Urban coyotes are thriving in cities, but not for the reasons one might expect. A recent study reveals that human-related factors, rather than access to natural habitats, have a stronger impact on their survival.&nbsp;



Researchers tracking coyotes in Chicago discovered that densely populated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-living-causes-chronic-stress-for-some-coyotes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human areas</a> are linked to longer coyote lifespans, overturning the conventional belief that wildlife fares better in more natural settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-presence-plays-a-surprising-role">Human presence plays a surprising role</h2>



“What we found was really interesting, in that the societal characteristics seem to play a much more important role in predicting coyote survival time than the environmental characteristics,” said Emily Zepeda, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral scholar at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ohio State University</a>.&nbsp;



“And then we found this positive effect of human population density on survival time. Both of those things are unexpected because we usually associate human activity with detrimental effects on wildlife.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-urban-coyote-research-project">The Urban Coyote Research Project</h2>



The study, recently published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11252-024-01643-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Urban Ecosystems</a>, stems from the Urban Coyote Research Project, a long-term study of coyote ecology in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.&nbsp;



This research, led by wildlife ecologist Stan Gehrt, has monitored the behavior and ecology of Chicago’s estimated 4,000 coyotes, offering rare insights into how they adapt to urban life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-coyote-survival">Tracking coyote survival</h2>



For this study, researchers analyzed movement data from 214 coyotes tracked between 2013 and 2021. Using the length of time each coyote was monitored as a proxy for survival, they evaluated societal and environmental factors such as neighborhood income, human density, road density, and proximity to parks.



The findings revealed that human population density positively influenced coyote survival. Coyotes in areas with low human density tended to have shorter lifespans, while those in densely populated areas lived longer. Interestingly, the interaction between income and density also played a role.&nbsp;



In low-density areas, income had little effect on survival, likely due to the lack of human presence. However, in moderate- to high-density neighborhoods, coyotes in lower-income areas were 1.5 times more likely to survive to age two than those in wealthier areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-resources-and-competition-in-urban-settings">Resources and competition in urban settings</h2>



The researchers theorize that higher human population density provides urban coyotes with essential resources like food and shelter, helping them endure harsh conditions such as Chicago winters.&nbsp;



“We’ve hypothesized that population density may have a positive effect because it’s actually providing resources like human-related structures or food that allow coyotes to weather the harsh conditions of the winter, which is a major mortality factor for Chicago coyotes,” Zepeda explained.



However, these benefits may come at a cost in higher-income areas, where vegetation and better waste management can attract more coyotes, leading to increased competition and disease transmission.&nbsp;



“There might be more individuals in those areas, but survival time may be shorter there,” Zepeda said. “You might die younger in an area where there are a lot of competitors.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adaptability-of-coyotes">Adaptability of coyotes</h2>



Surprisingly, the study found no significant link between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-species-are-shifting-their-habitats-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural habitats</a> and coyote survival. Parks and nature preserves, often assumed to be ideal environments for coyotes, did not seem to offer a survival advantage.&nbsp;



“Anecdotally, we see really high densities of coyotes in nature preserves and urban parks. That’s often where you see coyotes in the city if you see them at all,” Zepeda said.



The researchers speculate that this finding could result from a variety of factors, including limitations in how habitat types are classified on city maps or more frequent hunting and trapping in natural areas.&nbsp;



Alternatively, it may highlight the adaptability of coyotes, which seem capable of thriving in urbanized environments despite their preference for natural habitats.&nbsp;



“It could speak to how adaptable they are that they might prefer natural habitat, but at least in terms of survival, they can do just as well in more urbanized areas,” Zepeda added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-societal-factors-and-urban-ecosystems">Societal factors and urban ecosystems</h2>



This study adds to growing evidence that societal factors affecting human populations also influence <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-biodiversity-is-not-a-luxury-it-is-attainable-for-everyone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urban ecosystems</a>. The presence or absence of humans, combined with the conditions in which they live, may overshadow natural influences on wildlife survival.&nbsp;



Gehrt’s long-term research emphasizes the importance of understanding these dynamics as urban areas expand.



As urban ecosystems continue to evolve, studies like this provide critical insights into how wildlife interacts with human populations.&nbsp;



Further research could explore specific societal factors - such as waste management practices or public attitudes toward coyotes - and their influence on urban <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-disturbing-details-about-the-state-of-earths-wildlife/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife</a>.



By better understanding these relationships, cities can develop strategies to foster coexistence between humans and animals, creating urban environments where both can thrive.



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Coyotes live longer in densely populated human areas

Urban coyotes are thriving in cities, but not for the reasons one might expect. A recent study reveals that human-related factors, rather than access to natural habitats, have a stronger impact on their survival.&nbsp; Researchers tracking coyotes in Chicago discovered that densely populated human areas are linked to longer coyote lifespans, overturning the conventional belief that wildlife fares better in more natural settings. Human presence plays a surprising role “What we found was really interesting, in that the societal characteristics seem to play a much more important...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.nig.ac.jp/nig/">National Institute of Genetics</a> (NIG) in Japan recently investigated the perceptive ability of animals to sense danger. The researchers found a neural circuit which is responsible for “fear conditioning” in zebrafish, and they theorize that this mechanism has been selected throughout the evolution of vertebrates.

When animals encounter dangerous situations, they memorize the signs associated with these events and learn to be cautious of them in a learning process known as fear conditioning.

“In mammals including human and mouse, fear conditioning is mediated by a brain area called the amygdala. The amygdala integrates information about dangerous events, like electric shock, and some signs, such as visual or auditory stimuli. However, in fish, such neurons have not been found,” explained lead author Professor Koichi Kawakami.

“It is important to explore such neurons in fish because we can increase the knowledge about fundamental neural circuits for animals to perform evolutionary conserved fear conditioning.”

Using groundbreaking technology, which had been previously developed by Professor Kawakami's team, the researchers were able to manipulate specific neurons in zebrafish. The scientists conducted a behavioral analysis in which the fish relied on fear conditioning to escape mild electrical shocks that coincided with green LED lights.

The study revealed that neurons in the dorsomedial (Dm) area of the telencephalon are responsible for fear conditioning in thzebrafish. These neurons are functionally equivalent to the amygdala of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whales-largest-mammals/">mammals</a>. 

The findings of this study will provide scientists with new insight on the structure and evolution of the neural circuit that is utilized in fear conditioning. Professor Kawakami said the study is also expected to provide the foundation for a better understanding of the cause of diseases involving fear and anxiety.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/">BMC Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Animals can sense danger due to special fear conditioning

Scientists at the National Institute of Genetics (NIG) in Japan...

Horse found buried in a ceremonial tomb 3,000 years ago. The remains of an ancient horse recovered along the Nile River Valley is providing scientists with new insight into the relationship between humans and animals over 3,000 years ago. The researchers were amazed to discover that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-horses-western-us/">horse</a> had been given a proper funeral with a burial shroud.

The horse was found in 2011 in Tombos, Sudan, more than 5 feet underground in a tomb. The skeleton was so well-preserved that some chestnut hair still remained on the horse’s legs.

“It was clear that the horse was an intentional burial, which was super fascinating,” said Professor Michele Buzon of <a href="http://www.purdue.edu/">Purdue University</a>. 

“Remnants of fabric on the hooves indicate the presence of a burial shroud. Changes on the bones and iron pieces of a bridle suggest that the horse may have pulled a chariot. We hadn't found anything like this in our previous excavations at Tombos. Animal remains are very rare at the site.”

Professor Buzon has been studying remains at this dig site in Sudan since 2000 with Stuart Tyson Smith, an Anthropology professor at the <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/">University of California, Santa Barbara</a>.

The team excavates and analyzes artifacts to understand the lives of Nubians and Egyptians during the New Kingdom Empire, which is when Egyptians colonized the area to access to trade routes on the Nile River around 1500 B.C. Hundreds of pieces of cultural evidence recovered at this burial site, such as tools and pottery, have been attributed to around 200 people. 

“Finding the horse was unexpected,” said study lead author Sarah Schrader. “Initially, we weren't sure if it was modern or not. But as we slowly uncovered the remains, we began to find artifacts associated with the horse, such as the scarab, the shroud and the iron cheekpiece. At that point, we realized how significant this find was. Of course, we became even more excited when the carbon-14 dates were assessed and confirmed how old the horse was.”

Radiocarbon dating traced the age of the horse back to the Third Intermediate Period, from 1050-728 B.C.E.

“The horse was treated well in life, seeing as how it lived to a mature age,” said Schrader. “It also was important to the people of ancient Tombos because it was buried - a rite that is usually reserved for humans. Furthermore, the fact that one of the earliest pieces of iron from Africa was found in association with the horse reiterates how special it was to the people. It is also important to assess the context of Tombos with regard to the horse - the horse is an important and rare find. The fact that it is buried at Tombos indicates that this town may have served an important function in the post-colonial Napatan Period.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.antiquity.ac.uk/">Antiquity</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: <a href="http://www.purdue.edu/">Purdue University
</a>

Horse found buried in a ceremonial tomb 3,000 years ago

Horse found buried in a ceremonial tomb 3,000 years ago....

Birds are the most widely studied taxonomic group of animals on Earth, and according to a new five-year report, more and more species are in decline and could even go extinct. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-birds-hatch-late/">Birds</a> make up some of the most colorful and diverse species on the planet, and from pet parrots to hunting with falcons, we as humans are drawn to the winged animals. 

But according to the <a href="https://www.birdlife.org/sites/default/files/attachments/BL_ReportENG_V11_spreads.pdf">State of the World’s Bird Report,</a> as many as one in eight bird species is now at risk of extinction.

Human activities are the biggest drivers of these new worrying numbers as agriculture, logging, and hunting are threatening populations of many different bird species including the turtle dove, the Atlantic puffin, and the snowy owl. 

The State of the World’s Birds Report analyzed bird population data, particularly focusing on the <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/">International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Red List</a>, which is the leading standard for threatened species records. 

The report, which is produced by the organization <a href="http://www.birdlife.org/">BirdLife International</a>, revealed that agriculture was the biggest culprit, accounting for 74 percent of the 1,469 bird species at risk of extinction around the world. 

The other major activities impacting population declines were logging, invasive species, and hunting. Hunting accounted for the reduced population in 35 percent of endangered birds worldwide. 

Hunting is a problem for species like the yellow-breasted bunting, which has lost 90 percent of its populations over the years as its considered a Chinese delicacy. 

“Each time we undertake this assessment we see slightly more species at risk of extinction – the situation is deteriorating and the trends are intensifying,” said Tris Allinson, Senior Global Science Officer for BirdLife International, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/apr/23/one-in-eight-birds-is-threatened-with-extinction-global-study-finds">The Guardian</a>. “Now we're seeing once widespread and familiar species – European turtle doves, Atlantic puffins, and kittiwakes – under threat of global extinction.”

The report shows that most of the drivers of species loss identified are anthropogenic, or human activities, which means that reversing the trends of decline is not an impossible feat. 

Rather, according to Allinson, it would take a mass conservation and management effort aimed at preventing species endangerment rather than simply saving one species from the brink at a time. 

“Everything is reversible because everything is unfortunately of humankind’s making,” Allinson told The Guardian. “It’s one thing to work at the last-minute on particular species and drag them back from the edge but what we do need is wide-scale solutions to agricultural intensification and expansion in particular – they are the biggest driver of extinction in birds.”

---

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Farming, logging, and hunting driving many birds to extinction

Birds are the most widely studied taxonomic group of animals...

As the winter season becomes shorter and spring arrives sooner, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warming-shifting-climate-boundaries/">global warming</a> is disturbing the natural rhythms of forest ecosystems. Research led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has revealed that baby birds are hatching too late to benefit from peak numbers of caterpillars, which the chicks feed on.

“Forests have a short peak in caterpillar abundance, and some forest birds time their breeding so this coincides with the time when their chicks are hungriest,” said Dr. Malcolm Burgess of the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>.

“With spring coming earlier due to climate change, leaves and caterpillars emerge earlier and birds need to breed earlier to avoid being mismatched. We found that the earlier the spring, the less able birds are to do this.”

The researchers compared the emergence of spring oak tree leaves and caterpillars to the timing of nesting in three bird species across the UK.

Dr. Burgess said that the biggest mismatch was found among pied flycatchers. “As migratory birds, they are not in the UK in winter and therefore are much less able to respond to earlier spring weather,” he explained.


The study, which was largely dependent upon data collected from citizens scientists, is the first to analyze whether the mismatch is greater in southern parts of Britain.

“We found no evidence of north-south variation in caterpillar-bird mismatch for any of the bird species,” said study co-author Dr. Ally Phillimore. “Therefore, population declines of insectivorous birds in southern Britain do not appear to be caused by greater mismatch in the south than the north.”


The scientists determined that the hatching of chicks in the forest will become increasingly mismatched with an abundance of caterpillars unless the birds adapt by shifting the timing of their breeding.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Tom Wallis

Earlier spring causing baby birds to hatch too late to find food

As the winter season becomes shorter and spring arrives sooner,...

Glass frogs are found in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-largest-rainforests/">rainforests</a> of Central and South America and remain one of nature’s more fascinating oddities. It’s name perfectly matches its physical appearance, with translucent skin so clear you can see the frog’s organs.  

The lack of pigmentation that allows us to see the glass frog’s heart pumping and innards hard at work is a mystery to scientists, but they are an impressive sight nonetheless. 

Photographer Jamie Culebras recently published a stunning series of new photos of a female glass frog that appeared in the <a href="http://dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>.

Culebras was making an inventory of amphibians and reptiles in the Mashpi Reserve in Ecuador when he came across the female glass frog. 

“In the picture you can see perfectly the internal organs of the glass frog,” Culebras told the Daily Mail. 

What makes these new photos so noteworthy is the fact that you can see the eggs of the female growing inside her. 

“It is a female and you can also see the eggs that are growing inside, the green balls, which will later lay on the underside of a leaf of a plant over a stream and whose mass eggs will be taken care of by the male,” said Culebras. “After seeing this you can understand why these kind of frogs are called glass frogs.”

Glass frogs, unlike most other frog species, do not abandon their eggs and instead, the female lays them and the males carefully stand guard over the eggs 24/7. The males ward off predators until the frogs hatch into tadpoles. 

Male glass frogs are also extremely territorial and will fight other trespassing males. 

“I love this picture because I love to show wildlife behaviours and curiosities and interesting nature facts,” said Culebras. “It's wonderful. Every day nature surprises me.”

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Caters News Agency, <a href="http://dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>

Transparent skin of glass frogs reveals eggs waiting to be hatched

Glass frogs are found in the rainforests of Central and...

Chimpanzees are the only primates known to frequently engage in warfare – other than humans, of course. Knowing this connection of inter-species aggression that humans and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-learn-tools/">chimpanzees</a> share, researchers postulated that the fight-or-flight response probably played a significant role in helping us primates adapt to the threat of warfare during our evolution.

In a recent study published in <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/">PLOS Genetics</a>, researchers looked for changes in the regulation of the ADRA2C gene, which affects the sympathetic nervous system, which in turn regulates the fight-or-flight response. Jung Kyoon Choi of <a href="http://www.kaist.edu/html/en/index.html">KAIST</a> in Korea and Soojin Yi of <a href="http://www.gatech.edu/">Georgia Tech</a> analyzed genomes, transcriptomes, and epigenomes from multiple humans, chimpanzees, and other primates. Transcriptomes are the entire set of genes expressed in a cell, while epigenomes are made up of a variety of compounds that can bind to DNA and affect gene expression. 

Their results showed that humans and chimpanzees acquired genetic and epigenetic changes that reduce ADRA2C expression, which results in increased signaling for the fight-or-flight response. However, these changes are not present in macaques and are not consistently found in bonobos. This suggests that the genetic variations recently spread in the population may have occurred in response to threats of war, as these variations are only universal in humans and chimpanzees.

The researchers also used the genome-editing technique known as CRISPR/Cas9 in order to show that reverting to the genetic states of macaques and bonobos can restore ADRA2C expression. Knocking out expression of this gene in mice has a significant effect on fight-or-flight, and changes in the gene that happened over time during chicken domestication likely resulted in less aggressive chickens.

So what do these findings mean? The authors believe that the signatures of adaptations linked to reduced ADRA2C expression in both chimps and humans may have significantly influenced their evolution, and may even have played a major role in the roots of human warfare. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humans (and chimps) are genetically inclined to turn to war

Chimpanzees are the only primates known to frequently engage in...

For many species in the animal kingdom, protecting the colony, nest, hive, or den is one of the most important jobs. 

Exploding ants take this duty one step further, and when threatened by intruders, they “explode,” or purposefully break apart their body wall as a defensive mechanism. 

Besides killing the ant itself, the explosion also releases a sticky toxic liquid that can kill or delay an enemy. 

Exploding ants or Colobopsis cylindrica are canopy dwelling ants who were first reported in 1916 but no new species have been described since 1935. 

An interdisciplinary research team remedied this lack of taxonomic information when they identified 15 separate species of exploding ants, one of which had not been discovered before. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/en">Natural History Museum in Vienna</a>, <a href="https://www.tuwien.ac.at/en/">Technical University Vienna</a>, <a href="https://www.ifa-tulln.boku.ac.at/">The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna</a> and the <a href="http://www.ubd.edu.bn/">Universiti Brunei Darussalam</a> conducted the study which was recently published in the journal Zookeys. 

Some of the researchers went a sampling trip to Brunei on the Island of Borneo in order to observe and collect different species of exploding ants. The trip resulted in the first sampling of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/men-mistreat-coworkers/">male </a>Colobopsis cylindrica ever to be seen. 

The new species of exploding ant was named Colobopsis explodens and was picked as a model species for all exploding ants because of how they were so “prone to self-sacrifice,” according to the researchers. 

It’s title as a model species is exciting as it means that Colobopsis explodens will serve as an important navigation point for all future research on the group of ants. 

Further studies are already underway examining Colobopsis explodens more closely, according to the researchers. The new research will focus on the ant’s behavior, microbiology, evolutionary history, and anatomy, among other elements. 

The researchers also expect that other new Colobopsis species are likely to be discovered soon. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Alexey Kopchinskiy

New ant species explodes to fight off intruders

For many species in the animal kingdom, protecting the colony,...

Whale fossils discovered in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-zealand-fault-line/">New Zealand</a> are providing scientists with new insight into the mysterious evolutionary history of baleen whales. 

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.otago.ac.nz/">University of Otago</a> have analyzed the 27.5 million-year-old remains and determined that they belong to a previously unidentified whale species that may have been the first to emerge without teeth.

The new species, Toipahautea waitaki, was relatively small compared to today's baleen whales including minke and blue whales. More significantly, Toipahautea had a toothless upper jaw with evidence of baleen, making it the oldest known specimen of the modern baleen whale lineage. 

Around 50 million years ago, the four-legged ancestors of whales and dolphins moved from land to sea, gradually losing their legs. At some point, baleen whales developed baleen plates for filter feeding that eventually replaced their teeth.

“Total loss of teeth in adults, and acquisition of baleen, are two independent major evolutionary events in mysticete evolution; they are regulated by different genes,” explained the study authors.

The researchers speculated that, at the time when the creatures had both teeth and baleen plates, they did not specialize in any particular forms of feeding strategies but were generalists, or simply used the best feeding styles for various situations. 

Coronodon havensteini is another newly-identified ancestor of baleen whales that was discovered during the analysis of 30 million-year-old fossils found near Charleston, South Carolina. While this species still had its teeth, scientists found large lower molars that would have been used for filter feeding.

According to the experts, the progression from raptorial feeding to filter-feeding may have adapted in response to ecological competition. Understanding how ancient whales adapted for survival could help scientists predict the fate of today's endangered whale species.

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Royal Society Open Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fossils reveal secrets of the earliest known toothless whales

Whale fossils discovered in New Zealand are providing scientists with...

Bottlenose dolphins have made their way into unfamiliar territory in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. A large group of around 200 dolphins was spotted off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, for the very first time.

A team of researchers from <a href="https://www.halpinwildlife.com/">Halpin Wildlife Research</a>, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Department of Environment and Climate Change made the discovery in July of 2017. 

The scientists observed an estimated 200 common bottlenose dolphins traveling alongside approximately 70 false killer whales. This may be the northernmost sighting that has ever been documented for both species in the eastern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-stuck-pacific-ocean/">Pacific Ocean</a>.

“It is surprising to find a warm-water dolphin in British Columbian waters, and especially to find such a large number of common bottlenose dolphins within the group,” said lead author Luke Halpin.


“The sighting is also the first offshore report of false killer whales in British Columbia. To see the two species traveling together and interacting was quite special and rare. It is known that common bottlenose dolphins and false killer whales seek each other out and interact, but the purpose of the interactions is unclear.”

Both common bottlenose dolphins and false killer whales normally live in warm waters located further south in the North Pacific. This new discovery indicates that they will naturally shift into British Columbia as ocean temperatures rise. 

The researchers speculate that a warming trend in the eastern region of the North Pacific between the years of 2013 and 2016 may have led the dolphins to this area.

“Since 2014 I have documented several warm-water species: common bottlenose dolphins, a swordfish and a loggerhead turtle in British Columbian waters,” said Halpin. “With marine waters increasingly warming up we can expect to see more typically warm-water species in the northeastern Pacific.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://mbr.biomedcentral.com/">Marine Biodiversity Records</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bottlenose dolphins in Canadian Pacific waters for the first time

Bottlenose dolphins have made their way into unfamiliar territory in...

The world’s largest mammals are in danger, as a new study has discovered a worrying trend of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whales-largest-mammals/">mammal</a> size decreasing through the years. 

Today we often hear about struggling African elephant populations, the endangered blue whale<a href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/mammals/whales/blue-whale.html">,</a> and the <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/04/19/524718131/wildlife-groups-want-giraffes-added-to-endangered-species-list">petition</a> to list giraffes as endangered.

These large mammals have held a certain fascination for us and there are many conservation efforts to protect and manage populations. 

However, a new study conducted by researchers from the Universities of <a href="https://www.unm.edu/">New Mexico</a>, <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">California</a>, <a href="https://www.unl.edu/">Nebraska-Lincoln</a>, and <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> found that a downsizing trend in mammal size may soon make the cow the largest terrestrial mammal left on Earth. 

The research was published in the journal Science, and reveals how certain animal extinctions directly correlated with periods when humans were dispersing around the globe. 

Felisa Smith of the University of New Mexico and a team of researchers set out to understand how mammal sizes have changed over time. 

The researchers created and updated two datasets focusing on the global distribution and body size of terrestrial mammals dating back 66 million years ago and leading up to the present. 

After analyzing the datasets, the researchers noticed a distinct correlation among the data between mammal extinction and the times when humans were dispersing around the world. 

The team also identified a global trend where the species that went extinct were typically two to three times bigger than the mammals that did survive. 

During the late Pleistocene, when long-range weapons were first used, the researchers saw a 10-fold drop in the size and mass of mammals. 

If the trend continues, it could mean that mammal body mass will drop to 4.9 kg in the next few hundred years. 

The results not only show how mammal size has changed throughout the years, but also the impact that human interaction with mammals has had on extinction, species populations, and body mass. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humans are the reason mammals are continuing to shrink in size

The world’s largest mammals are in danger, as a new...

These days, it seems like we’re getting only bad news about the state of coral in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-bleaching-fish-diversity/">Great Barrier Reef</a>. Between overfishing, climate change, and the resulting ocean acidification, it’s hard to feel optimistic about the future of this unique and diverse ecosystem. But a new study reported in <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/">PLOS Genetics</a> may finally have some good news.

Researcher Mikhail Matz from the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> and his colleagues developed a model to estimate the ability of a specific coral species to evolve to warming ocean conditions by redistributing existing heat-tolerance genes. The coral species – Acropora millepora – is commonly found in the Great Barrier Reef. This model was programmed to take into account the coral’s present-day genetic diversity and how far its larvae migrate before settling down.

The results of the model predict that the coral will become more sensitive to temperature swings, which will result in occasional die-offs. But ultimately, coral populations will be able to adapt to temperatures throughout the reef and could persist for at least another 100 years. However, it is uncertain whether or not corals will be able to adapt any further, and depends on a number of unknown parameters of coral genetics. 

The study shows that, while recent coral bleaching events are certainly worrisome, they do not necessarily indicate that there is an imminent coral die-off on the horizon. These findings can also help inform future reef management strategies, leading to interventions that reshuffle coral genetic diversity throughout the reefs, which could enhance the coral’s chances of survival as climate change progresses.

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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

Image Credit Mikhail V. Matz and colleagues

Finally some optimistic news for coral in Earth’s warming oceans

These days, it seems like we’re getting only bad news...

They may be known as “man’s best friend,” but it turns out that dogs and humans have even more in common than had been previously thought. A new study found that canine microbiomes share many similarities with human gut microbiomes.

Microbiomes are the genetic information of all the collected microbes, bacteria, and viruses, etc, in the body. Mapping microbiomes, like the human genome, can help with understanding different risk factors, susceptibility to disease, and even treating certain conditions. 

Researchers from the from the <a href="https://www.embl.de/">European Molecular Biology Laboratory</a>, in collaboration with <a href="https://www.nestle.com/randd">Nestlé Research</a>, analyzed the gut microbiomes of two different dog breeds and found that humans and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-predict-earthquakes/">dogs</a> have similar genes and responses to diet. 

The study was published in the journal <a href="https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-018-0450-3">Microbiome. </a>

“We found many similarities between the gene content of the human and dog gut microbiomes,” said Luis Pedro Coelho, the corresponding author of the study. “The results of this comparison suggest that we are more similar to man's best friend than we originally thought.”

For the study, the researchers analyzed 129 stool samples from 64 dogs who were fed either a high-protein, low carb diet or a high carb, low protein diet. 

Half of the dogs in the study were beagles and the other half were retrievers. There was an equal amount of overweight and lean dogs. 

The researchers collected stool samples at different periods during the trial diets for the dogs and extracted DNA to create gut microbiome gene catalogs of 1, 247,405 genes. 

Once the gene catalogs were created the researchers compared them to existing gut microbiomes of humans, mice, and pigs. 

The dog gut gene catalog was compared to existing gut microbiome gene catalogs from humans, mice, and pigs. The researchers specifically focused similar responses to diet in the different gut microbiomes they analyzed and reviewed. 

The results of the comparisons showed that changes in diet have a similar effect on the microbiota of humans and dogs. 

“These findings suggest that dogs could be a better model for nutrition studies than pigs or mice and we could potentially use data from dogs to study the impact of diet on gut microbiota in humans, and humans could be a good model to study the nutrition of dogs,” said Coelho. 

Both dogs and humans have a growing obesity problem according to Coelho, and studies like this that shed insight on how diet affects the microbiome can help with finding optimal diets and maintaining healthy weights. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dogs and humans have more in common than previously thought

They may be known as “man’s best friend,” but it...

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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



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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

[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



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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



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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...