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...

Over three dozen eggs found buried in a sandpit at a primary school in Australia have caused quite a commotion. A flurry of sources reported on social media that the eggs belonged to one of the deadliest snakes on the planet, the eastern brown snake, and this mystery remains unsolved.

Wildlife rescuers from the group Fawna responded to the St. Joseph’s Catholic primary school in New South Wales after students discovered around 12 eggs in their sandpit. The rescuers ultimately found seven nests, containing a total of 43 eggs.

Rod Miller was one of the Fawna employees that collected the eggs. He told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/all">The Guardian Australia</a>, “I believed they were brown snake eggs due to the fact that they were seen in the area and that when I shone a light through the egg I saw a small striped baby snake.”

Fawna took to social media to address critics who were saying that the eggs could not be brown snake eggs.

“When we found the eggs we carefully checked the eggs over and found that they contained what appeared to be snake hatchlings,” said the volunteer wildlife team. “We were told was there were a couple of sightings of large brown snakes behind the area and all we could surmise is that they were brown snake eggs.”

Because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-snakes-atlantic-ocean/">snakes</a> do not dig to bury their nests, many people believe that the eggs belonged to water dragons.

The nests were relocated after they were removed from the school. Miller told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk">The Guardian</a> that upon their return to the nests, the rescuers found an unhatched egg which “looked like a small pink worm with a couple of eyes which I can only think was a snake as it had no limbs.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Photo Credit: Fawna

Eggs found at Australian school may belong to deadly snake

Over three dozen eggs found buried in a sandpit at...

After reevaluating a prehistoric fossil that was found on a Scottish Island almost 30 years ago, scientists are assembling a clearer picture of life during the Middle Jurassic Period. 

The 170 million-year-old jawbone, which appears to be that of a dog-like crocodile, was found within a rock at Duntulm Castle on the Isle of Skye. The fossil measured only around 3.5 centimeters in length. 

Experts captured high resolution x-ray images of the bone and derived that the ancient animal most likely resembled a scaly dog much more than it did a scaly alligator. The findings of the study suggest that the animal is from a family of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/take-look-brand-new-species-crocodile/">crocodiles</a> known as neosuchians.

Dr. Steve Brusatte is a vertebrate paleontologist and evolutionary biologist at the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a>. 

According to <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">MailOnline</a>, Dr. Brusatte said, “Bits and pieces of fossil crocodiles have been found on Skye before, but this is one of the nicer fossils, because it is a nearly complete jawbone. It tells us that small, dog-sized crocodiles lived in the lagoons of ancient Skye, during the same time dinosaurs were living on land.”

Dr. Brusatte also explained the significance of the tiny jawbone. 


“One reason why the new fossil is so important is because it is one of the few crocodile fossils from the middle part of the Jurassic Period from anywhere in the world.”

The Isle of Skye is one of the only places in the world where remains from the Middle Jurassic Period can be found. 

MailOnline quoted Dr. Brusatte as saying, “Skye is a unique window into the Middle Jurassic, as it is one of the few places globally that preserves fossils from this time. There are not only crocs, but also many dinosaurs, mammals, lizards, amphibians, and fish fossils found on Skye, and we keep finding more and more every time we go back.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Deadline News

Tiny fossil provides rare evidence of Jurassic crocodiles

After reevaluating a prehistoric fossil that was found on a...

A new study has sequenced the expansive genome of a species of salamander and the results could someday allow humans to regenerate lost limbs, organs, and damaged brain tissue. 

Many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossilized-eggs-flying-reptiles/">reptiles</a> have regenerative capabilities, but the Iberian ribbed newt can regenerate limbs, organs, and even part of its brain, far surpassing the regrowth abilities of other salamanders and reptiles.

Until now there has been little known about the genome of salamanders and what it is about their DNA structure that gives them regenerative abilities. 

Researchers from<a href="http://ki.se/"> Karolinska Institutet </a>in Sweden successfully sequenced the genome of the Iberian Ribbed Newt. Salamander genomes are some of the largest genomes ever sampled, ranging from 14 to 120 gb. 

“It's only now that the technology is available to handle such a large genome,” said Professor Andras Simon from the Karolinska Institutet. “The sequencing per se doesn't take that long – it's recreating the genome from the sequences that's so time-consuming.” 

The Iberian ribbed newt genome contains around 20 billion DNA base pairs and is six times greater than the human genome. 

The researchers also identified a large number of copies of a microRNA group that is typically found in embryonic stem cells in mammals. 

The copies are likely what gives the newt it's impressive regenerative abilities as embryonic stem cells can transform into any other cell in the human body. 

The results could lay the groundwork for making tissue repair and limb regeneration a possibility for humans and vertebrates. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Salamander genome may hold the key to human limb regeneration

A new study has sequenced the expansive genome of a...

Flying overhead as my plane makes its way to the airport, Tasmania is a patchwork quilt in hues of green.  I’ve heard Tasmania called the ‘Ireland of the South’ and that seems to fit as far as it goes.  The Island, the smallest state of Australia is cool, wet and green.  There are enormous ferns growing into trees and Eucalypt trees vie with California redwoods for grandeur claiming the title of largest trees in the Southern hemisphere.  Rocky cliffs and lonely beaches edge the coast where the world’s smallest penguin, the Fairy or Blue Penguin (Eudyptula minor) nest in burrows they dig or are supplied by hopeful bird enthusiasts.  Waiting on a beach one dark night, I startled a Blue Penguin, who nearly fell over himself scampering down from the hilltop where I watched back towards the ocean.  I felt terrible.  

I came to Tasmania on something of a whim.  I had found a Help Exchange host willing to put me up on his subsistence farm surrounded by forest near Derby for a month in exchange for work, mainly on the farm.  I rented a car and spent two weeks driving around the island, sleeping in the car (it was colder than I expected when I packed my tent), walking around towns, forest trails and along beaches.      

There is a deep stain of the past on the beauty of present day Tasmania.  The island was taken as a penal colony by the British.  Tasmania was also a place where prisoners already shipped to Australia were sent if they were repeat offenders, a sort of end of the line.  In Port Arthur, a historical penal colony the stories’ of some of these prisoners is still told.  One prisoner was Samuel Holmes, a boy of 14, convicted of larceny.    

While staying at the subsistence farm, Peter, the man who I was exchanging my labor to for room and board, took me to visit a friend of his.  He was a tall man with white hair and a friendly, calm personality, inviting me into his house graciously.  The man lived in one room of his family estate, a rambling old building all walled off except for his small chamber with a fireplace apparently for warmth and for cooking.  He was the last heir to the estate, with no daughters or sons to inherit it from him and its end seemed to be one of slow decay around a solitary room with a solitary occupant.  There was a small farm or garden, there were vegetables and there were chickens.  There was a hill behind the house I climbed to find the delicate, crushed rings of a broken crinoid (sea lily) stem weathering out of the limestone.  

All around the man’s property he had set up cameras triggered by motion detectors that should photograph any animal moving in proximity.  There is a standing reward for a photograph of a living Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus) and this man was determined to catch the famed marsupial on film.  Officially the Thylacine is extinct.  The last known individual died in a zoo in Hobart of exposure.

While reading about Tasmania, I encountered many previously unknown facts.  I’d never thought much of the island state and I was excited to learn about caves with glow worms (some of which I visited).  I giggled to myself in true Colorado hubris over Tasmanian ‘mountains’ which may get snow in the winter.  I learned that native Tasmanians were annihilated by British colonists and the government.  

Then I learned that there are living people who claim ancestry of native Tasmanians.  In the days when the Australian government was bent on eradicating completely Tasmanian natives from the face of the Earth, whalers sometimes kidnapped Tasmanian women to make them concubines or sex slaves.  Sometimes the Tasmanian women had children.  Needless to say the children of such unions were cared for more by their mothers, inherited more culture from their mothers; these children were indeed Tasmanian natives. 

In official history after a prolonged campaign of genocide followed by benign neglect of natives as wards of the state, the last ‘full blooded’ Tasmanian died.  The official last Tasmanian was a man mocked as ‘King Billy of the Tasmanians’ during his life.  In death ‘King Billy’ was carved up by competing scientists, one of which made a snuff bag from his skin.  Another woman had her skeleton on display in a Tasmanian museum for decades, against her will while she was alive.  Anthropology in Tasmania’s early days seemed a way to justify racial hatred rather than anything resembling true science.

Peter and I discussed the remote possibility that Tasmanian Tigers still lived in the wilder parts of Tasmania.  I expressed extreme doubt, but Peter was a little more hopeful but in a rather cynical way.  Peter wondered whether it was in the government’s best interest, especially in the interest of the forestry department, to suppress or ignore Thylacine sightings.  It was a question I wasn’t so sure about.  I was well indoctrinated into standard conservation in the U.S. and much of that seemed similar to Tasmania.  National parks existed in the US and Tasmania; forestry was practiced in both places.  Surely a government organization existing to protect and manage wildlife wouldn’t be driving a species to extinction with knowing neglect?  Peter pressed the issue; more money was to be made through logging, mining and other activities than through protecting a Thylacine.  Peter had a point.  

Historically the government of Britain, Australia and Tasmania was as vehemently anti-thylacine as the US government has been anti-wolf, anti-coyote and anti-bear.  Just as an official and recent policy of equality doesn’t wipe out a history of slavery, discrimination, violence and genocide, so to a recent (and rather ambivalent in the US) policy of not driving predators to extinction doesn’t wipe out the past.  

There was a bounty on Tasmanian Tigers encouraging the destruction of the species.  The government didn’t embrace Thylacine conservation until only one known individual was left alive, in a zoo in Hobart.  The last known Tasmanian Tiger died in captivity when the door mechanism on his enclosure failed to let him shelter inside on an especially cold night.  You can find <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBpyAOpzlEE">YouTube footage</a> of this last Thylacine, short but haunting, an animal in a cage with an almost unnaturally large gape.    

Strangely, as hard as it is to find the truth that there are still living Tasmanian Aborigines, it seems hard for everyone to admit the extinction of the Thylacine.  There are projects moving towards the possibility of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tasmanian-tiger-extinction/">cloning</a> Tasmanian Tigers.  There are also a lot of Thylacine sightings, even by rather reliable observers such as National Park employees and experienced outdoors persons.  As late as this past year, there was a sighting in mainland Australia of an animal which could be a Tasmanian Tiger.  Technically Thylacines did once live on mainland Australia, before Europeans arrived, there’s a petroglyph of the animal on the mainland.  

There is real hope that Thylacines live, but it says something rather dark that we as westerners embrace the idea of reviving Tasmanian Tigers and rather ambivalent about revival of Tasmanian Aboriginal culture.  Either way, there are plenty of political motivations for declaring Tasmanian Natives or the Thylacine extinct.       

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Tasmanian Tigers and Aboriginals: Which is extinct?

Flying overhead as my plane makes its way to the...

Residents living near two national parks in Panama support jaguar conservation, but they’re a little shaky on how they can help, according to a new survey.

The survey measured the attitudes of residents living near the Cerro Hoya and Darién National Parks in Panama. Survey participants were generally worried about the futures of both parks, and residents near Darién didn’t feel the park – Panama’s largest – is adequately protected.

But the survey also found that residents’ feelings about the jaguars that make their homes in both parks were more positive among educated respondents and land owners.

"Attitudes of stakeholder groups are especially important to consider, as they can significantly affect policy, thus making the foundations of carnivore management as social and political as they are scientific," the study found.

The survey team, made up of Ricardo Moreno and Ninon Meyer of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/yaguarapty/">Fundación Yaguará Panama</a> and Clayton Neilsen, Jessica Fort, and Andrew Carver from <a href="http://siu.edu/">Southern Illinois University</a>, interviewed 139 people living in nearly 30 rural communities around the two parks.

The team surveyed residents over 18 who demonstrated the ability to identify jaguars and other large cats that lived in the parks. They focused on cattle ranchers and landowners who might be most affected by the wild cats. Due to the parameters of their survey, the participants skewed male.

They found that the residents were interested in preserving the parks and jaguar conservation, but that they were also in favor of policies that would harm the jaguar populations in both parks.

For example, from 1989 to 2014, around 230 jaguars are estimated to have been killed by humans in Panama. More than 95 percent of those kills were in retaliation for attacks on cattle and other livestock, the research team said.

Residents near the parks also favored building more roads through the wild lands, but those roads could split up jaguar populations, encourage poaching and illegal mining, and lead to other activities that could harm the big cats, the researchers said.

"According to our study, there is more human-jaguar conflict in Darién National Park, probably because communities are near larger tracts of unbroken forest, which is much better jaguar habitat," Moreno said. "Ironically, the respondents' ideas about roads into the parks are likely to increase this conflict and make effective park management significantly more challenging."

Other general findings of the survey:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">More women than men said they’d prefer to see the jaguars gone from the parks.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">About a third of survey participants near Cerro Hoya National Park admitted to hunting within the park in the past year, though their prey was the collared peccary, not jaguars.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Seven participants reported being affected by jaguars preying on domestic livestock.</li>
</ul>
The researchers found, however, that some of the survey participants were open to exploring methods for protecting their livestock that wouldn’t harm the local jaguar population. Improved community outreach and education about jaguar conservation could give residents more positive attitudes toward their feline neighbors, the researchers said.

The study has been published in the conservation journal <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/factors-influencing-local-attitudes-and-perceptions-regarding-jaguars-panthera-onca-and-national-park-conservation-in-panama/50B40CA76D388808E50C780CBA3A762D">Oryx</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image credit: Ricardo Moreno, <a href="http://www.stri.si.edu/">Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute</a>

Jaguar conservation requires the right attitude

Residents living near two national parks in Panama support jaguar...

A rare find off the coast Taiwan in the Southern Taiwan Strait is gaining worldwide interest. A Pacific spadenose shark measuring just a little over 1.5 feet and weighing only 12 ounces was caught up in a fishing trawl in January 2017.

When the shark was taken to Xiamen, China and examined by scientists from<a href="http://en.xmu.edu.cn/"> Xiamen University</a>, it was discovered that the shark had both male and female reproductive organs and the genitals were fully formed.

It is one of the rarest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sharks-shaped-airplanes-zeppelins/">shark</a> discoveries to date, as intersexuality in sharks is possible but rare, though the organs are usually only partially formed. 

Several species of fish are able to switch genders, but sharks develop their reproductive organs before birth. 

However, some sharks have been observed giving birth asexually, and perhaps intersexuality played a role in those instances. 

“They can give birth without mating—like virgin birth,” said Dr. Chris Lowe, a scientist from <a href="http://www.calstatela.edu/">California State University</a> in an interview with<a href="https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/rare-intersex-shark-the-first-of-its-kind/"> Haikai Magazine</a>. “The question is: why? We just don’t know enough about shark biology to be able to answer those questions.”

According to Lowe, intersexuality may result in a shark giving birth to a clone of itself, explaining the “virgin birth” phenomenon. 

The likely cause of the unique intersexuality of the shark is genetic. 

There are concerns that contaminated and polluted waters are causing malformations and irregularities in marine wildlife but although rarely spotted, intersexuality is naturally possible in certain species. 

The find is certainly a boon to marine scientists and shark experts looking to understand how certain species develop dual reproductive organs and what underlying genetic and outside factors are at work to cause the rare condition.

[caption id="attachment_989961" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/shark-found.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-989961" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/shark-found-300x185.png" alt="" width="300" height="185" /></a> Image Credit: Wikimedia[/caption]

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Wikimedia

Shark found with both male and female reproductive organs

A rare find off the coast Taiwan in the Southern...

On December 25th, construction workers in China uncovered a treasure trove of preserved dinosaur eggs that date back to the Cretaceous period. 

The Christmas discovery was made in the Ghanzou region of Dayu County, China, while explosives were being used on the construction site of a new middle school.  

The workers noticed clusters of oval stones and black shards in the newly cleared debris, dirt, and rocks and halted construction immediately. 

The police were notified, and the construction site was sealed off while experts from the Dayu County Museum were brought in to confirm the findings and transport the eggs back to the museum where they could be examined further. 

The construction workers had unknowingly unearthed a collection of 30 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-fossil-racist-nazi-science/">dinosaur</a> eggs which archaeologists say are 130 million years old. 

Eggshells, the black debris that construction workers had first noticed, were also found with the fossilized eggs. 

These are not the first fossils found in the Ghanzou region, as the area is known as the “hometown of dinosaurs.” 

Ghanzou is especially known for its oviraptorid dinosaur fossils, and according to a study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-05016-6">Scientific Reports</a>, the region has one of the richest sources of oviraptorosaurian fossils in the world. 

Several new species of oviraptors have been discovered there and named after the region over the past several years.

The new fossil eggs will be studied at the local museum and added to Ghanzou’s rich collection of dinosaur finds. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: People’s Daily Online/Chinanews

Fossilized dinosaur eggs found at construction site in China

On December 25th, construction workers in China uncovered a treasure...

An upcoming <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/">BBC</a> documentary will explore what the legendary Tyrannosaurus Rex was really like. The Real T.rex With Chris Packham claims that the prehistoric creature was not accurately depicted by early scientists or in films.

Tyrannosaurus Rex was an enormous dinosaur, with the most complete specimen measuring about 40 feet in length and between 15 and 20 feet in height. The massive animal had strong and powerful hind legs and the largest known teeth, which were about eight inches in length.

Despite the fact that T-Rex is the most well-known of all the dinosaurs, paleontologists are now reporting that popular images of the beast are not entirely realistic.

Scientists have determined that T-Rex had some characteristics that resembled birds more than reptiles, such as black, spiky feathers. Because the creature did not require the feathers for insulation, experts on the film concluded that it had “a light patching of feathery bristles strategically placed for social display.”

Paleontologists also believe that T-Rex likely had colored markings around its eyes, which may have been used for mating or identification. The experts drew this conclusion from unusual markings on the animal's skull and also considered similar markings on other predatory birds.

Although T-Rex has been portrayed as having a tremendous and powerful roar, the documentary suggests otherwise. Film host Chris Packham teams up with Julia Clarke, a professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology at the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas</a>, to explore the possibility that dinosaurs actually sounded more like birds and reptiles than large predators.

“The most chilling noises in the natural world today come from predators, the howl of the wolf, the roar of the tiger, but experts now doubt that T-Rex sounded anything like them,” said Packham.

CT scans of a fossilized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tyrannosaurus-rex-big-run/">T-Rex</a> skull indicate that the intimidating animal released low rumbling sounds that could travel long distances.

“It’s such a low frequency that you wouldn’t have just heard it, you would have felt it too,” said Packham. “There is a sort of primal fear that is associated with sounds like that.”

“The Real T.rex with Chris Packham” will air on BBC2 January 2nd.

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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

Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/">BBC</a>/Gordon Welters

Documentary reveals what the Tyrannosaurus Rex really looked like

An upcoming BBC documentary will explore what the legendary Tyrannosaurus...

An annual review by the <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/">National Trust</a> has found that “haywire seasons” are confusing for wildlife. The conservation agency explains that new weather patterns are helpful to some species yet harmful to others.

Ecologist and conservationist Matthew Oates has been at the National Trust since 1990. Oates pointed out that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-california-climate-change/">climate change</a> is narrowing the divide between winter and summer.

“At times, it feels like the seasons are becoming less distinctive, and that makes it extremely difficult to predict how nature will react,” said Oates. 

“Certain species are good at adapting, which is great, whereas others are struggling – some of them badly. We need to give wildlife the space, time and, where necessary, the support it needs, not only to survive, but to thrive.”

After 10 years of research, the experts are noticing certain patterns. Winters are milder, and summers are often stormier and wetter. Spring is arriving too early, and wildflowers, bees, and other species are emerging too soon as well.

“The impact on wildlife has been enormous, and at a time when many species are declining sharply as farming as other land uses intensify,” said Oates.

Oates explained that this “blurring of the seasons” means that new measures are needed to support habitats and their wildlife as they learn to cope with climate change.

“It’s hard to put any single event down to climate change but overall impact is quite staggering,” said Oates.

“It’s not just on land, it’s sea, it’s the ocean warming and what turns up here on our shores, Portuguese man o’ war, jellyfish, bluefin tuna, minke whales, which also suggests it’s not just a terrestrial issue.”

Oates is recommending that citizens adopt local monitoring strategies to keep scientists informed on what changes are taking place in their own backyards.

Experts at the National Trust say they will do everything they can to reverse population declines in nature. The organization plans to dedicate 62,000 acres of land to wildlife conservation by 2025.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Unusual, blurred seasons are confusing wildlife across the globe

An annual review by the National Trust has found that...

A team of researchers from the <a href="http://lyon-university.org/">University of Lyon</a> in France set out to determine how dogs respond to human speech. The experts are reporting that puppies love when people direct a type of “baby talk" at them and may even begin understanding some human words through these types of interaction, while older dogs appear to be indifferent.

To examine how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-chocolate-poisoning-christmas/">dogs</a> react to the way that humans speak, the experts first recorded the voices of 30 women as they looked at photographs of dogs and spoke to the images. The women were exposed to pictures of both puppies and older dogs, and were also directed to repeat the passage to a person.

The script read, “Hi! Hello cutie! Who’s a good boy? Come here! Good boy! Yes! Come here sweetie pie! What a good boy!” 

The scientists compared the women's speech when it was directed at humans to when it was directed at dogs. It came as no surprise that the women had spoken in distinctive, high-pitched, musical tones to the animals,  but not to the humans. The women spoke at an even higher pitch when looking at puppy photos.

The researchers played the voice recordings  for 10 puppies and 10 adult dogs at a New York City animal shelter and filmed their responses. 

The documentation revealed that nine of the puppies reacted strongly to the voices, barking and approaching the loudspeaker even when the recording had been made for an older dog. Some of the puppies bent down toward the sound of the voices in a play bow, which is a pose that shows a puppy is in a playful mood.

Study lead author Nicolas Mathevon explained that the younger dogs most likely consider dog-directed speech as “an invitation to play.” The puppies were not nearly as excited by the recordings of the women speaking to other humans, however. 

As far as the adult dogs observed for the analysis, it made no difference if they were hearing speech which was directed at puppies, older dogs, or humans. “They had a quick look at the speaker, and then ignored it,” said Mathevon.

Further investigation is needed to determine if the dog-directed speech means something to the puppies that is not yet understand or whether it helps them to learn human words.

The study is published in the <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Puppies love when we talk to them, older dogs aren’t as into it

A team of researchers from the University of Lyon in...

The life of a salmon is not an easy one. Salmon make cyclical migrations, spawning in freshwater streams and migrating to the oceans, only to return to their hatching grounds several years later. 

It’s a life cycle that covers hundreds of miles, but with California’s recent drought, thousands of Chinook salmon may never back it back to their hatchery. 

In 2014 and 2015, California’s five-year drought put a strain on Chinook salmon migration and hatchery managers decided to drive the salmon to the ocean. The salmon made their 280 mile migration carried in tanker trucks. 

It was a tough decision to make at the time, either risk the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salmon-industry-sea-lice-problem/">salmon</a> not making their migrations or risk the salmon never coming back. 

Now, the Coleman hatchery that decided to truck their salmon to the ocean are facing severely depleted numbers of adult salmon able to spawn at their hatching grounds. 

According to the <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article191351274.html">Sacramento Bee</a>, in a normal year 143,000 salmon make their way back to the hatchery, but in 2017, there were only 3,000 adults who made the voyage back. 

The reason behind the loss is that because the fish were not able to migrate naturally, they became disoriented and couldn’t navigate their way back.

Some of the Coleman hatchery salmon did make their way to another hatchery, and those eggs were transported back to Coleman, but the hatchery is still millions short of their goals for fertilized eggs. 

Salmon are important to the ecosystem, providing a crucial source of food for many predators, and are also important to many state economies, including California. 

Time will tell if this loss affects future generations, or if dry conditions will make truck runs or alternative methods of moving salmon a necessity. 

As it stands, salmon and salmon hatcheries are crucial, and the strain put on salmon migration through dams, drought, overfishing, and human activities is threatening many species of salmon. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

California hatchery loses thousands of salmon after drought

The life of a salmon is not an easy one....

Researchers in Argentina have successfully manipulated the gene sequences of cloned horses to create a new breed that is physically superior. The “super horse” was engineered to have improved endurance and stamina, and should be able to run faster and jump higher than other racehorses.

Scientists at the <a href="http://www.kheiron-biotech.com/">Kheiron Biotech</a> laboratory used a powerful gene editing tool known as Crispr to target specific regions of DNA for alteration. In particular, they manipulated the myostatin gene sequence which limits skeletal muscle growth. Suppressing the myostatin gene allows the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/horses-read-posture-humans/">horses</a> to develop more muscle mass.

The experts managed to produce healthy embryos using this technique, and will implant the embryos into surrogate mothers at some point in the next two years. This means that the world's first super horse may be born as early as 2019.

Daniel Sammartino is the founder of Kheiron Biotech, which is a facility that specializes in equine cloning. 

“This technology brings additional progress in horse breeding,” said Sammartino. “It could be possible to achieve better horses in less time.”


In 2013, Kheiron Biotech produced the first clone of a polo pony in Latin America, and the technique has rapidly advanced in the time that followed. The company claims that it is now accomplishing the same level of healthy births generated by traditional breeding methods.

The work at Kheiron is intended to “accelerate genetic evolution in sports animals.” There are currently no regulations in place that would prevent the faster and stronger “super horses” from competing in major sporting events, including The Olympics.

“Our next real challenge is not only to export our technology, but fundamentally develop these scientific advances in other animal species for multiple purposes,” said Sammartino.

The details of the work will be published next month in the journal <a href="https://www.genome.gov/10004765/CloningEmbryonic-Stem-Cells">Cloning and Stem Cells</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists are genetically engineering a superior race horse

Researchers in Argentina have successfully manipulated the gene sequences of...

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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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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...