An artificial intelligence (AI) tool has been developed to predict the habitat of endangered whales, helping to reduce deadly ship strikes and promote responsible ocean development. The tool was designed by researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.



By analyzing vast datasets, the AI model improves existing monitoring techniques, offering a more precise way to track the movements of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.



This species has been listed as endangered under the <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/laws-policies/endangered-species-act" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Endangered Species Act</a> since 1970. Currently, the whales have an estimated population of only 370 individuals, including around 70 reproductively active females, according to the <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/north-atlantic-right-whale" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-whale-movements-with-ai">Mapping whale movements with AI</h2>



The project was led by Ahmed Aziz Ezzat, an assistant professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at <a href="https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rutgers</a>’ School of Engineering.&nbsp;



Ezzat collaborated with Josh Kohut, a Rutgers professor of marine sciences, and doctoral student Jiaxiang Ji, who is the study’s first author.



Professor Kohut likened the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-helps-humans-have-20-minute-conversation-with-humpback-whale-named-twain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI</a> model’s function to tracking human movement patterns in a household, where factors like food in the kitchen or a television in the den influence where people gather at specific times.



“With this program, we’re correlating the position of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-whales-use-songs-to-hide-from-predators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">whale</a> in the ocean with environmental conditions,” Kohut explained. “This allows us to become much more informed on decision making about where the whales might be.”



“We can predict the time and location that represents a higher probability for whales to be around. This will enable us to implement different mitigation strategies to protect them.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-valuable-tools-for-the-blue-economy">Valuable tools for the blue economy</h2>



The researchers initially aimed to create high-resolution habitat models to support <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/offshore-wind-farms-threaten-electric-sensitive-sharks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">offshore wind farm</a> development. However, their findings have broader implications, prompting them to publicly share additional details as part of their study.



“These tools are valuable and would solidly benefit anyone engaged in the blue economy - including fishing, shipping and developing alternative forms of energy sustainably,” said Ezzat.&nbsp;



“This approach can support a wise and environmentally responsible use of these waters so that we achieve our economic objectives, and at the same time make sure that we cause minimal to no harm to the environmental habitat of these creatures.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-ai-enhances-whale-tracking">How AI enhances whale tracking</h2>



Unlike traditional programs that operate on fixed instructions, the machine-learning model used in this study analyzed massive datasets to detect patterns and refine its predictions over time.



“The outcome of the machine-learning model is basically a prediction of where and when you will have a higher likelihood of encountering a marine mammal,” Ezzat said, describing it as a “probability map.”



The model integrated data from the <a href="https://rucool.marine.rutgers.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership</a>, which has been gathering whale detection and oceanographic data since 1992. The analysis also incorporated satellite data from the <a href="https://www.udel.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Delaware</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-leveraging-ocean-data-for-conservation">Leveraging ocean data for conservation</h2>



To build an accurate predictive tool, the researchers used two primary sources of oceanographic data: autonomous underwater gliders and satellite-based measurements.



Underwater gliders, torpedo-shaped robotic vessels, collect real-time information on seawater temperature, salinity, currents, and chlorophyll levels. They also use sonar to assess fish populations and record whale vocalizations, allowing researchers to pinpoint their locations.



Meanwhile, satellite data provides broader environmental context, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-are-substantially-changing-the-seasons-of-the-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea surface temperature</a>, water color, and oceanic fronts—factors that influence whale distribution.



“We’ve had the data but, until now, we’ve not been able to put the two sets – those detections of where the whales are, and what the environment is like at those places - together,” Kohut said. “This is a demonstration of the power of employing AI methodologies to advance our ability to predict or estimate where these whales are.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-whales-with-ai">Protecting whales with AI</h2>



By harnessing AI to integrate decades of environmental and whale tracking data, the Rutgers team has developed a powerful tool to improve conservation efforts, mitigate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-new-approach-to-protecting-whales-from-ship-strikes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ship collisions</a>, and support sustainable ocean development.&nbsp;



As human activities increasingly intersect with marine ecosystems, this AI-driven approach provides a critical step toward protecting North Atlantic right whales and ensuring responsible management of ocean resources.



The study was published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80084-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Scientific Reports</a>.



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AI predicts whale movements to reduce deadly ship strikes

An artificial intelligence (AI) tool has been developed to predict the habitat of endangered whales, helping to reduce deadly ship strikes and promote responsible ocean development. The tool was designed by researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. By analyzing vast datasets, the AI model improves existing monitoring techniques, offering a more precise way to track the movements of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. This species has been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1970. Currently, the whales have an estimated population of only...

Arrival of European dogs almost wiped out ancient American dogs. Many popular dog breeds today like pugs, chihuahuas, and labradors can be traced back Eurasian breeds, but the dogs that were native to the Americas were completely wiped out with the arrival of Europeans in the 15th century. 

Now, the only remaining lineage of ancient dogs native to North America is a transmissible cancer, according to a new archeological study. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a>, the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>, <a href="https://qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University</a>, and <a href="https://www.dur.ac.uk/">Durham University</a> studied American ancient dog remains and discovered that only living relative of the dogs is the cancer. 

The results were published in the journal Science and shed light on how some diseases and cancer genomes can evolve and spread even if their roots have long since gone. 

For the study, the researchers analyzed genetic information from 71 archeological canine remains from North America and Siberia. 

The researchers were able to show that the native American dogs arrived with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-migration-different-route/">earliest human migrations</a> to North and South America 10,000 years ago. 

Early native dogs were not like the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/domesticated-dogs-lost-pack-mentality/">dogs</a> we see today and the researchers found that the genetic information of the remains was different from any other dog elsewhere in the world. 

The dogs did not descend from North American wolves but rather from Siberia. 

“Archaeological evidence has long suggested that ancient dogs had a dynamic history in the Americas, but the fate of these pre-contact dogs and their relationship to modern American dog populations was largely unknown,” said Angela Perri, a co-first author of the study. “Our study confirms that they likely originated in Siberia, crossing the Bering Strait during initial human migrations."

After comparing modern and ancient canine genomes, the researchers were able to determine that the native American dogs disappeared when the first Europeans arrived 

“This study demonstrates that the history of humans is mirrored in our domestic animals,” said Greger Larson, the study’s senior author. “People in Europe and the Americas were genetically distinct, and so were their dogs. And just as indigenous people in the Americas were displaced by European colonists, the same is true of their dogs.”

Even though native or “pre-contact” dogs were quickly wiped out, their genome closely matches a kind of venereal disease that causes canine transmissible venereal tumors (CTVT). 

CTVT originated in one dog that lived several thousand years ago and the researchers discovered that the first “CTVT founder dog” was a close relative of early American dogs and that the cancer is still spread through breeds today. 

The researchers were surprised to find that the only link to pre-contact dogs today is a cancer caused by venereal disease, but the study adds to archaeology's understanding of early human migrations, the impacts of Europeans settling in America, and canine history. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Arrival of European dogs almost wiped out ancient American dogs

Arrival of European dogs almost wiped out ancient American dogs....

Researchers have found that air movement is not needed to catapult <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flying-spiders-assess-weather-conditions/">spiders</a> over hundreds of miles through the air. While it was previously believed that this ballooning behavior was promoted by the force of wind, new research has determined that electrical fields can not only cause ballooning, but can also provide lift without the influence of air movement.

“We don't yet know whether electric fields are required to allow spider ballooning,” said study author Erica Morley from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>. “We do, however, know that they are sufficient.”


The idea that atmospheric electric fields could play a role in spider ballooning actually dates back to the 1800s, but the theory has never been tested.

Morley explained that an electric circuit between the Earth and the ionosphere that is maintained by thunderstorms, known as the atmospheric potential gradient (APG), is ever-present around the world. However, the strength of the APG varies greatly between a stormy day or a calm day with clear skies.

The team investigated using trials that were focused on Linyphiid spiders in the absence of air movement. 

The study revealed that there was a significant increase in ballooning when electric fields were switched on, confirming that spiders adjusted their behavior when they detected APG-like electric fields and responded by ballooning.

Once they were airborne, switching the electric field on and off led the spiders to move upward or downward. In addition, sensory hairs called trichobothria on the surface of the spiders' exoskeletons were found to move in response to electric fields. 


Among spiders, there are days when thousands of them are lifted into the air in a mass ballooning event, while other days no spiders are involved in ballooning. The researchers explained that these ballooning patterns are difficult to predict.


Variation in the APG might help to shed new light on this type of behavior in spiders and also in other ballooning animals such as caterpillars and mites, according to the study authors.

The research is published in 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: Michael Hutchinson

Electricity helps spiders balloon through the air

Researchers have found that air movement is not needed to...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a> has investigated what caused the extinction of brown bears in Britain. The analysis was also focused on determining when the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brown-bears-communicate-feet/">bears</a> went extinct and whether remains that have been found belong to native or imported bears.

“The brown bear was Britain's largest carnivore, yet we know surprisingly little about its history, both as a wild animal and in its relation to humans,” said study author Dr. Hannah O'Regan.

“There has never been a comprehensive review of the evidence of brown bears in Britain, and I believe what we are looking at could show that they were sadly killed off earlier than we previously thought.”

Dr. O'Regan analyzed the remains of brown bears, the sites where they were found, and the dating evidence to establish the origin of the bears and also to estimate when they vanished.

The study revealed that the bears became extinct in the late Neolithic or Bronze Age or in the early medieval period.

“Most of the remains that have been discovered from the Iron Age and Anglo-Saxon (early medieval) periods relate to skins that were included in burials,” said Dr O'Regan.

“Whilst there were live animals present during the Roman, medieval and post-medieval periods (when they were used for entertainment), these were most certainly imported, rather than native animals.”


It is particularly difficult to track the origin and movement of brown bears because both the live animals and their fur were traded for many years across long distances.

The remains of bears found in Britain range from full skeletons to isolated toes or claws, and the recovery sites range from caves to human cremations.

“At present the question of when and why the brown bear became extinct is impossible to answer, as there is still much that we don't know about its distribution,” said Dr O'Regan. “There are 57 sites across Britain where clear dates have been determined, but there are an additional 25 that are thought to be Holocene, but have no further information.”

“There is also a gap in radiocarbon dates of some 4,000 years from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age. Some of this gap is filled with specimens from archaeological sites, but further research is needed to establish bear distribution in the past."

“Whilst we can speculate on when the bear became extinct based on existing evidence, more research, particularly on the many undated specimens from caves and fens is needed before a clearer patterns of where brown bear distribution and extinction in Britain emerges.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652907">Mammal Review</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why did brown bears go extinct in Britain?

A new study from the University of Nottingham has investigated...

New research has created family trees for Northern Spotted owl populations to examine the extent of inbreeding among the species and its effect on health, reproduction, and adaptability. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/centers/fresc">United States Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center</a> and published in the journal The Auk: Ornithological Advances. 

The researchers surveyed 14,200 Northern Snow Owls over 30 years and used different field statistical methods to create family trees for owls living in California, Oregon, and Washington.

Understanding the prevalence of inbreeding in species is important as inbreeding can increase species decline, cause birth defects, decrease healthy reproduction, and reduce rates of adaptability. 

All of these impacts were observed in the populations that the researchers monitored, and the results show that conservation efforts must address owl breeding as well as habitat preservation. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-work-increase-genetic-diversity-yellowstone-bison/">Genetic diversity</a> is key to a thriving family tree in any species and the researchers say that in order to prevent future population declines, increases in genetic diversity among snowy owls are a must. 

The researchers were able to estimate how often inbreeding occurs for the different Northern Snowy Owl populations and identified 14 types of mating pairs involving relatives. Half and full siblings were the most common pairings observed. 

Inbreeding occurs frequently among Northern Snowy Owls in the Washington Cascades and the researchers discovered that around 15 percent of individuals are inbred. 

In Northern California, inbreeding was at the lowest and only approximately 2.7 owls were inbred. 

One reason for this inconsistency with inbreeding in different states is the range of threats facing populations across habitats. Habitat loss and competition may be worse in some states than others which also shows how important it is to focus conservation efforts on breeding.

“Long-term studies, similar to the one described in this paper, are key to understanding how common or rare inbreeding is in natural populations,” said Mark Miller, the lead author of the study. “An understanding of the extent of inbreeding can help resource managers better identify appropriate measures to conserve threatened and endangered species.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Alan Dyck

Inbreeding of Northern Spotted Owls driving population declines

New research has created family trees for Northern Spotted owl...

A recent study has found that wolves are flourishing in the human-free Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). According to the investigators, the region is no safer for animals, yet some are thriving in the absence of humans.

The study reveals that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-hunting-bears-wolves/">wolves</a> have quickly repopulated the contaminated zone since the nuclear disaster of 1986. With no threat of being hunted by humans, the wolves can enjoy an abundance of prey across the region that has been recovering for the past 30 years.

In 2015, a young male wolf was tracked at a distance of over 220 miles from his home, which is the farthest-known distance of any animal trekking out of the polluted site. 

The researchers put tracking devices on 14 grey wolves in the CEZ. While 13 adult wolves stayed close to home, the single juvenile set out on a journey. The young wolf was already 186 miles outside of the Exclusion Zone when his GPS collar stopped working.


Scientists believe that this could be indicative that the CEZ serves as a type of wildlife refuge, and future research will be focused on the migration of other animals outside of the zone. 

These studies may provide insight into how the fallout zone has impacted wildlife and will also inform experts on any potential genetic mutations that may spread into outside populations.

“It is worth exploring how the CEZ may serve as a source for some wildlife populations rather than a sink as has been previously suggested,” wrote the study authors.

“Considering the high population density of wolves specifically relative to neighboring uncontaminated reserves (up to seven  times greater), it is appropriate to speculate that wolves born in the CEZ regularly disperse into surrounding populations.”


Study co-author Michael Byrne from the <a href="https://missouri.edu/">University of Missouri at Columbia</a> told <a href="https://www.livescience.com/">Live Science</a>: “Instead of being an ecological black hole, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone might actually act as a source of wildlife to help other populations in the region.”

“And these findings might not just apply to wolves - it's reasonable to assume similar things are happening with other animals as well.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.springer.com/life+sciences/animal+sciences/journal/10344">European Journal of Wildlife Research</a>

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

With no humans in radioactive Chernobyl, wolves are in charge

A recent study has found that wolves are flourishing in...

Domesticated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-domesticated-america-10000-years/">dogs</a> have lost their ability to quickly settle disagreements and reconcile, unlike the pack mentality exhibited by wolves. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.vetmeduni.ac.at/en/">University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna</a> recently conducted a study comparing wolves in captivity to rescue dogs at a shelter. 

The study was published in the Royal Society Open Science Journal. 

The researchers set out to see how wolf packs and wolf behavior differed after a fight compared to the shelter dogs who were domesticated. 

The ability to quickly resolve a fight is an important skill for many social species who congregate in groups, packs, and herds. 

However, domesticated dogs seem to have lost their “pack mentality,” and according to a report from the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5915625/Why-dogs-kiss-make-Researchers-lost-pack-mentality-wolves.html">Daily Mail</a>, this makes it more difficult to resolve fights as well as wolves do. 

“Highly cooperative social species are expected to engage in frequent reconciliation following conflicts in order to maintain pack cohesiveness and preserve future cooperation,” the researchers said.

The team observed four captive wolf packs and rescue dogs at a shelter. The wolves got into fights often with each other, almost once an hour, but quickly made up within ten minutes. 

For the shelter dogs, the researchers observed that the dogs fought less but when they did the dogs were more aggressive and violent and did not reconcile after. 

Less than one in five fights were quickly resolved with the shelter dogs. 

Wolf packs require co-operation and so fighting and resolutions are necessary for keeping the peace and the researchers say this could explain why domesticated dogs are unable to efficiently resolve conflicts. 

“We provide evidence for reconciliation in captive wolves, which are highly dependent on cooperation between pack members, while domestic dogs, which rely on conspecific cooperation less than wolves, avoided interacting with their partners after conflicts,” the researchers concluded. “Our results are in line with previous findings on various wolf packs living under different social and ecological conditions, suggesting that reconciliation is an important strategy for maintaining functional relationships and pack cohesiveness.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why dogs can't forgive and forget with each other

Domesticated dogs have lost their ability to quickly settle disagreements...

For the average person, it’s usually hard to tell the difference between crows and ravens. Although, for the avid aviary observer, this distinction is likely as plain as the beaks on their faces. And for the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crows-build-tools-memory/">crows</a> and ravens themselves, their differences are the source of significant aggression between the two species where their territories overlap. But who is the instigator of these aggressive interactions between the two species? A new study in <a href="http://www.americanornithology.org/content/auk-ornithological-advances">The Auk: Ornithological Advances</a> uses citizen science data to find the answer.

Researchers from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> used more than 2,000 publicly collected and submitted observations from around North America to assess the interspecies aggression between crows (American and Northwestern) and Common Ravens. Results showed that both species of crows were almost exclusively the instigators in aggressive interactions with ravens, no matter where the interaction was documented in North America – about 97% of the time, crows struck first.

Observations determined that crows’ aggression was most frequent during the breeding season, which is believed to be due to nest predation by ravens. Aggression during the winter is likely explained by crows attempting to deter nest predation preemptively, while also defending the resources they would need for nesting later during breeding season. It was also observed that crows mostly attacked in small groups, avoiding one-on-one fights with ravens. 

All of the observations used in this study were from citizen scientists, which shows how useful this depot of data can be for such large-scale studies.

“There are two take-home messages. First, we show that bigger birds do not always dominate smaller birds in aggressive interactions, and that social behavior may allow smaller birds to chase off larger birds,” explains Ben Freeman of Cornell University. “Second, this is a case example of the power of citizen science. It would be next to impossible for even the most dedicated researcher to gather this data across North America. But because there are thousands of people with expertise in bird identification and an interest in bird behavior, we can use data from eBird to study behavioral interactions on a continental scale.”

This study serves as a look into the interspecies dynamics between crows and ravens, while also being a shining example of how citizen science data can assist in studies over large geographic areas that would normally be impossible for researchers to cover.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Phillip Krzeminski

In crow-raven conflict, crows are almost always the aggressor

For the average person, it’s usually hard to tell the...

Velvet ants may be invulnerable to attacks thanks to a trifecta of defense mechanisms that allows them to walk freely along the ground without fear of predators. 

A new study tried pitting potential predators against female velvet ants to see if any would be able to eat the ants, and the trials showed that the ants were no match for any of the other animals. Even from some lizards who are accustomed to eating difficult insect prey. 

Velvet ants belong to the family Mutillidae and are technically <a href="https://www.earth.com/?s=wasps">wasps</a>. The large hairy female velvet ants don’t have wings which is typical of females in the Mutillidae group and so to any casual observer they look like ants. 

The velvet ants have a series of defense mechanisms that ward away predators including a painful sting that, according to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5902541/Velvet-ants-basically-invincible-sting-painful-theyre-called-cow-killers.html">Daily Mail</a>, has earned the nickname “cow killer.” 

A tough outer skeleton that can’t be pierced and foul-smelling chemical excretions also work to prevent attacks. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.hanover.edu/">Hanover College</a> set out to see if predators that eat insect prey would be able to handle the wasps and conducted a new study using a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lizards-toxic-lime-green-blood/">lizard</a>, shrew, mole, and American toad. 

Even though a few of the test predators attempted to attack or eat the ant, none of the animals succeeded except for the toad who then immediately stopped breathing shortly and refused any further ants. 

It appeared that one encounter with the ant was enough to keep the predators away. When the shrews tried to eat the velvet ants, its smelly excretions were enough to keep the shrews uninterested. 

“The research shows how a suite of defenses is almost always stronger than a single defense, even a single defense that is exceedingly powerful,” Justin Schmidt, an entomologist at the University of Arizona who was not involved in this study, told the Daily Mail. 

In the study, a mole that tried to the eat the wasp was stung and according to the researchers started thrashing about. 

Brian Gall, a member of the Hanover research team told <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2172959-female-velvet-ants-are-so-scary-no-other-animal-dares-eat-them/">New Scientist</a> that the velvet ants defenses evolved to match their hunting patterns. 

Gall also explained that the ant walks on the ground and is visible during the day so a series of impenetrable defense mechanisms is crucial for the insect’s survival. 

In the velvet ant’s case, its defenses are so effective that it appears no predators are able to surpass them. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Velvet ants are essentially invincible due to effective defenses

Velvet ants may be invulnerable to attacks thanks to a...

Natural disasters are set to become even more inevitable as the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-risk-natural-disasters-doubled/">climate change</a> become more severe. While we prepare our homes, families, businesses and even pets for natural disasters, zoo animals should also be a priority when planning for the worst.

Zoo animals are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. They are, after all, left in enclosures that are designed to prevent them from escaping. If these animals do escape out of their enclosures, they pose a public health risk as zoo animals are wild and often powerful creatures.

In June of this year, a bear escaped its enclosure after a German zoo experienced a flood. The high waters put pressure on the bear’s enclosure, breaking it. The bear was shot dead.

Thankfully, only the bear died as a result of the flooding, but there were originally fears that multiple big cats had escaped and citizens were told to stay indoors to avoid the animals. The big cats were later found in their enclosures.

Natural disasters can also pose an indirect threat to zoo animals. For example, some animals rely on fresh shipments of food everyday to survive. Others need electricity and running water. After Hurricane Katrina, most of the fish in the New Orleans Aquarium died because the facility lost power and the staff members evacuated the area.

Incidents such as these are why the<a href="https://www.aza.org/"> Association of Zoos and Aquariums</a> requires all of the animal care facilities they represent to practice an annual disaster preparedness drill annually in order to stay accredited.

The AZA even recently created the<a href="https://www.aza.org/zahp"> Zoo and Aquarium All Hazards Preparedness Response, and Recover Fusion Center</a> which connects the emergency management and wildlife sector. The center is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and advances its five mission areas: prevention, protection, mitigation, response and recovery.

While the center works to create trainings and resources for zoos to handle natural disasters, zoos sometimes have to make judgment calls based on the weather conditions right ahead of an event.

It may seem cruel to leave the animals at the zoos during a natural disaster instead of relocating them, but zoos have argued that leaving the animals in place can be less traumatic. When Hurricane Irma struck Florida last year, Zoo Miami decided to keep their animals at the zoo.

“We don't evacuate our animals since hurricanes can change direction at the last minute and you run the risk of evacuating to a more dangerous location. Furthermore, the stress of moving the animals can be more dangerous than riding out the storm,” Zoo Miami said on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/zoomiami/posts/1510738168948481">social media</a>. 

The zoo moved 3,000 animals to secure bunkers before the storm. In the end, multiple fish, a flamingo and a few other birds died from the storm.

It is hard to say whether less animals would have died if they were evacuated from the zoo completely. There is likely not always a safe place to secure over 3,000 wild and exotic animals right ahead of a severe storm. Additionally, many of the animals, such as the elephants who live at Zoo Miami, are very difficult to load and transfer.

Disaster preparedness plans can be made more difficult for zoos who house threatened and endangered species. While the zoo should protect all animals, these at-risk species should take priority.

The German zoo which had experienced a recent flood originally could not find their two tigers and authorities were on the search for these animals. Tigers are endangered and their populations are rapidly decreasing in the wild. It would be a huge tragedy for a healthy animal to die in captivity simply because proper planning was not put in place.

AZA-accredited zoos and the emergency management sector are taking positive steps forward to plan for disasters before they strike. Unfortunately, there are many backyard zoos in the United States who are not accredited and may not have any plans in place to prepare for the worst. The fate of the animals living in these zoos is unknown.

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne,</a> <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

What happens to zoo animals during a natural disaster?

Natural disasters are set to become even more inevitable as...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.sfn.org/">Society for Neuroscience</a> suggests that humans and birds process visual details in a much more similar way than what was previously realized. 

The ability to distinguish an object from its background is critical for species such as humans that rely heavily on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-vision-favors-social-signals/">eyesight</a> for their survival. 

Humans group different parts of a setting into “perceptual wholes” based on the similarity of their motion. This type of perceptual organization has been primarily studied in primates, which led scientists to wonder if such visual grouping is a key element of most visual systems.

The research team, led by neurophysiology expert Yoram Gutfreund, set out to investigate by analyzing the behavior of barn owls as they tracked dark dots against the gray background of a computer screen.

“In humans, motion homogeneity provides a strong cue for grouping, yet, it is unknown to what extent this occurs in non-primate species,” wrote the researchers. “To explore this question, we studied the effects of visual motion homogeneity in barn owls of both genders, at the behavioral as well as the neural level.”

A wireless “Owl-Cam” monitored the visual search behavior of the owls in one trial, and the neural activity in the main visual processor of non-mammalian vertebrates - the optic tectum - was monitored in another trial.

The experts found evidence of perceptual grouping among the barn owls, which indicates that this ability evolved and was conserved before the development of the human neocortex.

“The novel findings of these visual effects in an avian species, which lacks neocortical structure, suggest that our basic visual perception shares more universal principles across species than presently thought, and shed light on possible brain mechanisms for perceptual grouping,” wrote the study authors.

The research is published in the <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/">Journal of Neuroscience</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Owls and humans utilize the same visual processing strategy

A new study from the Society for Neuroscience suggests that...

A new study led by <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> (WSU) has identified the underlying mechanism that drives short or long wing development in the brown planthopper, one of the most destructive rice pests in the world. The experts have discovered that the quality of the host plant is responsible for wing growth and migratory behavior among these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chemical-attacks-from-parasites-have-big-impacts-on-insects/">insects</a>.


According to WSU Professor Laura Lavine, wing size determines whether the planthoppers feed locally or migrate over long distances to reach new rice plants.

“It's all about the amount of glucose, or sugar, in the plant,” said Lavine. “Rice plants with higher glucose levels are older and dying. That increase in glucose causes adolescent brown planthoppers to develop into the long-winged adults. The plant really is telling the insect how to grow.”


There is a shift in the ratio of sugars to amino acids over the course of a rice plant’s  life. Young rice plants are ideal for feeding insects because they have relatively low glucose levels and provide plenty of nutrition. With no need to seek out additional food sources, the brown planthoppers grow short wings and the females grow large ovaries.

On the other hand, planthoppers that feed on aging plants are exposed to rising levels of glucose. They must prepare to migrate, developing long wings and smaller ovaries.

“It's a one-time decision,” said Lavine. “If the decision to stay and reproduce or migrate and fly away is incorrect, the brown planthopper is in trouble. Grow short wings when long wings are needed to move away and they die. Grow long wings when they could manage with short wings and they're leaving a healthy food source and have to needlessly search for another home.”


Levine explained that the insects cannot change their body structure once they reach adulthood. The researchers hope that the findings of this study will lead to the development of a technique to manipulate planthoppers to grow long wings.

“The results of this study will hopefully allow scientists a new way to figure out how to trick the brown planthopper into developing into the wrong form so that they die before they become pests,” said Lavine.

The researchers were surprised to find that glucose was the sole factor driving wing growth among brown planthoppers.

“It has been difficult to isolate environmental signals that influence insect morphology and behavior,” said Lavine. “But it's not for the brown planthopper. The plant's glucose level is the signal on whether they stay or go.”


The study is published in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Xinda Lin, <a href="http://english.cjlu.edu.cn/">Jiliang University</a>

Destructive insects grow wings after cues from their host plant

A new study led by Washington State University (WSU) has...

A team of 54 scientists from 29 different institutions across seven countries has just made a major scientific breakthrough, sequencing the entire <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-likely-to-turn-up-heat-on-koalas/">koala</a> genome. The Australian led research team published their findings in <a href="https://www.nature.com/ng/">Nature Genetics</a>, outlining the most complete marsupial genome ever sequenced. It is believed that this new, highly accurate genomic data will provide scientists with information that could help with conservation efforts, aid in the treatment of diseases, and prolong the survival of this species.

“The Koala Genome Consortium has been an ambitious journey affording us great insights into the genetic building blocks that make up a koala - one of Australia’s, as well as the world’s, most charismatic and iconic mammals,” says Rebecca Johnson, director of the <a href="https://australianmuseum.net.au/amri">Australian Museum Research Institute</a>. “This milestone has come from our vision to use genomics to conserve this species. The genetic blueprint has not only unearthed a wealth of data regarding the koalas unusual and highly specialized diet of eucalyptus leaves, but also provides important insights into their immune system, population diversity and the evolution of koalas.”

The research group sequenced over 3.4 billion base pairs and more than 26,000 genes within the koala genome – significantly more than are present in the human genome. “The genome enables a holistic and scientifically grounded approach to koala conservation,” says Johnson. “Australia has the highest mammal extinction record of any country during the Anthropocene. Koala numbers have plummeted in northern parts of its range since European settlement, but have increased in some southern parts, notably in Victoria and South Australia.”

Notably, researchers from the <a href="http://www.earlham.ac.uk/">Earlham Institute</a> in the UK identified that koalas have two large expansions in a gene family known to be integral to detoxification – the Cytochrome P450 gene family of metabolic enzymes. The expression of these genes in many koala tissues – particularly in the liver – indicate they have an important role in detoxification, likely allowing this species to become dietary specialists. “This probably helped them to find their niche to survive, as they could rely on a food source that would have less competition from other species who were not able to detoxify as effectively,” explains Johnson.

Another discovery was the characterization of the composition of koala milk. All marsupials do the majority of their development in the mother’s pouch, and koalas are no different. They are born without an immune system after 34-36 days of gestation, and spend about six months developing in the pouch. “We characterized the main components of the mothers’ milk - which is crucial for koala joeys - born the size of a kidney bean and weighing half of one gram,” says Katherine Belov of the <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a>. “We identified genes that allow the koala to fine tune milk protein composition across the stages of lactation, to meet the changing needs of their young.”

Using the genome, the team discovered and analyzed koala-specific milk proteins that are necessary for various stages of koala development. They also determined these proteins may have an antimicrobial role, as they showed activity across a range of bacterial and fungal species, including one that is known to cause ocular and reproductive disease in koalas. Chlamydia has severely impacted koala populations in Australia, causing both infertility and blindness. Scientists hope to use this new information to develop a vaccine to fight this disease.

The koala is an internationally recognized species, and quite important to the ecosystems in which the species exists. This new research can help aid the survival of these marsupials, as well as the continued health of their habitats. 

“Our next efforts must be in the application of these findings to genetically manage koala populations, advance the treatment of the diseases affecting koalas, with the goal of conserving this very important species,” concludes Johnson.

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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

Koala genome sequencing will help survival rates for the species

A team of 54 scientists from 29 different institutions across...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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