In many parts of the world, traditional landscapes once dominated by wild herbivores are undergoing dramatic changes.&nbsp;Livestock grazing has replaced native grazers, leading to shifts in soil composition, plant diversity, and the delicate balance of predator-prey interactions. 



These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grazing-animals-have-an-unexpected-role-in-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transformations</a> are often subtle, unfolding over years, but their consequences can be far-reaching.



A long-term study in the Spiti valley of the Himalayas sheds light on how this shift is affecting ground-dwelling arthropods, including spiders, ticks, and mites. 



The findings reveal a concerning trend - spider populations are dwindling while disease-carrying organisms such as ticks and mites are thriving. These changes have direct implications for biodiversity, ecological stability, and even human health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spiders-in-livestock-grazed-areas">Spiders in livestock-grazed areas</h2>



The researchers found that livestock-grazed areas had fewer spiders but more grasshoppers, ticks, and mites. Spiders play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance by controlling insect populations.



Study co-author Sumanta Bagchi is an associate professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences (<a href="https://ces.iisc.ac.in" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CES</a>), Indian Institute of Science (IISc).



“Spiders are predators; their ecological roles are similar to wolves, lions, and tigers. A low abundance of spiders can release grasshoppers from predator control, and lead to many downstream changes in an ecosystem. Together, these effects alter material and energy flow,” explained Bagchi.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-replacing-wild-herbivores-with-livestock">Replacing wild herbivores with livestock</h2>



Bagchi and his team have studied livestock’s impact on Spiti valley <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seaweed-supplements-reduce-methane-in-grazing-cattle/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecosystems</a> for over 15 years. They note that wild herbivores like yak and ibex once thrived globally but are now confined to protected areas. Elsewhere, domesticated animals dominate.



For the study, the researchers tracked over 25,000 arthropods from 88 taxa, including spiders, ticks, mites, bees, wasps, and grasshoppers. They monitored fenced plots with either wild or domestic grazers and analyzed soil moisture, pH, and vegetation biomass.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disrupting-arthropod-habitats">Disrupting arthropod habitats</h2>



Shamik Roy, former PhD student at CES and co-first author, pointed out that arthropods have long-established ties with native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/restored-grasslands-bring-more-peace-to-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">grazers</a>.



“Vegetation and soil biotic and abiotic variables are intertwined in complex ways that we are still unravelling. Arthropods heavily depend on them for food and home, an association developed over centuries with native grazers in the ecosystem,” noted Roy.



Replacing these grazers disrupts arthropod populations. The study found that spiders declined in livestock-grazed areas, while ticks and mites flourished. 



The reasons behind spider declines are unclear, but reduced prey availability and vegetation changes may contribute.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-increasing-disease-carrying-arthropods">Increasing disease-carrying arthropods</h2>



Pronoy Baidya, former PhD student at CES and co-first author, highlights a concerning trend. 



“One of the most surprising observations was the massive difference in tick and mite abundance between native grazers and livestock,” Baidya said.



Eighty percent of cattle worldwide carry ticks, which poses risks to both animals and humans. “This is a major concern for zoonotic diseases and One Health,” said Baidya.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-livestock-grazing-and-vegetation">Livestock grazing and vegetation</h2>



Livestock grazing affects vegetation structure and soil health in complex ways. The study revealed that areas with domestic grazers had different plant compositions compared to those with native herbivores. 



Changes in plant types influence arthropod diversity and alter food availability for different species.



Soil conditions, including moisture and pH levels, also shift under livestock grazing. These changes impact microbial communities, further influencing the ecosystem. 



Healthy soil supports diverse vegetation, which in turn sustains a balanced arthropod population.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-and-land-management">Conservation and land management</h2>



To mitigate these effects, the researchers suggest reintroducing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grazing-succession-animal-herbivore-mass-migration-serengeti/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">native</a> herbivores and monitoring vector-borne diseases. Conservation policies should focus on balancing livestock grazing and preserving ecosystems.



“Currently, most of the commons are rather mismanaged, allowing people from villages to unsustainably utilise these commons for their livelihoods, and in the process denying the local herbivores their grazing areas,” said Baidya.



“Our study will hopefully be an example which may nudge governments to take serious steps for freeing up the commons first and then starting proper ecological restoration of these lands.”



Restoring wild herbivores and managing grazing lands could help rebuild ecosystems and reduce disease risks. 



These changes require action to protect biodiversity and maintain ecological balance. Sustainable land-use practices and better management of grazing areas can prevent further ecological disruption.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eap.3091" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecological Applications</a>.



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Livestock grazing is changing soil, plants, and insect populations

In many parts of the world, traditional landscapes once dominated by wild herbivores are undergoing dramatic changes.&nbsp;Livestock grazing has replaced native grazers, leading to shifts in soil composition, plant diversity, and the delicate balance of predator-prey interactions. These transformations are often subtle, unfolding over years, but their consequences can be far-reaching. A long-term study in the Spiti valley of the Himalayas sheds light on how this shift is affecting ground-dwelling arthropods, including spiders, ticks, and mites. The findings reveal a concerning trend - spider populations are dwindling...

For the second time in three years, a colony of Antarctic penguins has suffered a tragic die-off of its chicks. 

In 2015, the colony of about 36,000 Adelie penguins lost all of its chicks. So far this year, all but two of the baby penguins have died.

The culprit, experts believe, was late spring ice that forced the adult penguins to travel much farther for food. 

According to the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/">World Wildlife Fund</a>, the Adelie penguin is the smallest and most widespread penguin species in Antarctica. Although they’re considered a species of “least concern” – meaning they’re not considered endangered or threatened – that could change in the future. 

Like other Antarctic penguins, the Adelie colony faces the duel challenges of a changing climate and commercial fishing in their traditional feeding grounds. 

In areas that have already begun to show the effects of climate change over the past 25 years, Adelie penguin populations have dropped by as much as 65 percent, the WWF reports.

The little penguins only breed on land that has no ice, which means that when ice extends farther than usual – as it did this year – adult penguins have to travel farther to find food for themselves and their chicks. In normal years, adults travel 30 to 75 miles to their fishing territory. 

When commercial fishing operations move into that territory, that just means one more competitor for the Adelie penguins’ fish.

"The risk of opening up this area to exploratory krill fisheries, which would compete with the Adelie penguins for food as they recover from two catastrophic breeding failures in four years, is unthinkable,” Rod Downie, the WWF’s head of polar programs, told the BBC.

The WWF is calling for the creation of a Marine Protection Area at the fishing grounds near the colony. 

In an opinion column about the tragic die-off of the penguin chicks printed in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/13/penguins-starving-death-something-very-wrong-antarctic">The Guardian</a>, John Sauven, the director of <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/">Greenpeace</a>, also called for a marine sanctuary for the colony. 

“All of us who live on this planet are the guardians of these environments, not only to protect the wildlife that lives in them, but because the health of our oceans sustains our planet and the livelihoods of billions of people,” Sauven wrote.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Antarctic penguins face catastrophic loss of chicks

For the second time in three years, a colony of...

‘Tis the season for wild turkeys in Massachusetts, but one group of troublemaking turkeys have Boston residents in a "fowl" mood.

The indigenous bird was once completely eradicated from the state. Thanks to the hard work of wildlife restoration experts, the turkeys Ben Franklin once wanted to honor as America’s national bird have made a comeback.

That comeback hasn’t come without a cost. Gangs of wild urban turkeys have begun strutting around Boston like the own the place.

“There was a girl at church on Sunday who was telling me how she got chased. She and her dog got chased by a wild turkey,” Councilman Craig Kelly said during a recent Cambridge City Council meeting.

Over the past three years, Boston and its suburbs have received countless similar complaints, including that they damage cars, attack people and pets, and ruin gardens. A review of public records turned up 60 such reports last year alone, the <a href="https://www.ap.org/en-us/">Associated Press</a> said. 

One Cambridge meeting to discuss the turkey problem became an example itself. When the meeting ended, Councilman Dennis Carlone was rushed by a turkey as soon as he left.

“It was like the turkey was waiting for me,” he told the <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/">Boston Globe</a>. “They’re clearly strategizing. And I agree, we have to think of some humane way to deal with this.”

In five cases, turkeys became so aggressive that police had to shoot them for public safety, the Associated Press reported.

The troublemaking turkeys aren’t just a problem in Boston. Cities throughout the U.S. have had to deal with more of the feathered fiends finding their way into urban areas. 

And of course, they’re not alone. Other animals like raccoons, foxes and mountain lions have made appearances in cities in recent years. The Boston area has been swamed by rabbits as well as turkeys, and they do just as much damage to yards and gardens.

The problem is that wild animals become acclimated to human areas, but don’t abandon their normal, wild behaviors. Residents who leave food out for wildlife don’t help, because it encourages them to return to the area. 

"Turkeys don't really mean to harm people – it's just tied to their social dynamics within the flock," David Scarpitti told the Associated Press. Scarpitti is a wildlife biologist and turkey expert for the <a href="https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-fish-and-game">Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife</a>. "They lose perspective that humans are humans and turkeys are turkeys. They just want to assert dominance over anything."

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Troublemaking turkeys are ruffling feathers in Boston

‘Tis the season for wild turkeys in Massachusetts, but one...

By now, it’s a well-known fact that cows are a major contributor of methane emissions in the atmosphere. But now, a surprising new study has found that clams and worms in the Baltic also emit vast quantities of methane, even comparable to that of 20,000 dairy cows. 

The study was conducted by researchers from<a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/"> Cardiff University</a> and <a href="http://www.su.se/english/">Stockholm University</a> and published in the journal Scientific Reports. 

The researchers found that ocean clams and worms release <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/methane-emissions-measured-reported/">methane</a> and nitrous oxide from bacteria in their guts. The sheer amount of greenhouse gases emitted by these seemingly innocuous creatures has a far more significant impact on global climate change than previously considered. 

“These small yet very abundant animals may play an important, but so far neglected, role in regulating the emissions of greenhouse gases in the sea,” said Dr. Stefano Bonaglia, the lead author from Stockholm University. 

Methane is 28 times more harmful than carbon dioxide in terms of warming potential, which is why methane emissions from animals are such a cause for concern. 

For the study, the researchers collected sediment samples and analyzed trace gas, isotopes, and molecules from the Baltic worms and clams. 

After careful analysis, the researchers found that 10 percent of the total emissions may be due to clams and worms.

The amount of methane the clams emit is comparable to 20,000 dairy cows, or put another way, as much as 10 percent of the entire Welsh dairy cow population. 

“What is puzzling is that the Baltic Sea makes up only about 0.1% of Earth's oceans, implying that globally, apparently harmless bivalve animals at the bottom of the world's oceans may, in fact, be contributing ridiculous amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere that is unaccounted for,” said Dr Ernest Chi Fru, from Cardiff University's School of Earth and Ocean Sciences and co-author of the study. 

The neglected source of greenhouse gas emissions could impact future policies regarding shellfish farming.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Clams and worms emit shockingly high amounts of methane

By now, it’s a well-known fact that cows are a...

Ant queens who have chosen to co-found a colony were discovered performing a strange burial ritual if one of the co-queens died. When this happened, the surviving queen would sometimes bite and bury the dead queen, possibly to avoid the spread of infection. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the<a href="https://ist.ac.at/"> Institute of Science and Technology in Austria</a> and was published in the journal <a href="https://bmcevolbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-017-0201-4">BMC Evolutionary Biology</a>.

The team observed ant queens, who had co-founded a colony with a sick queen who later died, performed “undertaking behaviors,” such as biting the corpse to make it easier to transport, and then burying it.  

These undertaking behaviors were linked to a greater likelihood that the queen would survive, instead of getting infected themselves. 

Christopher Pull, corresponding author of the study, explained why this behavior was out of the ordinary and surprising to the researchers.

Typically, queens avoid any risks to their health and survival so that they can be counted on for reproduction and the colony’s well-being. But queens do not seem to avoid sick queens, most likely due to competing for nesting sites, Pull noted. 

Co-founding with a knowingly sick queen and burying that queen could expose the healthy queen to infection, but actually, the reverse was found to be true.

“We found that queens that perform these behaviors are actually less likely to contract infections from dead co-founders and are less likely to die compared to those that do not perform undertaking,” said Pull. 

The researchers observed the queens of the black garden ant and discovered that if two queens shared a closed nest with only one chamber and one of them died, a large majority of the surviving queens would bite and bury the dead. 

If the queens had an open nest with multiple chambers, most of the surviving queens would still bite the dead queen, but only 22 percent of the live queens would bury the corpse. 

The researchers also wanted to explore how the introduction of pathogens would affect an ant queen’s choice to co-found a colony. The researchers exposed certain ant queens to fungal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sex-evolved-fight-pathogens/">pathogens</a>, making them sick. 

Overall, the researchers found that healthy queens did not go out of their way to avoid co-founding with infected queens. 

In another experiment, the researchers found that if one of the queens died, whether infected or not, the surviving queen still performed the same undertaking behaviors. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Ant queens perform strange burial ritual

Ant queens who have chosen to co-found a colony were...

Beaked whales in the Bahamas surprised researchers when they were discovered diving deeper than expected for whales of their size. It had previously been thought that only larger whales could dive that deep in the water for longer periods.

Typically, larger whales dive tens to thousands of meters deep to forage for prey, while smaller beaked whales dive down only around 3,000 meters. 

The dive capacity of larger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/many-north-american-whales-dying-off-quickly/">whales</a>, or Odontocetes as they are known, increases with body mass, as more oxygen can be stored to sustain the dive.

Now, with the discovery of the several beaked whales breaking the mold, researchers from the <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a> suggested that certain beaked whales alternate between aerobic to anaerobic respiration to be able to dive deeper and for longer periods. 

Aerobic respiration requires oxygen while anaerobic respiration produces energy without oxygen. By alternating between these two different types of energy production, the beaked whales can dive out of their usual comfort zones. 

To test the theory, the researchers tagged 17 beaked whales, 13 melon-headed whales, 15 short-finned pilot whales, and 27 sperm whales.

The study also used satellite data to monitor the dive patterns of the different whale species as they foraged for prey in underwater canyons in the Bahamas. 

The results showed two beaked whale species took long, deep, dives in contrast to their size but they also took longer to recover, with intervals between dives taking around 62 minutes. 

The researchers had collected data on weight and concentrations of myoglobin (a muscle protein that binds oxygen), but those numbers only explained 36 percent of the variance in dive times. 

The longer dive times are most likely linked to lactic acid that accumulates in the muscle during anaerobic respiration, which supports the researchers claim that alternating between the two  different types of respiration is why beaked whales can dive so deep. 

The ability to dive deeper allows these beaked whales more options for prey, which in some cases can more plentiful deeper in the water.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization

Beaked whales break the mold and dive deeper for more prey

Beaked whales in the Bahamas surprised researchers when they were...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/octopuses-social-thought/">Octopus</a> and cuttlefish are some of the most intelligent creatures in the world, a fact that scientists have known and studied for decades. But it’s not just their brains that can be called intelligent – it’s their skin as well. Both cephalopods are able to instantaneously change their skin pattern and color in order to camouflage and blend into their environment. But it doesn’t stop there; these animals can also mold their skin into a textured, 3D surface in order to mimic the landscape around them. 

Now, a team of engineers at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> have invented camouflage stretchable surfaces with programmable 3D texture inspired by the real skin of octopus and cuttlefish. The material mimics the 3D bumps on the surface of these animals’ skin – known as papillae. Cephalopods can express these papillae in one-fifth of a second in order to mimic textures, and then retract them in order to swim away without any hydrodynamic drag.

“Lots of animals have papillae, but they can't extend and retract them instantaneously as octopus and cuttlefish do," says Roger Hanlon, a cephalopod biologist at the <a href="http://www.mbl.edu/">Marine Biological Laboratory</a> (MBL) who is the leading expert on cephalopod dynamic camouflage. “These are soft-bodied molluscs without a shell; their primary defense is their morphing skin.”

Papillae are what are known as a muscular hydrostat, which is a biological structure that is entirely made of muscle with no skeletal support – such as your tongue. Hanlon and members of his laboratory were actually the first to describe the structure, function, and biomechanics of the morphing 3D papillae in detail. However, their major breakthrough was in creating synthetic tissue groupings that contain programmable, 2D stretchable materials that can extend and retract into 3D shapes.

“This is a classic example of bio-inspired engineering,” says Hanlon. He also believes it has a range of potential applications, such as being able to reflect light in its 2D spaces and absorb light in its 3D shapes. “That would have applications in any situation where you want to manipulate the temperature of a material,” he says.

When animals have survived for millions of years in one of the least-friendly environments on earth, it makes sense that we should study their most dynamic traits in an attempt to mold them to our own uses. Some day soon, we may see wearable materials that can camouflage you just as well as a cephalopod!

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Octopus skin helped scientists develop new camouflage material

Octopus and cuttlefish are some of the most intelligent creatures...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> may offer up some hope for a strategy in preventing climate change. The answer? Herbivores. That’s right; researchers believe that plant-eating species may be a key factor in helping certain ecosystems survive global warming.

In their study, the researchers created mini-marine ecosystems on the shore of Ruckle Park on British Columbia’s Salt Spring Island. These ecosystems were built on hard plastic plates, allowing the temperature to be controlled. Limpets, an established herbivore species, were allowed on some plates, while they were made absent on others. 

They were studying life in the intertidal zone, which is the area of the shore between low and high tide. Generally, it contains ecosystems consisting of starfish, mussels, anemones, seaweed, and barnacles. The interesting aspect of these intertidal ecosystems is that they experience huge temperature fluctuations as the tides go in and out – sometimes as much as 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. This means that the species in the intertidal zone must cope with significant temperature variation every day. 

“These creatures are already living at their physiological limits, so a two-degree change – a conservative prediction of the warming expected over the next 80 years or so – can make a big difference,” said Kordas. “When heat waves come through B.C. and the Pacific Northwest, we see mass mortality of numerous intertidal species.”

Surprisingly, the researchers found that certain communities in the intertidal zone could survive even in the warmest summer temperatures – but only if limpets were present in their ecosystem. 

According to Christopher Harley, senior author of the study and a professor of zoology at <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">UBC</a>, consumers such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-otters-dolphins-smartest/">sea otters</a> and starfish like limpets, and these species are very important in maintaining biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems. Losing these species may destabilize ecosystems, so if we’re able to better protect species such as limpets, it may help make ecosystems more resilient.

“We should be thinking of ways to reduce our negative effects on the natural environment and these results show that if we do basic conservation and management, it can make a big difference in terms of how ecosystems will weather climate change,” says Harley.

Who would’ve thought that something so small could be so important to keeping complicated ecosystems intact?

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Herbivores could protect ecosystems from climate change

A new study from the University of British Columbia may...

New research has found that birds who live next to their friends and family live longer and experience less stress. 

A study conducted by researchers at the<a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/"> University of East Anglia </a>monitored Seychelles warblers who live in the Seychelles Islands. The team examined how the birds interacted with each other and the impact those interactions had on their stress levels. 

The results showed that birds who lived near family and friends did not fight with each other, and that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/songbirds-declining-numbers/">birds</a> who had friends and family close showed fewer signs of aging and stress. 

The researchers were able to measure the warblers stress levels by looking at telomeres, which are the caps at the end of a chromosome. 

Telomeres are important in gauging stress and aging because they erode faster as a result of both. The birds who weren’t fighting with their neighbors had longer telomeres. 

“Territory owners who are constantly fighting with neighbours are stressed and have little time to do other important things – such as finding food and producing offspring – and their health suffers as a result,” said Kat Bebbington, lead author of the study.

Birds and other animals are like humans in that they “own” a piece of property, a home or nest that they defend against predators. Territorial disputes with unfamiliar neighbors result in a stressful environment and impacts health and longevity of the birds.

The research helps to show how birds socialize and interact with each other, particularly amidst habitat degradation where they find themselves in unfamiliar situations with close, unknown neighbors. 

Bebbington and fellow researchers hope that this study will showcase the importance of understanding the complexities of bird relations and how they impact a bird’s health and well-being. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Birds need friends too! Those who do have longer lives

New research has found that birds who live next to...

Genetically modified crops have been prevalent around the world for decades, helping increase crop yields and decrease destruction from pests. In 2016, over 240 million acres of genetically modified corn, cotton, and soybeans were planted around the world that contain insect-killing proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). These proteins kill caterpillar and beetle pests that would otherwise destroy the crops, but the proteins are harmless to people and considered to be environmentally friendly.

One of the main fears about Bt use, as well as the use of BT protein sprays used by some organic farmers, is that widespread use could result in significant evolution of resistance in pests. A recent study from the <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> has analyzed this issue, finding the factors behind why certain pests adapt quickly to Bt proteins, while others don’t.

The study involved analysis of global data on Bt crop use and pest responses, including data from 36 cases representing responses of 15 pest species on every continent (minus Antarctica, of course). The results were published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nbt/">Nature Biotechnology</a>.

“When Bt crops were first introduced in 1996, no one knew how quickly the pests would adapt,” says Bruce Tabashnik, head of the <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona’s</a> Department of Entomology. “Now we have a cumulative total of over 2 billion acres of these crops planted during the past two decades and extensive monitoring data, so we can build a scientific understanding of how fast the pests evolve resistance and why.”

Of the 36 cases studied, the researchers found 16 cases as of 2016 in which resistance substantially reduced the efficacy of Bt crops. In these cases, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protect-bees-managing-ticks/">pests</a> evolved resistance in an average time of just over five years. “A silver lining is that in 17 other cases, pests have not evolved resistance to Bt crops,” Tabashnik adds. Many of these crops continue to be effective even after 20 years. 

In looking beyond just resistance statistics, the researchers wanted to determine what factors help keep resistance at bay. They found that two such factors were recessive inheritance of resistance in pests, and farmers planting a large amount of refuges. Refuges – for those of you who are not farmers – are areas of standard, non-Bt crops planted near Bt crops in order to reduce the chances that two resistant insects will mate with each other. 

However, the most concerning finding of the study was that pest resistance to Bt crops is evolving faster now than ever. This is mainly because resistance to some Bt proteins results in cross-resistance to related Bt proteins produced by crops that are planted later.

Luckily, the development of a new type of Bt protein called a vegetative insecticidal protein (Vip) may be the answer we need. All other Bt proteins are part of another group of proteins, known as crystalline (Cry) proteins. Since these two groups of Bt proteins are so different, cross-resistance between them is very unlikely.

This study is the most comprehensive evaluation of pest resistance to Bt crops ever. Further research will help to increase our understanding of how these proteins affect pests and keep our crops safe.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Alex Yelich/University of Arizona

Pests are becoming resistant to genetically modified crops

Genetically modified crops have been prevalent around the world for...

According to <a href="http://www.who.int/">The World Health Organization</a>, snake bites cause 81,000 to 138,000 deaths per year. In Okinawa, Japan, home to the Okinawan pit viper, 50 snake bites were recorded in 2016. But unlike most animal bites, with snakes it’s not the tooth wound that you have to worry about, it’s the venom released.

Scientists have struggled to study the chemical makeup of poisonous venom in snakes because its composition varies greatly from snake to snake and evolves so rapidly through the generations. 

But a new study, published in the journal Biology and Evolution, documents a scientific first where researchers sequenced the genome of a pit viper, also known as the Taiwan habu, and compared it to its sister species the Sakishima habu.

The research allows a closer look at the evolution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-snakes-wild-sex-drive/">snake</a> venom.

“For many years it was known that snake venoms evolve very rapidly, and the most common explanation for this has been natural selection, but there are reasons to suspect that this might not be the only evolutionary force at work,” said Alexander Mikheyev, senior author on the paper and head of the Ecology and Evolution Unit at the<a href="https://www.oist.jp/"> Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). </a>

The researchers gathered venom and tissue samples from over 30 Taiwanese and Sakishima habus and mapped the entire sequence of genes in the venom. Genome sequencing involves finding the “order” of DNA nucleotides or bases in a genome. 

The researchers note that in order to understand how the chemical composition of venom, you also have to understand how the primary function of the snake’s venom drives that composition. 

Venom doesn’t just attack one of the bodily systems, it actually paralyzes and blocks neural activity, and then attacks the bloodstream. This is why snake venom is such an extremely effective weapon and just a minuscule amount is enough to paralyze a rodent. 

The effective traits in venom are passed on through the generations, but what is less studied are the ineffective traits passed down that do not influence venom. 

“You can think of venoms evolving over two axes. One of those is pushing them to be more effective, but another axis actually pushes them to be less effective,” said Mikheyev.

Researchers were able to identify this push and pull between traits passed down in the sequenced venom genomes which they say will help future research.

Although snake venom is highly toxic, there have been some proposed medical applications of the venom which further research could help advance.

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: OIST/Steven Aird

Why poisonous snake venom is such a dangerous weapon

According to The World Health Organization, snake bites cause 81,000...

A large majority of the honey produced worldwide contains pesticides, with some at dangerously high levels, according to a new study. 

Researchers from the UK and Switzerland tested 198 samples of honey from all over and found that three-quarters contained at least one neonicotinoid chemical, which can both harm humans and bees.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honeybee-hives-weakened-pesticides/">Neonicotinoids</a> are a type of insecticide derived from nicotine, which can also damage the bee’s ability to reproduce. 

A <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/neonicotinoid-pesticides-slowly-killing-bees/">PBS</a> report showed two recent studies documenting the effects of neonicotinoids on bees, finding that bees exposed to the harmful chemicals in a lab environment lived shorter lives. Their hives were also infected and sickly, and often even lost their queens. 

“The tainted hives tended to lose their queen and then struggled to find a new one. A queen sustains the colony, so without her, there are no eggs or future bees,” writes Roni Dengler, author of the PBS article. “Neonicotinoid pesticides are slowly killing bees.” 

While researchers can document the effect of the pesticides on bees with relative ease, there’s almost no way to document how levels of neonicotinoids will affect humans over time. This is why the discovery of the pesticide in honey is so alarming.

“What we don’t know is whether there are long-term, chronic effects from lifetime exposure to a cocktail of these and other pesticides in our honey and most other foods,” said Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology at the<a href="http://www.sussex.ac.uk/"> University of Sussex</a>. 

The researchers gathered honey samples from all over the world and tested them for trace amounts of five different known neonicotinoids. 

Many of samples showed evidence of the pesticides, but below the safe levels recommended by the <a href="https://europa.eu/european-union/index_en">European Union</a>. However several samples had higher-than-safe levels, including those from Germany and Poland. 

The researchers are advocating for tighter regulations, including the possibility of a widespread ban on the use of neonicotinoids.

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

75 percent of the world’s honey contains dangerous pesticides

A large majority of the honey produced worldwide contains pesticides,...

This past Wednesday, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-clean-power-plan/">Trump administration</a> declined to list 25 species as endangered, including the Pacific walrus, which is of particular concern to environmental groups. But the Trump administration believes that listing these species for extra protection “is not warranted at this time.”

The Pacific walrus has been considered as a candidate for the endangered species list due to the significant loss of its Arctic sea ice habitat. In addition to the Pacific walrus, other species that were denied protection include Barbour’s map turtle, Bicknell’s thrush, the Big Blue Springs cave crayfish, the Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle, Kirtland’s snake, and the Black Hills populations of the black-backed woodpecker.

“This is a truly dark day for America’s imperiled wildlife,” says Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the <a href="http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/">Center for Biological Diversity</a>. “You couldn’t ask for a clearer sign that the Trump administration puts corporate profits ahead of protecting endangered species.”

On the other side of the fence, U.S. Rep. Don Young, from Alaska’s Republican congressional delegation, applauded the decision about the Pacific walrus. “I welcome this action by the Fish and Wildlife Service, a decision that recognizes the health and stability of Alaska's walrus population and ignores the extreme political pressures often associated with new Endangered Species Act listings,” Young said in a statement.

However, Greenwald disagrees, saying that these species “are now one step closer to extinction.” He continued, “We’re going to challenge as many of these bogus findings as we can.”

Whatever side you’re on, the science shows that Arctic ice is rapidly diminishing. We’ll likely see how this continues to affect the Pacific walrus – as well as many other species – in the near future. It will be revealed soon enough whether or not this decision was the right one. 

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Trump administration refuses to list 25 species as endangered

This past Wednesday, the Trump administration declined to list 25...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

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