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...

Scientists have identified the remains of a rare 200 million-year-old ichthyosaur sea reptile 22 years after it was first uncovered. The fossil is only the second specimen of an ichthyosaur named Wahlisaurus massarae, a new species discovered by paleontologist Dean Lomax of <a href="http://www.manchester.ac.uk/">The University of Manchester</a>.

Ichthyosaurs lived during the time of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-fossil-racist-nazi-science/">dinosaurs</a> and traveled by sea. Many of their fossils have been found in the UK, and Lomax has described five different species of ichthyosaurs in recent years.

In 2016, Lomax described an ichthyosaur skeleton from the collections of Leicester's New Walk Museum and Art Gallery. He had found several unusual features of the bones which he determined were unique and represented a new species. Lomax named the prehistoric reptile Wahlisaurus massarae to honor two of his mentors, Bill Wahl and Professor Judy Massare.


“When Wahlisaurus was announced, I was a little nervous about what other paleontologists would make of it, considering the new species was known only from a single specimen,” said Lomax. “As a scientist you learn to question almost everything, and be as critical as you can be. My analysis suggested it was something new, but some paleontologists questioned this and said it was just 'variation' of an existing species.”

For the current study, Lomax teamed up with museum curator and paleontologist Dr. Mark Evans and fossil collector Simon Carpenter. The researchers examined a nearly complete coracoid bone from Carpenter's collection and discovered that it had the exact same features as that of Wahlisaurus.

“You can only imagine my sheer excitement to find a specimen of Wahlisaurus in Simon's collection,” said Lomax. “It was such a wonderful moment. When you have just one specimen, 'variation' can be called upon, but when you double the number of specimens you have it gives even more credibility to your research.”

The Wahlisaurus fossil dates back 200 million years to a time known as the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, which occurred right after a world-wide mass extinction. This time frame makes it difficult for the experts to determine whether the ichthyosaur was latest Triassic or earliest Jurassic in age.

Carpenter has donated the rare fossil, which was originally uncovered in 1996, to the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. The study is published in the <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1034">Geological Journal</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image © of James McKay

Prehistoric sea reptile lived 200 million years ago

Scientists have identified the remains of a rare 200 million-year-old...

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A new study from <a href="https://www.anglia.ac.uk/">Anglia Ruskin University</a> has revealed that geese reduce their heart rate and body temperature in order to endure freezing cold weather.

“We were interested in how geese regulate their metabolic rate and therefore energy expenditure over the annual cycle, and in particular how they deal with the harsh winter months,” said lead author Dr. Claudia Wascher.

As endotherms, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-mammals-climate-change/">birds</a> have the ability to regulate their core temperature, and they typically do so in colder weather by expending more energy.

Geese have an alternative way of dealing with the cold that the experts refer to as “winter hypometabolism,” a condition characterized by a lower heart rate which allows the birds to tolerate a lower core body temperature.
The research team focused its study on 25 wild greylag geese. They equipped the birds with small transmitters to measure body temperature and heart rate over 18 months. The researchers used the heart rate measurements to estimate the energy expenditure of the geese.

The experts found substantial seasonal changes of heart rate and body temperature in all 25 geese, with highs in the summer and lows in the winter. During December and January, the average heart rate was 22 percent lower than the summer peak. In addition, the average body temperature dropped by 1 degree Celsius from summer to winter.

“In order to cope with the challenges of low ambient temperatures and food shortage in winter, it is known that some non-hibernating mammals, such as red deer or Alpine ibex, reduce their energy expenditure in winter and function with lower body temperatures,” said Dr. Wascher. “Our research shows that birds, such as these greylag geese, adopt similar strategies.”

Dr. Wascher explained that birds at the research station are fed all year long, and so a lack of food did not influence body temperature and heart rate. She said that the number of daylight hours combined with the ambient temperature were found to be the main determining factors of energy expenditure.

“Our study helps us to gain an understanding of how individuals regulate their physiology in order to adapt to environmental factors,” said Dr. Wascher. “Strikingly it shows similarities in these mechanisms between mammals and birds, despite their large genetic differences.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Dr Claudia Wascher, Anglia Ruskin University

Geese lower their body temperature and heart rate during winter

A new study from Anglia Ruskin University has revealed that...

A new study has revealed a key difference in the genetic makeup of humans, chimps, and other primates.

Bonobos and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-learn-tools/">chimpanzees</a> are our closest relatives, sharing 99 percent of the same DNA. 

Genome sequencing of chimps, bonobos, and other primates has revealed many similarities, but recently, a good deal of research has been devoted to understanding the genetic differences that separate humans from other primates. 

A new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.cshl.edu/">Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</a> (CSHL) and <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> found that a key difference between humans and primates has to do with the way our genes are regulated. 

The research included complete genome analyses of three different primate species including human, chimpanzees, and rhesus macaques. 

The study focused primarily on gene enhancers and promoters which regulate the genes. Both promoters and enhancers regulate and activate the genes, but enhancers are located much farther from the genes they regulate than promoters. 

The researchers measured the generation of RNA copies of genomic DNA using PRO-Seq technology. Measuring the RNA copies up and downstream of the original genes allowed the researchers to identify which promoters and enhancers regulate different genes. 

The results showed differences in the way the genes were regulated across the three different species, particularly with a group of enhancers that work together to target a gene. This group of enhancers is called an ensemble. 

“These ensembles come in various sizes,” said Adam Siepel, a member of the research team. “And we found that when they are large, the expression levels of the target genes tend to be stable over evolutionary time. When they are small, the expression levels are less stable.”

The ensemble of enhancers work together and determine gene expression depending on the species. The study shows that these differences are responsible for the evolutionary genetic  differences that separate humans from other primate species. 

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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

Small differences in gene regulators separate humans and chimps

A new study has revealed a key difference in the...

When I was very young, my family visited an aunt in Georgia and I discovered the thrill of chasing fireflies through the sticky, summer night.  Like many children, we captured the glowing insects alive and put them in jars together to watch for a short time before releasing them.  

Years later I was amazed to see <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glow-dark-trees-street/">bioluminescent</a> beetles in Ecuador on a field biology course.  When the professor netted the insects, we were able to see closer that the beetles lit up different parts of their bodies in different colors.  There was still the flash of green that people in North America will associate with fireflies, but there was also a glow of red light that flashed at a different interval from the green.

In the Bahamas, walking along a road at night with the sea smell in my nostrils, I was again enchanted by insects flashing in the dark.  I had a hard time believing a friend of mine when he told me a story of seeing fireflies in the Peruvian rainforest.  In some parts of the tropics (and even in Great Smokey Mountain National Park) beetles in the family Lampyridae synchronize their flashes.  My friend told me of being in the jungle at night and seeing a whole tree light up in a flash and just as quickly disappear into darkness; covered in synchronous fireflies.  The phenomena of synchronous fireflies can extend beyond a single tree in places and whole hillsides can light up in an eerily beautiful display.  

Caves are a holdout for unique bioluminescent animals as one might expect, although even more simply go without the ability to see and some use echolocation.  I travelled to Tasmania and visited a few tour caves situated in Australia’s National Park system to see the spectacular display of glow worms.  Watching glow worms high up on the ceiling of a cave in complete darkness is akin to watching the twinkling of stars on a primordial night.  

The name ‘glow worm’ is deceptive though, as the insects in question are actually larvae from one of several species of fungus gnat.  The larvae create strings of sticky material similar to spider webs that hang below them in the cave.  The glowing of the insect attracts other insects (as moths to flames) which become stuck in the sticky strand.  When an insect becomes entangled, the glow worm hauls up its line and eats whatever is stuck there, sometimes even adult fungus gnats.  The glowing of fungus gnat larvae also increases when a larvae is about to hatch out as an adult, especially in female gnats which attracts male gnats.  Male gnats will mate with females cocooned up and about to break free as adults but there is a danger.  Especially hungry larval gnats will glow like females close to hatching, so sometimes they catch an adult male fungus gnat which is then cannibalized.  Adult gnats have no mouth parts, after mating they starve to death rather quickly.  If you can look past the barbarity of the natural history of fungus gnats, the beauty of glow worms is actually enchanting.  I’ve heard of other caves in Australia and New Zealand where glow worms are reflected in pools of water, surrounding boaters with specks of light.  There are also related glow worms in caves in the southeastern US.  

Bioluminescence isn’t only for insects.  While I volunteered with sea birds in Alaska, part of our job was to snag dietary samples from rhinoceros auklets.  We waited in the dense salmon berry bushes and other vegetation on the hill of an auklet colony.  We sat in the lingering twilight before the unsatisfyingly bright night of a northern winter.  We could hear the birds quick wing beats as they landed, once on the ground it was quite hard for them to escape our nets though, needing to throw themselves from a cliff to fly free.  Mercilessly we collected a few fish the birds had in their mouths.  In the shade of the vegetation, I could make out the glow of the fish dimly.  In this case, the fish didn’t create the light themselves.  The fish glowing in an Alaskan ocean were covered in bacteria or algae that in turn create luciferin, the chemical that glows.  

Many marine animals use bioluminescence for their own purposes.  The Hawaiian Bobtail Squid has a special organ colonized by bioluminescent bacteria shortly after birth.  The squid actually controls the chemical reactions of the bacteria, using the light for her own purpose.  Some squid shoot out glowing chemicals to confuse predators.

Lantern fish of course dangle a glowing bait in front of their mouths to attract prey within biting range. Bioluminescence is perhaps best known in the ocean by glowing tides in certain areas, where the waves of the ocean are delicately lit by millions of microscopic animals in the water.  

In the Ecuadorian cloud forest, I was thrilled to discover a phenomena I’d long wanted to experience.  On dark hiking trails, people sometimes use bioluminescence to their advantage.  For utility or fun pieces of wood can sometimes mark trails in a magical way.  Fungi that glow at night sometimes colonize rotting wood and appear completely invisible during the day but at night the wood glows faintly.  I collected a few of the pieces of this glowing wood and placed it on the edge of the steps of the nature lodge my partner and I were managing.     

Bioluminescence has actually evolved separately over 40 different times, which points to how important and useful it can be for the organisms that use it.  It’s not always clear why bioluminescence is useful though, and part of the joy of it is the mystery.           

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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bioluminescence: The secrets of animals who glow in the dark

When I was very young, my family visited an aunt...

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-confuses-climate-change/">climate change</a> continues and progresses, scientists expect many organisms to respond to these changes in three ways; moving to new regions, changing the timing of their life stages, or shrinking in size. Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> have now found evidence of certain beetles experiencing that third strategy.

Until now, most of the evidence of organisms shrinking has come from laboratory work in a tightly controlled environment. Michelle Tseng, an assistant professor of botany and zoology at <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">UBC</a>, wanted to know whether this was happening out in the wild. Her and her students did this by examining beetle specimens in UBC’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum collection, along with historical weather data.

“In nature, there is so much going on that can affect body size so we weren’t sure we were going to see anything,” says Tseng. “This research provides evidence that climate change is affecting even the smallest organisms out there.”

The students examined eight species of beetles from the Lower Mainland and Okanagan, photographing more than 6,500 species and entering data about each insect. “We got data from 100 years of caught specimens,” says Sina Soleimani, a student who co-authored the paper and is now pursuing a doctor of pharmacy at UBC. “It’s cool that people have been collecting these insects since 1910 and noting all of their collection information. That’s probably what makes our paper stand out.”

Along with measuring the beetles’ size, the students also used a climate database to analyze changes in the environment in the regions where these beetles lived. The database showed that the Lower Mainland has had a 1.6 C° increase in autumn temperatures and the Okanagan has had a 2.25 °C increase in autumn temperatures in the past 45 years.

From the size data, the research team found that the larger beetle species were shrinking while the smaller ones were not. The four largest species of beetles shrank 20 percent in that same time period. This shows clear evidence that these beetles are responding to changes in their environment, likely due to the climate change that is happening globally. While these organisms are adapting, it shows how much of an impact climate change can have on even the smallest of species.

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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

These beetles are shrinking in response to climate change

As climate change continues and progresses, scientists expect many organisms...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-dioxide-emissions-fuel/">Carbon dioxide</a> (CO2) can be a very dangerous gas, which is why many animals have built-in avoidance behaviors that help keep them away from its noxious fumes. As humans, we can even experience fear and panic attacks when there is too much CO2 in the air. But what makes this reaction possible? Researchers at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan may have just found the neuronal pathway behind this behavior.

Through experiments with zebrafish – a widely used animal model – the researchers tested neural response in the effects of carbon dioxide. In the larval stage, zebrafish have behaviors that are easy to characterize, as their transparent brains make imaging neuronal activity much easier. They are known to have a fast response when touched on the head – fleeing within 10 milliseconds. However, their avoidance response to carbon dioxide only occurred after 4 to 5 seconds (about 400 to 500 times slower). Furthermore, the escape routes the fish took to avoid CO2 were less predictable than their movements after being touched, and their avoidance speed was much slower.

These results led the researchers to believe that it had to be due to an unknown sensation-response pathway in the brain. By using transgenic zebrafish made especially for calcium imaging (calcium is a key molecule in the transmission of neuronal signals), they were able to identify this pathway.

In the presence of carbon dioxide, a series of responses occurred in the zebrafish brain, with the earliest being in the olfactory bulb – the part of the brain in which mammals process smell. The next response was in trigeminal sensory neurons, a nerve that carries touch and pain sensations from the face. And the final response was in the habenula, a part of the brain involved in learning associations with unpleasant experiences.

To determine which of these systems was imperative for the response to CO2, the researchers used a laser to remove each one separately. Only when the trigeminal pathway to the nose was damage was a zebrafish’s response to carbon dioxide affected. This was a surprising finding, as damaging the olfactory pathway itself did not affect avoidance behavior. This means that a non-olfactory component in the nose is necessary for avoiding CO2.

Calcium imaging of the zebrafish nose showed a cluster of cells that respond to carbon dioxide, and further testing found that these cells were part of the terminal nerve and their removal blocked the avoidance response to CO2. Interestingly, the zebrafish nose appears to contain terminal nerve chemosensors that are unrelated to smell and can control behavioral responses to noxious chemicals.

“We were surprised to find that the terminal nerve acts as a carbon dioxide sensor in zebrafish,” says lead author Tetsuya Koide. “Although it was identified as an additional cranial nerve in humans and other vertebrates more than a century ago, ours is the first to report its function in chemosensation.”

Since humans and other vertebrates also have this terminal nerve system, the researchers are looking to further characterize its chemosensory functions in species other than zebrafish, and possibly even humans. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humans have built-in instinct to avoid carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide (CO2) can be a very dangerous gas, which...

Researchers have shown that a species of small <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/songbirds-dance/">songbirds</a> can retrieve mental images upon hearing alarm calls from other birds, which is similar to how humans associate visual images with words. This is the first study to demonstrate that nonhuman animals have this ability.

Toshitaka Suzuki is a researcher at <a href="http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en">Kyoto University</a> and a co-author of the study.

“The Japanese tit produces particular alarm calls when, and only when, encountering a predatory snake,” explained Suzuki.

For their investigation, the researchers used audio playback of warning calls and short sticks. When the birds heard the recordings of snake-specific calls, they perceived a stick being moved in a serpentine fashion as being an actual snake.

The experts discovered that the birds did not respond to the stick when hearing other calls or when the stick's movement was not snake-like. This indicated that the birds retrieved a snake image from specific alarm calls before seeing a snake, which made them cautious of objects resembling snakes.

When Japanese tits encounter a real snake, they usually move in close and try to intimidate the potential predator by spreading out their wings and tail while hovering above. The birds observed in this study made a close approach, but did not follow through with their typical behavior.

“They may have realized that the stick was not a real snake once they got close enough,” explained Suzuki.

Previous research by Suzuki revealed that the Japanese tit’s response to snake-specific alarm calls varies depending on the circumstances. He found that when the birds heard the calls from their nests, they immediately flew off to dodge an attack. Outside of the nest, the birds turned their attention to the ground as if searching for a snake when they heard the warnings.


“These birds do not respond to the calls in a uniform way, but appear to retrieve a snake image and then decide how to deal with the predator according to the circumstance,” said Suzuki. 


For the last three decades, scientists have shown that many animals such as monkeys produce calls for specific types of food or predators.

“Retrieval of mental images may also be involved in other animal communication systems,” said Suzuki. “Uncovering cognitive mechanisms for communication in wild animals can give insights into the origins and evolution of human speech.”

The research is published in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Kyoto University / Toshitaka Suzuki

These songbirds visualize predators upon hearing alarm calls

Researchers have shown that a species of small songbirds can...

The eastern cougar has now been officially declared extinct and removed from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife. The large cats, which lived in states east of the Mississippi River and in eastern Canada for thousands of years, have not been seen in nearly eight decades.

Meagan Racey of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) told <a href="https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news.php">NCPR News</a>: “Essentially we really are correcting something that listed a species despite its having gone extinct many, many decades ago, even before the Endangered Species Act was even enacted in 1973. The last record we have of eastern cougars is actually from Maine in 1938.”

The eastern cougar was unofficially declared <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cloning-reverse-extinction/">extinct</a> in 2011 after an investigation into the animal's status by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

The agency explained in a <a href="https://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ID=238E153F-9C6A-5597-DAE7A0638B1CE59B">press release</a>: “Accounts suggest that most eastern cougars disappeared in the 1800s, killed out of fear for human and livestock safety and were victims of massive deforestation and overharvesting of white-tailed deer, the cougar’s primary prey.”

The eastern cougar is one of 11 subspecies of mountain lions native to North America. In the last two decades, mountain lions in the western United States have been expanding their range eastward into the Midwest.

The USFWS stated: “While individual cougars have been confirmed throughout the Midwest, evidence of wild cougars dispersing farther east is extremely rare. In 2011, a solitary young male cougar traveled about 2,000 miles from South Dakota through Minnesota, Wisconsin and New York, and was killed on a Connecticut highway.”

Michael Robinson is a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. He explained that cougars are necessary for a healthy ecological balance because they help control deer populations and curb tick-borne diseases.

“Eastern states should move quickly to reintroduce these magnificent animals, which play such a critical role in controlling deer herds,” said Robinson.

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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

Eastern cougars declared extinct after vanishing over 75 years ago

The eastern cougar has now been officially declared extinct and...

A recent discovery in the Sahara Desert in Egypt is considered the “Holy Grail” of dinosaur fossils in Africa as it is one of the few found in Africa that dates back to the late Cretaceous period. 

Paleontologists have long wondered how dinosaurs evolved in Africa and if they are related to  their European or South American relatives, but the lack of fossils dating back to that time has left many questions unanswered. 

However, scientists have now uncovered one of the most well preserved and complete fossils from the end of Creatiactos Period and found that it was a new species named Mansourasaurus shahinae. 

Mansourasaurus shahinae was a long-necked herbivore that measured about the length of a school bus. 

The discovery was made by a team of researchers from the <a href="http://islandafrica.org/muvp.htm">Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology</a> (MUVP) initiative, led by Dr. Hesham Sallam of the Department of Geology at <a href="http://www.mans.edu.eg/en">Mansoura University</a> in Egypt.

The find is noteworthy in that it helps fill in the evolutionary gaps of African dinosaurs. 

“When I first saw pics of the fossils, my jaw hit the floor,” said Matt Lamanna of <a href="https://carnegiemnh.org/">Carnegie Museum of Natural History</a>, a co-author of the study. “This was the Holy Grail--a well-preserved dinosaur from the end of the Age of Dinosaurs in Africa--that we paleontologists had been searching for for a long, long time.” 

The researchers analyzed the fossils and found that its features were related to European and Asian dinosaurs rather than those in South America or farther south in Africa. 

This means that Mansourasaurus likely evolved from dinosaurs that migrated from Europe and traveled across continents near the end of the Cretaceous period, which helps shed light on continent formation during that time. 

“Africa's last dinosaurs weren't completely isolated, contrary to what some have proposed in the past,” said Eric Gorscak, a contributing author on the study. “There were still connections to Europe.”

Gorscak also notes that the new find is monumental for paleontologists looking understand and fill in the gaps in Africa's fossil record. 

Mansourasaurus shahinae is an exciting find that could provide answers to the many mysteries surrounding African dinosaurs and now, thanks to the ease of access to fossil sites and experienced team behind the find, more discoveries are sure to come.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Image Credit: Andrew McAfee, Carnegie Museum of Natural History

Major dinosaur species discovery made in the Sahara Desert

A recent discovery in the Sahara Desert in Egypt is...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> are reporting that warm-blooded animals have a better chance of adapting to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-california-vegetation/">climate change</a> than cold-blooded animals. The research was based on over 270 million years of data on animals such as birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

“We see that mammals and birds are better able to stretch out and extend their habitats, meaning they adapt and shift much easier,” said lead author Jonathan Rolland. “This could have a deep impact on extinction rates and what our world looks like in the future.”


The researchers compared data from the current distribution of animals with fossil records and phylogenetic information for 11,465 species. The team reconstructed where animals have lived over the past 270 million years and analyzed what temperatures they needed to survive in these regions.

The study revealed that the Earth's changing climate throughout history significantly impacted where animals resided. For example, warm and tropical conditions 40 million years ago made the planet suitable for many species to thrive. 

Birds and mammals were able to adapt during the subsequent cooling phase of the planet, which enabled them to move into extreme northern and southern regions.

“It might explain why we see so few reptiles and amphibians in the Antarctic or even temperate habitats,” said Rolland. “It's possible that they will eventually adapt and could move into these regions but it takes longer for them to change.”

According to Rolland, animals that can regulate their body temperatures might be better able to survive in these places because they can keep their embryos warm and take care of their offspring.

“These strategies help them adapt to cold weather but we rarely see them in the ectotherms or cold-blooded animals,” said Rolland.

The research team believes that understanding the past evolution and adaptations of species can provide important insight into how future climate change may impact Earth’s biodiversity.

The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Birds and mammals are the most likely to survive climate change

Researchers from the University of British Columbia are reporting that...

The brown recluse spider is not nearly as much of a widespread threat as it has been portrayed to be, according to a study from the <a href="http://www.ucr.edu/">University of California, Riverside</a>. Researchers are working to counter misconceptions about the spider, which is often blamed for a variety of unrelated medical conditions.

Retired entomologist Richard S. Vetter has spent much of his career focused on separating fact from fiction when it comes to the brown recluse. He says that for decades “negative word of mouth in the general public gave life to the myth of the brown recluse, without a countering voice.” 

The brown recluse, or Loxosceles reclusa, can cause serious tissue damage or even death in humans, and in areas within the species known range it must be regarded with great caution. However, Vetter explains that the brown recluse is not as big of a threat as it is perceived to be, particularly in locations far outside of its known range.

Vetter teamed up with pest management consultant Stoy Hedges to develop a guide that will aid both the public and pest control professionals in identifying and managing the brown recluse.

The authors describe the brown recluse as having a violin-shaped marking, but they say it is more accurately identified by its six eyes. These consist of three pairs in a U-shape line with a space between each pair. 

When found in homes, the spiders will most likely reside in dark spaces that they can crawl under or behind. The study authors point out that brown recluses “are reluctant to bite and so even in heavily infested homes, confirmed recluse bites are uncommon.”

The brown recluse is located in a range from southeastern Nebraska to southwestern Ohio, south to northwestern Georgia and into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/texas-earthquakes-dormant-faults/">Texas</a>. According to the experts, occurrences outside of this range are exceedingly rare. 

Vetter and Hedges recommend continued monitoring by a pest management professional to control an infestation. They also emphasize that “in areas where recluses are indigenous, the occasional recluse sighting is a fact of life.”

The guide is published in the Entomological Society of America's <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jipm">Journal of Integrated Pest Management</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: Richard S. Vetter

The brown recluse spider is not as big of a threat as many think

The brown recluse spider is not nearly as much of...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.en.uni-muenchen.de/">Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet</a> (LMU) in Munich recently discovered the oldest fossil in the Archaeopteryx genus, and their findings shed new light the evolutionary steps between bird-like dinosaurs and modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-birds-shrink/">birds</a>. 

The genus Archaeopteryx describes a group of feathered dinosaur species and is considered the earliest known bird. Paleontologists often describe Archaeopteryx fossils as transitional because they bridge the gap between dinosaurs and birds. 

Archaeopteryx lived during the late Jurassic Period 1150 million years ago in what is now Northern Bavaria. The landscape would have been subtropical with lagoons and reef islands during that time.

All Archaeopteryx fossils have been found in Northern Bavaria in the Altmühl River valley. The most recent fossil belonging to the genus was unearthed in 2010 and is the oldest known fossil of Archaeopteryx that has been discovered. 

The new find is the 11th fossil specimen of Archaeopteryx found to date. 

Researchers led by Oliver Rauhut, an LMU professor from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, analyzed the fossil using stratigraphy. Stratigraphy is used by geologists and paleontologists a way to map the geological history of different layers, or strata, in rocks. 

The discovery provided new insight into the genus and showed some features that were not yet known about the group of species. 

The researchers were able to use the fossil to show differences between Archaeopteryx and both of its bird and dinosaur relatives. 

Because of the limited number of fossils that have been found and the wide range of variations in anatomy among them, there is a good deal of uncertainty about the genus and its species. 

“The high degree of variation in the teeth is particularly striking - none of the specimens shows the same pattern of dentition as any other, which could reflect differences in diet,” said Rauhut. “It is even conceivable that this primeval bird genus might, in a similar fashion, have diversified into several specialized forms on the islands of the Solnhofener Archipelago.”

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Image Credit: O. Rauhut, LMU Munich

Oldest known fossil in feathered dinosaur genus discovered

Researchers from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich recently discovered the...

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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

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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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

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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...