The cooperative behavior of bees, resembling a singular "superorganism," is something uniquely remarkable in the world of nature.



It is not uncommon for thousands of worker bees to function collectively to protect the colony, feed it, and look after the offspring. This intricate social conduct unifies their individual actions into a concerted effort.



But how is this complex behavior encoded and inherited among generations of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-bees-spread-viruses-to-bumblebees-in-the-spring/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">honey bees</a>? The answer lies in a special gene, as unveiled by a team of scientists.



The research was led by experts at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (<a href="https://www.hhu.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HHU</a>), along with colleagues from Frankfurt/Main, Oxford, and Würzburg. The study has uncovered the genetic underpinnings of honey bee cooperation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genes-behind-cooperative-bee-behavior">Genes behind cooperative bee behavior</h2>



The principal investigator and the head of the Institute of Evolutionary Genetics at Heinrich-Heine University, Dr. Martin Beye, and his team have made this breakthrough discovery. The research was focused on a gene called "doublesex" or "dsx."



"The behavioral repertoire of the individual bees and their function in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-bee-colonies-are-collapsing-as-climate-change-progresses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">colony</a> are not learned, but rather inherited. Until now, it was not known how such complex behaviors were genetically encoded," said Dr. Beye.



The key discovery is that the dsx gene influences worker bee-specific behavior, noted study first author Dr. Vivien Sommer.



"The gene programs whether a worker bee takes up a task in the colony and for how long. This includes collective tasks such as caring for the larvae or foraging for food and social exchanges on food sources, for example," said Dr. Sommer. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gene-editing-in-bees">Gene editing in bees</h2>



The team used the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technique to modify the dsx gene in select bees, attaching a QR code to the manipulated bees.



Cameras inside the hive monitored the bees' behavior, and with the assistance of artificial intelligence, video sequences were analyzed to determine individual behavioral patterns.



"Our central question was whether and how the inherited behavioral patterns changed as a result of the gene modification. Such changes must be reflected in the nervous system of the worker bees where the specific behaviour is controlled," said Dr. Sommer.



Adding a twist, the researchers introduced a green fluorescent protein (GFP) into the dsx sequence to visualize the neuronal circuits. 



They found that the dsx gene plays a crucial role in creating specific neural pathways in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-explores-the-basis-of-social-behavior-in-the-insect-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bee’s brain</a>, according to doctoral researcher Jana Seiler, who is also a co-author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-chapter-in-bee-behavior">New chapter in bee behavior </h2>



"Our findings indicate a fundamental genetic program that determines the neuronal circuitry and behavior of worker bees," said Dr. Wolfgang Rössler, an expert in the Department of Behavioural Physiology and Sociobiology at the University of Würzburg.



The next challenge is to move from the individual honeybee to the whole bee colony and understand how the gene influences the “superorganism.” 



"We hope to find the link between individual programming and the coordinated behaviour of many individuals," said Alina Sturm, a doctoral researcher at HHU.



Revealing the genetic secret behind the collective behavior of honey bees is more than just a scientific breakthrough. It’s a tribute to the remarkable complexity of nature and its infinite capacity for surprise. 



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



The discovery of a gene that influences honey bee behavior has implications beyond the study of bees.



Understanding how a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-single-gene-allows-cape-honey-bees-to-reproduce-asexually/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">single gene</a> can shape complex social dynamics could inspire innovations in fields such as robotics and artificial intelligence.



For example, roboticists often look to nature for insights into building more efficient, cooperative systems. The hive’s "superorganism" structure could serve as a model for developing autonomous swarm robots designed to work together toward a shared goal.



Additionally, the study of bee cooperation offers valuable insights for ecology and conservation. 



Honey bees play a critical role in pollination. Identifying the genetic foundations of their social behavior could lead to better strategies for supporting bee populations amid environmental threats.



By shedding light on the inner workings of the hive, this research adds a new dimension to preserving biodiversity and maintaining the stability of ecosystems that rely heavily on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-honey-bee-day-protecting-our-vital-pollinators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollinators</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp3953?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D91765132952246405812279585398434020131%7CMCORGID%3D242B6472541199F70A4C98A6%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1730680771" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Bees do not learn to be cooperative - it is in their genes

The cooperative behavior of bees, resembling a singular "superorganism," is something uniquely remarkable in the world of nature. It is not uncommon for thousands of worker bees to function collectively to protect the colony, feed it, and look after the offspring. This intricate social conduct unifies their individual actions into a concerted effort. But how is this complex behavior encoded and inherited among generations of honey bees? The answer lies in a special gene, as unveiled by a team of scientists. The research was led by experts...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/losing-status-votes-trump/">Trump administration</a> is moving to lift restrictions on sport hunting and trapping in national reserves. The proposed changes would make it legal to hunt black bears with dogs, shoot swimming caribou from boats, and kill wolves and pups in their dens.

Furthermore, hunters on some public lands in Alaska would be permitted to lure brown bears with food and use spotlights to shoot hibernating black bears and their cubs.

In 2015, these and other hunting methods were outlawed under President Obama. If passed, the new legislation will remove the hunting restrictions on 20 million acres of federally preserved land.

On Monday, the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/">National Park Service</a> (NPS) announced its intentions to move forward with the proposal in an effort to establish better consistency with state regulations.

Maria Gladziszewski is Alaska's deputy director of the Division of Wildlife Conservation. She told the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a> that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game was “pleased to see the National Park Service working to better align federal regulations with State of Alaska hunting and trapping regulations.”

Gladziszewski said that the proposal is “progress in that direction, and we appreciate those efforts. Alaskans benefit when state and federal regulations are consistent.” She explained that the state can currently only conduct predator control in national reserves with federal authorization.

Collette Adkins is a biologist at the <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/">Center for Biological Diversity</a>. “Cruel and harmful hunting methods like killing bear cubs and their mothers near dens have no place on our national preserves,” said Adkins.

The <a href="https://www.npca.org/">National Parks Conservation Association</a> (NPCA) is also opposed to the amendment, arguing that national preserves should be managed according to national park regulations.

Jim Adams is the regional director of NPCA Alaska.

“Hunting is allowed on national preserves. It's appropriate on national preserves,” Adams told <a href="http://www.ktuu.com/">KTUU-TV</a>. “But turning them into glorified game farms by reducing bear and wolf populations is not appropriate and it's not right.”

The public has 60 days to comment on the proposal, which can be done by using this <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NPS-2018-0005.">link</a> to regulations.gov.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Trump admin to lift restrictions on hunting bears and wolves

The Trump administration is moving to lift restrictions on sport...

When researchers study population declines, they often cite the vital importance of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/location-crucial-wildlife-conservation/">conservation</a>, management, and restoration efforts. 

But sometimes it can be difficult to grasp the full weight of just how many species are threatened, endangered, and even facing extinction when studies focus on one species or habitat at a time. 

According to the <a href="https://www.iucn.org/">International Union for the Conservation of Nature</a> (IUCN), nearly 80,000 plants and animals are endangered and are part of the IUCN’s Red List. 

Of those 80,000, almost a third could soon face extinction with 41 percent of amphibians, 34 percent of conifer trees, and 25 percent of mammals in jeopardy, according to a recent <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/conservationists-fight-save-animals-mass-extinction-looms-093541915.html">Agence France-Presse (AFP) article. </a>

These numbers are grim, but there are quite a few success stories that could serve as inspiration to help reverse further population declines. 

Conservationists have brought quite a few species back from the brink, thanks to captive breeding, tracking populations, and restoring habitats. 

The Mauritius kestrel, a falcon whose species was all but wiped in 1974, is now an example of one of the most successful bird restoration projects in history. Captive breeding and predator control has increased Mauritius kestrel numbers from four to four hundred. 

Another example of successful conservation can be found on Madagascar with the greater bamboo lemur. The species is still seriously threatened, but a national park was erected around the lemurs' natural habitat, protecting it from future declines. 

Conservationists can work to raise awareness of endangered or threatened species among a community, or work with policymakers and national leaders to reduce human activities near reduced habitats. 

“The sixth mass extinction is happening now,” said Craig Hilton-Taylor, the head of the Red List, told the AFP. “But these conservation achievements highlight that there is still reason to be hopeful for the future of our planet, and that conservation does work.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Conservation efforts have proven successful against great odds

When researchers study population declines, they often cite the vital...

Animals are constantly looking for two things: food and the opportunity to reproduce – and you could say the same about humans. We’re all just looking to survive and pass on our own genetic material to our offspring. But oftentimes when food is scarce, the search for reproductive opportunities becomes too risky. And when resources are limited and difficult to find, any reproductive efforts may be fruitless anyway. So when these situations arise, it’s usually in an animal’s best interests to not defend their territory or breed, and instead focus their efforts on surviving to the next breeding season. Biologists refer to individuals without a territory during breeding season as “floaters.”

Researchers from <a href="https://nau.edu/">Northern Arizona University</a> monitored a population of Willow Flycatchers for a five-year period. They marked each individual in the population with a uniquely colored leg band, and recorded their behavior during the breeding season. Some birds defended territories that contained their nests, while other birds – the “floaters” – moved around the population without protecting their territory or a nest.

During this study – published in <a href="http://www.americanornithology.org/content/auk-ornithological-advances">The Auk: Ornithological Advances</a> – a severe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drought-wildfires-pacific-northwest/">drought</a> occurred, which allowed the researchers to examine how the birds responded to changes in their environment. Their observations determined that there were one and a half times more floaters during the drought than during a year with average rainfall. Even more interesting, they found that the floaters were more likely to survive than individuals who attempted to nest.

When researchers compared how many chicks a bird had with their floater status the previous year, they found that territorial birds had more chicks than the floaters, but there was one exception. During the year immediately following the drought, former floaters produced more chicks. However, one thing to note is that the researchers did not check the DNA of the chicks during the study, and birds are known to breed with multiple individuals that are not their mate. It’s likely that floaters engaged in this behavior regularly, through which they have the benefit of passing on their genes without the cost of raising another chick.

“In normal years all birds try to breed, and those that don’t breed lose out in long-term reproductive success, but in extreme drought years, not breeding is actually the better strategy,” explains Tad Theimer, lead author of the paper. “But this strategy of patience assumes that next year will be better than this year. As climate change increases the frequency of these extreme environmental conditions, this assumption becomes less certain.”

This means that the birds’ response to changes in environmental conditions may ultimately be their downfall, were the climate to become less predictable as climate change marches on. It’s important for researchers to continue monitoring these animals’ behavior as their environment changes along with the climate.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Tad Theimer

Birds wait to reproduce in harsh environmental conditions

Animals are constantly looking for two things: food and the...

A new long term study has demonstrated how a seemingly harmless single invasive species can cause declines in biodiversity and alter entire ecosystems.

Eastern hemlock, a tree species native to North America, has been facing serious declines due to the hemlock woolly adelgid. The non-native insect hails from East Asia and feeds off the sap of hemlock trees.

The <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/0,5664,7-324-68002_71241-367635--,00.html">waxy secretions</a> of the pest decrease the growth of Hemlock trees and put a large amount of stress on older trees that can then easily succumb to drought or climate change. 

A new study, conducted by researchers from <a href="http://www.psu.edu/">Pennsylvania State University</a>, reveals how invasive adelgids are killing off trees and impacting bird populations that were specialized to the hemlock habitats. 

The research was published in the journal The Condor: Ornithological Applications and is one of the most thorough long-term studies examining how tree decline of a single species affects birds and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warming-climate-threatens-biodiversity/">biodiversity</a>. 

For the study, the researchers used surveys of Eastern hemlock forests conducted in 2000 before adelgids had caused any decline. Data from the surveys were then compared to new data from the same forests taken in 2015 and 2016. 

Native bird species were also considered and the researchers analyzed data showing how different bird populations were affected by the invasive pests. 

The researchers discovered that as the Eastern hemlocks declined, specific bird species that are particular to the area also declined and were replaced by other bird species normally found in more general hardwood forests. 

“Invasive species, climate change, and land-use change are all similar in that they make our world a less diverse place, and this study helps greatly in understanding how the loss of the eastern hemlock plays its own role in the degradation of biodiversity,” said Morgan Tingley, a professor from the <a href="https://uconn.edu/">University of Connecticut </a>who was not associated with the research. 

The study shows how damaging even just one invasive pest can be and how important conservation efforts are to manage and reduce invasive pests from non-native areas. 

“To sum up, to people who are saddened by the loss of hemlocks and the birds that rely on them, I would say one thing: We cannot turn back the clock--we cannot un-introduce the hemlock woolly adelgid; but we absolutely possess the power to prevent this story from repeating itself,” said Matthew Toenies, the study’s lead author. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Image Credit: D Williams

One invasive pest species can alter an entire ecosystem

A new long term study has demonstrated how a seemingly...

In the first study of its kind, researchers have measured the mass of all living organisms on Earth. They found that humans only make up about one ten-thousandth of life on the planet in terms of biomass.

The comprehensive analysis was focused on carbon content, which does not account for the water masses of organisms. The results indicate that the total global biomass is around 550 gigatons of carbon (Gt C).

Study lead author Ron Milo is a biologist at the <a href="https://www.weizmann.ac.il/pages/">Weizmann Institute of Science</a> in Israel. He explained that while the estimates are not exact, they give a sense of proportion.

According to the research, plants add up to more than 80 percent of the world's biomass, outweighing humans by 7,500 to one. Nearly 13 percent of the world's biomass is made up by bacteria, while fungi account for about two percent.

The researchers also discovered that wild <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-mammals-shrink-size/">mammals</a> are 10 times less prevalent than humans. Overall, humans have cut the number of wild animals by 85 percent.

Livestock such as cattle and pigs, on the other hand, are much more prevalent. In addition, poultry such as chicken and turkeys are three times as abundant as wild birds.

“When I do a puzzle with my daughters, there is usually an elephant next to a giraffe next to a rhino,” Milo told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk">The Guardian</a>. “But if I was trying to give them a more realistic sense of the world, it would be a cow next to a cow next to a cow and then a chicken.”

Wild animals are not the only group of organisms that have been substantially impacted by humans. The researchers found that human activities have cut the amount of plant biomass in half.

“Even though short in numbers, we have managed to throw a lot of sand in the air and mess up a lot of things,” said Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson.

“I would hope this gives people a perspective on the very dominant role that humanity now plays on Earth,” Milo told The Guardian. “It is definitely striking, our disproportionate place on Earth.”

The study is published in the <a href="http://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

Humans account for a very tiny percent of all life on Earth

In the first study of its kind, researchers have measured...

<div class="inside"></div>
Human activity may be causing cancer in the the animal kingdom. From smoking to obesity, to sunburns, and even the chemicals we use in soaps and shampoos, factors that increase the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/skin-cancer-cases-outdoor-workers/">cancer</a> vary from the most well-known to some of the most surprising.

But while scientists are working to understand the different ways in which humans develop cancers, a new report has examined the cancer risks that human activity is causing in the animal kingdom. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a> recently published a paper urging the scientific community to start studying cancer in animals to examine how humans are causing cancers in other species. 

The report was published in the journal Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution and underscores the importance of understanding how humans are changing the environment and raising the risk of cancer in animals. 

“We are changing the environment to be more suitable for ourselves, while these changes are having a negative impact on many species on many different levels, including the probability of developing cancer,” said Tuul Sepp, co-author of the paper. 

Tuul worked with Mathieu Giraudeau and identified many different ways that humans negatively impact wild habitats including polluting the oceans, treating crops with pesticides that have been shown to affect insects, and accidentally leaching chemicals and radiation into the environment.

The researchers state that with all we know about cancer in humans, cancer in wild populations has been largely ignored. 

“Cancer has been found in all species where scientists have looked for it and human activities are known to strongly influence cancer rate in humans,” said Giraudeau. “So, this human impact on wild environments might strongly influence the prevalence of cancer in wild populations with additional consequences on ecosystem functioning.” 

The stress of human activities on animal populations needs to be considered when measuring cancer in animals, according to the researchers. 

“The next step is definitely to go into the field and measure cancer rate in wild populations,” said Giraudeau. “We are now trying to develop some biomarkers to be able to study this. I think it would be interesting to measure cancer prevalence in wild animals in human-impacted environments and also in more preserved areas for the same species.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Sandra Leander

Human activity may be causing cancer in the the animal kingdom

Human activity may be causing cancer in the the animal...

In what the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a> refers to as “a modern-day Noah’s ark,” animals are being moved across Africa to restore local populations that have dramatically declined or disappeared altogether. One particular organization is, quite literally, breathing new life into the country's national parks. 

<a href="https://www.african-parks.org/">African Parks</a> was founded in 2000 in response to the degradation of protected wildlife areas, which the group suggests can be attributed to inadequate management and a lack of funding. The nonprofit organization currently manages 15 national parks and protected areas in nine countries, spanning over 40,000 square miles.

Malawi has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, due primarily to the rapid expansion of agriculture and human settlement. As a result, many species have been pushed out of their homes. Other species, such as elephants and lions, have been completely wiped out by poachers in some regions.


In collaboration with the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Department-of-National-Parks-Wildlife-420351424735202/">Department of National Parks and Wildlife</a> (DNPW), African Parks achieved the largest-ever translocation of elephants by 2017. Over 500 elephants and 1,500 other animals of various species were shipped in planes and trucks from Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve in southern Malawi to the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve in northern Malawi.

Peter Fearnhead is the CEO of African Parks, which is based out of Johannesburg. “We can use these thriving populations to seed other areas,” he told the Post, which is precisely what the group has been doing.

“When African Parks assumed management of Majete in 2003, all of the elephants had been hunted out,” noted the organization's website. 

“Today, after restocking the reserve, more than 400 live there and the area is thriving. In 2015, African Parks assumed management of Liwonde, which now has more than 575 elephants (since the 2016 translocation) and has high levels of human-wildlife conflict.” 

“The same year, we also assumed management of Nkhotakota, which once had more than 1,500 elephants but due to poaching fewer than 100 remained.”

Translocation is a type of human-assisted migration that can be applied to protected areas to reduce the risk of species extinction by broadening the range and numbers of endangered wildlife populations.

Transporting hundreds of elephants was not a simple maneuver. According to the Washington Post, the elephants were given a sedative 10,000 times as strong as morphine before being shipped across southern Africa.

The Washington Post also reports that African Parks now has a massive counter-poaching force, with hundreds of miles of fences, thorough camera surveillance networks, satellite collars for some of the animals, and around 1,000 rangers.

African Parks is currently working with the governments of South Africa and Chad to reintroduce black rhinos to Zakouma National Park in southern Chad. The group has also flown 20 black rhinos from South Africa to Rwanda.

“All too often, headlines on rhinos are about their demise as they teeter on the brink of extinction,” said Fearnhead. “However, today we are participating in an historic event and peering into a brighter future for this species which has persisted on this planet for millions of years.”

African Parks uses 100 percent of its donations for the protection of Africa's wildlife, and contributions can be made <a href="https://www.african-parks.org/donate">here</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

African Parks transports animals to boost endangered populations

In what the Washington Post refers to as “a modern-day...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diverse-tropical-species-amazon/">Amazon</a> is a natural haven for countless species, all of which intermingle and exist within a complex ecosystem that supports them. With so many species living in close proximity, it’s not surprising that some flocks of birds actually mix together, with dozens of species within the same flock. 

Researchers have wondered for decades why these mixed-species flocks exist, and why they are so stable. Now, new research from biologists at <a href="http://www.sfsu.edu/">San Francisco State University</a> may have just found a reason why these birds make up such diverse flocks.

Previously, scientists have thought that these mixed flocks exist because some of the members have calls that alert those around them to the presence of predatory threats.

“People have thought for a while that maybe these ‘sentinels’ promote the ability of other species to use risky parts of the forest,” says lead author Ari Martinez, a postdoctoral researcher at SF State. 

These other species that normally might not have ventured in to these parts of the forest – any would likely form flocks of their own – all of a sudden become a part of a diverse flock with the “sentinel” birds.

The researchers tested this theory by capturing alarm-calling dusky-throated antshrikes (Thamnomanes ardesiacus) from eight different mixed-species flocks in the forests of southeastern Peru. They kept each bird in an aviary for several days. When these birds were removed from the flocks, the other birds responded to the change within hours. Birds in three of the flocks retreated into denser cover in the same vertical level of the forest. In another flock, the members joined new flocks high up in the canopy. Within the researchers’ control flocks – where they captured antshrikes but released them immediately – the other birds tended to stay out in the open.

“These flocks occupy a middle layer of the rainforest that's not quite the ground and not quite the canopy," says coauthor Eliseo Parra, a lecturer and researcher at SF State. “A lot of literature suggests that this area is more dangerous. There are more opportunities for a predator to be hidden and still have a quick flight path.” So when the antshrikes were removed, the other members of the flock were more exposed to danger, and reacted accordingly. 

The researchers also noticed that when the antshrikes were removed, the other members of the mixed-species flocks spent less time within the bulk of the flock. “Some species would retreat to one habitat, and some individuals to another,” says Parra. “From an anecdotal perspective, you no longer saw a flock.”

While alarm-calling birds are not technically keystone species, this research shows that they do have a significant effect on their environment. While this impact isn’t one that occurs physically to the environment, they are able to influence the behavior of a number of other species by creating a safe zone from predators. The authors believe this makes them a valuable target for conservation efforts, and have published their findings in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19399170">Ecology</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Eliseo Parra

Amazonian neighborhood watch: birds lookout for mixed flocks

The Amazon is a natural haven for countless species, all...

Coyotes have expanded across North America, but when they migrated and where they came from has been heavily debated. Using museum specimens and fossil records, a team of experts has now produced an unprecedented range history of coyotes.

At a time when most other mammal species have been declining, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eastern-coyotes-wolves/">coyote</a> populations have exploded across much of North America since 1900. This expansion has been well-documented at a local and state level, but a thorough investigation was needed to get a continent-wide view of coyote distribution.

Study co-author Dr. Roland Kays is the head of the Biodiversity Lab at the <a href="http://naturalsciences.org/">North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences</a>.

“We began by mapping the original range of coyotes using archeological and fossil records," said Dr. Kays. “We then plotted their range expansion across North America from 1900 to 2016 using museum specimens, peer-reviewed reports, and game department records.” 

The team reviewed more than 12,500 records covering the past 10,000 years.

The investigation revealed that coyotes historically occupied a larger area of North America than what was previously realized. Fossils from the western region of the continent provided evidence that their geographic range was much broader for hundreds to thousands of years.

Around 1920, coyotes began their expansion across North America, which was likely due to the spread of farming, forest fragmentation, and hybridization with other species. 


Dr. Kays noted that coyotes are also expanding their range in Central America after crossing the Panama Canal in 2010. Coyotes have recently been spotted approaching the Darien Gap, a heavily forested region separating North and South America, suggesting that they will soon be more than just a North American species.

“The expansion of coyotes across the American continent offers an incredible experiment for assessing ecological questions about their roles as predators, and evolutionary questions related to their hybridization with dogs and wolves,” said study lead author James Hody.

“By collecting and mapping these museum data we were able to correct old misconceptions of their original range, and more precisely map and date their recent expansions.”

“We hope these maps will provide useful context for future research into the ecology and evolution of this incredibly adaptive carnivore."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://zookeys.pensoft.net/">ZooKeys</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why coyote populations have exploded across North America

Coyotes have expanded across North America, but when they migrated...

Researchers at the <a href="http://english.kiz.cas.cn/">Kunming Institute of Zoology</a> have identified five species of the Chinese giant salamander, and there is evidence to suggest that there could be more species not yet discovered. A second study has revealed that all Chinese giant salamanders are expected to disappear, and some of the five newly identified species may already be extinct in the wild.

“We were not surprised to discover more than one species, as an earlier study suggested, but the extent of diversity -perhaps up to eight species - uncovered by the analyses sat us back in our chairs,” said study co-author Jing Che. “This was not expected.”

The Chinese giant salamander is the largest amphibian in the world, weighing more than 140 pounds. The endangered creatures are protected by law in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/economic-benefits-climate-china/">China</a>, where they are considered a luxury food, and only the consumption of those bred in captivity is legal. However, farming cannot keep up with the demand, and poaching has become a major threat.

The researchers explained that farming giant salamanders and releasing them back into the wild without any regard for their genetic differences is putting the salamanders at an even greater risk. 

“The overexploitation of these incredible animals for human consumption has had a catastrophic effect on their numbers in the wild over an amazingly short time span,” said co-author Samuel Turvey. “Unless coordinated conservation measures are put in place as a matter of urgency, the future of the world's largest amphibian is in serious jeopardy.”

Che explained that salamander farms have sought to “maximize variation” by exchanging salamanders across long distances. As a result, distinct species have been mixed and wild populations may be at risk of becoming locally maladapted.

The experts found genetic evidence that giant salamanders living in different river systems gradually evolved into five distinct species. 

The second study revealed that populations of the giant salamanders, which were once widespread, have critically declined across all observed areas of their range. The researchers were unable to predict the survival of wild salamanders at any survey site.

“Conservation strategies for the Chinese giant salamander require urgent updating,” said Che. She said it is especially critical to reconsider the design of reserves to protect the salamanders.

“Together with addressing wider pressures such as poaching for commercial farms and habitat loss, it's essential that suitable safeguards are put in place to protect the unique genetic lineage of these amazing animals,” said study co-author Fang Yan.

The research is published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/about">Cell Press</a> in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Image Credit: Robert Murphy

Chinese giant salamanders are 5 different endangered species

Researchers at the Kunming Institute of Zoology have identified five...

Wasps sure know how to ruin a picnic. You’re sitting on top a grassy hill with the family, just laid out your red checkered blanket and opened up your wicker picnic basket, and all of a sudden you hear that dreaded sound – a buzzing that zooms past your ear and is headed right for your basket. Soon enough, that one buzz will be joined by many others, as an entire group of wasps crowds around the food you brought for your family. 

How do these fear-inducing insects know the minute you’ve laid out your picnic? It seems that scientists may have just found the answer.

Dr. Taylor, an assistant professor at <a href="https://www.laguardia.edu/home/Default.aspx">LaGuardia Community College</a> in New York, has found that wasps bang their stomachs to alert other wasps when there is food nearby. They can even use different types of drumming to inform their friends of the quality of food they’ve found.

“The behavior I studied is called gastral drumming,” explains Taylor. “When they produce this behavior they drum their gaster – which is essentially their abdomen. For nearly five decades, researchers thought it was a signal of hunger. What my team found was that they are somehow informing each other that there's good food nearby.”

Taylor studied a species of wasp known as the German yellowjacket. It’s a species well known to ruin picnics. In his research, he discovered that the worker wasps produce a variety of rhythmic sounds by tapping their gasters against different parts of the nest. He thinks this has the potential to be a sign of advanced social communication in the insect world.

“This is incredibly exciting,” Taylor says. “In the social insect world, we call this behavior ‘recruitment.’ For many years, many people believed wasps do not produce such a behavior. Our research showed they do.”

Although most of us would agree that we would have no problem if we never saw another <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parasite-wasp-hosts-head/">wasp</a> again, Taylor stresses that these insects are vital to fully functioning ecosystems. They usually sting us because they are attempting to defend themselves or their colony, and unless you’re allergic, it’s hardly life-threatening. Just know that next time you see a nearby wasp banging its stomach on its nest… hide your food.

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wasps communicate to each other when there’s food nearby

Wasps sure know how to ruin a picnic. You’re sitting...

It may sound suspicious, but a new study has revealed that dogs actually benefit from being born during the springtime.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.upenn.edu/">University of Pennsylvania</a> and the <a href="https://www.ofa.org/">Orthopedic Foundation for Animals </a>conducted a study to examine whether the birth month of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/puppy-cuteness-peaks/">canines</a> has anything to do with its health or well-being.

According to the researchers, canine hearts can serve as excellent models for the human heart, and understanding risk factors impacting cardiovascular health for both humans and dogs can help scientists pinpoint the underlying mechanisms at work. 

The results were published in the journal Scientific Reports and show that pups born during the spring have a decreased risk of heart disease, much like wolves who only give birth during the spring. 

For the study, the researchers collected information on 130,000 dogs split into 253 different breeds from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. 

The researchers recorded information like the date of birth, fur color, and sex and compiled a detailed dataset of dogs and corresponding cardiovascular issues. 

An algorithm was applied to the data and the researchers found that dogs born in April and May had the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Puppies born in July and August had the highest risk of heart problems and were 44 percent more likely to suffer from heart disease than those born in spring. 

One of the reasons for this disparity may be early exposure to air pollution depending on the time of year. 

Birth month associations have also been documented in humans as studies have found that people born in the Northern Hemisphere during January or April have the highest risk of coronary heart disease due to exposure to sunlight, pollution, or the flu virus. 

Early exposure to air pollution appears to be a leading factor in cardiovascular disease risk, and the results of this latest canine study could aid in future research on how birth month can impact health.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The time of year a dog is born can impact their future health

It may sound suspicious, but a new study has revealed...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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