SECORE International has developed a coral seeding method that utilizes assisted reproduction - breeding corals to help restore reefs. This approach has been implemented across the Caribbean through a network of training and partners.&nbsp;



A recent study confirms that the coral seeding method is making a significant impact: during the severe 2023 heatwave in the Caribbean, young <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-corals-and-reefs-are-showing-surprising-resilience-as-global-waters-warm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">corals</a> that were bred through SECORE's efforts remained healthy, while many wild corals bleached and died.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-seeding-in-the-caribbean-nbsp">Coral seeding in the Caribbean&nbsp;</h2>



The summer of 2023 brought devastation to many coral reefs in the Caribbean Basin. An unprecedented <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-escalate-coral-bleaching-threats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heatwave</a>, both in intensity and duration, hit the region, leading to widespread coral bleaching. 



With high seawater temperatures persisting, many corals were unable to recover and perished.&nbsp;



However, during this time of crisis, a hopeful discovery was made by SECORE’s Restoration Coordinator in Mexico, Sandra Mendoza Quiroz.&nbsp;



While conducting a routine dive to monitor their outplanted corals, she found that the young corals they had bred were healthy, standing out among the bleached and dying reefs.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-assisted-reproduction-and-coral-survival">Assisted reproduction and coral survival</h2>



Similar findings were reported by SECORE’s team in Curaçao, where another species of bred coral had withstood the heat.



“We were excited to observe this pattern showing another benefit of using assisted coral recruits in restoration,” said Margaret Miller, research director of <a href="https://www.secore.org/site/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SECORE</a>.



The team in Curaçao and Mexico, working with Coralium Lab at the <a href="https://www.unam.mx/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México</a>, collected data on the health of various species and groups of outplanted corals. 



The experts reached out to partners across their Caribbean Restoration Network, including the Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies, the <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/caribbean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean</a>, and Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire. 



Together, the researchers confirmed that young corals bred for restoration were significantly more resistant to bleaching compared to their wild counterparts across six coral species at 15 reef sites in five different Caribbean nations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coral-seeding-builds-resilience-nbsp">Coral seeding builds resilience&nbsp;</h2>



This study marks the first scientific evidence that corals restored using natural reproduction methods demonstrate greater resistance to extreme sea temperatures than wild or fragmented corals.



Miller, who has been breeding corals in the Caribbean for over 30 years, expressed optimism about the findings.&nbsp;



“These results provide a lot of encouragement and confirmation that restoration using assisted coral recruits can play an important role in orchestrating coral persistence into our warmer future,” said Miller.&nbsp;



“Nonetheless, truly securing the future of coral reefs is absolutely dependent on humankind’s success in controlling global warming.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-producing-millions-of-coral-embryos-nbsp">Producing millions of coral embryos&nbsp;</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reef-sounds-the-melodic-key-to-coral-restoration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coral restoration</a> methods have evolved significantly in the past decade. Traditionally, corals were propagated by breaking fragments off source colonies and growing them in nurseries before manually transplanting them onto the reef. 



Today, SECORE’s coral seeding approach, which breeds corals specifically for restoration, is widely implemented throughout the Caribbean.&nbsp;



This method involves collecting coral spawn from wild corals, fertilizing the eggs and sperm in a controlled environment (either on a boat or beach), and producing millions of coral embryos.&nbsp;



The coral larvae are grown in ocean enclosures and settled on special substrates before being outplanted onto the reef.



Each generation of corals that reproduces naturally receives a new combination of genes, enhancing their ability to adapt.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-the-new-breeding-efforts">Importance of the new breeding efforts</h2>



The study revealed that the young corals produced through breeding showed greater resistance to bleaching than adult coral colonies and fragments.&nbsp;



However, due to the recruitment failure of many reef-building species in the Caribbean, natural offspring are rare, which further underscores the importance of SECORE’s breeding efforts.



Dirk Petersen, the founder of&nbsp; SECORE, is thrilled with the study’s positive results.&nbsp;



“Our coral seeding approach is an important contribution to help coral reefs deal with climate change,” said Petersen. “Our investment over the past five years to build a large network for coral restoration in the Caribbean has paid off.”&nbsp;



“This network not only produces and outplants tens of thousands of corals every year but could also immediately assess how these corals responded to this unprecedented heatwave. Our priority is now to further scale efforts to the ecosystem level.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-chance-for-coral-reefs-to-survive">A chance for coral reefs to survive</h2>



Coral restoration, however, is not a solo endeavor. It requires collaboration across various disciplines, from science and engineering to on-the-ground implementation.&nbsp;



The process involves logistics, effectiveness, and thorough training, and must be grounded in strong management strategies that engage local communities.&nbsp;



While coral restoration is crucial, it alone cannot solve the broader challenges posed by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-study-provides-answers-to-how-coral-reefs-can-survive-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate change</a>. Still, it provides vital time to help coral populations survive in the face of environmental pressures.



“Our Caribbean Training and Capacity Building Program has turned out to be a successful model, which we urgently need to take to other regions across the world,” Petersen said.&nbsp;



In his view, as extreme weather events continue to increase in frequency and severity, regions beyond the Caribbean will also be affected.&nbsp;



“Restoration measures are best implemented at an early stage to strengthen the reefs. Once degradation has reached a critical level, restoration becomes much more challenging,” said Petersen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-coral-restoration-efforts">Expanding coral restoration efforts</h2>



SECORE is now expanding its efforts globally. In 2023, the organization hosted its first training session for participants from U.S. jurisdictions in the Western Pacific and plans to establish a team in Mauritius by the end of the year.&nbsp;



This new base will serve as a hub for restoration training in the Indian Ocean. “Restoration truly is a cooperative effort - let’s all work together to give these valuable ecosystems a future!” Peterson concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309719" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLoS ONE</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

‘Coral seeding’ increases resistance to extreme heatwaves

SECORE International has developed a coral seeding method that utilizes assisted reproduction - breeding corals to help restore reefs. This approach has been implemented across the Caribbean through a network of training and partners.&nbsp; A recent study confirms that the coral seeding method is making a significant impact: during the severe 2023 heatwave in the Caribbean, young corals that were bred through SECORE's efforts remained healthy, while many wild corals bleached and died. Coral seeding in the Caribbean&nbsp; The summer of 2023 brought devastation to many coral...

It was a heartbreaking find at the Malaysian airport in Kuala Lumpur. Authorities, relying on a tip, seized 18 rhinoceros horns in the airport’s cargo warehouse crated as art objects, according to the Associated Press. The cargo had a fake air bill and presumably came from Mozambique.

Airport customs director Hamzah Sundang said the horns transited in Doha, Qatar. No arrests were made at this time.

In a report issued last year, the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC called Malaysia a world transit hub, and a major link to Kenya and Uganda, for the flow of tons of illicit elephant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/china-ivory-trade-ban/">ivory</a> between Africa and Asia.

There’s a significant black market for rhinoceros horns because they’re prized throughout parts of Asia where they’re said to have medicinal as well as artistic value. As a result of illegal hunting of the rare savannah mammal, the worldwide rhino population, which was at around a half million just a few decades ago, has shrunk to 30,000.

In an article published in 2013, The Atlantic said that rhino horns traffic for as much as $300,000 in Vietnam because of such healthcare myths as the horn being a cure for cancer and hangovers. At a result, the value is literally more than the per-kilogram price of gold. The article also mentioned a $650,000 armed heist of a museum in Dublin, Ireland where only the horns were taken.

Prices had fallen considerably when China and other nations froze the market for the horns, but a resurgence occurred in 2008 when the false cancer elixir rumors started in Vietnam. Today, all five remaining rhino species are officially listed as Threatened, and three of the five species are Critically Endangered.

-- 

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="https://www.apnews.com/f0da0eb77e924885a0b6ef454e66b73b/Malaysia-seizes-18-rhino-horns-from-Mozambique"> Associated Press</a>,<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/05/why-does-a-rhino-horn-cost-300-000-because-vietnam-thinks-it-cures-cancer-and-hangovers/275881/"> The Atlantic</a>

Rhinoceros horns worth $3 million seized in Malaysian airport

It was a heartbreaking find at the Malaysian airport in...

Blackfish (2013)

“A whale has eaten one of the trainers.”

The shaky-voiced 911 call in Orlando in 2010 wasn’t accurate, but the killer whale Tilikum had indeed pulled veteran SeaWorld whale trainer Dawn Brancheau into the water and drowned her. Brancheau’s death would be the third associated with the orca, or killer whale.

As a cause-oriented documentary, Blackfish did indeed make a splash upon its 2013 release. It took on the entire SeaWorld business model of holding and training the whales for the entertainment of audiences. It made a case for the practice as being a risk to trainers and a tragedy for whales snatched from their social pods and contained in space too small for the needs of marine mammals who might travel a hundred miles or more in a single day in the wild. 

The film was certainly effective. SeaWorld stock dropped after its 2013 release, audience numbers plummeted and the entertainment company went out of its way to defend its treatment of the killer whales and the training and safety protocol of the animals’ trainers.  In 2014, SeaWorld announced that it would build larger enclosures with more natural elements for the whales. Two years later, the company announced that they were going to phase out its killer whale shows and build its first park without a killer whale presence from the start (in Abu Dhabi UAE). 

Whale hunt

Early in the film, we see 1970 footage of a heartbreaking whale capture off the coast of Washington State conducted on behalf of another orca show – not SeaWorld. Pursuers in boats and by air drop explosives into the water to drive the whales to a capture point, then separate mothers from their young. The whale show only wants the younger and lighter marine mammals to hold down shipping costs. We can hear the mother whales wailing as their panicky young are caught. Three whales are accidentally killed during the hunt. A grizzled contemporary diver who hired on for the roundup briefly loses his composure as he calls it one of the worst things he’s ever done. 

The film establishes the fact that killer <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/false-killer-whales-danger-extinction/">whales</a> are intensely social creatures who stay within visual sight of their mothers for life. Later in the film, when we learn of two instances of SeaWorld separating mother and child, and the company responds that no calves were taken away – that, in fact, the younger animals were twelve and four-and-a-half years of age – Blackfish viewers might wonder if that softens the impact.

Psychotic whale

When Washington State forbad further orca capture in its waters, the whale hunters moved to Iceland. That’s where the killer whale known as Tilikum was captured as a two-year-old in 1983. It was taken to Sealand of the Pacific, a dismal Canadian water show.

That’s where, in 1991, a trainer named Keltie Byrne was pulled into the water and drowned. There were several witnesses, but court testimony disagrees as to which of several orcas actually grabbed and drowned the trainer. However, two grown sisters who witnessed the events two decades in the past tell the camera it was definitely the male – Tilikum.

Later, when Sealand went under, Tilikum was sold to SeaWorld Orlando. Living in close quarters with two females out of his natural social pod, one of the many disdainful former SeaWorld trainers interviewed said that he was frequently bullied, his flesh raked bloody by the teeth of the others. 

In 1999, a man named Daniel Dukes apparently hid away in the park and was found dead the next morning, his nude lifeless body on Tilikum’s back. As with the previous death, it was impossible to conclusively state that the big orca had caused the fatality, but evidence pointed that way. 

The documentary points toward the capture, the training methods, the lack of freedom and unnatural social structure turning the mammal into a killer. Is that a too-easy anthropomorphic explanation – a way of attributing human characteristics to animals who can’t actually form thoughts or emotions that complex? 

SeaWorld responds

In its response to the popularity of Blackfish and the subsequent hit on its business, SeaWorld Entertainment responded to several key points. One key argument is that the critical former whale trainers hadn’t been with the company for many years, and some had little whale-training experience while with SeaWorld. 

The company also said that the scientists interviewed on-air had no captive whale experience and were active animal rights activists who brought a one-sided perspective. On the other hand, the Blackfish director said that SeaWorld refused involvement in the project.

Here’s where you can read the <a href="https://seaworldcares.com/the-facts/truth-about-blackfish/">SeaWorld rebuttal on Blackfish</a>. 

Blackfish has a definite point of view, and expresses it eloquently.  

--

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Earth.com Film Review, Blackfish (2013)

Blackfish (2013) “A whale has eaten one of the trainers.”...

A team of researchers from <a href="https://www.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a> recently identified the skeleton of the oldest known member of an extinct group of large, semi-aquatic reptiles – known as phytosaurs – that lived during the Triassic Period.

This group of animals, distantly related to crocodylians, lived approximately 200 to 250 million years ago. The new fossil pre-dates all other phytosaur fossils by about 5 million years, filling a critical evolutionary gap that now helps scientists understand how this reptile evolved.

The animal in question is known as Diandongosuchus fuyuanensis – an exciting name for an exciting creature. It had been previously labeled as a poposauroid, which is a group of animals that is more closely related to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/take-look-brand-new-species-crocodile/">crocodiles</a>. 

Michelle Stocker, lead author of the paper published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a> and assistant professor of geosciences at <a href="https://www.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a>, saw a photo of the fossil in a paper published back in 2012. She then met with the other co-authors in China in 2015 in order to re-examine the bones.

According to Stocker, the shape of the reptile’s head, shoulder, and skeleton bones is what led to them linking the animal to the phytosaurs. Furthermore, the anatomical revelations of a shorter snout and smaller body size led researchers to conclude that phytosaurs evolved their long snout and large body size much later than previously thought.

“So much of our study of the fossil record is about filling in the gaps in our knowledge of how animals came to look as they do or live where they are, and Diandongosuchus does that for phytosaurs,” says Stocker. “We're never done filling in those gaps.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech</a>

Image Credit: Xiao-chun Wu

Ancient reptile skeleton helps fill critical gap in the fossil record

A team of researchers from Virginia Tech recently identified the...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.dkfz.de/en/">German Cancer Research Center</a> have turned to an unusual source for information about human metabolism and cold tolerance: obese fruit flies.

While the little insects carry extra weight differently than humans do – they do have an exoskeleton, after all – they share a genetic marker with humans called THADA. The gene helps the flies burn fat, and is also one of the key genetic markers that varies between people from the Arctic and tropical populations.

When the researchers knocked out the gene in the insects, they ended up with obese fruit flies that burn less energy.

The gene may offer a clue as to how human populations in northern latitudes have faster metabolisms than those in tropical regions.

Those in colder climes often have the THADA gene, while tropical populations generally don’t, the scientists said.

“When you remove THADA, then the cells store more fat and produce less heat. When you restore THADA function, the cells store less fat and burn more energy,” Dr. Aurelio Teleman, a study co-author, said in a press release. “It's a metabolic regulator that affects the balance between how much energy your body turns into fat versus how much of it gets burned.”

The researchers tested the flies’ ability to tolerate cold using a walk-in refrigerator. The obese fruit flies took longer to recover from freezing temperatures than the flies with their THADA gene intact.

“We suspected that fatter animals would have better insulation and be more resistant to the cold, but in this case, they were more sensitive to cold,” co-author Dr. Alexandra Moraru said. 

Though humans and fruit flies are different, the study reinforces observations about obesity and metabolism in human communities. In colder climates where the THADA gene is more common, the faster metabolism linked to it helps to keep cells warmer and better resist the cold. In tropical locales, where keeping warm isn’t an issue, faster metabolism isn’t as important for survival.

When the scientists restored the obese fruit flies’ THADA or added human THADA to their genomes, they regained their faster metabolism.

That indicates that the THADA gene plays a role in regulating metabolism in both humans and fruit flies, the researchers said.

“All the hints are there that THADA will probably be an important metabolic regulator in mammals as well,” Teleman said.

The team will now work with another group of researchers in the UK to study how the THADA gene is expressed in mice.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/developmental-cell/fulltext/S1534-5807(17)30169-7">Developmental Cell</a>. It was funded by the <a href="https://www.krebshilfe.de/">Deutsche Krebshilfe</a> and the <a href="http://www.dfg.de/en/funded_projects/current_projects_programmes/index.jsp">Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft SFB1118</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Obese fruit flies teach scientists about cold tolerance

Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center have turned to...

If you have a dog around your very young children, it could increase their level of bacteria – and that’s the good news. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/">University of Alberta</a> in Canada have found that children who are exposed to household pets  -- 70 percent of which were dogs – from when the child is in the womb to as late as about the first three months of age have an increase in their levels of ruminococcus and oscillospira. These two strains of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rain-moves-bacteria-across-borders/">bacteria</a> help build up kids’ immune systems and have been linked with protection against childhood allergies and obesity. But the researchers point back to the very narrow window of opportunity. It won’t do much good to get your kids a dog when they’re two or three or starting school.

But for the very young children born into a doggie household, the presence of these two protective bacteria is double over those found in the fecal matter of children not born into a family with pets, said study leader Anita Kozyrskyj, a University of Alberta pediatric epidemiologist and a leading researcher on gut microbes. Those are microorganisms or bacteria that live in the digestive tracts of humans and animals.

More good news. The enhanced bacterial presence even showed up in elevated levels in pet-owning households where the births involved scenarios in which immunity deficiencies are typically noted: when birth was by C-section, when antibiotics were used during birth and when breastfeeding was not practiced.

The study further suggested that pets in the household reduced the likelihood of the transmission of vaginal GBS (group B Strep) during birth, which causes pneumonia in newborns and is prevented by giving mothers antibiotics during delivery.

Kozyrskyj’s team examined fecal samples collected from infants registered in the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development study to build upon twenty years of research that’s shown children who grow up with dogs have lower rates of asthma.

The working theory is that the early-life exposure to pets’ dirt and bacteria strengthens the immunity system.

Kozyrskyj said that her group’s findings might someday result in the development of drugs that replicate the protection provided by household pets and spur a greater presence of the protective bacteria.

“It's not far-fetched that the pharmaceutical industry will try to create a supplement of these microbiomes, much like was done with probiotics,” she said.

Results were published in the journal Microbiome.

-- 

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2013/12/110746/research-shows-how-household-dogs-protect-against-asthma-and-infection"> Microbiome</a>

How your dog might protect your kids' health

If you have a dog around your very young children,...

Everyone loves animals, right? But on occasion, a species becomes so identified with a particular spot on the map that the animals form a symbiotic relationship with that place: free food and protection for the critters, tourism dollars for the place. Here are a few examples of animals who have really made their mark across the globe.

Burro-loving Oatman, Arizona – It’s really not an exaggeration to say there are as many burros as people in this small, hot, dusty dot on the map along the legendary Route 66. While technically wild, the burros stroll into town each morning, hustle the tourists for the hay cubes known as “burro chow” sold at just about every store, and stroll back out to sleep it off in the desert. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8nn1bgZRAU">Here’s a YouTube video</a>. 

Oatman’s heyday came about a century ago when gold was discovered. The burros worked the mines, but when the gold played out mine management simply released the burros. In fact, much of the state of Arizona is inundated with wild burros that enjoy federal protection. They out-graze the sheep, cause environmental damage and collide with road traffic. But they only cause cash registers to ring in Oatman.

If you visit this vintage Old West town, stay at the Oatman Hotel, in operation since 1902. It’s where Clark Gable and Carol Lombard honeymooned. And buy plenty of burro chow.

Rabbit Island – Okay, so bunnies are cute. But they reproduce like, well, like rabbits. So Okunoshima, an island in Japan, has an abundance of them. And since dogs, cats and other predators are not allowed, and tourists are more than happy to feed them (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY-GncsZ-UE">see for yourself</a>), extinction won’t threaten this furry island population anytime soon. 

During World War II, Okunoshima, which is sometimes known as Usagi Shima (Rabbit Island) for obvious reasons, was used for poison gas development and housed test rabbits. Some stories say that the current herd (yep, look it up) are those survivors, but the Japanese government denies that. They say that these came from a few rabbits introduced after the war.

However they got here, they’re quite tame. And they love handouts. Visitors must take a train, a walk and a ferry to get here, but they certainly come. And they buy bunny food at the ferry station. If you visit, you might also check out the Poison Gas Museum and take in its cautionary message about mankind. 

The Cat Islands of Japan – What’s with the Japanese and their wild animal-dedicated spaces. And yes, it’s plural – islands. There are about a dozen islands located throughout the country that go by the collective title, Nekojima, which means exactly what you probably thought it meant: Cat Island. 

Many in the culture believe that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pooh-cat-walks-tall-new-bionic-legs/">cats</a> bring wealth and good fortune, which is one reason the feline populations have thrived in each of these places. One of the best known destination, Tashirojima, has shrines to cats. 

Just Google “cat islands of Japan” for more information. You’ll also see photos of cats looking pretty sleek and calm for their feral standing. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHLLDOyZepY">See what we mean?</a>

Swayambhunath, the Monkey Temple of Kathmandu – This complex of intricately carved Hindu and Buddhist temples and shrines sits atop a steep hill in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The first buildings here were constructed in the 5th century, and the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 

The holy monkeys are here – and protected – in all their irritating glory and wild enjoyment of life (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKlW-FIXHRI">check it out</a>) because of a Buddhist mythology that’s a bit more raw than most origin stories. They’re supposed to have sprung from the head lice of a god who apparently wasn’t much of a hygiene nut. So if you visit, duck your head, protect your belongings and eat quickly. You should also be aware that, while there’s a car route to Swayambhunath, a leisurely stroll up to the hilltop complex will involve the climbing of 365 stairs.

--

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Earth.com Feature: Animals and Places

Everyone loves animals, right? But on occasion, a species becomes...

If you’re an eastern grey kangaroo, you shouldn’t be in such a rush to leave home. Sticking around mom for longer will make you stronger and heavier (a good thing) and improve your long-term survival odds when on your own in the wild. Those are among the key findings of a research group studying a population of kangaroos in a park in Australia and reported in the pages of <a href="http://www.springer.com/life+sciences/behavioural/journal/265">Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology</a>.

The study of 129 offspring and their moms took place over a six-year period at Wilson Promontory National Park, where the kangaroos are tagged and measured and weighed annually. Over that time, the researchers found that those young out-of-pouch kangaroos between the ages of ten and 13 months who stayed in close proximity to their mothers while still suckling were the likeliest to survive their period of weaning. (Hey, it’s a harsh world for ‘roos.) And those juveniles between 18 and 21 months who spent more time with mom had limbs that were six percent longer and they weighed 19 percent more after the age of two than those who strayed earlier.

Another revelation was that juveniles whose mother had another baby in the pouch – an event that can happen annually – tended to spend less time around the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-3-parent-babies-uk/">parent</a>.

The study shows how the familial social dynamics of the kangaroos could affect populations. “These aspects are relevant to conservation when mothers may be harvested or killed by vehicles, as is the case for many large herbivores," said lead author Dr. Wendy King of the <a href="https://www.biology.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland School of Biological Sciences</a>.

Any human mom who’s raised kids will perhaps not be too surprised by this further observation of the research team: eastern grey kangaroo daughters tend to stick around mom longer than the sons, even after they’d been weaned.

-- 

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2017/04/bouncing-between-social-commitments-harms-offspring"> University of Queensland</a>

Kangaroos do better when they live at home for longer

If you’re an eastern grey kangaroo, you shouldn’t be in...

In the red-sided garter snake world, the males work much harder and longer than the females do to mate, and it takes more out of them. Sound familiar? A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> in Australia studied the telomeres, a biomarker at each end of the chromosomes of the snakes that measure aging, and found the female to be in better shape than the male.

It’s no wonder. The male neglects to eat and spends up to two weeks at the dens where mating takes place. The female snake, on the other hand, spends a much more limited time in the hunt for a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossilized-damselflies-mating-rituals/">mate</a>. In the meantime, female snakes spend up to eight months hibernating underground. Furthermore, they breed only every other year and spend no time nurturing their litter. As a result, female red-side garter snakes can more easily repair DNA damage that can lead to early aging, and manage to live longer and in better condition than the sexually hard-driving males of the species.

“Although we believe that all females mate every year, they only stay at the den sites (where mating takes place) for a short period of one to three days; much less than males, who remain for at least a week and up to 21 days, which seems to result in males ageing faster and dying earlier than females,” said Dr. Christopher R. Friesen of the <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a>.

Is there a lesson there, guys?

As the researchers summarized in the research paper published today in the Royal Society journal Proceedings B, “The relationship between body condition and age differed strikingly between sexes, with females maintaining their body condition with age, while condition decreased with age in males.”

-- 

By <a href="mailto:dsearls@earth.com">David Searls</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/"> Proceedings B</a>

Male snakes have a wild sex drive that makes them age faster

In the red-sided garter snake world, the males work much...

The ability to “read” the minds of others in social interactions – as the vast majority of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-should-keep-a-safe-distance-while-helping-endangered-primates/">humans</a> do every day – is a staple of social and general intelligence. Specifically, understanding when someone else has a “false belief,” or knowing that they’re factually incorrect about something, is a sign of advanced social cognition in people. Researchers have always believed that great apes lack this ability… until now.

In a study by lead author David Buttelmann of the <a href="http://www.eva.mpg.de/index.html">Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology</a> in Germany, some great apes may be able to comprehend false beliefs and apply this knowledge to help others.

In order to evaluate understanding of others’ beliefs in three species of great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans), Buttelmann and his team used a test that was originally developed for 1.5-year-old infants.

At Leipzig Zoo in Germany, the researchers tested 34 individual great apes. The test involved a person putting an object in one of two boxes in clear sight of the ape test subject. A second person then took this object out of the box, placed it into another box, and locked both boxes. They used this format to test two conditions:

True Belief Condition: the first person stayed in the room while the switch was made, so that first person clearly knew where the object was and thus had a true belief.

False Belief Condition: the first person left the room before the switch was made, so while he thought he knew where the object was, he was actually mistaken and thus had a false belief.

In both conditions, the first person would try to open the box where he had originally placed the object. The apes knew how to unlock boxes, and could make the decision which box to open for the first person during the test.

Surprisingly, the great apes tended to be more likely to help find the object when the person had a false belief about which box the object was in. This result suggests that the great apes used their understanding of the person’s beliefs about reality in order to decide how to help him.

Buttelmann believes this study is groundbreaking, saying that it “shows for the first time that great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans) can use an understanding of false beliefs to help others appropriately.” If this is true, we might have just uncovered another layer to the intelligence of our closest relatives.

More information can be found on this study in the open-access journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a>.

--

By Connor Ertz, Earth.com Staff Writer,

Source: <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS</a>

Great apes can tell the difference between true and false

The ability to “read” the minds of others in social...

It is possible you may have noticed recent “clickbait” or “life-hack” headlines that suggest using common artificial sweeteners as insecticides to keep away houseflies. It’s also possible you may have tried this out or have boxes of Splenda being shipped to you right now. But scientists have come out with new research that could have your rushing to the computer to cancel that order.

A new study done by a team of researchers at <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu">North Carolina State University</a> suggests that these insects aren’t poisoned by artificial sweeteners – rather, they simply end up dying of malnutrition. 

The researchers tested the survival rate of houseflies (Musca domestica) on the main ingredient in Truvia – known as erythritol – compared to natural sugar, agar, and water alone. They discovered that the flies had a strong preference for the natural sugar over the erythritol when given the choice. When fed only erythritol, they had a similar mortality rate to flies fed only water or agar.

Michael Fisher, the lead author on the study and a doctoral candidate at <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu">NC State,</a> elaborates: “Based on our results, erythritol does not appear to have insecticidal properties on house flies in the traditional sense, and would not be a candidate for adult control.”

The research team also tested mannitol, xylitol, and sorbitol on flies, ultimately finding that only sorbitol had any nutritive value for the insects. They believe there are a multitude of reasons for why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossilized-damselflies-mating-rituals/">flies</a> cannot survive on artificial sweeteners, including problems with digestion and a negative effect on the flies’ gut microbes.

Scientists also believe that real-world applications of a sweetener insecticide would face practical challenges, the most significant of which would likely be the presence of competing food sources. It appears even flies can understand that these sweeteners hold no nutritional value for them, and they would realistically avoid contributing to their own demise.

--

By Connor Ertz, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.entsoc.org/">Entomological Society of America</a>

Can artificial sweeteners be an effective fly insecticide?

It is possible you may have noticed recent “clickbait” or...

Scientists have announced the discovery of a new species of snail that is brightly colored, lives on shipwrecks, filter-feeds like a whale, and even shoots webs – kind of like Spiderman but a lot less cinematic. According to its discoverer, this snail shows “amazing adaptations” and could play an important role in coral reef restoration work.

Most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidification-sea-snails/">snails</a> have coiled shells and are slow movers – but this isn’t like most snails. Instead, adult worm-snails have irregularly-shaped tubular shells that they cement onto a hard surface, meaning that they don’t move at all. Worm-snails will stick to one spot for the rest of their life, which makes them ideally suited for the hard surfaces of reefs and shipwrecks.

Dr. Rüduger Bieler, Curator of Invertebrates at <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Chicago’s Field Museum</a> and the lead author of the paper, describes these new spiderman snails as “particularly weird animals,” that “could have a substantial impact on coral reef restoration efforts.”

Bieler was first intrigued by the snail’s giant slime glands, saying “Normally, snails produce a trail of slime so that they can glide on it in order to move. But worm-snails are stationary--what did they need slime glands for?”

It turns out that these slime glands are used to hunt rather than move. Using an extra pair of tentacles on their body, the snails shoot out a mucous web, “just like Spiderman – although in slow motion,” explains Bieler. Microorganisms get stuck in the web, which the snail then pulls back in to eat.

The new species, Thylacodes vandyensis, is named after “Vandy,” which is the nickname divers have given to the sunken naval vessel on which the worm-snails were first found. In fact, the USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenburg is the only location where this species is known to exist.

Intentional shipwrecks such as the USNS Vandenburg make up numerous artificial reef systems in the Florida Keys. According to Bieler, “…the deliberately scuttled shipwrecks are empty, brand-new real estate. There [are] fewer organisms to compete with for space on the artificial reef, and fewer resident predators.”

Although this new species is of great interest, their presence in these artificial reefs is not necessarily without consequence. Worm-snails could potentially harm corals and other reef organisms, possibly through reducing coral growth. They also are known to be hosts for certain blood flukes, which are parasites of loggerhead turtles.

Bieler believes it is imperative the researchers keep monitoring this new species, as “non-native and potentially invasive species like Thylacodes vandyensis might eventually make its way from the artificial reef to the natural reef and cause trouble for the animals living there.” The study’s author says that the artificial reefs may end up serving as “the canary in the coal mine,” indicating problems with invasive species before they can spread to the living reefs.

More information on this discovery can be found in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/">PeerJ</a>.

--

By Connor Ertz, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/">Field Museum</a>

Image Credit: © Rüdiger Bieler, The Field Museum

Spiderman worm-snails discovered on shipwreck in the Florida Keys

Scientists have announced the discovery of a new species of...

In a new study from <a href="http://www.americanornithology.org/content/auk-ornithological-advances">The Auk: Ornithological Advances</a>, researchers reveal that older, more experienced Golden Eagles will actually migrate in poorer weather conditions than their younger counterparts. While it may seem like these savvy veterans of the migration game should know better, there’s actually a good reason behind this.

Adrian Rus of <a href="https://www.boisestate.edu/">Boise State University</a> (now at Australia’s <a href="http://sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a>) and Todd Katzner of the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">USGS</a> along with their colleagues studied GPS telemetry tracks to evaluate the migratory performance of almost 90 Golden Eagles in eastern North America. They used this data to determine how individual eagle migratory performance related to season, age, and weather.

The data revealed obvious connections – such as increased speed and distance when an eagle encountered strong tailwinds or helpful thermals. However, it also showed that older eagles were unable to cover as much ground as younger eagles, despite their better experience. What they found was that older eagles tended to migrate in poorer weather and travel more slowly.

Although this may seem rather odd, the researchers believe they do this because these older birds are facing different pressures than the younger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-dehydration-climate-change/">birds</a>. They begin heading north earlier than the younger birds that aren’t breeding – most likely so they can get back to their breeding grounds in time to reclaim their territory and begin nesting.

Katzner explains this thinking, saying, “Younger eagles just need to survive the summer, so they can be choosy about when they travel north and only migrate when conditions are really ideal for fast soaring flight.”

According to Jeff Kelly, an expert on avian migration at <a href="https://www.ou.edu/">Oklahoma University</a>, this study is “an unusual demonstration of the interaction between migration experience and seasonal environments.” He believes that “It is likely that the migration experience that older birds have enables them to extend their summer season through early spring and late autumn migration despite declining atmospheric conditions.”

Scientists agree that this research helps to expand understanding of life history trade offs, especially relating to the annual cycle of migrant species.

--

By Connor Ertz, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.americanornithology.org/">American Ornithological Society</a>

Golden Eagles migrate through stormy weather to hold their turf

In a new study from The Auk: Ornithological Advances, researchers...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...