When you think of gaming and Virtual Reality worlds, you probably picture people with VR headsets dodging virtual bullets or exploring fantastical landscapes, not animals hooked to electrodes.



But now, this technology is being used for something completely different -- studying the behavior of small creatures, like hoverflies and crabs, when they're exposed to "fake" or "augmented" worlds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dynamics-of-flight">Dynamics of flight</h2>



This novel approach emerged from a desire to comprehend the aerodynamics of flying insects, along with other enigmatic animal behaviors.



A study led by Flinders University introduces us to a whole new way of observing how invertebrates react to, communicate with, and traverse through the virtual "worlds" that today's avant-garde entertainment technology can create.



This exploration could provide <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-tool-superanimal-can-accurately-analyze-animal-behavior/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">invaluable insights</a> that offer a push forward in the realm of new technologies, like aviation and precision devices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-developing-virtual-reality-tech-for-animals">Developing virtual reality tech for animals</h2>



The development of this unique software was a collaborative effort by several experts at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flinders University</a> in Western Australia, in collaboration with researchers from Germany.



Among the key contributors are Professor Karin Nordström, who leads the Hoverfly Motion Vision Lab, and her co-researchers including Dr. Yuri Ogawa, Dr. Richard Leibbrandt, and Raymond Aoukar.



Their combined expertise and dedication have made it possible to open up this specially designed software platform to researchers worldwide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-animals-in-a-virtual-world">Observing animals in a virtual world</h2>



Dr. Ogawa, a research fellow in Neuroscience at the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, explained how their team developed computer programs to create an immersive VR experience for the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-and-possibly-even-insects-have-emotions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">creatures</a>.



"Using machine learning and computer vision algorithms, we could observe the animals and decode their actions, from a hoverfly attempting to make a left turn during flight to a fiddler crab dodging a virtual bird," said Dr. Ogawa.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/virtual-reality_CAVE-system_animal-testing_illustration_Flinders-U_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/virtual-reality_CAVE-system_animal-testing_illustration_Flinders-U_1s.webp" alt="Trackball set-up. The crabs were placed on an air cushioned treadmill. Stimuli consisted of a virtual crab below the horizon (dark grey) and virtual bird above the horizon (pale grey) which were presented on either of the four adjacent stimulus monitors surrounding the treadmill. The experimental crab was held in place by a rod attached to its carapace that allowed it to slide up and down and rotate freely around the center of the ball, but not move away. Credit: Flinders University" class="wp-image-1951730"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Trackball set-up. The crabs were placed on an air cushioned treadmill. Stimuli consisted of a virtual crab below the horizon (dark grey) and virtual bird above the horizon (pale grey) which were presented on either of the four adjacent stimulus monitors surrounding the treadmill. The experimental crab was held in place by a rod attached to its carapace that allowed it to slide up and down and rotate freely around the center of the ball, but not move away. Credit: Flinders University</figcaption></figure>



But that's not all - the software also modifies the digital landscape to sync with the animals' movements. 



The machine learning technologies used in this experiment are already disrupting various industries, from agriculture to medicine, architecture, and transportation, as noted by Dr. Leibbrandt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-playground-for-invertebrates">New playground for invertebrates</h2>



The emergence of virtual reality for invertebrates has started unveiling novel methods for studying animal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-is-contagious-and-this-applies-to-animals-too/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behaviors</a> more intimately than ever before.



Raymond Aoukar, a computer science graduate from Flinders University, emphasized the significance of this project.



"The past two decades have witnessed rapid progress in gaming, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and high-speed computation using specific computer hardware in graphics cards," said Aoukar.



"Today, these technologies are mature and accessible enough to operate on consumer computer devices. This accessibility offers the opportunity to look at animal behavior in an environment that's systematically controlled but more natural than a typical lab experiment."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bridging-gaps-between-disciplines">Bridging gaps between disciplines</h2>



The intersection of technology and biology in studying animal behavior is an exemplary case of interdisciplinary collaboration. 



By bringing together expertise from areas such as computer science, neuroscience, and biology, researchers can leverage technological advancements to deepen our understanding of biological processes. 



This collaboration fosters innovation and ensures a more comprehensive approach to problem-solving.



The project's success highlights the importance of bridging gaps between distinct fields, leading to brand new insights and applications that have far-reaching implications beyond the immediate study of invertebrate behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-virtual-reality-for-future-animal-research">Virtual reality for future animal research</h2>



The implications of utilizing virtual reality to study animal behavior are vast and promising. 



This state-of-the-art approach promises to shift paradigms in ecological and biological research by enabling scientists to simulate complex environments and observe real-time interactions in a controlled manner.



Future research could expand the application of these technologies to more animal species, potentially revolutionizing how we study and interact with wildlife. 



Moreover, this innovative intersection has the potential to influence other technological advancements, setting a precedent for future endeavors that merge the realms of technology with nature to solve intricate mysteries of the natural world. 



Such advancements are poised to contribute to more sustainable technological and ecological systems, thus enhancing our understanding and preservation of biodiversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-virtual-reality-to-identify-animal-behavior">Virtual reality to identify animal behavior</h2>



Apart from simply observing and quantifying behavior through virtual reality, the new approach allows the identification of visual triggers for certain behaviors in animals.



Other research groups have already started showing interest in using this revolutionary platform. The researchers look forward to employing VR to dig deeper into the decision-making processes of insects.



To simplify experimental design and data storage, the team developed a user-friendly Unity Editor interface that doesn't require coding. 



The CAVE, an open-source project from the <a href="https://hoverflyvision.weebly.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hoverfly Motion Vision Lab</a>, streamlines the process of setting up a Tethered Flight Arena.



This new virtual playground for insects and other small creatures may have started as a fun experiment, but its implications and potentials are nothing short of fascinating. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/2041-210X.14449" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Methods in Ecology and Evolution</a>.



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Animals were wired and placed in Virtual Reality worlds just to see what would happen

When you think of gaming and Virtual Reality worlds, you probably picture people with VR headsets dodging virtual bullets or exploring fantastical landscapes, not animals hooked to electrodes. But now, this technology is being used for something completely different -- studying the behavior of small creatures, like hoverflies and crabs, when they're exposed to "fake" or "augmented" worlds. Dynamics of flight This novel approach emerged from a desire to comprehend the aerodynamics of flying insects, along with other enigmatic animal behaviors. A study led by Flinders University...

The Greater Prairie-chicken was once a common bird in North America, but like many endangered grassland birds, they are becoming more and more of a rarity. Today only small pockets of Greater Prairie-chickens exist in the plains and parts of the Midwest. And recently, there has been a growing concern that wind energy farms might add to the growing list of threats facing the endangered birds.

Wind energy, especially in the Great Plains, is increasing in popularity, and wind energy facilities are popping up all over the place to create a bountiful source of renewable, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wyoming-targets-solar-wind-energy-law/">clean energy</a>. 

A new study published in The Condor: Ornithological Applications, led by Jocelyn Olney Harrison from the <a href="https://www.unl.edu/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a> in conjunction with her colleagues, finds that wind energy facilities in Nebraska have little to no effect on the Greater Prairie-Chicken nesting grounds. 

The research team studied nesting sites near a small wind energy facility and captured 78 female prairie chickens from different breeding areas spaced at different locations across the facility. They fitted the birds with transmitters and monitored their nests and movements. 

The team discovered that no matter how close a nest was to the wind energy facility, it seemed to have no effect on the bird’s mating and habits overall. Instead, the scientists found that the greatest threats were infrastructure and grazing patterns of animals. 

“We suggest that livestock grazing and other grassland management practices still have the most important regional effects on Greater Prairie-Chickens, but we caution future planners to account for potential negative effects of roads on nest site placement,” said Harrison. 

Further studies will need to be done with a larger scope to see if wind energy facilities have a significant impact on all grassland birds. But the promising findings of this project show that wind energy is not as great a threat as other current practices that lead to habitat loss.

----

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a>, Staff Writer 

Photo Credit: L. Powell

Wind energy facilities do not impact endangered grassland birds

The Greater Prairie-chicken was once a common bird in North...

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Scientists have been observing Antarctic penguins, seabirds, and other marine animals for years in an effort to improve conservation strategies. Electronic tracking is a great way to identify migration patterns, but the trackers can be invasive, expensive, and difficult to recover. Groundbreaking research may allow scientists to track the movements of animals in remote locations without a need for trackers, as one team proved animals can be traced using only forensics. 

Michael Polito, a professor of Oceanography &amp; Coastal Sciences at <a href="http://www.lsu.edu/">Louisiana State University</a>, led a study which determined that scientific tests can reveal where penguins have migrated. Polito explains this is because “a geochemical signature of their wintering area is imprinted into their feathers.”


Chinstrap and Adélie penguins are part of a family of birds known as “brush-tailed” penguins, which shed all of their feathers after each breeding season and before they migrate to the ocean for winter. Their tail feathers, however, continue to grow into the wintertime while the penguins are at sea.

Polito and his team attached tags to 52 adult Chinstrap and Adélie penguins at their breeding colonies. The tags were retrieved the following breeding season, and were evaluated to establish where the birds had been over the winter. As the tags were removed, the researchers took a tail feather from each penguin. Tail feathers were also collected from 60 other penguins that had not been tagged.


The team conducted high-resolution forensic assessments on the chemical compounds of the feathers. Polito and his colleagues used a technique called compound-specific stable isotope analysis of amino acids to perform the tests.

Data collected from examinations of the feathers combined with electronic information from the tags enabled the scientists to identify the unique chemical signatures of various wintering areas. They were then able to determine where the untracked penguins had spent their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-winter-temperatures-warmer/">winter</a> seasons based only on the chemical signatures of their tail feathers. 

"This novel approach could be applied to different tissues from a wide variety of marine animals that migrate over long distances including seabirds, sea turtles, seals and whales," Polito said. "Using stable isotope forensics to increase the size and scope of animal tracking studies will help us to better understand these charismatic species and ultimately aid in their conservation."

The study will be published August 9th in the scientific journal <a href="http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Biology Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Photo Credit: M. Polito, LSU

Using forensics to track migration patterns of penguins

Scientists have been observing Antarctic penguins, seabirds, and other marine...

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">The Centers for Disease Control</a> (CDC) predicted that the summer of 2017 would be one of the worst tick seasons ever. With summer nearly half over and tick borne illnesses on the rise, it would seem their predictions were not without merit. Ticks thrive in tall grasses and wooded, leafy areas, and carry several illnesses including Lyme Disease.

According to CDC epidemiologist Dr. Christopher Braden, Lyme disease cases have nearly doubled in recent years compared to the early 2000s. 

This increase in tick populations, as well as mosquitos and other disease carrying pests, are a worldwide problem. The trick is reducing or managing their population levels without adversely affecting vital pollinator insects like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/east-african-honey-bees/">bees</a> and butterflies.

The solution and success of vector-control without harming pollinators in the process can be found by starting local, according to new research performed by entomologists, disease-vector control management experts, and pollinator experts. 

The research has been published in the Journal of Medical Entomology and shows that pest control and pollinator protection can be ensured by a local, community effort during the planning stages before any pest control measures are taken. 

There are vector-control practices that try to protect “nontarget organisms,” but conditions can vary so differently even county to county, coordinating with a pollination expert will ensure that the best measures are taken to ensure the desired result for all parties. 

A 2014 Vector-Borne Disease and Pollinator Protection task force was created by the <a href="http://pollinator.org/nappc/">North American Pollinator Protection Campaign</a> and studied better ways to promote local collaborative efforts among the two worlds. 

"Nobody wants people to get sick unnecessarily, and nobody wants to damage populations of organisms that are important to the functioning of healthy environments," said Dr. Howard Ginsberg, chair of the task force.

Preventing flea, tick, and mosquito borne illnesses can be helped by managing population levels. But this recent research shows how important it is to utilize a collaborative effort on a local level in order to find the best balance between disease and pest control without sacrificing vital pollinators.  

---

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The battle to protect bees while managing ticks and mosquitos

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) predicted that the summer...

A huge increase in the value of American eels has given rise to a lucrative black market. Along the eastern coast of the United States, illegal harvesting of baby eels is putting dangerous pressure on the species. A massive federal investigation was organized to put an end to the unlicensed eel trade.

American baby eels, also known as elvers or glass eels, are only legally harvested in Maine and South Carolina. They are often sold to Asia where they are raised in farm ponds and sold as food. Besides a huge demand in Japanese restaurants, eels are also very popular in the American sushi industry and are a delicacy in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-massive-blow-asia/">Asia</a>.

The overfishing of eels in Japan and Europe led to drastic population declines over the last decade. This created an unprecedented demand for American baby eels, and their value skyrocketed to over $2,000 a pound.

Operation Broken Glass was started by the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/">United States Department of Justice</a> and <a href="https://www.fws.gov/">The United States Fish and Wildlife Service</a> to put an end to the illegal harvesting and distribution of elvers. The federal investigation has resulted in the arrest of over 15 people, all of whom plead guilty to charges that totaled over $4 million in illegal elver trafficking.

The investigation spanned 12 states from Maine down to South Carolina. One of the individuals arrested was a New York seafood dealer who bought and distributed elvers which were illegally harvested in Virginia. In November of 2016, three man pled guilty to trafficking over $740,000 worth of elvers which were illegally harvested in Charleston, South Carolina.

Over 400 licensed fisherman make a living catching elver in the rivers of Maine. They depend on law enforcement to protect their rapidly changing industry. According to the Maine Department of Marine Resources, elvers were only worth around $25 a pound in the early 90s. By 2012, the value of American eels shot up to over $40 million because of demand from Asian countries. 

According to the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a>, the federal agencies in charge of Operation Broken Glass say there is no end date set for their investigation. Individuals who are indicted will be charged with federal violation of the Lacey Act, which prohibits illegal wildlife trade and carries a penalty of up to $250,000 and five years in prison.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Eel poaching hits new high as black market value increases

A huge increase in the value of American eels has...

The comparison of “nature vs. nurture” when it comes to raising offspring has been talked about and studied throughout history, in both humans and animals – but for some reason it hasn’t been studied very much in dogs. New research from the <a href="http://www.upenn.edu/">University of Pennsylvania</a> took an in-depth look at how guide dogs were affected by being raised by mothers who were overprotective, and how this influenced their likelihood of graduating from the training program. 

Results showed that a dog’s cognition and temperament were directly associated with success in the training program, and could help inform guide dog training organizations on how to identify dogs that are more likely to succeed. 

The study was conducted at The Seeing Eye, an organization in New Jersey that raises and trains dogs to help guide blind people. “Organizations like The Seeing Eye invest a huge amount in their training program but have about a 70 percent success rate,” says Robert Seyfarth of UPenn’s School of Veterinary Medicine. "That is good, but, from a practical point of view, they’d like to improve.”

Researchers observed 23 mothers and their 98 puppies for their first five weeks of life at The Seeing Eye, documenting things such as nursing position, the time the mother spent looking away from the puppies, and how much time she spent grooming her puppies. 

The mothers should unique differences across the board, and in a test of salivary cortisol levels – a measure of stress – the more vigilant mothers had higher baseline levels and higher spikes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cortisol-indicate-stressed/">cortisol</a> when their puppies were temporarily taken away from them.

When the researchers went back a couple years later and tracked the success of these puppies, they discovered that the mothers that were more doting were less likely to have their puppies graduate from the program and become guide dogs. Specifically, dogs whose mothers nursed more often lying down instead of sitting or standing up were less likely to succeed.

“If a mother is lying on her stomach, the puppies basically have free access to milk, but, if the mother is standing up, then the puppies have to work to get it,” Seyfarth explains. “A hypothesis might be that you have to provide your offspring with minor obstacles that they can overcome for them to succeed later in life because, as we know, life as an adult involves obstacles.”

A second part of the study was conducted after the puppies had gone to live with foster families and then returned to The Seeing Eye when they were young adults for more specific guide-dog training. This training included tests of cognitive problem-solving skills and tests of temperament.

The dogs that did well at the problem-solving tasks and were less reactive in temperament tests were more likely to succeed in the program, which wasn’t exactly a shock. Previous research had shown that dogs’ cognition and temperament were interrelated.

This new research provides further evidence of the connection between maternal behavior and offspring’s behavior later in life. However, further research is needed to figure out exactly why the attentive mothers were less likely to have puppies that graduated from the program.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Successful guide dogs less likely to have overbearing mothers

The comparison of “nature vs. nurture” when it comes to...

Breathing trouble in pugs and French bulldogs is tough to predict. Pugs, bulldogs, and French bulldogs are some of the most popular breeds of canine. In fact, the bulldog is the national dog of the UK and pug fever places the pug as one of the most popular breeds worldwide. However, these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reason-dogs-friendly-love/">dogs</a> all belong to a family of Brachycephalic dogs whose signature traits of small heads and wrinkled faces put them at risk for breathing problems, overheating, and disease.

Scientists from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> performed a study that looked specifically at physical traits of these dog breeds to see if facial characteristics alone could indicate breathing problems later in life. This, in turn, could help breed out those harmful indicators and provide longer, healthier lives for the dogs overall. 

The research team hoped to prove the findings of a 2015 study by researchers at the <a href="http://www.london.ac.uk/rvc.html">Royal Veterinary College, University of London</a>, which concluded that dogs with shorter muzzles were more likely to suffer breathing problems later on in life.

But the Cambridge study found it wasn’t so simple. In fact, the team couldn’t prove conclusively if the 2015 study’s findings were accurate. By just measuring facial features like neck girth, they couldn’t find hard evidence that proved physical features alone could indicate the development of life threatening breathing issues.

“At this moment there is no conclusive way of predicting whether any individual pug or bulldog will develop breathing difficulties, so we are now looking for genetic tests that may help breeders get rid of BOAS more rapidly,” Dr. DAvid Sargan, a joint lead author of the study said. 

The research team did find a degree of consistency when measuring nostril opening as an indicator of BOAS or Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome. 

“Breeding for open nostrils is probably the best simple way to improve these breeds. Dog breeders should also avoid using dogs with extremely short muzzles, wide faces, and thick necks. These traits are all associated with increased risk of having BOAS,” Dr. Nai-Chieh Liu, first author of the study, said. 

Studies like this can help improve the overall health and wellness of a dog by showcasing traits to look out for. 

---

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staffwriter

Breathing trouble in pugs and French bulldogs is tough to predict

Breathing trouble in pugs and French bulldogs is tough to...

Drosophila, commonly known as the fruit fly, is one of the most researched and understood organisms in the world of science. They are of particular interest because of their impact on the fields of genetics. 

Science has discovered a lot about of the fruit fly and its genetic makeup over the years, and a recent study from the journal Nature Communications has found interesting patterns in a fruit fly’s decision to mate or sleep. 

Obviously, one has to take precedence over the other, but how the fruit flies decide which is more important in the moment varies based on gender. 

The study found that sleep deprived males were less inclined to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sexual-intimidation-tactics-primate/">mate</a>. For females, however, their sleeping habits had no effect on their determination to mate. Researchers say this may be because of the females need to reproduce at any cost, with a rate of anywhere between 30 and 50 eggs a day. But sleepy males were not aroused compared to sleep deprived females. 

The research was compiled by a group effort between scientists at <a href="http://www.hhmi.org/">Howard Hughes Medical Institute</a>, the <a href="http://www.seu.edu.cn/english/">Southeast University in China</a>, and the <a href="http://www.sandiego.edu/">University of San Diego</a>, with the corresponding author Michael Nitabach, a professor of cellular and molecular physiology and genetics at <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a>.

The study explains the lack of sex drive in sleep deprived males as an “adaptive behavior,” because falling asleep during sex could result in failure to pass on genes. 

The research team also found “a neuronal connection that regulates the interplay between courtship and sleep,” says Nitabach. These findings could be used to look at humans and their biological drives for sleep and sex, if and when the two are pitted against each other. 

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Sleep vs. sex? How the fruit fly decides

Drosophila, commonly known as the fruit fly, is one of...

There are many reasons to adopt and support your local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/difference-animal-shelters-rescues/">animal shelter</a>. Not only will you make a difference in the life of an animal (sometimes even a life-saving difference), but by opting for a mix breed versus an expensive purebred, your furry friend has a chance for a longer, healthier life. 

Purebred dogs are attractive for a reason and they come with a long line of tradition and traits instantly recognizable. But many studies have shown that purebred animals are predisposed to a whole slew of health problems that their mutt friends simply are not because of the advantage of the bigger gene pool. 

Bulldogs and Great Danes are perhaps the most discussed breeds to show the problems with purebred dogs. But now, a recent study out the UK shows how German Shepherd dogs also exhibit the health issues that selective breeding can cause. 

The study, published in the Journal Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, follows data collected on over 400 million dogs from veterinary clinics in the UK. Lead author Dr. Dan O'Neill from the <a href="http://www.rvc.ac.uk/">Royal Veterinary College </a>said, “German Shepherd Dogs have previously been reported to have the second highest number of health disorders exacerbated by breeding traits, with Great Danes occupying first place.” 

Arthritis, hip dysplasia, cancer, degenerative spinal disorders, and osteoarthritis are some of the health issues that German Shepherds and other selectively bred dogs are predisposed to. These breeds are often loved for their specific aesthetic appeal and dispositions. The German Shepherd is unique because it is one of the most popular and widely used breeds today. They fulfill roles in herding, guarding, police, military, and guide-dog work, and actually were bred to be bigger and more confident through the years. 

Research from studies like this could have a positive impact on care practices and future breeding for purebred canines like the German Shepherd. 

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

German Shepherd study reveals health consequences of breeding

There are many reasons to adopt and support your local...

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/winter-paints-andes-mountains-snow-ice/">Andes Mountains</a> in Peru are home to richly diverse flora and fauna. Now, ecologists from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> have discovered three new frog species in the Pui Pui Protected Forest in central Peru. This brings the total number of new frogs discovered by the team to five. 

The Pui Pui Protected Forest has been a designated conservation site since 1985, but there have been very few studies done in the area. It covers 150,000 acres with streams, lakes, and rivers, and there are both Andean grasslands and cloud forests in the region. This new discovery shows how vital studying and protecting these habitats are. 

“These discoveries demonstrate the need for further scientific exploration of such Andean habitats,” said researcher Rudolf von May from the University of Michigan Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

The frogs discovered all measure only an inch or less and belong to the most diverse genus of frogs in the tropical Andes, Pristimantis. They are part of a group of terrestrial or land-breeding frogs. Unlike other amphibians, who start as tadpoles, pristimantis lay embryos that hatch into froglets right away. 

The three new discoveries were given the name of the park, Pui Pui, and the findings were published in the journal Zootaxa online, with the primary author listed as Edgar Lehr of<a href="https://www.iwu.edu/"> Illinois Wesleyan University</a>. Ecologists from the University of Michigan, the Czech Republic, Peru and Illinois worked on the discoveries. 

The new species are called the Pui Pui Rubber Frog, The Hill Dweller Rubber Frog, and Humboldt’s Rubber Frog, named after the explorer Alexander von Humboldt.

More information on the study’s findings and the names of the other discoveries will be published in papers by the research teams later on. These exciting discoveries prove the importance of conserving and studying these vast habitats as our understanding of them is still limited.

--

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New species of frog discovered in Peruvian Andes

The Andes Mountains in Peru are home to richly diverse...

Male mice have the tendency to be naturally territorial. Whether they are out in nature or in the confines of a lab, they are likely to exhibit aggression and attack other male mice, even if there is plenty of room, food, and females available.

A team of researchers from <a href="http://med.stanford.edu/">Stanford University School of Medicine</a> set out to determine whether this aggression was due to environmental factors or whether the mice were genetically predisposed to this behavior. In their study – published in the journal Neuron – they reveal that they have identified a cluster of nerve cells in the brains of male mice that trigger territorial rage when activated. When these same clusters were activated in female mice, they showed no effect.

"…Selectively activating just this tiny cluster – about 5,000 nerve cells in a brain with 80 million nerve cells – escalates the level and extent of male mice's aggressiveness dramatically," says Nirao Shah, a Stanford professor and the study's senior author. The cells were identified as PR+VMHvl nerve cells, which are part of the ventromedial hypothalamus in the brain and also contain receptors for sex hormones.

The researchers found that stimulating these cells in male lab mice that spent 7-10 days alone in a cage would result in significant displays of aggression, even under conditions where this behavior should rarely occur. The mouse would attack female mice and members of other species – behaviors that mice rarely display. They would even attack a mirror placed in the cage or an inflated surgical glove.

Circulating testosterone is generally a requirement for mice to display territorial aggression, but even neutered mice would attack other mice in their case when PR+VMHvl nerve cells were stimulated. In a prior study, Shah and his team had discovered that killing PR+VMHvl cells significantly reduced territorial aggression in male mice. Based on these findings, it appears that this cluster of cells is essential to territorial aggression in male mice.

Despite all this, the study still found that this genetically hard-wired aggression was influenced by complex social etiquette. For example, if a male mouse were alone, he wouldn’t exhibit displays of aggression no matter how much the cluster of nerve cells was stimulated. However, any sign of an unfamiliar object in the cage would cause aggressive behavior. These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mice-capable-empathy/">mice</a> would also attack when placed in the territory of another aggressive, lone male.

When the researchers house male mice together before stimulation, this aggressive behavior was drastically reduced. Even when PR+VMHvl activity was induced, a socially housed male would not attack another aggressive, solitary male in its own territory. So it appeared that social housing of these mice significantly impacted their aggressiveness.

Shah believes this influence is directly related to the mice’s ability to detect pheromones released by other mice, which signal their social and reproductive status. When mice were rendered unable to detect another mouse’s pheromones, even a socially housed male would attack when it’s PR+VMHvl cells were activated.

These complex results show that the nature vs. nurture argument may not be as black and white as we previously thought.

“Nature versus nurture is a false dichotomy,” said Shah. “We’ve showed, on the one hand, that genetically programmed circuitry massively influences mammalian behavior. And we’ve seen that, under certain circumstances, nurture wins: Your social conditions can override your natural impulse to fight.”

Similar to mice, our human brains also have a ventromedial hypothalamus. Although the functions of this region haven’t been fully understood in our species, there’s enough research out there for Shah to think there is at least a little bit of similarity between mice and humans in that area. The findings of further studies may be of benefit to understanding the impacts of solitary confinement of aggressive male prisoners or adults with various psychiatric conditions.

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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

Nature vs. nature at odds in aggression of male mice

Male mice have the tendency to be naturally territorial. Whether...

Zebrafish may be as small as your thumb but they are widely studied in the scientific world because of their restorative and healing abilities. Yes, a member of the minnow family is helping scientists unlock the keys to potentially healing cancer, muscular dystrophy, and now, with new research, even spinal cord injuries.

The study was published in the journal, Nature Communications, and conducted by scientists at the <a href="http://www.ed.ac.uk/centre-neuroregeneration">University of Edinburgh's Centre for Neuroregeneration</a>. The researchers were able to isolate important molecules in zebrafish that jump-start regeneration in damaged nerve fibers.

After an injury in zebrafish, cells known as fibroblasts would go to the affected area and begin to produce a molecule, collagen 12, that prompts regrowth and actually restores the damaged nerve fibers.

This could potentially open up new studies to find treatments for spinal cord injuries in humans. Spinal cord injuries, as of now, are permanent. But thanks to the zebrafish, scientists may be able to unlock ways to restore and repair nerve damage due to spinal cord injury. And like the zebrafish reconnect those nerve fibers.

Amazingly, scientists have found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/zebrafish-insight-human-hearing-loss/">zebrafish</a> are able to heal fully from a spinal cord injury in just four weeks or less. And now, with this study, the research team at Edinburgh have pinpointed the molecules responsible for this incredible speedy healing.

Dr. Thomas Becker from the Centre for Neuroregeneration said about the next phases of the study, "We next plan to check whether triggering these signals in other animals can help them to repair nerve connections damaged by spinal cord injuries."

The zebrafish may be a tiny tropical fish but its ability to restore damaged nerve fibers and biological makeup has been of interest to scientists for quite some time now. Potentially holding within its 2-4-centimeter striped body new ways to understand and treat spinal cord injuries and much more.

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By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Zebrafish may hold the cure for spinal cord injuries

Zebrafish may be as small as your thumb but they...

A new study that appeared in the journal, Child Development, from researchers at the <a href="http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/">University of Birmingham</a> and <a href="https://www.dur.ac.uk/">Durham University</a> in the United Kingdom looked at both bonobos and human children and their ability to mimic actions. The results found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/friendly-bonobos-aggressive-mating/">bonobos</a> and children imitate the world around them very differently. 

For example, children would mimic things that had no purpose. Zanna Clay, the lead author of the study said: “Children's tendency to imitate in this way likely represents a critical piece of the puzzle as to why human cultures differ so profoundly from those of great apes."

One of the ways the team discovered this was to show both bonobos and children a box with a reward in it. Researchers would then perform some unnecessary action before opening the box, the children tried to copy whatever actions they saw and the bonobos did not. The results showed that imitating for simply the sake of imitating may be singularly human. 

The reason bonobos were chosen, besides being our closest living relative, is that they tend to be better with sociocognitive undertakings when compared to another close relative, the chimpanzees.

The study was on the smaller side, looking at 77 children aged 3-5 in the UK and 46 bonobos living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But Clay and the research team’s findings still shed light on the difference in behavioral development between bonobos and children. Pointing out social and cultural differences in regards to our reactions to the world around us.

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By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humans and bonobos mimic in very different ways

A new study that appeared in the journal, Child Development,...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[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"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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