New research has revealed that biofluorescence is widespread in birds-of-paradise, a group of tropical birds famous for their spectacular courtship dances and colorful plumage.&nbsp;



The study shows that 37 out of the 45 known species exhibit biofluorescence, which appears to be especially prominent in males. This hidden glow may be used to attract mates and establish dominance.



The research was conducted by scientists at the American Museum of Natural History (<a href="https://www.amnh.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMNH</a>) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adding-a-glow-to-mating-rituals">Adding a glow to mating rituals</h2>



Birds-of-paradise inhabit regions in eastern Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea. For generations, they have intrigued scientists with elaborate feather displays and acrobatic dances that males use to court females.&nbsp;



Bioluminescence is a phenomenon in which an organism absorbs light at one wavelength, then emits it at another



The new evidence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cats-glow-in-the-dark-fluorescence-found-to-be-very-common-in-mammals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biofluorescence</a> suggests that these dazzling birds might have yet another visual trick: a layer of fluorescent signals invisible to humans without specialized instruments.



Rene Martin is the study’s lead author and an assistant professor at the <a href="https://www.unl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a>.&nbsp;



“The unique <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whale-shark-mating-behaviors-observed-for-the-first-time-in-the-wild/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mating rituals</a> and displays of birds-of-paradise have fascinated scientists and spurred a myriad of studies focused on trait evolution and sexual selection,” said Martin. “It seems fitting that these flashy birds are likely signaling to each other in additional, flashy ways.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-fluorescence-in-birds-of-paradise">Detecting fluorescence in birds-of-paradise </h2>



The research draws on specimens collected since the 1800s, held in the <a href="https://www.amnh.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Museum of Natural History</a>’s extensive ornithology collection.&nbsp;



A decade ago, Museum Curator John Sparks - an ichthyologist by training - noticed that certain bird species, including some birds-of-paradise, glowed green-yellow when exposed to specific wavelengths of light. This led him and colleagues to begin a deeper exploration of avian biofluorescence.



“Despite there being over 10,000 described avian species, with numerous studies that have documented their bright plumage, elaborate mating displays, and excellent vision, surprisingly very few have investigated the presence of biofluorescence,” Sparks said.



Martin, who conducted this work while a postdoctoral researcher at the Museum, and Emily Carr, a PhD candidate in the Museum’s Richard Gilder Graduate School, took Sparks’ initial findings and broadened the analysis.&nbsp;



Using ultraviolet (UV) light, the team discovered that the birds not only glow under blue wavelengths but also fluoresce strongly under UV exposure. 



This effect was mainly observed on male plumage patches crucial to courtship, such as the head, belly, and neck, as well as mouth and bill linings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biofluorescence-is-most-pronounced-in-males">Biofluorescence is most pronounced in males</h2>



The researchers found that this fluorescence is especially vibrant in males, often concentrated in areas highlighted during mating rituals.&nbsp;



Meanwhile, females also exhibit it, though to a lesser degree - primarily on their chests and bellies. The study suggests that the equatorial environments in which these birds live offer abundant and varied light conditions, possibly enhancing the visibility and function of biofluorescence.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bird-of-paradise_Paradisaea-guilielmi_biofluorescense_credit-Rene-Martin_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bird-of-paradise_Paradisaea-guilielmi_biofluorescense_credit-Rene-Martin_1s.webp" alt="Biofluorescence is seen on an emperor bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea guilielmi) in the American Museum of Natural History's collection. Credit: Rene Martin" class="wp-image-1959700"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Biofluorescence is seen on an emperor bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea guilielmi) in the American Museum of Natural History's collection. Credit: Rene Martin</figcaption></figure>



“These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-extinctions-shatter-the-harmonious-balance-of-nature/">birds</a> live near the equator, where there is an abundance of bright solar light year-round, and they live in forests where the complexity of light is significantly affected by differences in the canopy and where biofluorescent signals may be enhanced,” Carr said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-bird-fluorescence-matters">Why bird fluorescence matters</h2>



Recent studies in closely related species indicate that birds-of-paradise have eye pigments aligned with the fluorescence peaks measured in this study - meaning they can likely perceive these glowing patches.&nbsp;



In a species group already known for visually striking performances, these fluorescent signals may offer an even finer scale of detail for courtship and territorial displays.



When a male bird-of-paradise performs an intricate dance, the green-yellow glow from certain feathers might act like a hidden spotlight, contrasting sharply against the bird’s darker plumage. This could help catch a female’s attention or signal social status among competitors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-avian-research">Implications for avian research</h2>



Although birds-of-paradise are among the best-studied avian groups for behavior and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-and-why-tropical-birds-are-so-strikingly-colorful-and-iridescent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coloration</a>, the discovery of broad-scale fluorescence suggests that birds may have more complex signaling systems than previously realized.&nbsp;



The presence of fluorescent patches in so many species raises the possibility that other bird lineages, especially those with striking plumage or elaborate displays, could also exhibit biofluorescence.



Moving forward, the researchers plan to investigate how environmental factors - like canopy cover, seasonal light availability, and even habitat degradation - might affect these glowing displays.&nbsp;



Understanding how birds-of-paradise perceive biofluorescence could also inform broader questions about the evolution of sexual selection and signaling in avian species.



Ultimately, this study reshapes scientists’ understanding of the “secret language of light” that these flamboyant birds use to communicate.&nbsp;



With improved imaging technologies and heightened awareness of avian fluorescence, researchers may soon discover that a hidden glow permeates many corners of the bird world, especially in those known for their spectacular visual allure.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241905" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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Birds-of-paradise use secret biofluorescence to attract mates

New research has revealed that biofluorescence is widespread in birds-of-paradise, a group of tropical birds famous for their spectacular courtship dances and colorful plumage.&nbsp; The study shows that 37 out of the 45 known species exhibit biofluorescence, which appears to be especially prominent in males. This hidden glow may be used to attract mates and establish dominance. The research was conducted by scientists at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Adding a glow to mating rituals Birds-of-paradise inhabit regions in eastern...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bleak-future-emperor-penguins/">Emperor penguins</a> are known to trek more than 100 km from their ocean feeding grounds to their inland breeding colonies in order to prepare to mate. Their endurance doesn’t only include a long walk; the male partners often experience a fast of more than 100 days while mating and incubating their eggs – all before they make their long return journey.

However, a new finding from Gerald Kooyman of the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">University of California San Diego</a> shows that this may not be entirely true. 

During an expedition to the Ross Ice Shelf during the winter of 1998, Kooyman would closely observe the Ross Sea colonies. Through his observations, he and his team discovered that emperor penguins from colonies close to the sea-ice edge are able to go diving before their eggs are laid, meaning their fasts are a lot shorter than the more inland emperor penguins. 

The ship Kooyman was on was the first to reach the Ross Ice Shelf during the winter, and would actually make a detour west to Cape Washington in order to observe an emperor penguin colony during its return journey. When the ship passed by the ice edge near the colony in the late spring, it was observed that a group of 30 penguins were swimming in the open water… in the dark. These birds were only ever thought to dive in light conditions in an effort to avoid predators as well as to not be stuck beneath the ice when air holes close. But if these penguins can hunt successfully in the dark, Kooyman believes that it makes sense they would feed during the prenuptial and pre-laying period.

Given this and other observations of the birds’ nighttime activities, Kooyman says, “The [Cape Washington] breeding males may have a shorter fast because they feed between arrival at the colony and over the ensuing 2 months during the pre-nuptial activities.” He believes that these more coastal penguins may go through a shorter fast of a minimum of 65 days, while the birds further inland may experience up to a 115 day fast.

Kooyman warns that if the rise in Antarctic temperatures continue, many more emperor penguins may be forced to dive in the dark as the ice around the northern edge of the continent continues to thin, driving colonies further south in search of breeding grounds.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Emperor penguins can snack to to break up their famous fasts

Emperor penguins are known to trek more than 100 km...

There are millions of species on Earth, ranging from large elephants to single-celled organisms. But according to new research, no matter the size, geographic location, or lifespan, all species are given the same chance for survival. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom and published in the journal Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution. 

The report describes how all species are “fit” for survival with no species having an absolute advantage over the other. 

Each species transmits the same amount of energy to the next generation when reproducing. In other words, gram for gram, blue whales and bacteria give the same amount of energy to their offspring. 

“We found, rather astonishingly, by examining the production rate and the generation time of thousands of plants, animals, and microbes that each would pass on, on average, the same amount of energy to the next generation per gram of parent, regardless of size,” said  Charles A.S. Hall, one of the co-authors of the study.  

The research team built an energy allocation model using data that included rates of energy investment, growth and reproduction, generation times, and body sizes of hundreds of plants and animals.

The model showed an “equal fitness paradigm,” where no matter how opposite the relationship between growth rate and generation time, they all expelled the same amount of energy during reproduction. 

Smaller species like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-algae-food-shortages/">algae</a> have short lifespans and reproduce quickly, while larger species with longer life spans can have gestation periods that take years.

The results show that there is no real evolutionary advantage among the world’s species and that no matter how diverse the range of plants, animals, and organisms, each has the same chance of life and reproduction as the next. 

“There is no single way of living and using energy that is best," said Hall and his co-author James H. Brown. “Given the array of environmental conditions on the planet, one kind of organism might gain a temporary advantage, but such gains will soon be countered by other, competing organisms.” 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

All species have an equal chance of life, study finds

There are millions of species on Earth, ranging from large...

Limited energy flows between producers, carnivores, and herbivores can lead to the collapse of marine food webs, according to a new study. The research demonstrates that increased ocean temperatures reduce the transfer of energy from the primary producers at the seafloor to the intermediate consumers, and ultimately to predators at the top of marine food chain.

These restrictions on vital energy flow can potentially lead to a decrease in food availability for top predators. The disruption can also lead to negative impacts for many other marine species located throughout the rest of the food chain as well.

"Healthy food webs are important for maintenance of species diversity and provide a source of income and food for millions of people worldwide," said lead author Hadayet Ullah of the <a href="https://www.adelaide.edu.au/">University of Adelaide</a>. “Therefore, it is important to understand how climate change is altering marine food webs in the near future.”

Researchers constructed 12 large 1,600-liter tanks to mimic the levels of ocean temperatures and acidity which could be brought on by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-humidity/">climate change</a>.

The tanks held miniature food webs which included many species such as algae, shrimp, sponges, snails, and fishes. The containers were maintained under future climate conditions for six months.

Over the course of six months, the researchers measured the survival, growth, biomass, and productivity of all animal and plant species, and applied these measurements to an advanced food web model.

“Whilst climate change increased the productivity of plants, this was mainly due to an expansion of cyanobacteria (small blue-green algae),” said Ullah. “This increased primary productivity does not support food webs, however, because these cyanobacteria are largely unpalatable and they are not consumed by herbivores.”

Projecting how ecosystems will function under the influence of global warming is a complicated undertaking, and most research has been focused on only a few species at a time.

“If we are to adequately forecast the impacts of climate change on ocean food webs and fisheries productivity, we need more complex and realistic approaches, such as large mesocosms that provide more reliable data for sophisticated food web models," said project leader Professor Ivan Nagelkerken.

Marine ecosystems are already being transformed by global warming, and it is critical to understand these effects worldwide in order to better protect these food webs.

The study is published in the open access journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/">PLOS Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Marine food webs could collapse under future climate change

Limited energy flows between producers, carnivores, and herbivores can lead...

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/">University of Alberta</a> have found that grizzly bears are vanishing as their habitats are fragmented by roads. Study lead author Clayton Lamb sums up the issue by explaining that more roads equal fewer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-grizzly-bears-endangered/">grizzly bears</a>.

The research team analyzed grizzly bear activity in British Columbia and concluded that higher road density leads to lower grizzly bear density. Scientists and environmentalists have believed this to be the case for years, although it had not yet been proven.

“The problem with grizzly bears and roads is a North American-wide issue. This is the first time that strongly links roads to decreased grizzly bear density,” said Lamb. “Not only do bears die near roads, bears also avoid these areas, making many habitats with roads through them less effective.” 

Lamb explained that even though roads cannot be immediately converted back into forests, closing them down could make drastic improvements with instant effects. “By closing roads, we can reduce the negative impact of roads in a lot of ways,” he said.

The study was focused on a threatened population of grizzlies in the Monashee Mountains of British Columbia. The researchers found that the grizzly bear population in this area was low but recovering.

“Grizzly bears are recovering in a lot of areas, but habitat loss and human-bear conflict remain huge problems that can compromise recovery,” said Lamb.

As of December 2017, British Columbia outlawed hunting and killing grizzly bears. Lamb says that now it is more important than ever before to identify other threats to grizzly bear populations.

“Current road densities in British Columbia represent a problem for bear conservation,” said Lamb. “We are losing wilderness in the province, and there are fewer grizzly bears where road densities are high. We're taking it another step further and advising that closing roads will do a lot to improve bear populations.”

The research team collaborated with conservation scientists working in British Columbia to develop a land management guide which is focused on maintaining grizzly bear habitats to promote population recovery. Lamb explained that these efforts can also be applied to other grizzly bear habitats in North America.

“I grew up in the outdoors,” said Lamb. “I developed an increasing appreciation for wild places and conserving them. I realized that science was an outlet to protect these places and the species that inhabit them.”

Lamb's work has already led to plans for some road closures in the Monashee Mountain area.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

We’re running out of room for grizzly bears

Researchers from the University of Alberta have found that grizzly...

Some species of birds tend to gravitate towards areas with higher levels of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-noise-pollution-fish/">noise pollution</a>. 

It was previously thought that these birds were immune to any negative effects because of their preference for nesting in noisy environments, but a new study has found that noise is a constant stressor for birds. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Boulder</a>, Colorado, <a href="https://www.calpoly.edu/">California Polytechnic State University</a> and the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/">Florida Museum of Natural History</a>, and published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 

The researchers found that birds that grow up around high levels of noise pollution have stunted growth and lay fewer eggs that hatch when nesting. 

The study followed three species of cavity-nesting birds, western bluebirds, mountain bluebirds, and Ash-throated flycatchers, all of which nest and breed near oil and gas operations in New Mexico. 

The researchers built 240 nest boxes for the birds, collected blood samples from adult females and their offspring during the breeding season, and observed hatching success. 

All the species studied who nested near noise pollution had lower levels of corticosterone. Corticosterone is considered the major stress hormone and plays an important role in the brain’s stress response. 

At first, the birds’ low levels might appear to be positive, but the researchers say that the exact opposite true. 

“You might assume this means they are not stressed. But what we are learning from both human and rodent research is that with inescapable stressors, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in humans, stress hormones are often chronically low,” said Christopher Lowry, a stress physiologist in the department of integrative physiology at CU Boulder and a co-author of the study. 

Nestlings produced more stress hormones than those hatched in a quieter location, and noise pollution led to decreased feather length and stunted body growth. 

The noise also interfered with warning calls from other birds that are meant to signal if a predator is present. 

The study shows the negative impacts that living in noisy areas has on birds, even if they tend to prefer nesting near noise polluted locations. 

“This is an example of an 'ecological trap': when an organism develops a preference for something that is actually bad for them,” said Clinton Francis, the senior author. 

The results add to the growing body of evidence that living near high levels of noise pollution is damaging wildlife, and that noise pollution should be seriously considered in conservation efforts. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Noise pollution impacting reproduction for birds

Some species of birds tend to gravitate towards areas with...

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.up.ac.za/">University of Pretoria in South Africa</a> are reporting that DNA evidence is being used to successfully convict rhinoceros hunters. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rhinoceros-poaching-paris/">Rhinoceros</a> horns that are seized from poachers and traffickers are now being directly linked to the crime scenes where rhinoceros remains have been abandoned.

The Rhino DNA Index System (RHoDIS) has already been used in more than 5,800 forensic cases where the DNA evidence from horns has been traced back to blood-stained evidence and rhinoceros carcasses.

RHoDIS is being run by veterinarian and genetics specialist Dr. Cindy Harper of the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. The ultimate goal is to create a database that includes DNA samples from all of the rhinos in South Africa.

“Unlike similar work in which genetic databases provide an indication of geographic provenance, RHoDIS provides individual matches that, similar to human DNA profiling, is used as direct evidence in criminal court cases,” said Dr. Harper.

Black rhinos are now classified as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), while white rhinos are classified as near-threatened. Regardless, more than 7,000 African rhinos have been illegally hunted and killed over the last decade.

Rhinos are becoming more and more sought after for their horns, which are considered by some to be cultural status symbols and are also used for medicinal purposes. In South Africa, rhinoceros poaching incidents jumped from just 13 in 2007 to 1,215 in 2014.

The researchers pointed out nine cases when DNA matches have led to the prosecution and conviction of rhino poachers. One perpetrator, in particular, received a sentence of 29 years.

Rhinoceros horns are often moved very quickly from the crime scenes to outside of the country. Because of this, the researchers are stressing that the forensic evidence and analysis must be expedited and internationally coordinated. 

Dr. Harper says that there is tremendous support for this program from provincial wildlife and enforcement authorities, the national government, police services, national parks, and the majority of states where rhinoceros live within South Africa.

“Thanks to this support, we've seen rapid growth of the database into a representative source of rhinoceros genetic data for both forensic and management applications from its inception,” said Dr. Harper. “The unprecedented cooperation and support for the program from these authorities has been surprising and encouraging.”

The research is published in <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

DNA evidence used to convict rhinoceros hunters

Researchers at the University of Pretoria in South Africa are...

When I studied Biological Sciences in college, I picked the topic of cloning as an environmental prosthetic as my senior thesis.  In other words, I wrote a thesis about cloning an extinct animal to restore the ecological role of the animal in the greater environment.

Many people see cloning as a huge boon to environmentalism, especially conservation biology. Imagine being able to find the remains of Martha, the last passenger pigeon to die in captivity and make a living breathing copy.  There are the study skins of Carolina Parakeets waiting in museums for a bold scientist to breathe life into them.  But perhaps it would be like Frankenstein’s monster or Jurassic Park; perhaps the dead should remain dead and cloning the extinct is just hubris.  Perhaps geneticists shouldn’t play god.  

It’s an ethical problem with many sides.  Initially, the gut reaction of many well intentioned people is that cloning could right wrongs otherwise beyond our grasp to fix.  It is more complicated than just winding the clock back to clone an extinct plant or animal.

Imagine those passenger pigeons, imagine them as Audubon saw them, flying by the millions.  Passenger pigeons once blotted out the sky with feathered wings and dominated landscapes.  Imagine if we cloned ten passenger pigeons; would ten be enough pigeons to truly live as passenger pigeons?  Could we give room to a million or even ten thousand passenger pigeons?  We don’t even know everything a passenger pigeon learns from her parents.  Murres are birds that can’t live without their fathers.  A male Murre teaches his offspring to swim and hunt fish, without this exchange a Murre cannot live in the wild.

Now imagine a woolly mammoth; imagine snow falling, lighting on thick fur and piling up.  Imagine a trunk puffing steam into a cold arctic morning.  Where now would mammoths live?  There is a team in Japan currently working on cloning mammoths; in fact they claim they will clone a mammoth.  Will the mammoth be allowed to be wild?  Should a mammoth be allowed to be wild?  Will a mammoth cloned for our curiosity be anything more than a sideshow exhibit, an animal knowing nothing but bondage?  There are parks in central Asia that said they would welcome a mammoth but we know nothing of the impact this might have on plants and animals living there now.  The world has moved on since the time of the mammoth, we don’t know if grasses or animal densities have changed.  Could introducing a mammoth push another animal or plant into extinction?

What of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tasmanian-tigers-aboriginals-extinct/">Thylacine</a>?  The Tasmanian Tiger has scientists actively working to clone it.  Wouldn’t it be good to clone once the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial?  Humans absolutely pushed Thylacine over the edge into extinction.  Maybe we could undo a huge mistake.  Perhaps a cloned Thylacine would prove competition for the already embattled Tasmanian Devil.  Maybe the Thylacine would be a relic of the past kept in a zoo for tourists to gawk at.  Perhaps the genetic code of the clone Thylacine would be subtly different (it would be) and will mix with a hidden pocket of Thylacines hiding somewhere in Tasmania.  Maybe paradoxically, the clone could mean the end to the last of the Thylacines through hybridization.  

We have or will soon have the power to reduce extinction in some cases.  Considering the millions of dollars and decades of dedicated labor, it seems unlikely cloning will be entirely benevolent.  How many would be willing to risk millions of dollars invested by releasing an animal into the wild?  How many would be willing to pass up the opportunity to use an extinction clone as a tourism draw?  

In the end, do we really deserve to bring an animal back from the dead for our own amusement; to soothe our aching conscience?  Perhaps we would be better served trying our best to connect with the millions of other life forms around us right now and save as many as we can now.                 

-- 

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Cloning to reverse extinction: is it realistic or a false hope?

When I studied Biological Sciences in college, I picked the...

Over the last three decades, giraffe populations have dropped by 40 percent, and there are now only an estimated 98,000 giraffes remaining in the wild. Researchers from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> have found that one significant cause of this sharp decline is the fact that giraffes are living alongside their biggest predators in many protected regions.

Lions are the only predators which are a threat to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giraffes-long-necks/">giraffes</a> on an individual basis. Prior to this study, however, research has never been conducted to see how the presence of lions affects the overall giraffe population. 

Zoe Muller, a PhD student at Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences, is the author of the study.

“It is thought that lions preferentially target giraffe calves in the wild, and there is anecdotal evidence of this, including observations of lions eating young giraffe carcasses and of lion claw marks on adult females (thought to be a result of them defending their calves),” said Muller.

Muller’s study was focused on giraffe populations at two adjacent sites - one which had a high density of lions and another which had no lions. Muller found that the presence of lions had a major impact on the giraffes. 

The region which contained no lions had a giraffe population which consisted of 34 percent juvenile individuals, yet the population of giraffes which lived alongside lions contained only six percent juvenile individuals.

Muller estimates that the number of calves can be reduced by as much as 82 percent when giraffes are exposed to lions in conservation areas.

“This research has significant practical implications,” said Muller. “Giraffes are a threatened species, suffering ongoing decline in the wild, and this research highlights how managing giraffes alongside lions inside a conservation area (a common practice in Africa) has detrimental effects for giraffe populations.”

“This research highlights the need for an urgent reassessment of how populations of giraffes are managed in the wild, given their Vulnerable Red List status and severe and ongoing decline.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS One</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Zoe Muller, <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>

Giraffe populations declining, forced to live alongside predators

Over the last three decades, giraffe populations have dropped by...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-bonobos-mimic-different-ways/">Bonobos</a> are a highly endangered species of great ape and are one of humans’ two closest living relatives.

As a result, bonobos are often used in scientific studies because of their close relation to humans. Behavioral studies of bonobos and chimpanzees can offer insights into human evolution and how and when humans adapted certain traits.

A new study has now found that humans and bonobos differ in a very distinct way: the preference for helpers and hinderers in an otherwise peaceful and co-operative society. 

Humans show a preference for helpers from a very young age, and even infants are able to differentiate helpers from hinderers, preferring the former. It makes sense as helpers are important to co-operation which is a core part of human interaction. 

Bonobos however, although equally able to distinguish hinderers from helpers, prefer hinderers. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a> led by Christopher Krupenye and Brian Hare were motivated to study bonobos because of a 2007 study that showed how humans prefer helpers. The researchers were curious if this was a trait developed early or later on in human evolution. 

The results of the study suggest that we grew to prefer helpers after our species diverged from  apes. 

The reason bonobos have an opposite preference could be related to the important role of dominance in their society. 

Hinderers, according to the researchers, may come across as more dominant which is why bonobos are drawn to hinderers rather than helpers. 

“Our experiments show that the issue is much more nuanced. Bonobos are highly socially tolerant in food settings and help and cooperate with food in ways that we don't see in chimpanzees. However, dominance still plays an important role in their lives,” said Krupenye. 

The study took place at<a href="http://www.lolayabonobo.org/"> Lola ya Bonobo</a>, a bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

The researchers conducted several experiment to test how bonobos interacted with helpers and hinderers.

For one experiment, the bonobos were shown pictures of two-dimensional animated shapes that helped or hindered each other. The shapes were then cut out and placed on a slice of apple. 

The researchers observed which apple piece the bonobos chose to reach for first. Another experiment allowed the bonobos to choose between interacting with a human that they had observed either helping or hindering. The bonobos showed a preference for the hinderer everytime. 

Cooperation is a fundamental part of human nature and the researchers say their findings show that it may be an exclusively human trait developed later in our evolution. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Christopher Krupenye

Bonobos offer insight into early human evolution

Bonobos are a highly endangered species of great ape and...

A recent investigation into the genomes of yellow warblers in North America has revealed that some subpopulations are more "genetically vulnerable" to the challenges of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-humidity/">climate change</a> than others. The researchers also found that genes linked to migratory and exploratory behavior will play an important role in how successfully birds can adapt to their changing environments. 

Extreme changes in temperature and precipitation are altering habitats and dramatically impacting Earth’s biological diversity. Rachael Bay and other researchers set out to examine the potential ability of some species to adapt to these drastic changes.

Yellow warblers were ideal for this particular study because they live in a variety of habitats in North America, ranging from forests to marshes. The team analyzed genetic data from 229 birds.

The research revealed that yellow warbler populations vary genetically in different landscapes. The team closely examined the association between the genetic makeup of each subpopulation and its environment, and then compared this data to predictions of how future genetic variation may allow for future adaptation to changing habitats. 

Precipitation was determined to have the strongest relationship with specific genomic traits. The experts pointed out that this finding may explain why subpopulations classified as having the “highest genomic vulnerability” are located from the Rocky Mountains to Alaska, a region that has experienced a significant amount of drought recently. 

The team also discovered that two genes associated with migration, DRD4 and DEAF1, provide protection against the effects of climate change. The study authors pointed out that the dopamine receptor DRD4 has been extensively studied for its involvement in exploratory behavior in primates, fish, and birds. 

The experts were not surprised to find that genetic vulnerability increases as climate change projections become more severe. The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Some birds have genes that can help them adapt to climate change

A recent investigation into the genomes of yellow warblers in...

When I volunteered in Equatorial Guinea for a sea turtle conservation project, I also volunteered to collect invertebrate specimens for researchers associated with the project.  

With an enthusiasm I now find shameful, I hunted down literally hundreds of gorgeous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/western-monarch-butterflies-extinct/">butterflies</a>.  The insects caught in my net were delicately removed and killed with a quick squeeze to the thorax, as an entomology professor had taught me.  

Into jars of alcohol went invertebrates such as snails.  I packed everything.  Butterflies went into small glassine envelopes and the envelopes went with alcohol vial specimens into tin cans with plastic lids.  In the cans went old socks full of absorbent material to keep the whole dry.  Sometimes I’d lay the envelopes of butterflies out in the sun to dry for a while.  A tourist that visited our camp asked pointedly whether I was concerned about insect collections hurting the population.  I brushed the man off easily, citing insects quick reproduction and typically high population levels.  I also thought that the data garnered from the death of one insect more important to the survival of the species than the individual life.  

Likewise I helped collect cave dwelling invertebrates on expeditions in Colorado and Arizona.  I scrambled quickly, catching a potentially stinging centipede and popped him into a vial of alcohol.  I killed many such creatures in the name of science.  Cave populations are smaller and more fragile than the rainforest populations I terrorized in Africa.  

Since my personal heyday of collecting, I’ve thought long and hard about my actions and really questioned myself.  There aren’t a lot of answers come by easily.  A species collected in a remote tropical forest or obscure cave may very well be a species new to science, in fact it’s usually a hope of the broad spectrum collector.  If a species is new to science, it’s impossible to know the impact of a collection on the population or species as a whole.  With species as small as insects, numerous individuals and even populations may be killed indirectly from our actions every day.  The question lingers, how many species were wiped out by development without us even knowing?  

For many insects and other invertebrates, we have virtually no deep knowledge of species.  Most are nothing beyond a Latin name.  This means we don’t know anything about population numbers or how wide spread populations are.  We don’t know reproduction rates or mating behaviors for most ‘known’ insects.

The basis for collecting specimens is to root a species in the physical bedrock of a specimen collected.  In the past when illustrations were largely subjective and dependent on the skill of the scientist creating an illustration, this made sense.  Today when almost everyone carries an impressive digital camera in their pocket, this makes less sense.  Some scientists have argued that photographs, even photographs of insects, should be sufficient for scientific purposes.  

Another argument for making specimen collections is an argument rooted in conservation.  The argument goes that the documentation of biodiversity or even the beauty of life leads to protecting it.  Again photography seems to supply a ready answer. Indeed often are photographs of not just organisms but of landscapes and cultures serve the needs of preservation.  On the converse, if a government or organization isn’t acting in good faith, releasing a host of live animals to be observed may not serve a purpose, much less a museum specimen.  

There is ambivalent science on whether insects feel much in the way of pain.  Caterpillars have had their ‘feet’ mutilated and shown to walk ‘normally’.  All this really proves is that caterpillars don’t react in the same way we might.  Science like this justifies the Cartesian philosophy that animals are soulless machines acting without any emotion, thought or pain to their environment.  Anyone who’s played with a dog might find this notion suspect.  Likewise, anyone who’s dropped a Preying Mantis into an entomologist’s kill jar and watched the insect writhe while dying might find the notion the insect feels no pain unsettlingly cold and willfully ignorant.  I justified my own insect killing in numerous ways, telling myself data was more important than the individual life.  I told myself data could protect a species.  Meanwhile others collecting data in Equatorial Guinea watched helplessly as monkey populations plummeted year by year.  Perhaps what is needed is less data and more compassion; less specimens and more living individuals.                          

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Is specimen collection necessary for science and conservation?

When I volunteered in Equatorial Guinea for a sea turtle...

A team of geochemists at the <a href="http://berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a> have determined that the transition to complex life forms did not require high levels of oxygen. Simple, single-celled organisms evolved into more elaborate beings hundreds of millions of years before a steep rise in atmospheric oxygen occurred, according to the research.

“The oxygenation of the deep ocean and our interpretation of this as the result of a rise in atmospheric O2 was a pretty late event in the context of Earth history,” said study co-author Daniel Stolper. “This is significant because it provides new evidence that the origination of early animals, which required O2 for their metabolisms, may have gone on in a world with an atmosphere that had relatively low oxygen levels compared to today.”

The researchers found that the deep ocean became oxygenated between 540 and 420 million years ago, yet animals originated significantly earlier - between 700 and 800 million years ago.

Scientists believe that during the first two billion years of Earth's 4.5-billion-year history there was very little oxygen in the atmosphere of the ocean. When rocks on land started turning red around 2.5 billion years ago, this provided evidence that a significant amount of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-atmosphere-oxygen/">oxygen</a> was in the air, as the iron in the rocks reacted with oxygen to form iron oxides which changed their color.

Scientists estimate that this was the first time that atmospheric oxygen levels exceeded about one hundred thousandth of what they are today, but this amount was still too low to oxygenate the ocean.

For the current study, the experts wanted to identify the point in history when oxygen levels increased enough to oxygenate the deep ocean. They set out to examine the oxidation state of iron in igneous rocks formed by submarine volcanic eruptions, which produce  massive flows of basalt as the molten rock is ejected from ocean ridges.

After an eruption in an oxygenated ocean, seawater circulates through the rocks and oxidizes the iron in basalts. Before the deep oceans contained oxygen, however, there would have been little or no change in the oxidation state of iron in the basalts after underwater volcanic activity.

“Our idea was to study the history of the oxidation state of iron in these basalts and see if we could pinpoint when the iron began to show signs of oxidation and thus when the deep ocean first started to contain appreciable amounts of dissolved O2,” said Stolper.

The team analyzed over 1,000 published measurements of the oxidation state of iron from ancient submarine basalts. They found that the basaltic iron was first significantly oxidized between 540 and 420 million years ago, which is hundreds of millions of years after the evolution of complex life forms.

"This work indicates that an increase in atmospheric O2 to levels sufficient to oxygenate the deep ocean and create a world similar to that seen today was not necessary for the emergence of animals," said Stolper. "Additionally, the submarine basalt record provides a new, quantitative window into the geochemical state of the deep ocean hundreds of millions to billions of years ago."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nature">Nature</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Courtesy of the National Science Foundation

Early animals evolved without high levels of oxygen

A team of geochemists at the University of California, Berkeley...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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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"

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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...