Urban coyotes are thriving in cities, but not for the reasons one might expect. A recent study reveals that human-related factors, rather than access to natural habitats, have a stronger impact on their survival.&nbsp;



Researchers tracking coyotes in Chicago discovered that densely populated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-living-causes-chronic-stress-for-some-coyotes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human areas</a> are linked to longer coyote lifespans, overturning the conventional belief that wildlife fares better in more natural settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-presence-plays-a-surprising-role">Human presence plays a surprising role</h2>



“What we found was really interesting, in that the societal characteristics seem to play a much more important role in predicting coyote survival time than the environmental characteristics,” said Emily Zepeda, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral scholar at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ohio State University</a>.&nbsp;



“And then we found this positive effect of human population density on survival time. Both of those things are unexpected because we usually associate human activity with detrimental effects on wildlife.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-urban-coyote-research-project">The Urban Coyote Research Project</h2>



The study, recently published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11252-024-01643-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Urban Ecosystems</a>, stems from the Urban Coyote Research Project, a long-term study of coyote ecology in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.&nbsp;



This research, led by wildlife ecologist Stan Gehrt, has monitored the behavior and ecology of Chicago’s estimated 4,000 coyotes, offering rare insights into how they adapt to urban life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-coyote-survival">Tracking coyote survival</h2>



For this study, researchers analyzed movement data from 214 coyotes tracked between 2013 and 2021. Using the length of time each coyote was monitored as a proxy for survival, they evaluated societal and environmental factors such as neighborhood income, human density, road density, and proximity to parks.



The findings revealed that human population density positively influenced coyote survival. Coyotes in areas with low human density tended to have shorter lifespans, while those in densely populated areas lived longer. Interestingly, the interaction between income and density also played a role.&nbsp;



In low-density areas, income had little effect on survival, likely due to the lack of human presence. However, in moderate- to high-density neighborhoods, coyotes in lower-income areas were 1.5 times more likely to survive to age two than those in wealthier areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-resources-and-competition-in-urban-settings">Resources and competition in urban settings</h2>



The researchers theorize that higher human population density provides urban coyotes with essential resources like food and shelter, helping them endure harsh conditions such as Chicago winters.&nbsp;



“We’ve hypothesized that population density may have a positive effect because it’s actually providing resources like human-related structures or food that allow coyotes to weather the harsh conditions of the winter, which is a major mortality factor for Chicago coyotes,” Zepeda explained.



However, these benefits may come at a cost in higher-income areas, where vegetation and better waste management can attract more coyotes, leading to increased competition and disease transmission.&nbsp;



“There might be more individuals in those areas, but survival time may be shorter there,” Zepeda said. “You might die younger in an area where there are a lot of competitors.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adaptability-of-coyotes">Adaptability of coyotes</h2>



Surprisingly, the study found no significant link between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-species-are-shifting-their-habitats-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural habitats</a> and coyote survival. Parks and nature preserves, often assumed to be ideal environments for coyotes, did not seem to offer a survival advantage.&nbsp;



“Anecdotally, we see really high densities of coyotes in nature preserves and urban parks. That’s often where you see coyotes in the city if you see them at all,” Zepeda said.



The researchers speculate that this finding could result from a variety of factors, including limitations in how habitat types are classified on city maps or more frequent hunting and trapping in natural areas.&nbsp;



Alternatively, it may highlight the adaptability of coyotes, which seem capable of thriving in urbanized environments despite their preference for natural habitats.&nbsp;



“It could speak to how adaptable they are that they might prefer natural habitat, but at least in terms of survival, they can do just as well in more urbanized areas,” Zepeda added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-societal-factors-and-urban-ecosystems">Societal factors and urban ecosystems</h2>



This study adds to growing evidence that societal factors affecting human populations also influence <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-biodiversity-is-not-a-luxury-it-is-attainable-for-everyone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urban ecosystems</a>. The presence or absence of humans, combined with the conditions in which they live, may overshadow natural influences on wildlife survival.&nbsp;



Gehrt’s long-term research emphasizes the importance of understanding these dynamics as urban areas expand.



As urban ecosystems continue to evolve, studies like this provide critical insights into how wildlife interacts with human populations.&nbsp;



Further research could explore specific societal factors - such as waste management practices or public attitudes toward coyotes - and their influence on urban <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-disturbing-details-about-the-state-of-earths-wildlife/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife</a>.



By better understanding these relationships, cities can develop strategies to foster coexistence between humans and animals, creating urban environments where both can thrive.



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Coyotes live longer in densely populated human areas

Urban coyotes are thriving in cities, but not for the reasons one might expect. A recent study reveals that human-related factors, rather than access to natural habitats, have a stronger impact on their survival.&nbsp; Researchers tracking coyotes in Chicago discovered that densely populated human areas are linked to longer coyote lifespans, overturning the conventional belief that wildlife fares better in more natural settings. Human presence plays a surprising role “What we found was really interesting, in that the societal characteristics seem to play a much more important...

The Chicxulub asteroid, named after the town that lies near to its center, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-killed-dinosaurs-cooled/">hit Earth</a> 66 million years ago with a force so incredible that it wiped out around 75 percent of the planet's species, including the dinosaurs. Experts have now determined that if the asteroid had struck nearly anywhere else the dinosaurs would have survived.

The new research has revealed that the area where the gigantic Chicxulub asteroid struck Earth, which is now Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, was among the worst possible places it could have made contact with the planet. 

The asteroid directly impacted rocks in a shallow sea which are particularly rich in hydrocarbons. The scientists explain that the event would not have been nearly as devastating had the asteroid hit on hard rocks, which cover nearly 87 percent of the Earth's surface.

Instead, it slammed into the hydrocarbon-rich rocks which released a cloud of soot and dust so vast that it triggered global climate change. The resulting mass extinction ultimately led to the evolution of mammals and the existence of humans.

Geochemist Kunio Kaiho, a professor at <a href="http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/">Tohoku University</a>, is the study's senior author. 

“The site of asteroid impact, therefore, changed the history of life on Earth,” said Kaiho. “Here we show the probability of significant global cooling, mass extinction, and the subsequent appearance of mammals was quite low after an asteroid impact on the Earth's surface.”

Dr Kaiho teamed up with senior researcher Naga Oshima of the <a href="http://www.mri-jma.go.jp/index_en.html">Meteorological Research Institute</a> to calculate the amount of soot and sulphate that would be released by an asteroid impact depending on the amount of hydrocarbon present on the Earth’s surface. They used a coupled atmosphere–ocean global climate model developed at the Meteorological Research Institute to simulate a virtual asteroid impact.

By testing five quantities of black carbon, the scientists determined that only impact in areas containing high concentration levels would cause a drop in global temperature severe enough to kill off the dinosaurs. In areas with lower concentrations of hydrocarbons, the climate change would not have been severe enough to cause the mass extinction.

“This significant event could have only occurred if the asteroid hit the hydrocarbon-rich areas occupying approximately 13 percent of the Earth's surface,” said Dr. Kaiho.

“The history of life on Earth could have varied, then, according to impact site, and depended on minute differences in the orbital forcing of asteroids.”

The study is published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Asteroid that killed the dinosaurs hit worst possible place

The Chicxulub asteroid, named after the town that lies near...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/psw/">U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station</a> have been investigating the interactions between native birds and plants in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/feds-assessing-health-hawaiis-fish-population/">Hawaii</a>. Their study has revealed that seasonal changes in plants from year to year, which are heavily influenced by climate change, have an alarming impact on bird populations.

The scientists set out to examine the changes in bird abundance, breeding, and molting based on climate-induced alterations to vegetation. To do this, the team reviewed extensive data collected between 1976 and 1982 at a 40-acre monitoring site on Hawaii Island. 

The experts established that "bottom-up processes” in the food chain strongly influence the survival rates of Hawaiian bird communities. The density of bird populations was frequently found to mirror the availability of their food sources.

"Our results suggest that changes in climate can cascade up the food chain and strongly affect wildlife at higher levels in the chain," said lead author Jared Wolfe.

The researchers observed that three native bird species all timed their breeding season with the availability of specific flowers, which were abundant after periods of heavy rain. Similar correlations were found in other bird varieties, both native and non-native. The birds based breeding patterns on the accessibility of their flower or fruit food sources as well as the timing of molting, a physically demanding process by which the birds replace their feathers. 

"The susceptibility of many Hawaiian birds to climatically-induced changes in their food web is alarming when considering that the archipelago has been subject to an increasingly drier climate during the last 30 years," said Wolfe.

"These types of studies are rare because they depend on long-term data and labor-intensive field work," said co-author C. John Ralph. "But findings from long-term studies, such as this one, are critically important because they provide insights into how changes in climate might affect organisms in seemingly indirect ways."

The study is published in this month's issue of <a href="http://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1939-9170/">Ecology</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change altering plants and bird populations in Hawaii

Researchers at the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station...

Researchers believe that an enormous otter which lived about 6 million years ago may have been a top predator in its day. A study revealed that the wolf-size otter had surprisingly strong jaws. 

"We started our study with the idea that this otter was just a larger version of a sea otter or an African clawless otter in terms of chewing ability, that it would just be able to eat much larger things. That's not what we found," said lead author Z. Jack Tseng of the <a href="http://www.buffalo.edu/">University at Buffalo</a>.

The prehistoric otter, Siamogale melilutra, was much bigger than any otter living today, weighing about 110 pounds. The scientists used computers to simulate how biting would strain the otter’s jaws and found that the animal had much firmer jaw bones than expected. This stiffness would have given the otter an exceptionally strong bite.

"We don't know for sure, but we think that this otter was more of a top predator than living species of otters are," said Tseng. "Our findings imply that Siamogale could crush much harder and larger prey than any living otter can."

The analysis gives insight into the lifestyle of the creatures in the wetlands of southwest China.

"At the time that the otter lived, the area where its remains were found included a swamp or a shallow lake surrounded by evergreen forest or dense woodland," said co-author Denise F. Su. "There was a diverse aquatic fauna at Shuitangba, including fish, crab, mollusks, turtles and frogs, as well as many different species of water birds, all of which could have been potential prey for S. melilutra."

Modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/otter-fossil-mammals-migrated-america/">otters</a> eat foods that range from plants and rodents to fish and crabs. Based on their research, the scientists believe the ancient otter’s jaws would have been strong enough to crush the shells of big mollusks or the bones of birds.

"Carnivores are known to evolve powerful jaws, often for the purpose of cracking the bones of their prey," said co-author Xiaoming Wang. "In the shallow swamp of South China, it's possible that an abundance of big clams drove these giant otters to acquire their rare traits, including their crushing teeth and robust jaws."

The study will be published on November 9 in <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Artwork by Mauricio Anton

Massive ancient otters may have been a top predator

Researchers believe that an enormous otter which lived about 6...

What exactly influences which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dirty-laundry-attracts-bed-bugs/">bugs</a> join us to live inside of the house? An international team of scientists set out to investigate how physical factors of our homes, ranging from the floor plan to our level of cleanliness, affect the diversity of the insects living among us. 

"We are just beginning to realize--and study--how the home we create for ourselves also builds a complex, indoor habitat for bugs and other life," said lead author Dr. Misha Leong. "We're hoping to better understand this age-old coexistence, and how it may impact our physical and mental well-being."

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.calacademy.org/">California Academy of Sciences</a>, <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a>, and the <a href="http://snm.ku.dk/english/">Natural History Museum of Denmark</a> teamed up for the study, which focused on 50 homes in Raleigh, North Carolina. The analysis revealed that a larger number of insect species were found in rooms with more outdoor accessibility, such as windows and doors.

"We're beginning to see how houses can be a passive go-between for insects traveling through the surrounding landscape," said senior author Dr. Michelle Trautwein. "The more numerous the entry points of windows and doors, the more diverse the community that thrives inside."

The researchers also found that ground floors harbored the most insect diversity, and that more varieties of insects existed in carpeted rooms as opposed to rooms with bare floors.

"While the idea of uninvited insect roommates sounds unappealing, bugs in houses may contribute to health in a roundabout way," said Dr. Trautwein. "A growing body of evidence suggests some modern ailments are connected with our lack of exposure to wider biological diversity, particularly microorganisms--and insects may play a role in hosting and spreading that microbial diversity indoors."

The insects discovered in the study varied from room to room. Common areas like living rooms had more diverse bug communities compared to bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Basements also held a larger variety of insects, which were typically cave-dwelling species that thrive in damp, dark spaces like spiders and crickets.

Every room in the home contained a complex habitat of predator and prey. Scavenger species, strays from outdoors, and temporary go-betweens all played key roles in a room's ecological structure. 

"Even though we like to think of our homes as shielded from the outdoors, wild ecological dramas may be unfolding right beside us as we go about our daily lives," said Dr. Leong. "We're learning more and more about these sometimes-invisible relationships and how the homes we choose for ourselves also foster indoor ecosystems all their own."

Species diversity within the home tends to mirror the life thriving outside, according to the researchers. Tidiness played no significant role in what insects were found indoors. The presence of pets, houseplants, pesticides, and dust also had no notable impact on insect diversity, indicating that indoor bug communities are more strongly influenced by the environment outside the window than our cats, dogs, or cleaning habits.

The study is published in <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Different houses and lifestyles attract different types of bugs

What exactly influences which bugs join us to live inside...

Baboons in Cape Town, South Africa are known for entering into urban areas to steal food. Similar to raccoons or even bears in many parts of North America, baboons will look for food wherever they can find it, presenting a real nuisance to Cape Town residents. 

A new study, conducted by researchers from <a href="http://www.swansea.ac.uk/">Swansea University</a>, showed that the baboons used stealthy tactics to maximize their foraging time in urban areas. 

One of the tactics the baboons used is a classic “sit-and-wait,” where they scope out the scene before entering someone’s home. 

“Raiding baboons are a real challenge in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. The baboons enter properties to raid in gardens and bins, but also enter homes and sometimes take food directly from people,” said Justin O'Riain, the co-author of the study. 

The reason baboons take such risks is because the food in urban areas has more caloric value and is more plentiful and available.

The researchers note that the food rewards in urban areas are 10 times richer in terms of calories, so for some baboons, it’s well worth the danger. 

Even though Cape Town had implemented strategies to keep the baboons away, some male baboons were still able to enter the city and forage. 

In order to see how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-egyptians-worshipped-baboons/">baboons</a> were succeeding, the researchers built tracking collars and fitted them to ten male baboons. 

The researchers then monitored and tracked the baboon’s movements using GPS and accelerometer sensors. 

The data from the tracking collars showed that the baboons stayed at the edge of the city and waited awhile before heading in for intense bursts of foraging. The researchers call it a “sit-and-wait” kind of a strategy. 

The baboons who risked raiding urban areas also only foraged for about ten percent of their time, much less than baboons who stayed away from the city. 

“We suspected the baboons were doing something clever to allow them to minimise the risks associated with urban foraging, and the data collected from the collars confirmed this,” said Dr. Andrew King, the senior author of the study. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Dr Gaëlle Fehlmann

Baboons use stealthy tactics to steal food in cities

Baboons in Cape Town, South Africa are known for entering...

The colors red and green look exactly the same to dogs, according to new research. Experts have discovered that dogs suffer from a condition that does not allow them to detect a difference between the two colors.

Previous studies have found that dogs are prone to poor vision, yet the cause of this was unknown. Researchers have now concluded that dogs suffer from deuteranopioa, which prevents them from distinguishing between red and green.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-expressive-looking/">Dogs</a> were most active at dusk and dawn back before they were domesticated, and at those hours of the day it is not important to distinguish between colors. Some experts believe that dogs’ eyes have simply not evolved to see colors.

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.uniba.it/english-version/university-of-bari-aldo-moro">University of Bari</a> in Italy developed a color dot test similar to a test used to detect color vision deficiency in humans. For the human version of the test, numbers are used to mark the various dots. For the dog variation of the test, the research team used images of cats hidden in the dots.

After testing 16 dogs of different breeds, the experts determined that the dogs could not see the images of the cats, indicating they had red-green color blindness.

Lead author Marcello Siniscalchi told <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/">The Telegraph</a>, “We show that dogs exhibit a behavioral response similar to that of red–green blind human subjects suggesting that dogs struggle to distinguish between red and green colors. It would be reasonable to hypothesise that dogs also have difficulty in discriminating between brown and orange but we have not directly tested these color shades.”

The researchers believe that the findings of this study could help both dog owners and dog trainers improve their dog’s attentive skills. The study is published in the <a href="http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Royal Society Open Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@gmail.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dogs can’t see the difference between red and green colors

The colors red and green look exactly the same to...

Marine protected reserves, no-take zones, and no-entry zones are specially designated areas where restrictions limit the amount of human activity allowed in the vicinity. 

These rules are meant to protect the marine ecosystem and stop habitat and species loss, and they are vital to conservation efforts, especially along coral reefs. 

Now, a new <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0186146">study</a> conducted by researchers from the<a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/"> University of Queensland, Australia</a> has found that protected zones are beneficial to fish populations along the Great Barrier Reef, even in those areas with only fishing. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-barrier-reef-life-bleaching/">The Great Barrier Reef</a> in Australia is the largest coral reef in the world. It’s home to a diverse array of marine wildlife and its status as a <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154">UNESCO World Heritage Site</a> means that much of the reef is protected. 

For the study, the researchers wanted to see if there was a difference in fish populations and biodiversity along the reef where some fishing occurred compared to the protected “no-take” and “no entry” zones. 

The research team counted and measured the biomass of marine species that are commonly fished and found at 31 different areas along the reef. The researchers also analyzed the seabed habitat in these areas. 

The results showed that in the protected areas where no fishing occurred there was greater fish biomass. The biomass in no-take and no entry places tended to be five times greater compared to the areas of the reef where fishing occurred. 

Even if the areas examined were lightly fished, the researchers saw a decrease in fish biomass compared to the protected areas.

However, even lightly exploited areas where some fishing occurs is better for fish populations than places where poaching and heavy fishing occurs. 

The findings illustrate the vital importance of marine conservation efforts, especially along coral reef systems which are host to a wide array of marine wildlife. 

The difference in biomass along the Great Barrier Reef shows how sensitive the reef and marine ecosystems are to fishing operations. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Report: Great Barrier Reef protected zones benefit all fish

Marine protected reserves, no-take zones, and no-entry zones are specially...

Researchers have confirmed that fossils discovered on southern England’s Jurassic Coast belonged humankind’s earliest known mammal ancestors. 

Grant Smith, an undergraduate student at the<a href="http://www.port.ac.uk/"> University of Portsmouth,</a> made the discovery while sifting through Cretaceous rocks from the Jurassic Coast for a dissertation project. Smith collected two teeth during his excavations that belonged to rat-like creatures 145 million years ago, during the time of the dinosaurs. 

The teeth belonged to a species of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-mammals-nocturnal-dinosaurs/">mammals</a> that are the earliest known ancestors of most mammals on Earth, including humans. 

Smith worked with Dr. Steve Sweetman, a research fellow at Portsmouth, to examine the fossils and confirm the discovery.

Their findings were published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 

Sweetman notes that the fossils are the oldest known to exist of our early mammalian ancestors. 

“In the world of palaeontology there has been a lot of debate around a specimen found in China, which is approximately 160 million years old,” said Sweetman. “This was originally said to be of the same type as ours but recent studies have ruled this out. That being the case, our 145 million-year-old teeth are undoubtedly the earliest yet known from the line of mammals that lead to our own species.”

The teeth would have belonged to small, furry, and likely nocturnal creatures. The research team was able to determine the animal’s eating habits and even guess age based on the fossils. 

“The teeth are of a highly advanced type that can pierce, cut and crush food,” Sweetman explained. “They are also very worn which suggests the animals to which they belonged lived to a good age for their species. No mean feat when you're sharing your habitat with predatory dinosaurs.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fossils of humankind’s earliest ancestors found in England

Researchers have confirmed that fossils discovered on southern England’s Jurassic...

As a result of one of the most detailed paternity tests ever conducted in wild trees, scientists have discovered that tiny pollinating bees play matchmaker across long distances. The bees promote the genetic diversity needed for trees to survive disease, climate change, and other threats.

Researchers at <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">The University of Texas at Austin</a> examined the routes taken by hundreds of bees to and from trees that they pollinated across a forest spanning over 2.5 miles. The study revealed that the smallest bees were able to travel every bit as far as the larger bees, often pairing trees that were separated by over a mile. 

The researchers ultimately determined that in half of cases when paired trees existed a significant distance apart, the pollen had been carried by a bee no bigger than a grain of rice.

"Size isn't everything," said lead author Shalene Jha. "These little bees are responsible for major beneficial impacts in terms of reproduction and gene flow."

The research took place over four years in a tropical rainforest near the Panama Canal. The area of observation was about 10 times the size of previous studies conducted to evaluate the pollinating patterns of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blooming-seasons-bad-bees/">bees</a>.

"If you work in a small portion of forest, you're only capable of measuring pollen movement in a small area," said Jha. "We picked up the signal about how far these little bees move because we started doing work that was commensurate with the scale at which they're actually flying."

Over 85 percent of plants, including almost two-thirds of food crops, rely on pollinating insects for sexual reproduction. In the past, studies of pollinating insects have focused primarily on larger bees which carry the most pollen.

"We haven't traditionally asked how pollinators influence the way genes are passed on across generations, but it's incredibly important for long-term population persistence," said Jha. "We typically look at seeds or the number of seeds when we want to know a bee's role in pollination service, but not 'who are the fathers of these seeds?' "

Jha explained that knowing the parents of any given plant is essential not only for a better quantity of plants and crops but also for better quality. She hopes that the new research will show how even the smallest pollinators can provide the optimal conditions for plant reproduction and reforestation.

The study is published this week in the <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Antonio Castilla, The University of Texas at Austin

Small bees have a big impact on tree reproduction

As a result of one of the most detailed paternity...

A new study sheds light on ancient mammals who switched from being nocturnal to being active during the day after the dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago.

This is the first time research has mapped the change from nocturnal behavior in mammals to diurnal behavior. 

The study was conducted by researchers from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> and <a href="http://smnh.tau.ac.il/eng">Tel Aviv University's Steinhardt Museum of Natural History</a>.

The results show that mammals only began to switch to daytime activities after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-killed-dinosaurs-cooled/">dinosaurs</a> were wiped out, and also reveals which species made the change first.

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 2,415 species of mammals alive today and used computer algorithms to simulate the activity patterns of the species’ ancestors from millions of years ago. 

Two mammalian family trees showing differing timelines for the evolution of mammals were used for the for the study, but both timelines revealed that mammals became active during the day only after the dinosaurs went extinct. 

“We were very surprised to find such close correlation between the disappearance of dinosaurs and the beginning of daytime activity in mammals, but we found the same result unanimously using several alternative analyses,” said Roi Maor. the study’s lead author. 

The researchers discovered that simian primates, who are the only mammals that evolved to see better during the daytime, were the first to switch from nocturnal behavior. 

This switch could have occurred between 52 and 33 million years ago. 

Even though the results point to the extinction of the dinosaurs as the catalyst for the change from nocturnal behavior, the researchers note that it is impossible to point to the exact cause of the change. 

Fossils can tell researchers a great deal about what the Earth was like millions of years ago, but behavior has to be observed in live animals. 

“You have to observe a living mammal to see if it is active at night or in the day. Fossil evidence from mammals often suggest that they were nocturnal even if they were not. Many subsequent adaptations that allow us to live in daylight are in our soft tissues,” said Professor Tamar Dayan, co-author and Chair of The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University. 

More research will have to be done to determine exactly when ancient mammals started being active during the day, but the study enhances science’s understanding of the mammalian family tree.  

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ancient mammals were nocturnal until the dinosaurs died off

A new study sheds light on ancient mammals who switched...

Compared to most animals, humans have the capacity to live much longer lives. Some animals, however, not only outlive humans but can actually survive longer than multiple generations of people. <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> presents: the longest-living animals on the planet.

&nbsp;

Ocean quahog

Also known as Arctica Islandica, this edible clam species is well-known for their long lifespans. One specimen found in the Icelandic seabed, which was then estimated to be around 405, turned out to be 507 years old.

&nbsp;

Greenland Shark

The longest living vertebrate on the planet is the Greenland shark, with a lifespan of 400 years. These sharks do not even reach sexual maturity until they are 150 years old, according to a recent study. The researchers dated one ancient shark which lived as many as 512 years.

&nbsp;

Koi

Some varieties of koi fish live longer than others. A koi living in the long-established waters of Japan, its historical home, can easily live to be over 70. A koi carp known as “Hanako" lived  to be 225 years old in Japan. In artificial ponds, it is still not unusual for a koi fish to reach over 40 years old. 

&nbsp;

Bowhead Whale

Also known as the Arctic whale, bowheads are the longest living mammals on Earth.

These whales can live to be over 200 years old, with the oldest known bowhead reaching the age of 211. Researchers have found that part of what enables these animals to live for so long is that they rarely succumb to cancer and disease.

&nbsp;

Giant Tortoise

With an average lifespan of over 100 years, giant tortoises are very resilient creatures. Their long lives can be partially attributed to an extremely slow metabolism. Some giant tortoises such as Galapagos tortoises can go over a year without food or water. An Aldabra giant tortoise that died in India in 2006 was believed to be 255 years old.

&nbsp;

Red sea urchin

Located primarily along the west coast of North America, red sea urchins prefer rocky, shallow ocean floor waters. They move around slowly, using their sharp spines as stilts. Red sea urchins often live beyond 30 years, and in optimal conditions have even lived to be over 200 years old.

&nbsp;

Cockatoo

Cockatoos have an average lifespan of 50-70 years in proper conditions, so bringing a cockatoo into a happy and healthy home is most likely a lifetime commitment. Umbrella Cockatoos can live 80 years or more when properly cared for. A legendary sulphur-crested cockatoo in Australia known as Cocky Bennett died at the ripe old age of 120.

&nbsp;

Geoduck

Also known as mud ducks or king clams, geoducks can reach up to 10 pounds. They are also one of the world's longest living animals and the oldest known geoduck clam lived to be 168 years old.

&nbsp;

Asian Elephant

Asian elephants are slightly smaller than African elephants and are native to India and Southeast Asia. They live to be an average age of 70 years old. Lin Wang, a famous elephant at the Taipei Zoo who had once served in the Chinese army, lived the longest life of any Asian elephant in captivity and died at age 86.

&nbsp;

Tuatara

With an average lifespan of 60 years, these reptiles can actually live to be over 100. They mature so slowly that they continue to grow larger for the first 35 years of life. This unique species dates back over 200 million years, with characteristics largely unchanged since the Jurassic Period.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The top 10 longest-living animals

Compared to most animals, humans have the capacity to live...

If you’re feeling down, a trip outside to reconnect with nature may be just what you need to boost happiness, a new study claims.

Spending time in the great outdoors each day can help to increase personal well-being, the researchers found – no travel required. Just be sure to take time to pay attention to your natural surroundings and how they make you feel.

"This wasn't about spending hours outdoors or going for long walks in the wilderness," said Holli-Anne Passmore, a doctoral student at the <a href="https://ok.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia-Okanagan</a>. "This is about the tree at a bus stop in the middle of a city and the positive effect that one tree can have on people."

Nearly 400 study participants spent two weeks on an “intervention” intended to boost happiness. They were asked to spend time outside each day, document the natural world around them, and explore how the plants, trees and wildlife made them feel.

Each participant was asked to photograph any part of nature that caught their eye, from a bird or squirrel to a week growing from the sidewalk, and write down a short note about how it made them feel.

A second group did the same exercise but with man-made objects like statues and buildings, and a third control group did neither. 

The study participants turned in nearly 2,500 photos and notes. Researchers found that for those in the nature group, simply being aware of their surroundings had participants reporting a happiness boost and a greater connection to their community.

"The difference in participants' well-being – their happiness, sense of elevation, and their level of connectedness to other people, not just nature – was significantly higher than participants in the group noticing how human-built objects made them feel and the control group,” Passmore said.

The study is one of several that the University of British Columbia’s psychology researchers have undertaken to explore how nature is connected to well-being. The researchers hope to add to the scientific documentation showing the benefits of green spaces in urban landscapes.

The study has been published in the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221126">Journal of Positive Psychology</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Feeling blue? Take notice of nature to boost happiness

If you’re feeling down, a trip outside to reconnect with...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" 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> 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

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" 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.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

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> 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

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

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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...