iron ore deposit - 1

Many people find themselves disoriented when the clocks shift for the seasonal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/daylight-saving-time-has-little-influence-on-heart-health/">time change</a>. Our internal alarms can take days to settle, which may leave us feeling off-balance.



Some <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317028" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experts</a> have been investigating how sled dogs in Ontario, Canada, respond to that same disruption. 



They found that these working animals were so tied to their daily routine that it took them by surprise when handlers arrived an hour later than usual.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animals-clocks-and-routines">Animals, clocks, and routines</h2>



We rely on Daylight Saving Time <a href="https://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/daylight_time" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(DST)</a> to optimize daylight hours, yet not all creatures can adapt quickly. Sled teams in this recent study had been on strict schedules that revolved around the time of sunrise.



"I wasn't expecting any differences between the two groups [of dogs]," said <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lavania-Nagendran" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lavania Nagendran</a>, a lead <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317028" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">researcher</a> at the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Toronto</a>. She later explained that the working animals were tightly synchronized to their early start time.



Researchers placed <a href="https://global.epson.com/products_and_drivers/sensing_system/what_are_accelerometers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accelerometers</a> on the dogs' collars to record their activity before and after the clocks went back. The team observed that, on the first morning of the shift, these animals were moving around about an hour earlier than usual.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pet-dogs-and-everyday-life">Pet dogs and everyday life</h2>



In contrast, household companions of similar breeds showed no similar upheaval. Their extra hour of rest seemed to slip by without a fuss.



"Not all animals can just switch up their schedule based on human influences, [like changing the clocks]," said Ming Fei Li, the <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317028" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">co-lead researcher</a>.



"When we've spoken to pet owners, everyone comments that, with that hour change, their dog or cat is up in the morning, going crazy, waiting to be fed," said Li, who observed no clear shift for household animals. She explained that their data contradicted the usual anecdotal complaints from owners.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-helping-animals-adjust-their-clocks">Helping animals adjust their clocks</h2>



Experts have long <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23477947/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">noted</a> that people might experience fragmented sleep for up to a week after time adjustments. 



Disrupted rest has even been linked to a spike in serious <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11152980/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">road crashes</a> right after clocks change.



This project is among the first to measure how domesticated canines respond to abrupt clock changes. 



Within just a day, the group of working dogs returned to their usual schedule, while the pets barely seemed to notice any difference.



Handlers with strict timetables might consider shifting routine times in small increments before the official clock change. This gentle approach could <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/probiotics-help-overweight-dogs-shed-pounds/">help dogs</a> feel less rattled when sunrise no longer coincides with mealtime.



Pets with flexible routines may not need any special changes. Their behavior often shows surprising resilience when humans tamper with the daily clock.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1004016" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Researchers</a> wonder how these findings might apply to wolves, given that dogs diverged from wolf ancestors thousands of years ago. 



It remains unclear whether wild canines would show the same one-day scramble to adjust, or be more resistant to the adjustment.



This question has sparked conversations about how domestication shapes an animal's internal clock. Most of our modern dog breeds share a genetic link with wolves but have adapted to human routines.



Early domestication likely favored animals that were comfortable living alongside humans. Over time, that compatibility included an ability to sleep and wake in sync with caregivers.



Future studies might explore whether wild relatives can handle abrupt time shifts or if they struggle to reset their daily rhythms. Answers to that could reveal new insights into canine adaptability.



Comparisons across species also show how biology and environment blend to shape behavior.<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-are-evolving-to-fit-the-modern-lives-of-humans/"> Dogs live </a>in a human-made world, so their responses to clock changes might differ from those of truly wild cousins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keeping-an-open-mind">Keeping an open mind</h2>



Every dog is unique, and some may adapt more easily to seasonal schedule changes than others. External factors, like mealtime and exercise, can influence an animal's natural cycle.



Working animals rely on consistent daily patterns, from feeding times to training sessions. That routine could amplify their surprise when the clock switches overnight.



Pet dogs, in contrast, might lounge for an extra hour if no one is nudging them awake. Their laid-back lifestyle often shields them from abrupt schedule disruptions.



Experts note that minor tweaks to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dog-walking-improves-mobility-and-prevents-falls-in-older-adults/">mealtimes and walks</a> can smooth out this transition. Spreading those adjustments over a few days offers dogs a gentler shift in routine.



Such small steps may prevent confusion, especially for dogs that thrive on a predictable morning schedule. Even a half-hour move can be enough to avoid an early wake-up call.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-body-clocks-animals-and-humans">Body clocks, animals, and humans</h2>



These observations add another layer to our understanding of how work-oriented and companion animals experience abrupt changes in their day-to-day flow and highlight the subtle effects of shifting external cues. 



While many dogs seem to roll with life's shifts, an hour can still feel monumental when every meal, walk, and training session is truly anchored to a tightly orchestrated timetable.



For the curious, the official study was published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317028" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLoS One</a>.



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Pets and animals face internal chaos when you mess with their body clocks

Many people find themselves disoriented when the clocks shift for the seasonal time change. Our internal alarms can take days to settle, which may leave us feeling off-balance. Some experts have been investigating how sled dogs in Ontario, Canada, respond to that same disruption. They found that these working animals were so tied to their daily routine that it took them by surprise when handlers arrived an hour later than usual. Animals, clocks, and routines We rely on Daylight Saving Time (DST) to optimize daylight hours, yet...

Already-endangered tigers in the Sumatran jungle could face steep population declines if their jungle habitats undergo any more deforestation, according to new research. 

Even though tigers in Sumatra had revived their populations over the last two decades thanks to anti-poaching efforts, their habitats are now decreasing and becoming more and more fragmented. 

17 percent of the Sumatran jungle forests were cleared between 2000 and 2012. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/remote-sensing-oil-palm-industry/">Oil palm</a> plantations are the biggest culprit for logging and habitat degradation in the area. 

A new study, published in the journal Nature, followed and tracked endangered tigers in Sumatra for a year. 

The team, led by Matthew Luskin, a research fellow with the <a href="https://www.si.edu/">Smithsonian Institution</a>, spent a year in remote jungle forests and mounted cameras that would take videos and pictures. 

After compiling all of the footage, the researchers were able to calculate the Sumatran Tiger’s home range, which is approximately 150 square miles. 

This is especially challenging because it means the tigers need large protected reserves to thrive. 

“The loss of key habitat is causing significant conservation challenges for Sumatra -- and in particular for this critically endangered species,” said Luskin. 

The researchers also discovered that tiger populations are 47 percent denser in forests that have not been degraded or logged. The degraded forests have caused Sumatran tiger populations to become more scattered and splintered. 

The results of the study show that there now remain only two areas large enough to support more than 30 breeding females, which is what is necessary for the continued survival of the species. 

According to Luskin, reforestation of Sumatra’s jungle forests is unlikely and protecting what little remains of the endangered tigers’ habitats should be a priority. 

“Safeguarding the remaining expanses of primary forests is now absolutely critical to ensuring tigers can persist indefinitely on Sumatra,” said Mathias Tobler, the study’s co-author.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Matthew Luskin

Sumatran tigers struggle in fragmented forests

Already-endangered tigers in the Sumatran jungle could face steep population...

A new study suggests that gorillas have an innate sense of how to clean their food. The researchers found that gorillas spontaneously learn food cleaning without having to observe the behavior in others.

Researchers developed a study to challenge the theory that wild gorillas learn food-cleaning habits by watching other gorillas. Their observation of captive gorillas, who had never witnessed food cleaning before, revealed that the behavior is not always learned and that animals can come up with the idea on their own.

Damien Neadle from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/">University of Birmingham</a> led the study.

"In four of our five gorillas, at least one of the techniques for cleaning was similar to that observed in the wild.” said Neadle. “Given that these two groups are culturally unconnected, it suggests that social learning is not required for this behavior to emerge."

The researchers focused their investigation on a captive population of western lowland gorilla at the Wolfgang Kohler Primate Research Centre in Leipzig Zoo, Germany. The team provided the gorillas with both clean and dirty apples.

Over 75 percent of the time, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-com-film-review-koko-gorilla-talks/">gorillas</a> cleaned the dirty apples which were coated with sand. 

"This fact does not discount the importance of social learning, but simply emphasises the role of individual learning in the emergence of food cleaning behavior in western lowland gorillas,” explained Neadle. “Here, we argue that individual learning is responsible for the form of the behavior, whilst social learning possibly contributes to its frequency."

"Rather than being a binary consideration of either cultural learning or not, behaviors like food cleaning, which can be propagated by shared learning but are also capable of being learnt spontaneously by individuals, could be deemed to be 'soft culture'," said Neadle.

The research is published in <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLoS ONE</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Gorillas have the natural instinct to clean their food

A new study suggests that gorillas have an innate sense...

The flight patterns of falcons could help researchers develop drones specifically designed to take down other rogue drones. 

A new study, conducted by researchers from <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">Oxford University</a>, found that contrary to popular belief, falcons followed similar flight trajectories to guided missiles while steering into an attack. 

Previously it was thought that peregrine falcons hunted using exclusively geometric rules while flying. However, the researchers found that falcons are quick to intercept moving targets. 

The results could pave the way for drones that are programmed to take down drones in airports or prisons. 

For the study, the researchers used GPS receivers to track falcons. The falcons were given dummy targets to attack that were thrown by a falconer or attached to a drone.

The researchers monitored the falcons using both the GPS receivers and on-board video footage that showed the falcon’s perspective during the attacks. 

Mathematical simulations were then later applied to mirror the falcon attack patterns better understand the guidance system employed by the falcon. 

The surprising results showed that falcons use the same law as visually guided missiles during terminal attack trajectories, called proportional navigation. 

The uptick of drones being used to smuggle contraband in prisons and fly near airports is a matter of growing concern. But with this new research, new drones could be designed with the falcon flight patterns to efficiently take out problem drones. 

“Our GPS tracks and on-board videos show how peregrine falcons intercept moving targets that don't want to be caught,” said Graham Taylor, the study’s principal investigator. “Our next step is to apply this research to designing a new kind of visually guided drone, able to remove rogue drones safely from the vicinity of airports, prisons, and other no-fly zones.” 

The research was funded by the US <a href="http://www.wpafb.af.mil/afrl/">Air Force Research Laboratory</a>, and could pave the way for future studies that examine the attack and pursuit trajectories of other predators, not just falcons.  

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Falcon attack strategies could help seize rogue drones

The flight patterns of falcons could help researchers develop drones...

The abstract concepts of space and time are something that we know we as humans are able to perceive, even without using tools such as a watch or a measuring stick. We have this ability due to the parietal cortex region of our brain, which is a combination of part of the cerebral cortex and the outermost layer of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-risky-decision-making/">brain</a>. Primates also use this region in order to comprehend space and time, and now new research points to another species that has the ability to discriminate the concepts of space and time – you guessed it, pigeons!

One interesting part of this research is that pigeons do not have a parietal cortex region of their brain. The researchers were curious what area of the pigeon’s brain is used to discriminate between space and time. 

Their study involved putting pigeons through a series of tasks called the “common magnitude” test. This consisted of the birds being shown a computer screen with a horizontal line of either 6 cm or 24 cm for either 2 seconds or 8 seconds. They could peck one of four visual symbols to “report” the length of duration of the line, and if they did so correctly they would receive food.

To progress the tests, the researchers introduced additional line lengths, adding increased variability in judging whether a line was short or long. They also showed the line to the birds for either a shorter or longer duration. “The task now forces pigeons to process time and space simultaneously because they cannot know on which dimension they’re going to be tested,” says Edward Wasserman, professor of experimental psychology at the <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a>.

The results showed that the length of line affected the pigeons’ discrimination of line duration, and the duration of the line affected their discrimination of the line length. These findings parallel research done with humans and primates, although the lack of parietal cortex in the pigeon brain shows that it’s not necessary for comprehending space and time. “The cortex is not unique to judging space and time,” says Benjamin De Corte, a graduate student at the <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a> and first author on the paper. “The pigeons have other brain systems that allow them to perceive these dimensions.”

These findings are additional evidence in the growing argument that lower-order animal species – like birds, fish, and reptiles – are actually capable of upper-level thinking and abstract decision-making. “Indeed, the cognitive prowess of birds is now deemed to be ever closer to that of both human and nonhuman primates,” says Wasserman, who has also studied intelligence in pigeons, crows, baboons, and other animals for over 40 years. “Those avian nervous systems are capable of far greater achievements than the pejorative term ‘bird brain’ would suggest.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pigeons are smarter than you think and can sense space and time

The abstract concepts of space and time are something that...

Researchers have determined that medium-sized carnivores spend more time hunting for food than smaller and larger carnivores. This means that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/battling-climate-change-misinformation/">climate change</a> will have a bigger impact on medium-sized predators, as changes in the environment will affect the availability of their food.

It has been long assumed that foraging time decreased as animal size increased. But now, a study from <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> and the <a href="https://www.zsl.org/">Zoological Society of London </a>demonstrates that this is not the case.

The researchers obtained data on land predators worldwide, from small predators to large predators. For their investigation, the team used tracking methods such as radio collars and GPS. Overall, they examined 73 land-based carnivore species.

The analysis revealed that medium-sized species of predators, such as the leopard cat and the crab-eating fox, spent the largest amount of time foraging. The researchers explained that the findings of the study provide a more accurate model to forecast the vulnerability of animals to habitat loss and climate change.

"We propose a simple mathematical model that predicts how foraging time depends on body size,” said study co-author Dr Samraat Pawar. “This can help predict potential risks to predators facing environmental change.”

"Habitat changes can mean that predators have to move more to find the same amount of food, causing them greater stress,” said Pawar. “This impacts the health of the individual, and therefore the health of the population.” 

Study co-author Matteo Rizzuto explained that the extent to which species are vulnerable will also depend on the kind of prey they feed on. "If they are able to adapt their diet and diversify their prey, they may fare better,” said Rizzuto.

The mathematical model developed by the researchers helped explain why medium-sized predators spend so much more time searching for food. This is because they tend to feed on animals that are small in relation to their own body size.

Study co-author Dr. Chris Carbone said, "Prey that are much smaller than a predator are hard to find and catch, and therefore do not easily satisfy the predator's energy needs and provide insufficient 'bang for the buck'."

The study is published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Medium-sized carnivores face biggest threat from climate change

Researchers have determined that medium-sized carnivores spend more time hunting...

Scientists have determined that humans likely descended from sponges that lived in early oceans 750 million years ago. According to the researchers, these creatures are the eldest ancestors of all animals.

This new discovery challenges the previous belief that comb jellies are the oldest members of the animal kingdom. Researchers from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> used a new method to statistically test evolutionary models for accuracy. They found that the more precise evolutionary models indicated that <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/dragon-blood-sponges-crabs-save-life/">sponges</a> are at the root our lineal descent.

Professor Davide Pisani is the lead author of the study.

“Phylogenomics, the use of genomic data in phylogenetics, is a relatively new science,” explained Professor Pisani. “Evidence for comb jellies as the earliest branching animal lineage first emerged in 2008, a decade ago, in the first, large-scale, phylogenomic analysis of the animal phyla. We have now better analytical tools and data and this study seriously challenges the accepted status quo.”

Professor Pisani pointed out that sponges and comb jellies represent completely different evolutionary backgrounds of animal organ systems such as the digestive and nervous systems. “Therefore, knowing the correct branching order at the root of the animal tree is fundamental to understanding our own evolution, and the origin of key features of the animal anatomy,” he explained.

The prehistoric sponge was a filter feeder with no complex organs. While it is not clear what the first-ever animals looked like, Professor Pisani said it was most likely a lot simpler than modern sponges and possibly resembled a blob.

“I found it pretty exciting to find that something as simple as a sponge might have kick-started modern ecosystems,” said Professor Pisani.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/current-biology/">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The earliest known relative of humans is… a sponge?

Scientists have determined that humans likely descended from sponges that...

The Niassa National Reserve in Mozambique is the largest protected area in the country, spanning 16,300 square miles. The reserve is home to a large population of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/us-mexico-border-wall-threaten-100-endangered-species/">endangered wildlife</a> and people who can legally live there. 

Deforestation is a major cause for concern, especially in places like the Niassa Reserve where habitat loss has already become widespread. In Africa, deforestation rates are five times higher than the global average. 

A new study, published in the journal Parks, found that even though the Niassa reserve has undergone some deforestation, it could support lion and elephants with populations in the thousands because of its massive size. 

For the study, researchers examined land-use and tree cover and concluded that the reserve had lost 41 square miles of forest between 2001 and 2014. But put into perspective, this is a small amount (one percent) of the total forest in the reserve. 

The fact that the reserve, despite forest loss, could still support large populations of elephants and lions lends hope that conservation efforts are working, and protected areas are staying, for the most part, protected. 

“The fact that forest loss is much lower than in the surrounding region or in many other African protected areas is a very encouraging result,” said James Allan of the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland </a>in Australia, the study’s lead author.

The results are especially exciting because of the opportunity for large populations of animals to thrive in the remaining parts of the reserve. 

It’s widely known that poaching is a huge issue for elephants, rhinos and other threatened and endangered species in African countries. In Niassa, more than 8,000 animals were poached in the last six years. 

Poaching is not the only threat to wildlife in the reserve, but the researchers say that with the right management strategy and enough investment, the Niassa reserve could hold populations of larger wildlife in the tens of thousands. 

Very few places exist on Earth today that could support those kinds of population numbers, and this further emphasizes the importance of keeping the Niassa reserve intact and making forest conservation and biodiversity a priority. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A safe place for elephants in Africa

The Niassa National Reserve in Mozambique is the largest protected...

A new dinosaur covered in bony armor may have used its shoulder spikes not just for self-defense but to attract a mate, according to new research.

The rhino-sized Borealopelta markmitchelli fossil was discovered by miners in Alberta, Canada in March 2011, but was not unveiled as a new species until earlier this year, when excavation of the specimen was completed. 

The fossil is incredibly well-preserved, according to scientists. The fossilization included soft tissues like skin, which is rare.

A team from the <a href="http://www.tyrrellmuseum.com/">Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology</a>, which has the specimen on display, believe that the armor on the new dinosaur may have served a few different purposes, particularly the imposing, exaggerated spikes found on the specimen’s neck and shoulders.

“For most of these elaborate structures in living animals – tail feathers in birds, coloration in lizards, horns in mammals – the driving [evolutionary] force is generally sexual selection,” Dr. Caleb Brown, who is one of the researchers studying the fossil, told <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/nodosaur-borealopelta-armor-social-sexual-defense-science/">National Geographic</a>. “That doesn’t preclude its function in defense or species recognition.”

The <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/">National Geographic Society</a> is supporting the new research on the fossil.

B. markmitchelli, also called the nodosaur, wouldn’t be the only species to use bodily structures for both defense and to attract a mate. Many animals use antlers, horns, tusks or other structures for both fighting and flirting. 

“Dinosaurs, particularly Ornithischia, bear a startling array of ‘extreme’ and ‘exaggerated’ structures ... that have sparked interest both in the public and amongst paleontologists,” Brown wrote in his paper. “Many of these structures are superficially similar, and perhaps functionally analogous, to those of animals alive today; such as the horns and frill of ceratopsians and those of chameleons and bovids.”

Some of those functions are sexual in nature, he added

The new dinosaur was a plant-eater, and likely lived in what is now western Canada, which would have been warm and humid at the time. Flooding may have led to the species’ demise, scientists said. 

The specimen discovered in March 2011 was likely swept into a prehistoric sea – now Alberta’s oil sands – where it drowned, but was preserved until the present day. 

Brown’s new research on the armored dinosaur was published in the journal <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/4066/">PeerJ</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image credit: Machairo, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nodosaur.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>

New dinosaur had armor for protection – and attraction

A new dinosaur covered in bony armor may have used...

Puffin colonies are a popular wildlife attraction, perhaps due to their unique, colorful look. Places like Iceland and Maine, where the Atlantic puffin resides, even offer puffin watching tours. 

But despite their popularity, puffins now face population declines and many puffin species are now threatened. 

Now, a new study has found that puffins who travel further distances during the winter are at a disadvantage for breeding the following spring. 

The study was conducted by an international team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford’s Department of Zoology</a> who examined puffin migration across a wide range of puffin colonies. 

The study, published in the journal Current Biology, is the first of its kind to take such an expansive look at multiple seabird colonies in order to understand puffin migrations. 

According to the lead author of the study, Dr. Annette Fayet, previous research focused on individual colonies and all but ignored puffin colonies in Norway or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-iceland-sells-risky-seismic-activity-tourist-attraction/">Iceland</a>, which is why this study is so monumental. 

The researchers observed seasonal behaviors in multiple puffin colonies over a span of eight years.

The researchers collected data on 270 individual birds in total and were able to identify the motivations behind those behaviors. 

Some puffin colonies in the United States travel shorter distances during the winter, but other puffins, like the Irish puffin, migrate much further, traveling across the Atlantic Ocean. 

“Our large dataset also allowed us to tackle the big question of what drives avian migration - something we could not have achieved with a smaller sample,” said Dr. Fayet. 

The researchers found that larger colonies or habitats that have scarce resources in the winter are the major motivators for migrating further distances. 

Even though these further migrations may aid the puffins in surviving the winter, it takes a great toll on the bird’s energy. The puffins that travel further have a greater risk of unsuccessful breeding the following year. 

The results of this study could apply to many other migratory species, and understanding how migration affects the health and survival of a species could help with conservation efforts. 

“If we as conservationists want to help these species to survive we need to look at what we can do to support them during the winter season as well as the summer months,” said Dr. Fayet. “With this in mind, it may be a good idea to implement protected areas in seabird winter hotspots such as the area south of Iceland and Greenland.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Puffins who have to migrate farther often struggle with breeding

Puffin colonies are a popular wildlife attraction, perhaps due to...

Researchers have identified two pesticides that are making songbirds severely ill. Pesticides known as neonicotinoids and organophosphates, which are among the most widely used in the world, have been previously linked to declining bee populations.

Now, biologists have witnessed firsthand just how harmful the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pesticides-bumblebees-buzzing/">pesticides</a> are for birds as well. 

A study by researchers at the <a href="https://globalnews.ca/search/university-of-saskatchewan/">University of Saskatchewan</a> is unprecedented in demonstrating the toxic effects of neonicotinoids and organophosphates in birds. The research team fed sparrows varying doses of the pesticides over the course of three days during spring migration.

The experts found that the birds suffered from drastic weight loss and completely lost their sense of direction after ingesting only three or four seeds affected by an insecticide in the class of neonicotinoids known as imidacloprid.

“What surprised us was how sensitive and rapid the effects were, particularly to imidacloprid,” said study co-author Christy Morrissey. “The birds showed a significant loss of body mass and signs of acute poisoning (lethargy and loss of appetite).”

“The migration trials also showed that birds completely failed to orient or changed their northward orientation,” said Morrissey.

Study co-author Margaret Eng said that the team found it encouraging that most of the birds observed in the study recovered after they stopped ingesting the pesticides.

“But the effects we saw were severe enough that the birds would likely experience migratory delays or changes in their flight routes that could reduce their chance of survival, or cause a missed breeding opportunity,” said Eng.

According to Morrissey, the findings of this study could have a major impact on the regulation of these pesticides.

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pesticides found to be extremely toxic to birds

Researchers have identified two pesticides that are making songbirds severely...

A Canadian fishing crew caught a lobster off the coast of New Brunswick that is truly one-of-a-kind. The lobster has a Pepsi logo plastered across its claw like a tattoo. 

Karissa Lindstrand, the woman that noticed the interesting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-lobster-numbers-decline-maine/">lobster</a> while it was being loaded in a crate to have its claws banded, drinks Pepsi every day and quickly identified the image. 

There is no telling how the image got there, and some are speculating that the lobster must have grown inside of a Pepsi can. But Lindstrand claims that the picture was pixelated, which means it likely did not originate from a can.

Lindstrand told the<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/"> Globe and Mail</a>, “It looked like the image was tattooed on the lobster claw. I've just seen deformed claws. I've never seen anything like this before with the image of a Pepsi symbol.”

Lindstrand explained that the image was not paper but could be scraped off. 

“I'm still trying to wrap my brain around what exactly it was,” she said. “I just happened to notice a blue picture, and got looking at it closer and it was a Pepsi can.”

The discovery comes at a time when a growing collection of evidence suggests that the pollution in Earth’s oceans is expanding out of control. Researchers are now estimating that between five and 13 millions tons of plastic is being dumped into the ocean every year.

Matthew Abbott is a marine coordinator with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick. He suggested that the lobster claw delivers an important message.

 “What it really tells us is the prevalence of marine debris in our coastal waters,” said Abbott. “This is a case where the lobster not necessarily has been hurt by it, but it shows that even in the relatively deep waters off Grand Manan there’s garbage down there.”

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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

Image Credit: Karissa Lindstrand

Ocean pollution: Pepsi logo found plastered on lobster’s claw

A Canadian fishing crew caught a lobster off the coast...

There are nearly 70 species of sea snakes in the world that can be found everywhere from the South Pacific to New Zealand to Central America. 

Over time, sea snake species have become specially adapted to their aquatic surroundings. They have flat tails that help them maneuver through the water, they can hold their breath, and go for months without taking a drink. 

"Sea snakes have evolved to survive in a way that is completely different than turtles, crocodilians or freshwater snakes,” said Coleman Sheehy, the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/">Florida Museum of Natural History</a> herpetology collection manager. “Nothing else does it like sea snakes - they've made fascinating adaptations to overcome the huge number of difficulties associated with surviving in the ocean and are by far the most successful marine reptile group.”

But even though sea snakes are found far and wide in the Pacific and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-dead-zone-indian-ocean/">Indian Oceans</a>, there is a major body of water where the creatures have yet to appear: the Atlantic Ocean. 

This is especially perplexing because extinct species of sea snake once lived in the Atlantic and today, sea snakes could hypothetically thrive in the Caribbean.

A new paper, co-authored by researchers from the <a href="http://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida </a>and published in the journal Bioscience, examines the lack of sea snakes in the Atlantic and suggests some possible answers.

Sea snakes began to evolve 6 to 8 million years ago and many species first appeared 1 to 3 million years ago. But before the snakes could move to regions in the Atlantic, the only safe means of traveling to the Caribbean, via the Isthmus of Panama, had been blocked off. 

Today, places where passage is possible, such as over the tip of South Africa, are too cold and dry for the snakes to survive the journey.

Sea snakes rely on warmer waters and freshwater for drinking, and so the chances of any sea snake species making it to the Caribbean are slim. 

The authors of the paper also discuss the threatened status of some sea snake species. According to the authors, even if warmer waters made an Atlantic crossover possible, the negative impacts of climate change would more than likely cause many sea snake species to die out. 

Population declines are currently underway among several sea snakes specices. 

“I think one of the reasons we're seeing declines in certain populations is because of changing rainfall patterns,” said lead author Harvey Lillywhite. “If rainfall patterns aren't conducive to providing water to drink, sea snakes can't survive, even if ocean temperatures are favorable. The availability of freshwater is going to be a huge factor in understanding local extinctions.” 

Sea snakes are an important part of the ecosystem and their evolutionary adaptability is unmatched. If populations are already facing decline due to climate change, it does not bode well for their continued survival. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Why you can’t find sea snakes in the Atlantic Ocean

There are nearly 70 species of sea snakes in the...

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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



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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

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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



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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

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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



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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

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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

[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...