have enough access to DHA from fish by 2100, according to the study if global temperatures continue to rise. 

For the study, the researchers used data from the <a href="http://www.seaaroundus.org/">Sea Around Us database</a>, which shows how fishing impacts marine ecosystems. 

The researchers also collected data from the United Nations on fishery catches, and aquaculture to create a mathematical model that predicted annual DHA production in different United Nations Fishing Zones under various global warming scenarios. 

DHA is primarily produced by algae and makes its way up the aquatic food chain. 

The model’s predictions showed that countries like Greenland, Norway, and New Zealand where fish production is high and populations are smaller will not have to worry about DHA deficiencies. 

However, China, Japa, and most countries in Africa could lose ample access to domestic fish production and DHA. 

“According to our model, global warming could result in a 10 to 58% loss of globally-available DHA in the next 80 years,” the researchers said. “A decrease in levels will have the greatest effect on vulnerable populations and periods of human development, such as foetuses and infants, and may also affect predatory mammals, especially those in Polar Regions.”

The researchers published their findings in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-019-01234-6">Ambio</a>.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com </a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Michail Patakos

Rising temperatures could lead to a shortage in omega-3 fatty acids

Rising temperatures could lead to a shortage in omega-3 fatty...

Scorpion and spider ancestor located in 500-million-year-old fossil site. The world’s oldest chelicerate, a group of predatory animals including horseshoe crabs, scorpions, and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hurricanes-aggressive-spiders/">spiders</a>, has been discovered in the Burgess Shale, located in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia. Dubbed Mollisonia plenovenatrix, paleontologists believe the fossil to be more than 500 million years old.

Despite its exoskeleton being discovered about a century ago, this new fossil exhibits more evidence of what the creature originally looked like.  Scorpion and spider ancestor located in 500-million-year-old fossil site

“It is the first time that evidence of the limbs and other soft-tissues of this type of animal are described, which were key to revealing its affinity," said co-author Jean-Bernard Caron, the Richard M. Ivey Curator of Invertebrate Palaeontology at the <a href="https://www.rom.on.ca/en">Royal Ontario Museum</a>. 

The fossil shows that M. plenovenatrix would have been about the size of one’s thumb with large, egg-shaped eyes, and a “multi-tool head.” It had long legs as well as several pairs of limbs that would help it sense, grasp, crush, and chew its prey. But the most important feature of the creature is that it had a pair of “pincers” at the front of its mouth, called chelicerae, which are seen in modern scorpions and spiders. 

[caption id="attachment_1877704" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/fossil-image.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1877704" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/fossil-image.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="311" /></a> Image Credit: Jean-Bernard Caron © Royal Ontario Museum[/caption]

"Before this discovery, we couldn't pinpoint the chelicerae in other Cambrian fossils, although some of them clearly have chelicerate-like characteristics," said lead author Cédric Aria of the <a href="http://english.nigpas.cas.cn/">Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology,</a> and is a member of the Royal Ontario Museum's Burgess Shale expeditions since 2012. "This key feature, this coat of arms of the chelicerates, was still missing."

Other features of the fossil, such as the gill-like back limbs, point to the fact that it was already morphologically similar to modern spiders, rather than a primitive version. 

"Chelicerates have what we call either book gills or book lungs," Aria said. "They are respiratory organs are made of many collated thin sheets, like a book. This greatly increases surface area and therefore gas exchange efficiency. Mollisonia had appendages made up with the equivalent of only three of these sheets, which probably evolved from simpler limbs."

It is believed that this creature hunted close to the sea floor, and because of its modern appearance, the research team thinks chelicerates prospered quickly and their origin potentially lies deeper within the Cambrian period.

"Evidence is converging towards picturing the Cambrian explosion as even swifter than what we thought," said Aria. "Finding a fossil site like the Burgess Shale at the very beginning of the Cambrian would be like looking into the eye of the cyclone.”

This new discovery is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Main Image Illustration by Joanna Liang © Royal Ontario Museum

Scorpion and spider ancestor located in 500-million-year-old fossil site

Scorpion and spider ancestor located in 500-million-year-old fossil site. The...

In a new study published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a>, researchers have discovered that the burying beetle feeds its larvae using the same mouth-to-mouth regurgitation technique as birds who share a meal with their young. 

The team also found that the burying beetle larvae can sense when the mother <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/forest-fires-beetles-woodpeckers/">beetles</a> release a pheromone which indicates that they are ready to feed. The detection of this pheromone, 2-phenoxyethanol, causes the larvae to start begging for food. 

"The study of parental care is mainly conducted on birds and mammals, but the complexity of their parent-offspring communication sometimes becomes an obstacle for understanding the evolutionary process of the system," said study first author Mamoru Takata, a postdoctoral research fellow at <a href="https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/">Kyoto University</a>. "The study of a species with a simpler communication system is needed, and burying beetles are an ideal group."

The burying beetle, Nicrophorus quadripunctatus, breeds inside of dead animals and then scavenges food from the carcass. The larvae are fed as often as three times per hour during the first two days after hatching. 

Takata and his team set out to examine how the larvae know when to beg for food. The experts determined that the pheromone emissions were indicative of feeding times. This system allows the larvae to make better decisions, instead of begging and wasting energy before the time is right. 

The researchers also found that the pheromone has antimicrobial properties, which suggests that the compound initially evolved as a form of shared immunity. Today, the pheromone appears to play a dual role, assisting with parent-offspring communication.

An animal carcass provides a limited amount of food, and the beetles are aware when there are too many larvae to support. "They can estimate the amount of carcass, and if the number of larvae (is) too much for it, they eat or just kill some of the larvae by biting," said Takata. 

In addition, there are times when male beetles will invade a carcass and kill larvae that are not their own. "But please note that the cannibalism is limited to the situation, and after regulation, it seems the beetle family is almost peaceful."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/home">iScience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Yuki Mitaka/iScience

Burying beetle moms release pheromones that indicate when it’s feeding time

In a new study published by Cell Press, researchers have...

The <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) has announced plans to phase out research that involves testing on mammals. The federal agency has made the controversial decision to stop funding or conducting live animal tests by 2035.

In a memo that was made public earlier this week, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler instructed the agency to reduce funding for mammal studies by 30 percent over the next six years before completely eliminating the tests altogether within the next 16 years. Beyond the 2035 deadline, mammal testing will only be allowed with special approval.

"This has been a long-standing belief of mine on animal testing," said Wheeler, adding that he learned about the ethical implications of animal testing from his mother at an early age. "My older sister is a zoologist, my younger sister is a veterinarian, so I come from this family that cares deeply about animals and the protection of animals."

Representatives from PETA, the White Coat Waste Project, and the Humane Society of the United States stood by Wheeler during a press conference at the EPA headquarters.

"This is the only government agency who has made such a commitment with an aggressive timeline," said Kathleen Conlee of the Humane Society. "We'd love to see other agencies embrace this approach of making timelines with goals."

Mammals such as <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/young-mouse-blood-improved-memory-learning/">mice</a> and rats are used by the EPA to test the safety of chemicals like pesticides and other consumer products. Wheeler said that his action plan allows enough time to come up with new methods for toxicity testing.

Penelope Fenner-Crisp, a former senior official at the EPA, told <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/09/10/759435118/epa-chief-pledges-to-severely-cut-back-on-animal-testing-of-chemicals">NPR</a> that the EPA's pesticide program "has recently made real progress in using new types of safety studies, saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of animals."  However, she added that no one has developed alternative tests to study the more subtle and complex health effects that may progress over time, such as those that take place in the immune system.

"I'm always a little troubled with deadlines on efforts like this. You want to have replacements that are as good as or better than the ones that have been used with whole animals. And you can't always dictate the timeline for accomplishing that," explained Fenner-Crisp.

Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist at the <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/">Natural Resources Defense Council</a>, expressed major concern over the EPA's decision to put an end to animal testing.

"EPA is eliminating tools that lay the groundwork for protecting the public from dangers like chlorpyrifos, formaldehyde and PFAS," Sass said in a written statement. "Phasing out foundational scientific testing methods can make it much harder to identify toxic chemicals - and protect human health. Once again, the Trump administration appears to be working on behalf of the chemical industry and not the public. Congress should bar the agency from blindfolding itself."

The EPA also announced that it will hold an annual conference to discuss the development of new testing methods and has awarded $4.5 million to five universities across the country to launch the effort.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/unoL

EPA announces plans to eliminate testing on mammals by 2035

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced plans to phase...

According to a new study from the <a href="https://www.une.edu/">University of New England</a> in New South Wales, Australia, prehistoric giant sthenurine <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/kangaroos-live-home/">kangaroos</a> were highly adapted with jaws powerful enough to devour tough foods like mature leaves, stems, and branches.

Sometimes called “short-faced” kangaroos, sthenurine kangaroos populated Australia until about 42,000 years ago. They had large jaws and teeth, as well as shortened snouts. 

Lead researcher D. Red Mitchell, of the University, created a digital model of the largest sthenurine species, Simosthenurus occidentalis, to study how the animal’s skulls resisted forces that such powerful bites would result in.

Mitchell’s simulations indicated that the kangaroo’s cheekbones supported large muscles that prevented dislocation of the jaw during strong biting. Furthermore, bones in the front and roof of the skull formed an arch that resisted twisting forces during bites. 

These features show evidence that the sthenurine kangaroos’ skulls were heavy-duty enough to handle powerful biting, and similar features are seen in modern-day giant pandas, which eat similarly tough foods like bamboo.

"The skull of the extinct kangaroo studied here differs from those of today's kangaroos in many of the ways a giant panda's skull differs from other bears,” Mitchell said. “So, it seems that the strange skull of this kangaroo was, in a functional sense, less like a modern-day kangaroo's and more like a giant panda's.”

This study is published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0221287">PLOS ONE</a>.

 --

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image © N. Tamura

Ancient giant kangaroos had jaws and skulls designed to chomp

According to a new study from the University of New...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> have created a flexible smart skin that changes color when exposed to heat and sunlight. According to the experts, the new material could ultimately find applications in camouflage, signaling, and anti-counterfeiting.

Many studies have sought to replicate the camouflaging abilities of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/glowing-patterns-chameleons/">chameleons</a> and other creatures, which can change colors through chromatophores found in their skin. The animals often use color changes to attract mates or to dodge predators.

The hues of the chameleon skin do not rely on pigments or dyes like most colors, but are controlled instead by the arrangement of tiny structures known as photonic crystals. 

When light reflects off of these microscopic surfaces, it interferes with other beams of reflected light and produces a color. The shade of this color is altered when the distance between photonic crystals fluctuates, such as when a chameleon relaxes or tenses its skin. 

For the current study, the scientists embedded photonic crystals in flexible materials like hydrogels. Next, the team managed to change their colors by contracting or expanding the material like an accordion. These abrupt changes,  however, often put too much strain on the materials and compromised their performance. 

For the current study, a team led by Khalid Salaita set out to create a smart skin that was more flexible and resilient under changing conditions. The researchers studied time-lapse images of chameleon skin, and discovered that only a small fraction of skin cells actually contain photonic crystals, while the rest are colorless. 

The experts theorized that the colorless cells may help ease the strain on photonic crystals as they contract and expand. For this reason, the team patterned arrays of photonic crystals in a hydrogel and then embedded these arrays in a second hydrogel that was designed not to change color, but to act as a supporting layer. 

When heated, the new material changed color yet maintained its integrity and size. The smart skin also changed its color in response to natural sunlight.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/ancac3">ACS Nano</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit:  ACS Nano 2019

Flexible ‘smart skin’ was inspired by chameleons

Researchers at the American Chemical Society have created a flexible...

Bird-speak and human-speak aren’t so different after all. A team of scientists have identified how <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/birds-magnetic-field-navigate/">birds</a> vocalize and found that like humans, their method of communicating is seemingly reliant on vocal “building blocks.” 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">Universities of Zurich</a>, <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">Exeter</a>, <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk/">Warwick</a>, <a href="https://www.mq.edu.au/">Macquarie</a>, and <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">New South Wales</a> studied the calls of the Australian Outback chestnut-crowned babbler to come to their conclusion.

Prior to this study, scientists found that chestnut-crowned babbler calls were composed of two different sounds, labelled “A” and “B,” vocalized in different arrangements depending on behaviors. For example, when flying, the babbler vocalized a flight call, “AB,” but when feeding chicks, they produced “BAB” calls.

In the new study, the research team used playback experiments, used to test speech-sound discrimination in human infants, to examine the perception of babblers’ calls.

"Through systematic comparisons we tested which of the elements babblers perceived as equivalent or different sounds,” said lead author Sabrina Engesser, from the University of Zurich. “In doing so, we were able to confirm that the calls could be broken up into two perceptually distinct sounds that are shared across the calls in different arrangements. Furthermore, none of the comprising elements carried the meaning of the calls, confirming the elements are meaningless.”

"This system is reminiscent of the way humans use sounds to form meaningful words," added co-author Andy Russell, from the University of Exeter. 

"This is the first time that the meaning-generating building blocks of a non-human communication system have been experimentally identified,” said last author Simon Townsend, from the University of Zurich and the University of Warwick. “Although the building blocks in the babbler system may be of a very simple kind, it might still help us understand how combinatoriality initially evolved in humans."

This discovery could help other researchers generate meaning from other animals’ vocalized building blocks, however, the researchers note that there are big differences between animals’ systems and word generation in language. 

These findings are published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Niall Stopford

Bird-speak and human-speak aren’t so different after all

Bird-speak and human-speak aren’t so different after all. A team...

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;



---



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;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[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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